Respelling: meaning, definitions and examples
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respelling
[ rɛˈspɛlɪŋ ]
linguistic variation
Respelling refers to the practice of representing spoken language in a different way, particularly in writing. This can involve spelling words in a way that reflects their pronunciation more accurately than standard orthography. Respelling is often used in language teaching, phonetics, and dictionaries to aid learners in understanding how words sound.
Synonyms
phonetic spelling, re-spelling, transcription.
Examples of usage
- The respelling of 'night' as 'nait' helps learners.
- In the dictionary, respelling assists with pronunciation.
- She used respelling to clarify regional accents.
Translations
Translations of the word "respelling" in other languages:
🇵🇹 transliteração
🇮🇳 पुनः उच्चारण
🇩🇪 Umschrift
🇮🇩 transliterasi
🇺🇦 транскрипція
🇵🇱 transkrypcja
🇯🇵 音訳
🇫🇷 translittération
🇪🇸 transliteración
🇹🇷 transliterasyon
🇰🇷 음역
🇸🇦 نقل صوتي
🇨🇿 transliterace
🇸🇰 transliterácia
🇨🇳 音译
🇸🇮 transliteracija
🇮🇸 transliteration
🇰🇿 транслитерация
🇬🇪 ტრანსლიტერაცია
🇦🇿 transliterasiya
🇲🇽 transliteración
Etymology
The term 'respelling' is formed by combining the prefix 're-', meaning 'again', with the word 'spelling', which derives from Middle English 'spellen' (to spell or read). The concept has roots in efforts to standardize oral language into written form, particularly as linguists and educators sought effective ways to teach pronunciation. The earliest documented use of 'respelling' in this context dates back to the 1800s, aligning with the development of phonetic alphabets and the growing emphasis on accurate communication in education. Over time, it has evolved to include various methods used to provide clearer pronunciation guidance, including the use of diacritics and alternative letter combinations. In modern linguistics, respelling plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between standard writing systems and spoken language variants, thereby making language learning more accessible.