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umlaut

the two dots placed over a vowel to indicate a change in its pronunciation

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Where does the word "umlaut" come from? It comes from German um, passing through German before entering English (1800s-1900s).

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Where does the word "umlaut" come from? It comes from German um, passing through German before entering English (1800s-1900s).

Umlaut’s story begins in German: um meant “around, changed.” Meaning "around" or "changed". Within German, it grew into Umlaut by 1800s. Combining "um" with "Laut" (sound), a vowel sound-change mark. It reached English by 1800s-1900s as umlaut. Jacob Grimm popularized 'Umlaut', around-sound, in his 1819 German grammar. Today, umlaut means the two dots placed over a vowel to indicate a change in its pronunciation.

  1. Stage 1 · German · medieval um "around, changed", meaning "around" or "changed".
  2. Stage 2 · German · 1800s Umlaut "a changed vowel sound", combining "um" with "Laut" (sound), a vowel sound-change mark.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s-1900s umlaut "a diacritical mark over a vowel", Jacob Grimm popularized 'Umlaut', around-sound, in his 1819 German grammar.

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