Lombard/Elision

Elision is the dropping of a vowel or a syllable from a word.

In Lombard there are cases of:


 * apocope (fall of the final vowel or syllable);
 * apheresis (falling of the initial vowel or syllable);
 * syncope (falling of a vowel or a syllable within a word).

Graphically the elision is represented through the use of the apostrophe <'>.

Apocope
The apocope is the fall of the final vowel or syllable of a word. No space is left when the apocope occurs and the following word begins with a vowel.

Standards
The apocope is standard and therefore mandatory when:


 * a article made up of at least two letters ending in a vowel is followed by a word starting with a vowel (or an ).


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * La inguria la è verda (WRONG) ←→ L'inguria l'è verda (RIGHT) (in English: The watermelon is green)


 * a weak subject personal pronoun of the 3rd person singular is followed by a word starting with a vowel (or an ).


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * La cà la era grossa (WRONG) ←→ La cà l'era grossa (RIGHT) (in English: The house was big)


 * a weak 2nd person singular subject is followed by a word beginning with a vowel (or an ).


 * Example:
 * Ti te hevet fad (WRONG) ←→ Ti t'hevet fad (RIGHT) (in English: Tu had done)


 * "ghe" (or "ga") is followed by a word starting with a vowel (or ).


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * Ghe hoo de andà (WRONG) ←→ Gh'hoo de andà (RIGHT) (in English: I have to go)

Non-standard
There are cases in which it is not standard and is therefore optional, i.e. when:


 * "che" (or "ca") is followed by a word starting with a vowel.


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * I ore che inn (STANDARD) ←→ I ore ch'inn (NON-STANDARD) (in English: The hours that are)


 * "de" followed by a word starting with a vowel


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * Gh'hoo de andà ←→ Gh'hoo d'andà (in English: I have to go)


 * "se" before a weak subject personal pronoun of the 2nd person singular in Milanese dialect


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * Se t'heet fad? ←→ S't'heet fad? (in English: What did you do?)


 * the reflexive/impersonal pronoun "se" is found ahead of a consonant in some dialects (for example Bergamasque or Pavese)


 * Example (in Bergamasque dialect):
 * Se poeul fà ←→ S' poeul fa (in English: It can be done)

Apheresis
Apheresis is the dropping of the initial vowel or syllable of a word. Always leave a space before the apostrophe if the apostrophe is preceded by another word.

Standards
Apheresis is standard when:


 * the pronoun "come" is used in its contracted form ("‘me").


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * 'Me la va (in English: How is it going?)


 * the pronoun "cosse" is used in its contracted form ("‘se").


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * 'Se l’ha fad? (in English: What did he do?)

Non-standard
Apheresis is non-standard when:


 * a word starting with a vowel is preceded by a word starting with a vowel.


 * Example (article in Milanese dialect):
 * Quand che dervi el restell ←→ Quand che dervi 'l restell (in English: When I open the gate)
 * Example (prepositions in Pavese dialect):
 * Re ad Cipri → Re 'd Cipri (in Italian: King of Cyprus)
 * Examples (preposition in Pavese dialect):
 * Fioeul ad la nebia → Fioeul 'd la nebia (in English: Son/boy of the fog)
 * Ti at see → Ti 't see (in English: You are)
 * Note

Syncope
Syncope is the dropping of a vowel or syllable within a word. Never leave a space either before or after the apostrophe.

Standards
Syncope is standard when:


 * the contracted form of words such as “ancamò” is used.


 * Example (in Milanese dialect):
 * L'è ancamò chì ← → L'è an'mò chì (in English: He is still here / She is still here).