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Retroflex vs Circumflex - What's the difference?

retroflex | circumflex |

As adjectives the difference between retroflex and circumflex

is that retroflex is bent or curved backwards while circumflex is having a mark.

As nouns the difference between retroflex and circumflex

is that retroflex is (linguistics) a retroflex consonant while circumflex is (orthography) a diacritical mark () placed over a vowel in certain languages to change its pronunciation; also used in combination with certain consonants]] in esperanto to create [[w:esperanto_orthography|additional letters.

As a verb circumflex is

to mark or pronounce with a circumflex.

retroflex

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Bent or curved backwards.
  • (phonetics): Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue is raised and bent backwards, so that the underside of the tongue is behind the alveolar ridge or touches the palate.

    • Synonyms

    * (bent backwards) reflexed

    Related terms

    * retroflexed * retroflexion

    Noun

    (es)
  • (linguistics) a retroflex consonant

    • See also

    * (Retroflex consonant)

    circumflex

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • (orthography) a diacritical mark () placed over a vowel in certain languages to change its pronunciation; also used in combination with certain consonants]] in Esperanto to create [[w:Esperanto_orthography, additional letters

    • Adjective

  • having a mark
    • ê is e circumflex .
  • curving around
    • The circumflex coronary artery

    Verb

    (es)
  • to mark or pronounce with a circumflex
    • to circumflex a syllable
    (Walker)