to two or more words are pronounced in a single syllable, they form 14 synalepha. Ex. Yo se^un himno gigante y^extrano, p. 164, I, l. 1. Since Spanish verse depends upon a determined number of syllables per line, diphthongization and synalepha are important factors in versification. A. DIPHTHONGIZATION Mute h between vowels is disregarded and does not prevent diphthongization,
e.g. a^h^ora, re^h^usar. The separation of two vowels that are usually united in one syllable is called diaeresis,
e.g. vi|oleta. The union in one syllable of two vowels that are usually in separate syllables is called synaeresis,
e.g. ca^os. 1. THE TWENTY-FIVE POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OP VOWELS IN DIPHTHONGS The vowels may be divided into strong vowels (a, e, o) and weak vowels (i, u). For purposes of versification y as a vowel may be treated as i. The five vowels (a, e, o, i, u) taken in pairs may form diphthongs in twenty-five possible combinations, as follows: a. Pairs of two weak vowels: ui, iu, ii, uu. b. Pairs of two strong vowels: { ae, ao, aa, { ea, eo, ee, { oa, oe, oo. c. Pairs of a strong vowel plus a weak vowel { ai, au, { ei, eu, { oi, ou. d. Pairs of a weak vowel plus a strong vowel { ua, ue, uo, { ia, ie, io. NOTE: In diphthongs a dominates o and e; and o dominates e. Any strong vowel dominates a weak one. Ex. In Bo^abdil, if a were not dominant, the diphthong would be dissolved. 2. DIPHTHONGS AND WORD ACCENTUATION There are with regard to accent three possible conditions under which two contiguous vowels may occur within a word. a. The contiguous vowels may precede the accented syllable. b. One of the contiguous vowels may be accented. c. The contiguous vowels may come after the accented syllable. a. Two contiguous vowels before the accent. (1) Of the twenty-five possible combinations all are admissible in diphthongs in a syllable preceding the accented syllable. Ex. Habra po^esta, p. 165, IV, l. 4. (a) Diaeresis may be employed to dissolve the diphthong. Ex. Sobre una vi|oleta, p. 169, XIII, l. 8. b. One of two contiguous vowels accented. 15 (1) When two contiguous vowel's are strong. (a) There is no diphthong if one of two contiguous strong vowels receives the accent. Ex. Chispe|ando el sol hiere, p. 173, XXVI I, l. 17. Ex. Tu, sombra a|erea que, cuantas veces, p. 170, XV, l. 7. By synaeresis, however, a diphthong may be formed, especially in the combinations a^o, a^e, o^e--c^a^o^s, c^a^e, ro^e. But in order to diphthongize oa, ea, and eo, when the accent naturally falls on the first vowel, the accent must shift to the second, which is a dominant vowel. Such diphthongization is harsh. For example, loa would shift the accent from o to a in order to form a diphthong. The accent would also shift in cre^a, fe^o. (2) When one of the contiguous vowels is weak and the other strong. (a) There is no diphthong if an accented weak vowel precedes a strong. Ex. Yo, que a tus ojos en mi agoni|a, p. 171, XV, l. 18. Synaeresis is, however, sometimes employed to overcome this rule. The accent must then shift. Ex. Habi^a llegado una nave. Calderon. (b) There is no diphthong if an accented weak vowel follows a strong. Ex. ?Como puede re|ir? p. 182, XLIX, l. 4. Synaeresis serves sometimes to overcome this rule. The result is usually harsh. Ex. En re^ir a costa ajena, les prepara. (c) If an accented strong vowel precedes a weak, they form a diphthong. The diphthong is rarely dissolved, and is usually marked with a diaresis, if dissolution takes place. Ex. Beso del aura, onda de luz, p. 170, XV, l. 5. (d) If an accented strong vowel follows a weak they may or may not form a diphthong. Ex. Por una sonrisa, un ci^elo, p. 172, XXIII, l. 2. [Diphthong.] Ex. Domando el rebelde, mezquino idi|oma, p. 164, I, l. 6. [No diphthong.] Diaeresis or synaeresis may usually be employed according to the case. Thus, fiel becomes by diaeresis fi|el, and br|ioso becomes by synaeresis bri^oso. It should be remembered that in some words the accentuation is variable, while in others it is fixed. There are two classes of words that have a variable accentuation: first, those in which an unaccented weak vowel is followed by an accented strong vowel,
e.g. majestu^oso, majestu|oso; second, those in which an accented strong vowel is followed by an unaccented strong vowel,
e.g. tra|e, tra^e. Ex. Cre^es que la afe|an. Becquer. Cre|es que suspirando pasa el viento, p. 171, XVI, l. 3. Etymological conditions often determine whether or not a diphthong is formed. ie and ue, derived from the Latin e and o respectively, form indissoluble diphthongs. The ending -ion for substantives is usually a diphthong and rarely suffers dissolution. Synaeresis may be employed to unite in a single syllable two contiguous vowels (unaccented weak + accented strong) that are separated on account of etymology, or, in the case of derivatives, analogy with the original word; but diaeresis is employed very rarely to dissolve a proper diphthongal combination (unaccented weak + accented strong). For example, di|ario by analogy with dia, and fi|o from the Latin fidavit, have ordinarily the i in separate syllables, but a diphthong may be formed by synaeresis. (3) When the two contiguous vowels are weak. 16 (a) Two contiguous weak vowels with the accent on the first form an indissoluble diphthong,
