- the true diphthongs ai, au, eu, oi are always pronounced as a unit
- i or u before a vowel is normally pronounced as a vowel:
- but initially before a vowel, they are usually pronounced as consonants (eg io-ga)
- and between two vowels, they are pronounced as consonants (eg ci-ui)
- after n or l between vowels, i may be pronounced as a consonant. (eg an-io, dal-ia)
- after c or g before a vowel, u is pronounced as a consonant (eg a-cua)
- the combinations ae, ao, ea, eo, oa, and oe are pronounced as two separate vowels. (eg tra-e)
- also, ui is pronounced as two separate vowels, when not initial or following c or g (eg pro-du-i)
- ia, ie, io, ua, ue, and uo are usually pronounced as two separate vowels, but note exceptions above (ni-, li-, cu-, gu-)
- regarding stress in multisyllabic words, final diphthongs, as well as ia, ie, io, ua, ue, and uo, cause the stress to move back to the vowel of the preceding syllable (a-CA-si-a, a-BI-tu-a) ; with ae, ao, ea, eo, oa, oe, and ui, place the stress on the first of the two vowels (eg i-DE-a, TRA-e, pro-DU-i).
- syllable breaks come:
- after a vowel or diphthong (eg a-ma, ai-ra),
- between double vowels (eg di-a),
- between two consonants falling between two vowels (eg ar-ma),
- before i or u between two vowels (eg ci-ui),
- before cu or gu before a vowel (eg a-cua),
- before li or ni between two vowels (eg a-nio),
- or after the first of the series of consonants between vowels (mos-tra).
un nota: si nos ia adota la usa de y e w, nos ta debe scrive "anyo" e "acwa", cual dimini reconosablia, an si "yoga" e "wisci" ta es plu reconosable.
- Coreta. Plu, la regula per NI/LI es elejable (tu ia scrive "optional!" a supra); un parlor ci ta eleje pronunsia [ni/li] en loca de [nj/lj] ta es confusada/iritada par la spele "anyo". Simon
- En mea opina, on pote espresa la regulas en modo multe plu simple, con no diferes importante en pratica:
- In theory, I and U always form a diphthong with an adjacent vowel. In practice, a speaker may choose to pronounce the two vowels separately, but this doesn't affect the stress ("anio" can be ['anjo] or ['anio]; "acua" can be ['akwa] or ['akua]). The only exception is that UI (other than CUI and GUI) at the end of a word (almost always a verb) is two syllables, with stress on the U: [tra'dui]. Simon
Here are the rules of capitalization in elefen as I understand them:
- first word in a sentence;
- first word of a citation;
- first word of a title.
capitalize proper names:
- persons, pets, mythological creatures, gods... (e.g. Apolo)
- sun, moon, specific planets, etc. (e.g. Jupiter)
- nations, territories...
- states, provinces, counties...
- cities, towns...
- organizations, corporations, vintners...
- buildings... (e.g. la Louvre)
but not these, even if a part of a proper name:
besides nouns, verbs and adjectives are also capitalized if a part of a name. eg. the United States.
(note that some surnames in other languages include a preposition or other particle in small letters. they should be in small letters in lfn as well - but not translated. eg van Olffen)
capitalize taxonomic terms above the level of species
do not capitalize the names of...
- peoples (nationalities, ethnicities, religionists...)
- months, days of the week
- eras (e.g. la renase, la neolitica...)
- movements, philosophies, etc (e.g. romanticisme, epicureanisme, comunisme...)
adjectives and verbs (other than those that are a part of proper names) are never capitalized.
abbreviated forms of expressions that would be in small letters if written out, should be in small letters when abbreviated, for example, lfn and ovn. The opposite would be true in cases like NATO, the UN, the SUA, etc.
Sorry but I don't understand why the first word would be capitalised word after a colon.
- I would say it can be capitalized (at the writer's discretion) when what follows the colon is a complete sentence, but not otherwise. A capital after a colon jars with European practice, and a capital after a semicolon is surely undesirable. Simon
- I agree. consider the rule removed! jorj
Do we capitalize the S in "san" as a title? I found it capitalized in some articles on the incubator, so I have been following suit. Personally I prefer the look of a capital S; for example "San Joan" over "san Joan". How about everyone else? Angel