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Danish phonology
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Consonants
Danish has 17 to 19 consonants, depending on analysis:
are voiceless and aspirated: (some scholars analyse them as voiceless aspirated lenis: ).
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Encyclopedia
Consonants
Danish has 17 to 19 consonants, depending on analysis:
are voiceless and aspirated: (some scholars analyse them as voiceless aspirated lenis: ). are voiceless and lenis: . , and are distinguished only in word-initial position or at the beginning of a stressed syllable. Hence lappe 'patch' = labbe 'lap' , værten 'the host' = verden 'the world' , lække 'leak' = lægge 'lay' .
The combination of is realized as , making it possible to postulate a tentative -phoneme in Danish.
may have slight frication, but are usually pronounced as pure approximants, and hence being rendered as .
In the position after a vowel (except before a stressed vowel), and are normally pronounced and . In slow and careful speech is often = ). = forms a diphthong with the preceding vowel: e.g. stor "big" , næring "nourishment" . and / coalesce into the long vowels and respectively. , and are all rendered as , e.g. læger "doctors" = lære "teach, learn; doctrine" = lærer "teaches, learns; teacher" .
, and are normally rendered as the vowels , and . , are pretty close to [o] and [e], e.g. leve "live" = Leo . and especially are frequently assimilated to (in the case of normally, but not exclusively, with an indication of a rounding at the outset), e.g. meget "much, very" , Strøget "a central shopping street" . Since word-final is normally rendered as in Jutlandic Standard Danish, these words are normally pronounced without assimilation there: , .
The phoneme has been lost from the pronunciation of all but the oldest speakers. After frontvowels (and ), it has normally disappeared altogether, though it may be represented by after the long vowels , , in careful speech, especially word-finally. After backvowels (except ), it has become . NB: eg and øg (like ej and øj) often represent the diphthongs and , as in øje (eye) .
Vowels
Danish has 16 vowels:
The 16 vowels, of which 15 exist in a short variant and 12 in a long variant, are distributed on 11 short and 10 long phonemes, many of which have a more open allophone in the position before and after .
Long and short vowels
Long vowels occur in syllables which were originally open, i.e. there was not more than one short consonant after the vowel. Since the long consonants have been shortened, vowel quantity has become phonological: bane "course" ? bande "swear", ile "hasten" ? ilde "badly".
There are long vowels in some syllables which were originally closed, especially in neuters of adjective stems ending in and (e.g. pænt "nice" ) and in the preterites and participles of verb stems ending in , and (e.g. spiste "ate" , fødte "gave birth to" ).
The distinction between long and short vowels are neutralised before .
Current developments
This sixteen-vowel system is unstable, and the contemporary language is experiencing a merger of more of these phonemes. Thus, many speakers tend to confuse with , with , with and with (cf. Michael Ejstrup and Gert Foget Hansen 2004 ).
Before labials and velars, is in most varieties: in other positions, it is in the conservative speakers and in the younger speakers.
, the regular allophone of after is before labials and alveolars in the language of most younger speakers; before labials, it is often realised as a diphthong ; the difference between strække "stretch" and strejke "strike", the only minimal pair, is practically non-existent.
The distinction between and , which is upheld only before nasals, is blurred. One often hears for (e.g. bønder instead of ) and for (e.g. bøtte instead of ). However, = <y> is normally pronounced only (one may hear pynte instead of , though).
Accent
Unlike the neighboring Mainland Scandinavian languages Swedish and Norwegian, the prosody of Danish does not have phonemic pitch. Stress is phonemic and distinguishes words like "cheapest" and "car driver". The main rules for the position of the stress are:
- Inherited words are normally stressed on the first syllable.
- The prefixes be-, for-, ge- are unstressed, e.g. for’stå "understand", be’tale "pay" (NB there is also a stressed for- in nouns corresponding to the verbal prefix fore-).
