Here are the details about the word "caron":
1. Parts of Speech: Noun
2. Definitions:
- A diacritical mark (ˇ) placed above a letter in some languages to indicate a change in pronunciation or to distinguish between homonyms.
3. Pronunciations:
- US: /ˈkærɑn/
- UK: /ˈkærən/
4. Origin and Usage:
- The word "caron" comes from the Czech word "čárka" which means "little line". It is also known as a "háček" in Czech, which means "little hook". The caron is used in various languages including Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Croatian to indicate a change in pronunciation or to distinguish between homonyms.
5. Synonyms:
- Diacritic mark, accent mark, wedge, hat, roof
6. Related Words:
- Accent, acute, grave, tilde, macron
7. Example Sentences:
- In Czech, the caron is used to distinguish between words such as "mala" (small) and "malá" (little girl).
- The word "pokoj" (peace) in Czech is pronounced with a caron above the "j" to indicate a "y" sound.
- The Lithuanian word "šuo" (dog) is pronounced with a caron above the "s" to indicate a "sh" sound.