orthographische

Orthographische is the attributive form of the German adjective orthographisch, meaning related to orthography—the conventional system of writing a language. In everyday use it describes rules, norms, or phenomena associated with spelling and writing conventions.

Orthography comprises the set of conventions for how words are spelled, how punctuation is used, how capitalization is applied, and how words are hyphenated or accented. It is distinct from phonology, grammar, or vocabulary, serving as a written standard that can be prescriptive (codified rules) or descriptive (how language is used in practice). Most languages have a standardized orthography to facilitate clear communication and learning, though many also maintain variations or historical spellings.

In German-language contexts, orthography is codified in the Rechtschreibung. The standard German orthography underwent major reforms in the late 20th and early 21st centuries (notably in 1996 and 2006) to simplify rules and improve consistency. Key features include the capitalization of all nouns, the use of the ß (Eszett) after long vowels or diphthongs and ss after short vowels, and rules governing punctuation and hyphenation. There are regional variations, with Austria and Switzerland adopting slightly different conventions.

Beyond German, orthography varies widely across languages. Some languages have shallow orthographies with close grapheme–phoneme correspondences (e.g., Spanish), while others have deep orthographies with irregular mappings (e.g., English). The study and reform of orthography intersect with education, literacy, and language policy, and they continue to adapt to digital communication and globalization.