Occitan alphabet explained

pronounced as /notice/

The Occitan alphabet consists of the following 23 Latin letters:

Majuscule forms (also called uppercase or capital letters)
width=3% align="center"	A	width=3% align="center"	B	width=3% align="center"	C	width=3% align="center"	D	width=3% align="center"	E	width=3% align="center"	F	width=3% align="center"	G	width=3% align="center"	H	width=3% align="center"	I	width=3% align="center"	J	width=3% align="center"	L	width=3% align="center"	M	width=3% align="center"	N	width=3% align="center"	O	width=3% align="center"	P	width=3% align="center"	Q	width=3% align="center"	R	width=3% align="center"	S	width=3% align="center"	T	width=3% align="center"	U	width=3% align="center"	V	width=3% align="center"	X	width=3% align="center"	Z
Minuscule forms (also called lowercase or small letters)
a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	l	m	n	o	p	q	r	s	t	u	v	x	z

The letters K, W and Y are considered foreign by Occitanians and are used only in words of foreign origin, incrementally integrated into Occitan, such as whisky, watt, Kenya. They may be included in the Occitan alphabet following the order in the international alphabet.^[1]

Letter names

The letter names are usually feminine. They may also be masculine, in which case the feminine names Occitan (post 1500);: be nauta (B), Occitan (post 1500);: ve bassa (V), Occitan (post 1500);: ve dobla (W) and Occitan (post 1500);: i grèga (Y) become masculine Occitan (post 1500);: be naut, Occitan (post 1500);: be bas, Occitan (post 1500);: ve doble and Occitan (post 1500);: i grèc.

Elision is common before a letter starting with a vowel.

Diacritics

Several diacritics serve to modify the pronunciation of the letters of the Occitan alphabet.

The grave accent (Occitan (post 1500);: accent grèu) _̀ found on à, è, ò.
The acute accent (Occitan (post 1500);: accent agut) _́ found on á, é, í, ó, ú.
The diaeresis (Occitan (post 1500);: trèma) ¨ found on ï, ü.
The cedilla (Occitan (post 1500);: cedilha) ¸ found under ç.
The interpunct (Occitan (post 1500);: ponch interior, punt interior) · found between two consecutive consonants: n·h and s·h. This is used in Gascon Occitan, which features pronounced as /link/ as an allophone of pronounced as /link/. In the Middle Ages, the interpunct was common throughout Aquitania (see Old Occitan).

The diacritics are required on the capitals. For example: Occitan (post 1500);: Índia, Occitan (post 1500);: Àustria, Occitan (post 1500);: Sant Çubran, Occitan (post 1500);: FÒRÇA, Occitan (post 1500);: SOÏSSA, Occitan (post 1500);: IN·HÈRN.

Sound-to-spelling correspondences

Unless noted, regional IPA values are the same as Standard Occitan. Despite being listed as dialect of Occitan, Gascon are listed as separate language here and it is excluded from this list.

