B (letter): Difference between revisions
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'''B''' is the second letter of the [[ | '''B''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the second letter of most variants of the Latin alphabet, being placed after [[A (letter)|A]] and before [[C (letter)|C]]: for instance it is the case in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is pronounced [ˈbiː] like ''bee'' and ''be''. | ||
==Use in English== | ==Use in English== | ||
'''b''' is usually a voiced bilabial stop, the unvoiced equivalent of '''p'''. Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''bíg, bág, bát, bún, beaûty, bôth, Albânia, câble, tâble, Bâbel, Róbert, bòunce, ábstract, hërb, distürb, abhŏr, sâbre, câber, bít, túb, bábble'''. | '''b''' is usually a voiced bilabial stop, the unvoiced equivalent of '''p'''. Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]): '''bíg, bág, bát, bún, beaûty, bôth, Albânia, câble, tâble, Bâbel, Róbert, bòunce, ábstract, hërb, distürb, abhŏr, sâbre, câber, bít, túb, bábble'''. | ||
Revision as of 10:25, 22 December 2008
B is a letter of the Latin alphabet. It is the second letter of most variants of the Latin alphabet, being placed after A and before C: for instance it is the case in the English alphabet. Its English name is pronounced [ˈbiː] like bee and be.
Use in English
b is usually a voiced bilabial stop, the unvoiced equivalent of p. Examples (the accents show stress and pronunciation: see English phonemes): bíg, bág, bát, bún, beaûty, bôth, Albânia, câble, tâble, Bâbel, Róbert, bòunce, ábstract, hërb, distürb, abhŏr, sâbre, câber, bít, túb, bábble.
It is doubled after short vowels: ébb, fíbber, rábble, góbble, rúbble, clúbber, Débbie, clúbbed, drúbbing - but not when written as a double vowel: doúble, troúble.
It begins consonant clusters: bréad, ábdicate, abhŏr, abjûre, óblong, ábnegate, breâk, absürd, abscónd, abstâin, ábstract.
b is silent in two positions: final, after m: lámb, cômb, thúmb, límb, clîmb, dúmb, thúmb and tomb (which rhymes with doôm) and occasionally before t: dòubt, súbtle, débt.