diacritically
- adverb
- /ˌdaɪəˈkrɪtɪkli/
- Specialized
- In some languages, changing a letter diacritically can alter the entire meaning of a word.
Examples
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The word diacritically is often pronounced to distinguish it from similar terms.
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These are often used interchangeably, yet diacritically.
Academic text (2001) -
Further, just as the paintings can only carry out their examination in dialogue with a representational system extrinsic to painting (namely, language), the photobooks can only conduct their investigation of photography diacritically, in relation to the discourses of painting, writing, and film.
Academic text (2005) -
French letters are often marked diacritically to indicate their unique pronunciations.
Surface Forms
Morphology
diacritically = diacritical (transparent) = diacritic + al + ly
Standard adverbial formation from the adjective 'diacritical' by adding '-ly'; the meaning is directly derived.
Etymology
Diacritically comes from diacritic, which joins dia- 'through' (as in diameter) and kritikos 'to separate'. So, to mark letters diacritically is to add small signs that 'separate' or 'show' different sounds or meanings in writing.