e.g. mu^y. (b) Two contiguous weak vowels with the accent on the second may or may not form a diphthong. Ex. Si antes no juras que por ru^in falsia. Hermosilla. [Diphthong.] Ex. Con sus mil ru|idos, p. 188, LXXIII, l. 19, [No diphthong.] c. Two contiguous vowels after the accented syllable. (1) Two contiguous strong vowels after the accented syllable naturally form a diphthong. Ex. Tu, sombra aere^a que, cuantas veces, p. 170, XV, l. 7. Diaeresis may be employed to dissolve the diphthong. (2) If a strong vowel is followed by a weak vowel after the accented syllable, they form a diphthong,
e.g. hablaba^is, amara^is. This diphthong is easily dissolved. (3) If a weak vowel is followed by a strong vowel after the accented syllable, they form a diphthong,
e.g. histor^i^a, ans^i^a. Ex. De la brisa nocturna al tenu^e soplo, p. 192, LXXV, l. 6. The diphthong may, however, be dissolved,
e.g. estatu|a, tenu|e, nadi|e. 3. TRIPHTHONGS AND COMBINATIONS OP THREE OR MORE CONTIGUOUS VOWELS If three vowels belonging to the same word are contiguous, one of them must be accented. There are then three possible arrangements. (i) Three contiguous vowels of a word with the accent on the first,
e.g. traeos. (ii) Three contiguous vowels of a word with the accent on the second,
e.g. creia, buey. (iii) Three contiguous vowels with the accent on the third,
e.g. rehui. Each of the above arrangements has two combinations of accented and unaccented vowels to which the rules for diphthongs may be applied. In (i) there will be a combination of two vowels with the first accented, plus a combination of two vowels after the ac-cent. In traeos, for example, the a and e would probably be in separate syllables by b (1) (a), and eo would probably form a diphthong by c (1). Traeos would, then, probably be a dissyllable. In (ii) there will be a combination of two vowels with the accent an the second, and one of two vowels with the accent on the first. In creia, for example, the e and i would be in separate syllables by b (2) (b), and the i and a would probably be in separate syllables also by b (2)(a). Therefore, creia would probably be a trisyllable. In cambiaos the i and a might form one syllable or two by b (2) (d), and the a and o would probably be in separate syllables by b (1) (a). Therefore, in cambiaos the combination iao might form a dissyllable or a trisyllable. In (iii) there will be a combination of two vowels before the accent, and one of two vowels with the second accented. In rehui, for example, the e and u might be in the same syllable by a (1), or in separate syllables by dieresis by a (1) (a), and the u and i might be in separate syllables or not by b (3) (b). Therefore, rehui might be a monosyllable, a dissyllable, or a trisyllable. Other combinations of three vowels may be analyzed in a similar way, as may also combinations of more than three vowels,
e.g. creiais,
etc. B. SYNALEPHA Between the contiguous vowels of separate words there may occur synalepha (which corresponds to diphthongization within a word), or hiatus (which is similar to diaeresis within a word). Ex. Abre^una^eternidad, p. 178, XXXVI I, l. 22. ?A que me lo decis? lo se^:^es mudable, p. 179, XXXIX, l. 1. [Synalepha.] 17 Ex. Como la onda^azul, en cuya cresta, p. 173, XXVII, l. 16. [Hiatus.] The vowels contracted by synalepha are each pronounced, except when the same vowel is repeated, when only a prolonged sound is heard, as in onda^azul or se^es above. Synalepha may join into a single syllable two, three, four, and even five vowels. The union of two vowels (diphthongal synalepha) and the union of three vowels (triphthongal synalepha) are the most common. A pause due to a break in sense does not prevent synalepha. Mute h is disregarded in the verse and does not prevent synalepha. Ex. Capaz de encerrarlo, y apenas !oh^hermosa! p. 164, I, l. 10. DIPHTHONGAL SYNALEPHA Synalepha takes place between two contiguous unaccented vowels belonging to separate words. Ex. Abre^una^eternidad, p. 178, XXXVII, l. 22. Synalepha occurs when the final vowel of the first word is accented. Ex. Te vi^un punto, y, flotando ante mis ojos, p. 169, XIV, l. 1. Synalepha usually occurs when the initial vowel of the second word is accented, especially when the first word ends in a weak vowel, and also in the combinations aa, oa, oa, ea, eo, ee. Ex. Me parece^en el cielo de la tarde, p. 169, XIII, l. 11. NOTE: Synalepha is possible with the other combinations, but hiatus is preferable even with
