The diaeresis is an orthographic sign formed by two horizontal points.
The diaeresis is an orthographic sign that consists of two dots written horizontally over a vowel. Typically, the diaeresis, also known as crema or cremilla , indicates a certain sound that must be pronounced over the affected letter.
The most frequent use of the diaeresis in the Spanish language is on the “u” in the syllables “gue” and “gui” , in those words in which the “u” has to be pronounced. For example: the word “vergüenza” has a diaeresis on the “u” because, otherwise, it would be pronounced incorrectly. On the other hand, terms such as “guerra” or “merengue” are written without a diaeresis because the “u” is not pronounced.
Something similar happens with the syllable “gui” . We can find words like “linguistics” whose letter “u” includes two horizontal dots to specify its pronunciation , and others like “guiño” or “aguijón” that do not have a diaeresis.
In other languages , the function of the diaeresis is different. In French and Greek, the diaeresis indicates that when there is a pair of vowels, the second one must be pronounced separately, without a diphthong or without being silent.
The diaeresis in grammar
The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) recognizes other definitions for the concept of diaeresis. It can be used in grammar to indicate the pronunciation in different syllables of two vowels that form a diphthong ( “ruína/ruïna” , “víuda/vïuda” ).
What the diaeresis does, in this case, is to undo the diphthong .
The function of the diaeresis varies depending on the language.
The concept in medicine
In medicine , on the other hand, diaeresis is the set of surgical procedures that allow the division of organic tissues. Soft tissue diaeresis is defined as any maneuver performed by a surgeon to make a way through tissues, which can be achieved by separating or sectioning them.
Tissues can be classified in various ways; if they are grouped according to their consistency, for example, there are soft and hard tissues (teeth, bones and corneum). On the other hand, there are normal tissues (such as subcutaneous tissue, muscles, fascia and skin ) and abnormally joined tissues (adhesions, scars and fibrosis, among others).
Types of umlauts
There are also several types of diaeresis. The bloody type , for example, is characterized by the effusion of blood that occurs when the tissues are cut and requires primary instruments (which include scalpels and dissection scissors, mouse teeth and small teeth, and separators, such as the left-handed forceps, also called dissection forceps) and complementary instruments (such as the grooved probe).
To perform a diaeresis, the scalpel can be held in various ways, depending on the maneuver to be performed (an incision or a puncture) and the resistance of the tissues to be separated, the type and length of the incision, etc. The positions that can be adopted are as follows:
* like a pen: when very precise movements are required;
* as a normal knife: for very resistant fabrics;
* like a violin bow: for horizontal incisions of a certain length;
* with the non-sharp side facing down: for centrifugal diaeresis, which is performed from the inside out.
The secret of a masterful umlaut, in which common errors known as tails and ramps are not detected, lies in paying special attention to the following points:
* Start : Ensure that the scalpel position is perpendicular to the tissue before beginning the incision;
* Displacement : As the scalpel moves, a 45-degree angle should be sought and maintained until millimeters from the end of the diaeresis;
* Finishing : The scalpel should be repositioned at 90 degrees to the surface.