P (letter): Difference between revisions

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'''p''' is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced '''b''' (compare '''pén''' and '''Bén'''), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as '''b''' and '''m''' (as in '''mén''').  Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe'''.
'''p''' is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced '''b''' (compare '''pén''' and '''Bén'''), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as '''b''' and '''m''' (as in '''mén''').  Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe'''.


p begins consonant clusters: '''ápfelstrudel, Dáphnê''' (-fn), '''aphrodísiac''' (-fr-), '''plús, apnoêa, présent, Épsom, ápt'''.
'''p''' begins consonant clusters: '''ápfelstrudel, Dáphnê''' (-fn), '''aphrodísiac''' (-fr-), '''plús, apnoêa, présent, Épsom, ápt'''.
   
   
p is silent at the beginning of a word before n, s, t: pterodáctyl, pneumátic, pneumônia, pseûdonym, ptàrmigan, Ptómely and in recêipt, which rhymes with decêit.
'''p''' is silent at the beginning of a word before '''n, s, t''': '''pterodáctyl, pneumátic, pneumônia, pseûdonym, ptàrmigan, Ptómely''' and in '''recêipt''', which rhymes with '''decêit'''.


It doubles only in the middle, to shorten the preceding vowel: hópping (cf. hópped, hôped), flóppy (cf. flóp), snápped, háppy, háppen, náppy, rípper, cúpped, stépping, and after an initial vowel as in appŏrtion, appŏintment, apprôach, applŷ, opportûnity, úpper.
It doubles only in the middle, to shorten the preceding vowel: '''hópping''' (cf. '''hópped, hôped'''), '''flóppy''' (cf. '''flóp'''), '''snápped, háppy, háppen, náppy, rípper, cúpped, stépping''', and after an initial vowel as in appŏrtion, appŏintment, apprôach, applŷ, opportûnity, úpper.


ph = f: Phílip, trôphy, phenómenon, grāph, apóstrophê, Philadélphia, phãraoh (-rô) but Stêphen = Stêven.
ph = f: Phílip, trôphy, phenómenon, grāph, apóstrophê, Philadélphia, phãraoh (-rô) but Stêphen = Stêven.

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P is the sixteenth letter of the English alphabet. Its name is pronounced like the vegetable pea.

Use in English

p is an unvoiced bilabilal stop, an unvoiced b (compare pén and Bén), a popping sound with the lips in the same position as b and m (as in mén). Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see English phonemes): póp, pâper, plûral, pêople, pét, pépper, pénsion, ápt, flípped, câper, apàrt, stoôp, recoûp, groûp, bürp, hàrp, stóp, cóp, rôpe, hŷpe, tŷpe.

p begins consonant clusters: ápfelstrudel, Dáphnê (-fn), aphrodísiac (-fr-), plús, apnoêa, présent, Épsom, ápt.

p is silent at the beginning of a word before n, s, t: pterodáctyl, pneumátic, pneumônia, pseûdonym, ptàrmigan, Ptómely and in recêipt, which rhymes with decêit.

It doubles only in the middle, to shorten the preceding vowel: hópping (cf. hópped, hôped), flóppy (cf. flóp), snápped, háppy, háppen, náppy, rípper, cúpped, stépping, and after an initial vowel as in appŏrtion, appŏintment, apprôach, applŷ, opportûnity, úpper.

ph = f: Phílip, trôphy, phenómenon, grāph, apóstrophê, Philadélphia, phãraoh (-rô) but Stêphen = Stêven.

Before p, n becomes m: impŏrtant, cómpost, cf. -nf- in informâtion, confŏrm (which can be pronounced *ímformâtion, *comfŏrm).

See also