Here are some common interpretations:
* German: The umlaut often indicates a change in the vowel sound, often making it higher or more front-of-the-mouth. For example:
* a becomes ä (like the "a" in "father")
* o becomes ö (like the "o" in "go")
* u becomes ü (like the "u" in "flute")
* Swedish: Similar to German, the umlaut indicates a change in vowel sound, often resulting in a more front-of-the-mouth pronunciation.
* Finnish: The umlaut (called "umlaut" in Finnish) indicates a change in the vowel sound, sometimes making it higher or more front-of-the-mouth, and sometimes indicating a different sound altogether.
* Hungarian: Umlaut in Hungarian is used to indicate that a vowel is long.
* Other Languages: Umlaut can be found in other languages, but the meaning may differ. For example, in Icelandic, it can indicate a different vowel sound, while in some Slavic languages, it can represent a palatalization of the preceding consonant.
It's important to note that the precise meaning of the umlaut can vary depending on the specific language and the context in which it appears. It's always best to refer to a dictionary or language resource for accurate information.