Palatalise (Verb)
Meaning
Pronounce a consonant with the tongue against the palate.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- In some dialects of Italian, the 'k' sound is palatalised before the vowel 'i' to produce a softer 'ch' sound.
- The Czech language palatalises consonants when they are followed by certain vowel sounds, altering the pronunciation significantly.
- The dentist advised the patient to palatalise the sound of the letter 'c' to move the tongue and lips away from the graft.
- Palatalising the /s/ sound before certain vowels can subtly change the pronunciation and nuance of a word in Polish.
- To improve her pronunciation, the student practiced palatalising her consonant sounds in front of the mirror every day.