Portuguese Lateral Approximant

The Portuguese lateral approximant has two allophones. One is the alveolar lateral and the other is velarized. They are also known as the light l and dark l. In Brazilian Portuguese, however, the velarized lateral is only used in the southernmost part of Brazil. In other parts, the lateral is vocalized.

In the word lago (lake), the lateral is not velarized. However, in the word sal (salt), the lateral is velarized in Portugal and in the southernmost part of Brazil. In the rest of Brazil, the syllable-final l is vocalized. In intervocalic position, the lateral is usually pronounced without velarization in Brazil, but with a bit of velarization in Portugal. 

Portuguese has two allophones for the lateral approximant. One is used for syllable-initial position and the other for syllable-final. In European Portuguese, the syllable-final lateral is velarized, but in Brazilian Portuguese, the lateral is vocalized by the majority of speakers.

Modification of Nouns with -tion and -sion

Many English nouns end with the suffix variants -tion and -sion. They are both variants of the suffix -ion. In many cases, the suffix -ion is added directly to the root. This is the case with forms such as confession and reaction. However, many nouns modify the root in combination with the suffix.

The following forms all have modified roots:

add-addition

appear-apparition

apply-application

combine-combination

comprehend-comprehension

describe-description

divide-division

organize-organization

reduce-reduction

solve-solution

The word appear is quite different from apparition. In fact, the word appearance also exists, but the word apparition is used for an unexpected, remarkable appearance. In words such as addition and combination, the epenthentic vowel changes the syllable structure from VC.C to V.CV.

Voiceless Vowels of European Portuguese

Voiceless vowels often become voiceless in European Portuguese. This happens with vowels that are unstressed and is very common at the end of words and in rapid speech. The vowels can also be completely deleted.

The words quatro (four), sete (seven) and escola (school) all have vowels that can be voiceless. In the word quatro, the final vowel can be voiceless or completely deleted. This is also the case with the final vowel of sete. In the word escola, the first vowel can be voiceless. When the vowels are voiceless, they are pronounced without vocal cord vibration.

In European Portuguese, voiceless vowels are very common. They also occur in varieties of Brazilian Portuguese, but they are a feature that is much more associated with European. The use of voiceless vowels is more common in the dialects of southern and central Portugal than in the northern ones.