P (letter): Difference between revisions
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'''P''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the sixteenth letter of most variants of the Latin alphabet, being placed after [[O (letter)|O]] and before [[Q (letter)|Q]]: for instance it is the case in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is pronounced [ˈpiː], | '''P''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the sixteenth letter of most variants of the Latin alphabet, being placed after [[O (letter)|O]] and before [[Q (letter)|Q]]: for instance it is the case in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is pronounced [ˈpiː], like the vegetable ''pea''. | ||
==Use in English== | ==Use in English== | ||
'''p''' is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced '''b''' (compare '''pén''' and '''Bén'''), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as '''b''' and '''m''' (as in '''mén'''). Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe'''. | '''p''' is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced '''b''' (compare '''pén''' and '''Bén'''), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as '''b''' and '''m''' (as in '''mén'''). Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe'''. | ||
Revision as of 13:57, 22 December 2008
P is a letter of the Latin alphabet. It is the sixteenth letter of most variants of the Latin alphabet, being placed after O and before Q: for instance it is the case in the English alphabet. Its English name is pronounced [ˈpiː], like the vegetable pea.
Use in English
p is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced b (compare pén and Bén), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as b and m (as in mén). Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see English phonemes): póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe.
p begins consonant clusters: ápfelstrudel, Dáphnê (-fn), aphrodísiac (-fr-), plús, apnoêa, présent, Épsom, ápt.
p is silent at the beginning of a word before n, s, t: pterodáctyl, pneumátic, pneumônia, pseûdonym, ptàrmigan, Ptómely and in recêipt, which rhymes with decêit.
It doubles only in the middle, to shorten the preceding vowel: hópping (cf. hópped, hôped), flóppy (cf. flóp), snápped, háppy, háppen, náppy, rípper, cúpped, stépping, and after an initial vowel as in appŏrtion, appŏintment, apprôach, applŷ, opportûnity, úpper.
ph = f: Phílip, trôphy, phenómenon, grāph, apóstrophê, Philadélphia, phãraôh (-rô) but Stêphen = Stêven.
Before p, n becomes m (with the exception of ínpùt): impŏrtant, cómpost, cf. -nf- in informâtion, confŏrm (which can be pronounced *ímformâtion, *comfŏrm - as can *impùt, cf. impûte).