Editing Macedonian language (section)

==Phonology==
{{Listen
| type          = speech
| header        =
| filename      = Prilep-Bitola dialect speech - Bitola.ogg
| title         = Bitola dialect
| description   = Spoken Macedonian in a folk story as spoken in the dialect of [[Bitola]]
| filename2     = Prilep-Bitola dialect speech - Topolčani.ogg
| title2        = Prilep dialect
| description2  = Spoken Macedonian in a folk story as spoken in the dialect of [[Prilep]]

}}
{{main|Macedonian phonology}}
The [[phonology|phonological]] system of Standard Macedonian is based on the Prilep-Bitola dialect. Macedonian possesses five [[vowels]], one [[semivowel]], three [[liquid consonants]], three [[nasal stops]], three pairs of [[fricative consonant|fricative]]s, two pairs of [[affricate]]s, a non-paired voiceless fricative, nine pairs of voiced and unvoiced consonants and four pairs of [[Stop consonant|stops]]. Out of all the Slavic languages, Macedonian has the most frequent occurrence of vowels relative to consonants with a typical Macedonian sentence having on average 1.18 consonants for every one vowel.<ref>{{cite book|title=Историческая типология славянских языков. Фонетика, слообразование, лексика и фразеология|trans-title=Historical typology of Slavic languages|language=uk|last1=Kolomiec|first1=V.T.|last2=Linik|first2=T.G.|last3=Lukinova|first3=T.V.|last4=Meljnichuk|first4=А.S.|last5=Pivtorak|first5=G.P.|last6=Sklyarenko|first6=V.G.|last7=Tkachenko|first7=V.A.|last8=Tkachenko|first8=O.B|year=1986|publisher=[[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine]]|location=Kiev}}</ref>

===Vowels===
The Macedonian language contains 5 [[vowel]]s which are /a/, /ɛ/, /ɪ/, /o/, and /u/. For the pronunciation of the middle vowels /''е''/ and /''о''/ by native Macedonian speakers, various vowel sounds can be produced ranging from [ɛ] to [ẹ] and from [o] to [ọ]. Unstressed vowels are not [[vowel reduction|reduced]], although they are pronounced more weakly and shortly than stressed ones, especially if they are found in a stressed syllable.{{sfn|Friedman|1998|p=252}}{{sfn|Friedman|2001}} The five vowels and the letter ''р'' (/r/) which acts as a vowel when found between two consonants (e.g. {{lang|mk|црква|italic=no}}, "church"), can be syllable-forming.{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=111}}

The [[schwa]] is phonemic in many dialects (varying in closeness to {{IPAblink|ʌ}} or {{IPAblink|ɨ}}) but its use in the standard language is marginal.{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=10}} When writing a dialectal word and keeping the schwa for aesthetic effect, an [[apostrophe]] is used; for example, {{angbr|к'смет}}, {{angbr|с'нце}}, etc. When spelling words letter-by-letters, each consonant is followed by the schwa sound. The individual letters of [[acronyms]] are pronounced with the schwa in the same way: {{angbr|[[Macedonian Orthodox Church|МПЦ]]}} ({{IPA|[mə.pə.t͡sə]}}). The lexicalized acronyms {{angbr|[[USSR|СССР]]}} ({{IPA|[ɛs.ɛs.ɛs.ɛr]}}) and {{angbr|МТ}} ({{IPA|[ɛm.tɛ]}}) (a brand of cigarettes), are among the few exceptions. [[Vowel length]] is not phonemic. Vowels in stressed open syllables in disyllabic words with stress on the penultimate can be realized as long, e.g. {{angbr|Велес}} {{IPA|mk|ˈvɛːlɛs||Mk-Veles.ogg}} '[[Veles (city)|Veles]]'. The sequence {{IPA|/aa/}} is often realized phonetically as {{IPA|[aː]}}; e.g. {{angbr|саат}} {{IPA|/saat/}} {{IPA|[saːt]}} '''colloq.'' hour', {{angbr|змии}} - snakes. In other words, two vowels appearing next to each other can also be pronounced twice separately (e.g. {{lang|mk|пооди|italic=no}} - to walk).{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=111}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
|+ Vowels{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=10}}{{sfn|Lunt|1952|pp=10–11}}
!
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA link|i}}
|
| {{IPA link|u}}
|-
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA link|e̞|ɛ}}
| ({{IPA link|ə}})
| {{IPA link|o̞|ɔ}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
|
| {{IPA link|ä|a}}
|
|}