Consonants

Spelling		IPA value	Exceptions	Regional value
b	Between two vowels In contact with r, l, and z	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
b	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
-b		/pronounced as /link//	∅, /pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link// (before p, b, m) amb	∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat)
bt		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
c	Before e, i	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before u, /pronounced as /link// before i (Auvergnat)
c	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
colspan=2	-c	/pronounced as /link//		∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat)
ç	Before a, o, u	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// before u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-ç	/pronounced as /link//		∅ (Limousin, Auvergnat) ∅ after r (Provençal)
cc	Before e, i	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (also /pronounced as /link//) (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i (Auvergnat)
ch		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (Auvergnat, Limousin dialect) /pronounced as /link// before u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-ch	/pronounced as /link//		∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat)
d	Between two vowels In contact with r, l, and z	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
d	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i and u (Auvergnat)
-d		/pronounced as /link//		∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat)
dd		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
f		/pronounced as /link//
g	Before e, i	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat) /pronounced as /link// before i (Auvergnat)
	Between two vowels In contact with r, l, z	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
colspan=2	-g	/pronounced as /link//	/pronounced as /link// mièg, cluèg	∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat)
gd		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
gu-	Between two vowels In contact with r, l, and z	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
gu-	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i (Auvergnat)
h		∅
j		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat) /pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
k		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
l		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-l	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// mèl → mèu (Provençal) ∅ in a paroxyton word (most dialects)
ll		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
lh		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal)
colspan=2	-lh	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// solelh → soleu (Provençal) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat, Niçard)
m	Before consonants other than m, b, and p	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// after consonants (with semi-nasalization of the last vowel) (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
m	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
colspan=2	-m	/pronounced as /link//	/pronounced as /link// (before p, b, m) amb	/pronounced as /link// (with semi-nasalization of the last vowel) (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// in first-person plural conjugations (Vivaro-Alpine)
mm		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
n	Before p, b, m	/pronounced as /link//
	Before c, qu-, g, and gu-	/pronounced as /link//
	Before f	/pronounced as /link//
	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//	∅ benlèu, bensai, tanbén, tanplan	/pronounced as /link// (with semi-nasalization of the last vowel) (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-n	∅	/pronounced as /link// in some words	/pronounced as /link// in some words (Limousin, Auvergnat)
nn		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
colspan=2	-nd, -nt	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Niçard, Vivaro-Alpine)
nh, gn		/pronounced as /link//
colspan=2	-nh	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Vivaro-Alpine)
p		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-p	/pronounced as /link//		∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat) /pronounced as /link// in three words: còp, tròp, and cap "coast" (Niçard)
qu-		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
r	In the start of a word After n, l	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
r	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
rr		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat, Niçard)
colspan=2	-r	∅	/pronounced as /link// in some words	/pronounced as /link// (Provençal) /pronounced as /link// (Vivaro-Alpine)
colspan=2	-rm	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Niçard) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (Vivaro-Alpine)
colspan=2	-rn	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (Niçard) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (Vivaro-Alpine)
s	Between two vowels	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
s	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-s	/pronounced as /link//	∅ in some words like pas, pus, res, and dins	/pronounced as /link// before other words starting in a vowel (Provençal, Niçard)
ss		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
sh		/pronounced as /link//
t		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-t	/pronounced as /link//	∅ (in -ment adverbs and present participles)	∅ (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat) ∅ in past participles ending in vowels (Vivaro-Alpine)
tg, tj		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Niçard, Vivaro-Alpine); before i, u (Auvergnat) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat)
tl		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat)
tm		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat)
tn		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin, Auvergnat)
tz		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat) /pronounced as /link// (Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
colspan=2	-tz	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Niçard, Vivaro-Alpine) ∅ (Limousin, Auvergnat)
v	Between two vowels In contact with r, l, and z	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
v	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//
w		/pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link// (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard)
x	Before consonants	/pronounced as /link//
x	Otherwise	/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// in the prefix ex- before vowels (Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, Niçard) /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
y		/pronounced as /link//, /pronounced as /link//
z		/pronounced as /link//		/pronounced as /link// before i, u (Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-z	/pronounced as /link//

Vowels

Spelling		IPA value	Regional value
a		/pronounced as /link//	/pronounced as /link// before tonic accent (Limousin, Auvergnat)
colspan=2	-a	/pronounced as /link//	∅ in -ia suffix (Provençal)
colspan=2	-as	/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link//	/pronounced as /link// (Provençal) /pronounced as /link// (Auvergnat, Niçard) /pronounced as /link// (Limousin) 2nd person singular verbs: /pronounced as /link/pronounced as /link// (Provençal)

External links

Omniglot
http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Occitan/Grammar/Occitan-Alphabet.html

Notes and References

- Preconizacions del Conselh de la Lenga Occitana (PDF) (standard Occitan orthography).

Letters	Name	IPA (Standard pronunciation)	IPA (Regional pronunciation)
A a	a	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈa/
B b	be, be (n)auta	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe, ˈbe ˈ(n)awtɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbə, ˈbə ˈ(n)awtɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe, ˈbe ˈ(n)awta/
C c	ce	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈse/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈsə/
D d	de	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈde/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdə/
E e	e	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈe/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈə/
F f	èfa	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛfɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈefɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛfa/
G g	ge	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdʒe/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdzə/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdze/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈʒe/
H h	acha	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈatʃɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈatsɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈatʃa/
I i	i	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈi/
J j	ji	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdʒi/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈdzi/
(K k)	ca	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈka/
L l	èla	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛlɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈelɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛla/
M m	èma	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛmɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈemɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛma/
N n	èna	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛnɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈenɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛna/
O o	o (ò)	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈu (ˈɔ)/
P p	pe	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈpe/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈpə/
Q q	cu	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈky/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈkjy/
R r	èrra	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛrɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈerɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛʀa/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛra/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛʀɔ/
S s	èssa	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛsɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈesɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈɛsa/
T t	te	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈte/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈtə/
U u	u	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈy/
V v	ve, ve bassa (ve, ve baisha)	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe, ˈbe ˈβasɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈvə, ˈvə ˈbasɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈve, ˈve ˈbasɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈve, ˈve ˈbasa/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe, ˈbe ˈβaʃɔ/
(W w)	ve dobla	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe ˈðubːlɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈvə, ˈvə ˈdublɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈve, ˈve ˈdublɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈve, ˈve ˈdubla/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈbe, ˈbe ˈðuβlɔ/
X x	ixa	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈitsɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈiksɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈiksa/
(Y y)	i grèga	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈi ˈɣɾɛɣɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈi ˈɡɾeɡɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈi ˈɡɾɛɡɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈi ˈɡɾɛɡa/
Z z	izèda	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /iˈzɛðɔ/	in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /iˈzedɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /iˈzɛdɔ/ in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /iˈzɛda/