Ortografica

Ortografica, or orthography, is the system of conventions used for writing a language correctly. It encompasses the spelling of words, punctuation, capitalization, the use of diacritics or accents, hyphenation, and sometimes the separation of words and the representation of sounds in writing. Orthography provides a standard set of rules that writers can follow to ensure mutual intelligibility and consistent text across speakers and regions.

The scope of orthography includes how phonemes are mapped to graphemes, how borrowed terms are adapted, and how proper names are capitalized. It often involves decisions about which letters and diacritics to employ, how to handle silent letters, and how to treat irregular forms. Orthographic systems can be prescriptive, prescribing exact spellings and rules, or descriptive, describing the spellings that occur in actual language use. In practice, most languages maintain a normative orthography codified by linguistic authorities, educational systems, or publishing bodies.

Orthographic standards have evolved through history as languages change phonologically and lexically, or as contact with other languages creates new words. Reforms aim to simplify rules, reflect pronunciation shifts, or facilitate literacy. They are typically implemented through official commissions, academies, or regulatory agencies, and may be gradual to accommodate existing literature and education.

In the digital era, orthography interacts with technology through spell checkers, input methods, and character encoding. Unicode and standardized keyboards support diacritics and special letters, while automated tools influence how people write and learn correct spellings.