===Consonants===
{{multiple image
| total_width =
| align = right
| image1 = LinguisticdivideinMacedonian1.png
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = LinguisticdivideinMacedonian2.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| footer = A 1962 map of the use of the intervocalic phonemes ''kj'' and ''gj'' in Macedonian
}}

The consonant inventory of the Macedonian language consists of 26 letters and distinguishes three groups of consonants ({{lang|mk|согласки|italic=no}}): [[voiced]] ({{lang|mk|звучни|italic=no}}), [[voicelessness|voiceless]] ({{lang|mk|безвучни|italic=no}}) and [[sonorant]] consonants ({{lang|mk|сонорни|italic=no}}).{{sfn|Friedman|2001}} Typical features and rules that apply to consonants in the Macedonian language include [[assimilation (phonology)|assimilation]] of voiced and voiceless consonants when next to each other, devoicing of vocal consonants when at the end of a word, double consonants and elision.{{sfn|Friedman|2001}}{{sfn|Bojkovska|Minova-Gjurkova|Pandev|Cvetanovski|2008|p={{page needed|date=August 2021}}}} At morpheme boundaries (represented in spelling) and at the end of a word (not represented in spelling), voicing opposition is [[Final-obstruent devoicing|neutralized]].{{sfn|Friedman|2001}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonants{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=11}}{{sfn|Lunt|1952|pp=11–12}}
! colspan="2" |
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Dental consonant|Dental]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n̪}}{{ref|1|<sup>1</sup>}}
|
| {{IPA link|ɲ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Stop consonant|Plosive]]
! {{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|c}}{{ref|3|<sup>3</sup>}}
| {{IPA link|k}}
|-
! {{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
| {{IPA link|b}}
| {{IPA link|d̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|ɟ}}{{ref|3|<sup>3</sup>}}
| {{IPA link|ɡ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
! {{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
|
| {{IPA link|t̪͡s̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|
|-
! {{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
|
| {{IPA link|d̪͡z̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! {{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
| {{IPA link|f}}
| {{IPA link|s̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|ʃ}}
| {{IPA link|x}}{{ref|2|<sup>2</sup>}}
|-
! {{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
| {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|z̪}}
|
| {{IPA link|ʒ}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|
| {{IPA link|ɫ̪}}{{ref|1|<sup>1</sup>}}
| {{IPA link|l}}
| {{IPA link|j}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Trill consonant|Trill]]
|
|
| {{IPA link|r}}{{ref|1|<sup>1</sup>}}
|
|
|}

<!-- {| class="standard" style="text-align: center;" -->

{{note|1|1}} The alveolar trill ({{IPA|/r/}}) is [[Syllabic consonant|syllabic]] between two consonants; for example, {{angbr|прст}} {{IPA|[ˈpr̩st]}} 'finger'. The dental nasal ({{IPA|/n/}}) and dental lateral ({{IPA|/ɫ/}}) are also syllabic in certain foreign words; e.g. {{angbr|њутн}} {{IPA|[ˈɲutn̩]}} '[[Newton (unit)|newton]]', {{angbr|Попокатепетл}} {{IPA|[pɔpɔkaˈtɛpɛtɫ̩]}} '[[Popocatépetl]]', etc. The [[labiodental nasal]] {{IPA|[ɱ]}} occurs as an allophone of {{IPA|/m/}} before {{IPA|/f/}} and {{IPA|/v/}} (e.g. {{angbr|трамвај}} {{IPA|[ˈtraɱvaj]}} '[[tram]]').{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} The [[velar nasal]] {{IPA|[ŋ]}} similarly occurs as an allophone of {{IPA|/n/}} before {{IPA|/k/}} and {{IPA|/ɡ/}} (e.g. {{angbr|англиски}} {{IPA|[ˈaŋɡliski]}} 'English').{{sfn|Friedman|2001|page=11}} The latter realization is avoided by some speakers who strive for a clear, formal pronunciation.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

