The Case for Words with Diaeresis

Double-Dotting Your ï's and ü's 

Some vowels in English include tiny dots above them. These are diaeresis marks. Think of the words "naïve" or "Noël". While these dotted vowels might seem like a typographical relic, they hold a unique position in English. The diaeresis is the only true diacritical mark used in the language. Diacritical marks are those little additions to letters that alter pronunciation or meaning, like the accent marks in French or the cedilla in "ça."

Diaeresis Disappearance in English

In the past, words with diaeresis were more common. However, their use in English has declined for a few reasons. One factor is simplification. As English spelling evolved, some words adopted alternative spellings without diaeresis. For example, "coöperate" became "cooperate".

Another reason is the influence of American English. American dictionaries generally favor spellings that omit the diaeresis, and this preference has filtered into broader usage.

However, words with diaeresis haven't completely disappeared from English. They are still used in some proper names, like Zoë (pronounced "zo-ee"), and certain loanwords, like naïve or aïoli (a type of sauce). Additionally, some writers and publications choose to use them for added clarity, especially when the pronunciation might be ambiguous.

A Brighter Future for Diaeresis?

The Information Age has made including diaeresis in writing significantly easier than ever before. Gone are the days of struggling with physical limitations of a typewriter.  Modern wordprocessors apps and smartphones offer easy insertion of these characters.

This newfound ease of use could potentially lead to a resurgence of words with diaeresis, particularly in situations where pronunciation clarity is important.

How to Use Diaeresis on Your Devices

Including diaeresis in your digital communication is a breeze! Here's how:

• PCs:

  • Microsoft Word: The most common way to add diaeresis in MS Word is by using a keyboard shortcut:

    1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the vowel with a diaeresis.
    2. Hold down the Ctrl + Shift keys simultaneously.
    3. While holding those keys down, press the colon ":" key.
    4. Release all three keys (Ctrl, Shift, and colon).
    5. Then, type the desired vowel (e.g., "a" for ä).

  The vowel with the diaeresis will appear in your document. This method works for all vowels that can have a diaeresis (a, e, i, o, and u).

  • WordPerfect: In WordPerfect, you can add diaeresis using a two-step process involving the "Symbols" dialog:

    1. Activate the Symbols function: Press Ctrl + W. This activates the "Symbols" dialog, which allows you to create special characters using key combinations.

    2. Insert the vowel with diaeresis: When Symbols dialog pops up, press the desired vowel key, then add the double quote ("), and press ENTER.

  The vowel with the diaeresis will appear in your document.  This method works for all vowels that can have a diaeresis (a, e, i, o, and u).

• Wordprocessor alternative: You can also just include several replacement words in your Wordprocessor apps, so when you type without the diaeresis, the spelling correction will automatically correct it to use the diaeresis. (Basic instructions on how to use Autocorrect in MS Word; and QuickCorrect in WordPerfect.)

• Smartphones and Tablets: The process is even simpler on mobile devices. When the keyboard is shown, simply press and hold on the desired vowel key. A pop-up menu will appear with diacritical options, including the vowel with diaeresis.  Select the vowel with the diaeresis mark, and it is inserted into your text.

Applications on MACs also have methods with a number of keystrokes too.

By familiarizing yourself with these methods, you can incorporate diaeresis vowels seamlessly into your digital communication, adding a touch of precision and clarity to your writing.

Ideas

Have fun using them!  Some words you may consider their inclusion are coöperate, coördinate, coördinator, coördination, reënter, reïnvigorate, reënactment, reëmburse, reëlect, coöccur, reëquip, naïf, reëntry.  There's many more too!