Editing Italian orthography (section)

==S and Z==
{{angbr|s}} and {{angbr|z}} are ambiguous to [[voice (phonetics)|voicing]].

{{angbr|s}} represents a [[dental consonant|dental]] [[sibilant consonant]], either {{IPAslink|s}} or {{IPAslink|z}}. However, these two phonemes are in [[complementary distribution]] everywhere except between two vowels in the same word and, even with such words, there are very few [[minimal pair]]s.
* The [[voiceless alveolar affricate|voiceless]] {{IPA|/s/}} occurs:
** At the start of a word before a vowel (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|Sara|'''S'''ara}} {{IPA|/ˈsara/}}) or a voiceless consonant (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|spuntare|'''s'''puntare}} {{IPA|/spunˈtare/}})
** After any consonant (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|transitare|tran'''s'''itare}} {{IPA|/transiˈtare/}})
** Before a voiceless consonant (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|raspa|ra'''s'''pa}} {{IPA|/ˈraspa/}})
** At the start of the second part of a compound word (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|affittasi|affitta'''s'''i}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|disotto|di'''s'''otto}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|girasole|gira'''s'''ole}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|prosegue|pro'''s'''egue}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|risaputo|ri'''s'''aputo}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|reggiseno|reggi'''s'''eno}}). These words are formed by adding a prefix to a word beginning with {{IPA|/s/}}
* The [[voiced alveolar affricate|voiced]] {{IPA|/z/}} occurs before voiced consonants (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|sbranare|'''s'''branare}} {{IPA|/zbraˈnare/}}).
* It can be either voiceless or voiced ({{IPA|/s/}} or {{IPA|/z/}}) between vowels; in standard Tuscany-based pronunciation some words are pronounced with {{IPA|/s/}} between vowels (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|casa|ca'''s'''a}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|cosa|co'''s'''a}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|così|co'''s'''ì}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|mese|me'''s'''e}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|naso|na'''s'''o}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|peso|pe'''s'''o}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|cinese|cine'''s'''e}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|piemontese|piemonte'''s'''e}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|goloso|golo'''s'''o}}), but most words are pronounced with {{IPA|/z/}} (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|bisogno|bi'''s'''ogno}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|rosa|ro'''s'''a}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|cisalpino|ci'''s'''alpino}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|medesimo|mede'''s'''imo}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|invaso|inva'''s'''o}}); in Northern Italy (and also increasingly in Tuscany) {{angbr|s}} between vowels is always pronounced with {{IPA|/z/}} whereas in Southern Italy {{angbr|s}} between vowels is always pronounced {{IPA|/s/}}.

{{angbr|ss}} always represents voiceless {{IPA|/ss/}}: {{Wikt-lang|it|grosso|gro'''ss'''o}} {{IPA|/ˈɡrɔsso/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|successo|succe'''ss'''o}} {{IPA|/sutˈtʃɛsso/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|passato|pa'''ss'''ato}} {{IPA|/pasˈsato/}}, etc.

{{angbr|z}} represents a [[dental consonant|dental]] [[affricate consonant]]; either {{IPAslink|dz}} ({{Wikt-lang|it|zanzara|'''z'''an'''z'''ara}} {{IPA|/dzanˈdzara/}}) or {{IPAslink|ts}} ({{Wikt-lang|it|canzone|can'''z'''one}} {{IPA|/kanˈtsone/}}), depending on context, although there are few minimal pairs.
* It is normally voiceless {{IPA|/ts/}}:<ref>[https://dop.netadcom.com/p.aspx?nID=lettera-Z Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia.]</ref>
** At the start of a word in which the second syllable starts with a voiceless consonant ({{Wikt-lang|it|zampa|'''z'''ampa}} {{IPA|/ˈtsampa/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zoccolo|'''z'''occolo}} {{IPA|/ˈtsɔkkolo/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zufolo|'''z'''ufolo}} {{IPA|/ˈtsufolo/}})
*** Exceptions (because they are of Greek origin): {{Wikt-lang|it|zaffiro|'''z'''affiro}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zefiro|'''z'''efiro}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zotico|'''z'''otico}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zeta|'''z'''eta}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zafferano|'''z'''afferano}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|Zacinto|'''Z'''acinto}}
** When followed by an {{angbr|i}} which is followed, in turn, by another vowel (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|zio|'''z'''io}} {{IPA|/ˈtsi.o/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|agenzia|agen'''z'''ia}} {{IPA|/adʒenˈtsi.a/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|grazia|gra'''z'''ie}} {{IPA|/ˈɡrattsje/}})
*** Exceptions: {{Wikt-lang|it|azienda|a'''z'''ienda}} {{IPA|/adˈdzjɛnda/}}, all words derived from words obeying other rules (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|romanziere|roman'''z'''iere}} {{IPA|/romanˈdzjɛre/}}, which is derived from {{Wikt-lang|it|romanzo|romanzo}})
** After the letter {{angbr|l}} (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|alzare|al'''z'''are}} {{IPA|/alˈtsare/}})
*** Exceptions: {{Wikt-lang|it|elzeviro|el'''z'''eviro}} {{IPA|/eldzeˈviro/}} and {{Wikt-lang|it|Belzebù|Bel'''z'''ebù}} {{IPA|/beldzeˈbu/}}
** In the suffixes ''-anza'', ''-enza'' and ''-onzolo'' (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|usanza|usan'''z'''a}} {{IPA|/uˈzantsa/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|credenza|creden'''z'''a}} {{IPA|/kreˈdɛntsa/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|ballonzolo|ballon'''z'''olo}} {{IPA|/balˈlontsolo/}})
* It is normally voiced {{IPA|/dz/}}:
** At the start of a word in which the second syllable starts with a voiced consonant or the letter {{angbr|z}} itself (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|zebra|'''z'''ebra}} {{IPA|/ˈdzɛbra/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zuzzurellone|'''z'''uzzurellone}} {{IPA|/dzuddzurelˈlone/}})
*** Exceptions: {{Wikt-lang|it|zanna|'''z'''anna}} {{IPA|/ˈtsanna/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zigano|'''z'''igano}} {{IPA|/tsiˈɡano/}}
** At the start of a word when followed by two vowels (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|zaino|'''z'''aino}} {{IPA|/ˈdzaino/}})
*** Exceptions: {{Wikt-lang|it|zio|'''z'''io}} and its derived terms (see above)
** If it is single (not doubled) and between two single vowels (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|azalea|a'''z'''alea}} {{IPA|/addzaˈlɛa/}})
*** Exceptions: {{Wikt-lang|it|nazismo|na'''z'''ismo}} {{IPA|/natˈtsizmo/}} (from the German pronunciation of {{angbr|z}})