- In many compound adjectives, especially those ending in -ig and -lig, the stress is replaced from the first to the second syllable, e.g. vidt’løftig "circumstantial", u’mulig "impossible".
- Words of French origin are stressed on the last syllable (except ), e.g. renæ’ssance, mil’jø.
- Words of Greek and Latin origin are stressed according to the Latin accent rules, i.e. stress on the penultimate if it is long or else on the antepenultimate, e.g. Ari’stoteles, Ho’rats.
- The learned suffixes -aner, -ansk, -ance, -a/ens, -a/ent, -ere, -i, -ik, -ion, -itet, -ør are stressed, e.g. finge’rere, situa’tion, poli’tik, århusi’aner. The preceding syllable is stressed before the learned suffixes -isk, -iker, -or, e.g. po’lemisk, po’litiker, radi’ator. The suffix -or is stressed in the plural: radia’torer (colloquial: radi’atorer).
- Verbs lose their stress (and stød, if any) in certain positions:
With an object without a definite or indefinite article: e.g. ’Jens ’spiser et ’barn "Jens eats a child" ~ ’Jens spiser ’børn "Jens eats children".
In a fixed phrase with an adverb or an adverbial: ’Helle ’sov ’længe "Helle slept for a long time" ~ ’Helle sov ’længe "Helle slept late".
Before the direction adverbs af, hen, hjem, ind, indad, ned, nedad, op, opad, over, ud, udad, under (but not the location adverbs henne. inde, nede, oppe, ovre, ude): e.g. han ’går ’ude på ’gaden "he walks on the street" ~ han går ’ud på ’gaden "he walks into the street".
Stød
The original pitch tone has been replaced by an opposition between syllables with and without the stød. The stød is not a separate phoneme, but a suprasegmental feature that may accompany certain syllables; those with a long vowel or that end with a voiced consonant.
The stød is phonemic since many words are kept apart on the basis on the presence or absence of the stød alone, e.g. løber "runner" ? løber "runs" , ånden "breathing" ? ånden "the spirit" .
It is impossible to predict the presence or absence of the stød; it has to be learned. However there are some main rules:
- Original monosyllabic words have stød. Words that ended in consonant + r, l, n in Old Danish have the stød even though an anaptyctic vowel was later developed. The postposed definite article, which has become an inseparable part of the word, does not influence the word.
- All umlauting plurals in -er (ODan. -r) have the stød, e.g. hænder "hands".
- Most presents from strong verbs (ODan. -r) have the stød, e.g. finder "finds". Many of the presents of verbs with a preterite in -te have the stød as well (but not the presents of verbs with a preterite in -ede).
- Monosyllabic words that originally ended in a short vowel + a single n, r, l, v, ð, g do not have the stød. However, when the definite suffix is added, the stød "returns", e.g. ven ~ vennen "friend".
- Stød is frequently avoided in words with the combinations rp, rt, rk, rs, e.g. vers "verse", kort "card, map"/"short".
- Most (non-derived) words in -el, -er have the stød. Most words in -en do not have the stød. Nomina agentis in -er do not have the stød.
- All words with the unstressed prefixes be-, for-, ge- have the stød.
- There is stød in most compounds that have a replacement of the stress from first to the second syllable.
- There is frequently the stød in the second part of compound verbs.
- Monosyllables regularly lose the stød when they are the first part of a compound: mål "target, goal" ~ målmand "goalkeeper". The vowel is sometimes shortened: tag "roof" ~ tagterrasse ”roof terrace”
- Words of Greek or Latin origin have the stød on a stressed antepenultimate syllable or a stressed last syllable. A stressed penultimate syllable has the stød if the word ends in -er.
Dania transliteration
The Danish handbooks (including the pronunciation dictionaries) normally use another transliteration standard known as Dania. It is more similar to the orthography and is to some extent phonological rather than phonetic. E.g. the vowels of stræde "alley" and gade "gade", which are pronounced identical in Modern Standard Danish, are transliterated <> and <> respectively since they are allophones of different phonemes.
