syllable. It is used also to distinguish between words of the same spelling but different meanings, and is placed over the preposition a, and the conjunctions e, o and u, when emphasised. The conjunction o must always be accented when used with figures.

Formerly, the grave accent (`) and the circumflex (^) were also in use in Spanish, all three accents being used indiscriminately to indicate the stressed syllable. The circumflex was used also on the vowel following ch and x in old Spanish spelling, to indicate that these letters were to be pronounced like k and ks respectively.

The diæresis (¨) is placed over the u in the syllables gue and gui when the u is to be pronounced, as in the words agüero, omen; argüir, to argue.

The hyphen (-) is used at the end of a line to connect the syllables of a divided word. It is also used in a few compound words.

The tilde (~) is used over the letter n only, and gives that letter a sound very similar to that of ni in the English word opinion.

It was originally a sign of abbreviation, and indicated the omission of an m or n.

The interrogation (?) and exclamation (!) marks are used before and after the sentence in Spanish, being inverted (¿ ¡) when preceding.

Other punctuation marks are used as in English.

PRONUNCIATION OF THE VOWELS.

Note.—Spanish vowels have each one sound only, but this sound is influenced by accent or stress, the emphasised vowel being naturally longer or fuller than the same vowel when not emphasised.

a is sounded like a in far or in fat: mar, sea; sal, salt;

e like a in mate, or e in met: mesa, table; venta, sale;

i like i in marine or in pin: mina, mine; fin, end;

o like o in note or in not: cono, cone; con, with;

u like u in rule or in full: luna, moon; mundo, world.

y, as a vowel, has the same sound as i: muy, very; ley, law.

COMPOUND VOWELS.

These consist of combinations formed with the strong vowels a, e, o, each of which, when they meet, is pronounced as forming a separate syllable:

ae, ao, as in faena, task; nao, ship.

ea, eo, as in correa, strap; empleo, employment.

oa, oe, as in loa, praise; poema, poem.

DIPHTHONGS.

These are formed by combining one of the strong vowels, a, e, o, with one of the weak vowels, i, u, or by a combination of the two weak vowels alone. In the former the stress falls on the strong vowel, and in the latter on the second;

ai (ay), au, as in aire, air; causa, cause;

ei (ey), eu, as in seis, six; neutro, neuter;

ia, ie, io, iu, as in diario, daily; viuda, widow;

oi (oy), ou, as in boina, cap; bou, fishing-boat;

ua, ue, ui (uy), uo, as in agua, water; ruido, noise.

TRIPHTHONGS.

These are a combination of the two weak vowels with one of the strong ones:

iai, iei, as in apreciáis, ye appreciate; apreciéis (that) ye appreciate;

uai, uei, as in averiguáis, ye verify; averigüéis, (that) ye verify.

PRONUNCIATION OF THE CONSONANTS.

The following letters are pronounced generally as in English: b, d, f, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, x and y (consonant). It should, however, be noted that the b is slightly softer than in English, as is also the d at or towards the end of a word; that the r is always trilled, the s always hissed, and the t pronounced close to the teeth.

c before a, o, u, and before a consonant, is pronounced like k: capa, cape; crema, cream: before e and i it has the sound of th in bath: cera, wax; cima, summit.

ch is always sounded like ch in check: coche, carriage; ocho, eight.

g before a, o, u, and before a consonant, is pronounced like g in go: goma, gum; grano, grain: before e and i it is sounded like h strongly aspirated in the throat: gente, people; gitano, gipsy. The pronunciation of gua is gwah: guante, glove; guardia, guard; and gue and gui are sounded as in guess and guild, respectively: guerra, war; guitarra, guitar; but güe and güi are pronounced gweh and gwee: vergüenza, shame; lingüista, linguist.

h is always silent: harina, flour; anhelo, eagerness.

j has always the same sound as that given to g before e and i: jabón, soap; hoja, leaf.

ll has a sound very similar to that of lli in million: llave, key; tallo, stalk.

ñ is sounded like ni in minion: cuña, wedge; daño, damage.

q is always followed by u, the two together being sounded like k: quedo, quiet; quinto, fifth.

z has the same sound always as that of c before e and i: zarza, bramble; zona, zone.