Bulgarian language

Phonetics

Vowels

The Bulgarian vowel system consists of the following six vowels:

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The Bulgarian vowels may be grouped in three pairs according to their backness: front, central and back. All vowels are relatively lax, as in most other Slavic languages, and unlike the vowels, for example, in the Germanic languages. Unstressed {{IPA|}}, {{IPA|}}, {{IPA|}}, {{IPA|}} tend to be shorter and weaker compared to their stressed counterparts, approaching each other, though without merging completely. Similar reduction of {{IPA|}} and {{IPA|}} is not allowed in formal speech.

Related Topics:
Slavic languages - Germanic languages

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Semivowels

Bulgarian possesses one semivowel: {{IPA|/j/}}, equivalent to the English in yes. The {{IPA|/j/}} always immediately precedes or follows a vowel. The semivowel is most usually expressed graphically by the letter ?, as, for example, in ??? /naj/ ("most") and ?????? {{IPA|/trɔlɛj/}} ("trolleybus"). The letters ? and ? are, however, also used, for example ???? /jutija/ "(flat) iron". After a consonant, ? and ? signify a palatalized consonant rather than a semivowel: ??? /{{IPA|bʲal/}} "white".

Related Topics:
Semivowel - ?

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Consonants

Bulgarian has a total of 33 consonant phonemes (see table below). Three additional phonemes can also be found (, {{IPA|}} and {{IPA|}}), but only in foreign proper names like ?????? /{{IPA|xʲust?}}n/ ("Houston"), ?????????? /dz?r{{IPA|ʒ}}inski/ ("Dzerzhinsky"), and ???? /{{IPA|jaʣʲ}}a/, the Polish name "Jadzia". They are, however, normally not considered part of the phonetic inventory of the Bulgarian language. According to the criterion of sonority, the Bulgarian consonants may be divided into 16 pairs (voicedvoiceless). The only consonant without a counterpart is the voiceless velar fricative .

Related Topics:
Phonemes - Proper names - Voiceless velar fricative

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Hard and palatalized consonants

The Bulgarian consonants ? {{IPA|/b/}}, ? {{IPA|/v/}}, ? {{IPA|/g/}}, ? {{IPA|/d/}}, ? {{IPA|/z/}}, ? {{IPA|/k/}}, ? {{IPA|/l/}}, ? {{IPA|/m/}}, ? {{IPA|/n/}}, ? {{IPA|/p/}}, ? {{IPA|/r/}}, ? {{IPA|/s/}}, ? {{IPA|/t/}}, ? {{IPA|/f/}}, ? {{IPA|/ʦ/}} can have both a normal, "hard" pronunciation, as well as a "soft", palatalized one. The hard and the palatalized consonants are considered separate phonemes in Bulgarian. The consonants ? {{IPA|/ʒ/}}, ? {{IPA|/ʃ/}}, ? {{IPA|/ʧ/}} and ?? {{IPA|/ʤ/}} do not have palatalized variants, as they are essentially soft (palatal) consonants by nature in Bulgarian.

Related Topics:
Phonemes - Palatal

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The softness of the palatalized consonants is always indicated in writing in Bulgarian. A consonant is palatalized if:

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• it is followed by the soft sign ?;
• it is followed by the letters ? {{IPA|/ ʲa/}} or ? {{IPA|/ ʲu/}};

(? and ? are used in all other cases to represent the semivowel /j/ before /a/ and /u/.)

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Consonants are never soft before the vowels {{IPA|/i/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}} in standard Bulgarian; palatalization before these two vowels is, however, common in Eastern Bulgarian dialects. The exception is ? {{IPA|/l/}}, which is always soft before the vowels {{IPA|/i/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}} in standard Bulgarian.

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Palatalization

During the palatalization of most hard consonants (the bilabial, labiodental and alveolar ones), the middle part of the tongue is lifted towards the palatum, resulting in the formation of a second articulatory centre whereby the specific palatal "clang" of the soft consonants is achieved. The articulation of alveolars {{IPA|/l/}}, {{IPA|/n/}} and {{IPA|/r/}}, however, usually does not follow that rule; the palatal clang is achieved by moving the place of articulation further back towards the palatum so that {{IPA|/ʎ/}}, {{IPA|/ɲ/}} and {{IPA|/rʲ/}} are actually alveopalatal (postalvelolar) consonants. Soft {{IPA|/g/}} and {{IPA|/k/}} ({{IPA|/gʲ/}} and {{IPA|/kʲ/}}, respectively) are articulated not on the velum but on the palatum and are considered palatal consonants.

Related Topics:
Palatalization - Palatal consonants

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Table of Bulgarian consonants

Word stress

Bulgarian word stress is dynamic. Stressed syllables are louder and longer than unstressed ones. Stress is also free and mobile, it may fall on any syllable of a polysyllabic word and its position may vary in inflection and derivation, for example, ??? /{{IPA|m'?ʒ}}/ ("man"), ????? /{{IPA|m?ʒ'?t}}/ ("the man"). Bulgarian stress is also distinctive: for example, ?'???? /{{IPA|v'?lna}}/ ("wool") and ????'? /{{IPA|v?ln'a}}/ ("wave") are only differentiated by stress.

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