NB Many letters have a different meaning in the two transliteration systems:
- Dania = IPA
- Dania = IPA
- Dania = IPA
- Dania = IPA
- Dania = IPA
- Dania = IPA
Orthography
| Letter(s) | Sound (in IPA) |
|---|
| a | p, b, m, f, k, g, ng, nk); (next to r)
long: ; (next to r) | | aa | = å (in indigenous names); a (in foreign names) | | ae, ä | = æ (in names) | | au, aw | | | ai, ay | | | b, bb | | | c | = k or s (in foreign words) | | ch | | | cc | = ks (in foreign words) | | d, dd | -ig, -isk) or silent (after a vowel in combinations dt, ds; in combinations ld, nd, rd word-finally or before e) | | e | 1; (before r); (between r and p, b, f, m, t, d, s, n); ) (between r and k, g, nk, ng)
long: ; (after r)
unstressed: ; (next to r) | | ea, ee | = i or e (in English words) | | eg, ei, ej | | | f, ff | in the preposition af = silent or (as the first part of compounds) | | g, gg | gg) or (after i, e, æ, y, ø, u, (long) a) or (after o, å, (short) a); (in English words); (in French words) | | h | hj, hv); silent (after a vowel); cf. also ch, ph, th | | i | 2; or (next to r); (in English words with ir); (in combinations lje, nje); (in combinations tie, sie, tion, sion)
open syllable ; (in English words) | | ie | = i (in names) | | j | sj, tj); (in English words); (in French words) | | k, kk | s; word-finally after a vowel; between a vowel and a consonant or , -ig, -isk) | | l, ll | | | ld | lde) or (elsewhere) | | m, mm | | | n, nn | k, g, x); (before f); (in French words after a vowel) | | nd | nde) or (elsewhere) | | ng | | | o | g and sometimes also v, s, n, m)
long: | | oe, ö | = ø (in names) | | oo | = u (in English words); o (in German words); | | ou, ow | | | p, pp | s; word-finally after a vowel; between a vowel and a consonant or , -ig, -isk) | | ph | = f (in names) | | q | = k (in names and foreign words) | | r, rr | | | rd | rde) or (elsewhere) | | s, ss | sie, sion) | | sj, sch, sh | | | t, tt | s; word-finally after a vowel; between a vowel and a consonant or , -ig, -isk); (in combinations tie, tion) | | th | s; between a vowel and , -ig, -isk); (in English words) | | u | 2; or (before r); or (after r); (in combination qu)
long: ; (after r); or (in English words); (in French words) | | ue, ü | = y (in names) | | v | t, k, s); (after a vowel); (in German and Dutch words) | | w | = v (in names and foreign words) | | x | | | y | 2; or (next to r)
short: ; or (in English words) | | z, zz | = s (in names and foreign words) | | æ | r); (after r); (between r and k, g, nk, ng)
long: ; (next to r) | | ø | n); or (before r); (after r); (between r and n)
long: ; or (next to r) | | øg, øj | | | å | r)
long: ; (before r) |
Notes:
- Short e is normally = ; in a few cases, however, it is =
- Short i, y, u are either = or ; before m, n, ng, nk, the latter are almost universal.
