Spelling patterns
What Spelling patterns means in Italian GCSE, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Spelling patterns
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Reference: AQA
Near-cognates follow predictable spelling patterns, differing from English usually by the addition of one or more accents, a suffix and/or the omission or change of a letter.
The English consonant cluster '-ph-' changes to a single '-f-' in Italian nouns, because Italian spelling does not use 'ph' to represent the /f/ sound.
The English cluster '-pt-' often changes to a double '-tt-' in Italian nouns, because Italian frequently assimilates the 'p' into the following 't'.
A key pattern to master is that "-x-" in English changes to "-ss-" in Italian nouns, though it often appears as a single "-s-" in practice.
An English noun ending in 'y' frequently changes to '-ia' in its Italian cognate, so the final 'y' is always replaced with '-ia'.
English nouns and adjectives ending in '-nt' often end in '-nte' in Italian, eg elegant - elegante, elephant - elefante.
Topics that use Spelling patterns
- Using cognates and near-cognates - Near-cognates (AQA GCSE)
- Using common patterns between Italian and English - Nouns (AQA GCSE)
Related terms
- Vocabulary deduction
- Adjectival agreement
- Adjective agreement
- Cognates
- Cognates and false friends
- Cognates and language patterns
- Cognates and near-cognates
- Cognates and patterns
Using Spelling patterns in the exam
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