Celniveaus

Celniveaus, also known as celniveaux, is a term used in the context of the French language and its orthography. It refers to the use of the grave accent (à, è, ù) and the circumflex (â, ê, î, ô, û) to indicate different pronunciations of a vowel sound. This practice is particularly relevant in French, where the same vowel letter can represent different sounds depending on the context.

The grave accent is used to indicate a closed vowel sound, similar to the English "a" in "father" or "o" in "open." For example, the word "rêve" (dream) has a grave accent on the "e" to distinguish it from "reve" (to reveal), which does not have an accent.

The circumflex, on the other hand, is used to indicate a vowel sound that is neither open nor closed, often similar to the English "e" in "bed" or "i" in "bit." For instance, the word "rôle" (role) has a circumflex on the "o" to differentiate it from "role" (to roll), which does not have an accent.

Celniveaus is a term that encompasses these accentuation rules, ensuring that French speakers and writers can accurately convey the intended pronunciation. It is a fundamental aspect of French orthography that helps maintain the language's phonetic integrity.