Between vowels and/or semivowels ({{IPA|/j/}} and {{IPA|/w/}}), {{angbr|z}} is pronounced as if doubled ({{IPA|/tts/}} or {{IPA|/ddz/}}, e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|vizio|vi'''z'''io}} {{IPA|/ˈvittsjo/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|polizia|poli'''z'''ia}} {{IPA|/politˈtsi.a/}}). Generally, intervocalic ''z'' is written doubled, but it is written single in most words where it precedes {{angbr|i}} followed by any vowel and in some learned words.

{{angbr|zz}} may represent either a voiceless alveolar affricate {{IPA|/tts/}} or its voiced counterpart {{IPA|/ddz/}}:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dizionario.rai.it/static.aspx?treeID=34&pg=2 |title=Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia. |access-date=22 September 2021 |archive-date=12 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812072257/http://www.dizionario.rai.it/static.aspx?treeID=34&pg=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref> voiceless in e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|pazzo|pa'''zz'''o}} {{IPA|/ˈpattso/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|ragazzo|raga'''zz'''o}} {{IPA|/raˈɡattso/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|pizza|pi'''zz'''a}} {{IPA|/ˈpittsa/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|grandezza|grande'''zz'''a}} {{IPA|/ɡranˈdettsa/}}, voiced in {{Wikt-lang|it|razzo|ra'''zz'''o}} {{IPA|/ˈraddzo/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|mezzo|me'''zz'''o}} {{IPA|/ˈmɛddzo/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|azzardo|a'''zz'''ardo}} {{IPA|/adˈdzardo/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|azzurro|a'''zz'''urro}} {{IPA|/adˈdzurro/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|orizzonte|ori'''zz'''onte}} {{IPA|/oridˈdzonte/}}, {{Wikt-lang|it|zizzania|zi'''zz'''ania}} {{IPA|/dzidˈdzanja/}}. Most words are consistently pronounced with {{IPA|/tts/}} or {{IPA|/ddz/}} throughout Italy in the standard language (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|gazza|ga'''zz'''a}} {{IPA|/ˈɡaddza/}} "magpie", {{Wikt-lang|it|tazza|ta'''zz'''a}} {{IPA|/ˈtattsa/}} "mug"), but a few words, such as {{Wikt-lang|it|frizzare|fri'''zz'''are}}, "effervesce, sting", exist in both voiced and voiceless forms, differing by [[Register (sociolinguistics)|register]] or by geographic area, while others have different meanings depending on whether they are pronounced in voiced or voiceless form (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|razza|ra'''zz'''a}}: {{IPA|/ˈrattsa/}} (race, breed) or {{IPA|/ˈraddza/}} (ray, skate)).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dizionario.rai.it/poplemma.aspx?lid=81143&r=7466 |title=Dizionario d'ortografia e di pronunzia. |access-date=1 October 2021 |archive-date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001143144/http://www.dizionario.rai.it/poplemma.aspx?lid=81143&r=7466 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.dipionline.it/dizionario/ricerca?lemma=razza Dizionario di pronuncia italiana online.]</ref> The verbal ending ''-izzare'' from Greek -ίζειν is always pronounced {{IPA|/ddz/}} (e.g. {{Wikt-lang|it|organizzare|organi'''zz'''are}} {{IPA|/orɡanidˈdzare/}}), maintained in both [[Inflection|inflected]] forms and [[Morphological derivation|derivations]]: {{Wikt-lang|it|organizzo|organi'''zz'''o}} {{IPA|/orɡaˈniddzo/}} "I organise", {{Wikt-lang|it|organizzazione|organi'''zz'''azione}} {{IPA|/orɡaniddzatˈtsjone/}} "organisation". Like {{Wikt-lang|it|frizzare|fri'''zz'''are}} above, however, not all verbs ending in -''izzare'' continue [[suffix]]ed Greek -ίζειν, having instead -''izz''- as part of the [[verb stem]]. {{Wikt-lang|it|indirizzare|Indiri'''zz'''are}}, for example, of Latin origin reconstructed as *<small>INDIRECTIARE</small>, has {{IPA|/tts/}} in all forms containing the root ''indirizz''-.