Text sample
Johannes V. Jensen, Kongens Fald, 1900-01 (older orthography):
- Rakkeren vred Anders Graas Hest om paa Ryggen og begyndte at aabne den. Blodet laa i en stor brun Pøl, der smeltede sig ned i Sneen, den blegrøde Fraade frøs snart til Is. For hvert Snit af Kniven vældede en Farve ud af den dampende Hestekrop, Kødet spillede i dejlige blaa og røde Farver. Og se Trævlerne blev ved at røre sig, fare sammen og skælve mod Frostluften, de overskaarne Muskler krympede sig som Orme i den svirpende Ild. Det lange Luftrør kom for en Dag, Kindtænderne laa synlige som fire Linjer mystiske Bogstaver. Der kom en fin lyserød Hinde frem, den var mønstret med mangfoldige blaa Aarer som et flodrigt Land set højt oppe fra. Da Brystet blev aabnet, var der ligesom en Hule; store hvidblaa Hinder hang ned, brunt og sort Blod kom ud af Smaahuller i de aarede Vægge, det gule Fedt stod fra Loft til Gulv i langelige og drivende Klaser. Leveren var mere brun end alt andet brunt i Verden, Milten kom tilsyne blaa og skimlet som Natten og Mælkevejen Og der var mange flere skære Farver, blaa og grønne Indvolde, teglstenrøde og okkergule Dele. Alle Østerlands frodige, raa Farver; gult som Ægyptens Sand, turkisblaat som Himlen over Evfrat og Tigris; alle Orientens og Indiens ublu Farver blomstrede ud midt i Sneen under Rakkerens skidne Kniv.
Modern orthography (relatively few changes: mainly from aa to å, and the spelling of nouns with the initial letter in lower-case):
- Rakkeren vred Anders Grås hest om på ryggen og begyndte at åbne den. Blodet lå i en stor brun pøl, der smeltede sig ned i sneen, den blegrøde fråde frøs snart til is. For hvert snit af kniven vældede en farve ud af den dampende hestekrop, kødet spillede i dejlige blå og røde farver. Og se, trævlerne blev ved at røre sig, fare sammen og skælve mod frostluften, de overskårne muskler krympede sig som orme i den svirpende ild. Det lange luftrør kom for en dag, kindtænderne lå synlige som fire linjer mystiske bogstaver. Der kom en fin lyserød hinde frem, den var mønstret med mangfoldige blå årer som et flodrigt land set højt oppefra. Da brystet blev åbnet, var der ligesom en hule; store hvidblå hinder hang ned, brunt og sort blod kom ud af småhuller i de årede vægge, det gule fedt stod fra loft til gulv i langelige og drivende klaser. Leveren var mere brun end alt andet brunt i verden, milten kom tilsyne blå og skimlet som natten og mælkevejen, og der var mange flere skære farver, blå og grønne indvolde, teglstenrøde og okkergule dele. Alle Østerlands frodige, rå farver; gult som Ægyptens sand, turkisblåt som himlen over Eufrat og Tigris; alle Orientens og Indiens ublu farver blomstrede ud midt i sneen under rakkerens skidne kniv.
Modern Danish pronunciation:1
- 1 The phonetic transcription follows the pronunciation of Modern Standard Copenhagen Danish as it is spoken by the younger generation (<40y). The author of the text sample, Johannes V. Jensen, spoke a more archaic dialect with a Jutlandic substratum.
English translation:
- "The butcher turned the horse of Anders Grey on its back and started to open it. The blood lay in a big brown puddle that melted down in the snow, the pink foam soon froze to ice. At every cut of the knife, a colour gushed from the steaming body of the horse, the flesh sparkled in lovely blue and red colours. And look, the shreds kept moving, started and quaked in the frosty air, the cut muscles shrank like worms in the flicking fire. The long windpipe appeared, the molars were visible like four lines of mysterious letters. A fine pink membrane showed, it was figured with various blue veins like a rivery country seen from high above. When the breast was opened, it was like a cave; big white-blue membranes hang down, brown and black blood came out of small holes in the veined walls, the yellow fat extended from the ceiling to the floor in longish and wringing bunches. the liver was more brown than any brown thing in the world. The spleen came forth blue and mouldy like the night and the Milky Way. And there were many more bright colours, blue and green entrails, tile-red and ochre-yellow parts. All the luxuriant, raw colours of the East, yellow like the sand and Egypt, turquoise-blue like the heaven over Euphrat and Tigris; all the impudent colours of the Orient and India blossomed right out in the snow under the filthy knife of the butcher."
See also
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