A-circumflex
A-circumflex (Â or â) is a letter of the Latin alphabet, used in several languages. This character is formed by adding a circumflex accent over the letter A. The presence of the accent modifies the letter's pronunciation and/or meaning in various languages.
Usage in Different Languages[edit | edit source]
The A-circumflex has distinct uses and pronunciations in different languages, some of which are outlined below:
French[edit | edit source]
In French, Â is used to denote a difference in pronunciation from the plain letter A. The circled A typically represents a more closed sound, similar to the a in "father". Historically, the circumflex indicated that an s followed the vowel in older spellings of the word, which has since been dropped. For example, forêt (forest) was spelled forest in Middle French.
Vietnamese[edit | edit source]
In the Vietnamese alphabet, Â is one of the three additional vowels. It represents a higher mid-back unrounded vowel. Vietnamese tones are indicated by diacritics written above or below the vowel, so the presence of the circumflex affects the pronunciation significantly.
Romanian[edit | edit source]
In Romanian, the letter  is used to represent the close central unrounded vowel, similar to the pronunciation of the u in the English word "cute". It is used only in the middle of words; the equivalent sound at the beginning or end of words is represented by the letter Î.
Other Languages[edit | edit source]
The A-circumflex also appears in other languages, including Turkish, Welsh, and Portuguese, among others, often carrying different phonetic or historical significance.
Typing the A-circumflex[edit | edit source]
On many computer systems, typing  or â can be achieved through various methods, depending on the operating system and keyboard layout. Common methods include using keyboard shortcuts, alt codes, or input methods designed for specific languages.
Representation in Unicode[edit | edit source]
In Unicode, the uppercase  is represented by U+00C2, and the lowercase â is represented by U+00E2. These codes allow for the consistent representation and manipulation of the A-circumflex across different digital platforms and devices.
See Also[edit | edit source]
 | This linguistics article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