{{note|2|2}} Inherited Slavic {{IPA|/x/}} was lost in the Western dialects of Macedonian on which the standard is based, having become zero initially and mostly {{IPA|/v/}} otherwise. {{IPA|/x/}} became part of the standard language through the introduction of new foreign words (e.g. {{lang|mk|хотел|italic=no}}, hotel), [[toponym]]s ({{lang|mk|Пехчево|italic=no}}, [[Pehčevo]]), words originating from Old Church Slavonic ({{lang|mk|дух|italic=no}}, ghost), newly formed words ({{lang|mk|доход|italic=no}}, income) and as a means to disambiguate between two words ({{lang|mk|храна|italic=no}}, food vs. {{lang|mk|рана|italic=no}}, wound). This explains the rarity of Х in the Macedonian language.{{sfn|Friedman|2001|page=11}}

{{note|3|3}} They exhibit different pronunciations depending on dialect. They are dorso-palatal stops in the standard language and are pronounced as such by some native speakers.{{sfn|Friedman|2001|page=11}}

===Stress===
The [[Stress (linguistics)|word stress]] in Macedonian is {{linktext|antepenultimate}} and dynamic (expiratory). This means that it falls on the third from last [[syllable]] in words with three or more syllables, and on the first or only syllable in other words. This is sometimes disregarded when the word has entered the language more recently or from a foreign source.{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=109–110}} To note which syllable of the word should be accented, Macedonian uses an apostrophe over its vowels. [[Disyllabic]] words are stressed on the second-to-last syllable: ''дéте'' ({{IPA|[ˈdɛtɛ]}}: child), ''мáјка'' ({{IPA|[ˈmajka]}}: mother) and ''тáтко'' ({{IPA|[ˈtatkɔ]}}: father). [[Trisyllabic]] and [[polysyllabic]] words are stressed on the third-to-last syllable: ''плáнина'' ({{IPA|[ˈpɫanina]}}: mountain) ''планѝната'' ({{IPA|[pɫaˈninata]}}: the mountain) ''планинáрите'' ({{IPA|[pɫaniˈnaritɛ]}}: the mountaineers).{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=109–110}} There are several exceptions to the rule and they include: [[Participle|verbal adverbs]] (i.e. words suffixed with ''-ќи''): e.g. ''викáјќи'' ({{IPA|[viˈkajci]}}: shouting), ''одéјќи'' ({{IPA|[ɔˈdɛjci]}}: walking); adverbs of time: ''годинáва'' ({{IPA|[godiˈnava]}}: this year), ''летóво'' ({{IPA|[leˈtovo]}}: this summer); foreign [[loanword]]s: e.g. ''клишé'' ({{IPA|[kliˈʃɛ:]}} cliché), ''генéза'' ({{IPA|[ɡɛˈnɛza]}} genesis), ''литератýра'' ({{IPA|[litɛraˈtura]}}: literature), ''Алексáндар'' ({{IPA|[alɛkˈsandar]}}, [[Alexander]]).{{sfn|Friedman|2001|page=13}}

Linking occurs when two or more words are pronounced with the same stress. Linking is a common feature of the Macedonian language. This linguistic phenomenon is called ''акцентска целост'' and is denoted with a [[Tie (typography)|spacing tie]] ([[Tie (typography)#Encoding|‿]]) sign. Several words are taken as a single unit and thus follow the rules of the stress falling on the antepenultimate syllable. The rule applies when using [[clitics]] (either enclitics or proclitics) such as the negating particle ''не'' with verbs (''тој нé‿дојде'', he did not come) and with short pronoun forms. The future particle ''ќе'' can also be used in-between and falls under the same rules (''не‿му‿јá‿даде'', did not give it to him; ''не‿ќé‿дојде'', he will not come).{{sfn|Bogdanoska|2008}} Other uses include the [[imperative form]] accompanied by short pronoun forms (''дáј‿ми'': give me), the expression of possessives (''мáјка‿ми''), prepositions followed by a noun (''зáд‿врата''), question words followed by verbs (''когá‿дојде'') and some compound nouns (''сувó‿грозје'' - raisins, ''киселó‿млеко'' - yoghurt) among others.{{sfn|Bogdanoska|2008}}