Here's a breakdown:
* Graphic Mark: This means it's a small symbol, like a dot, line, or hook, added to a letter.
* Modify Pronunciation: Diacritical marks can change how a letter is pronounced. For example, the accent mark on "é" in "café" changes the vowel sound.
* Distinguish from Another Letter: Some diacritical marks are used to differentiate between letters that look similar. For example, the cedilla (ç) distinguishes "c" from "ç" in French.
Examples of diacritical marks:
* Accents: á, é, í, ó, ú, à, è, ì, ò, ù, â, ê, î, ô, û, ä, ë, ï, ö, ü
* Tildes: ñ, õ
* Umlauts: ä, ö, ü
* Cedillas: ç
* Breves: ă, ĕ, ĭ, ŏ, ŭ
* Macrons: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū
Why are they important?
* Accurate pronunciation: They help ensure words are pronounced correctly, especially in languages with complex sound systems.
* Distinguishing words: Diacritical marks can help differentiate between words that look similar but have different meanings.
* Preserving language: They help preserve the unique sounds and features of different languages.
Fun fact: Some diacritical marks have specific names! For example, the tilde is also known as a "swung dash," and the umlaut is also called a "diaeresis."