<p>There are two questions (with answers) on the Esperanto stackexchange dealing with this problem (and yes, it is perceived as a problem even among Esperanto speakers):</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://esperanto.stackexchange.com/questions/4812/double-letters-in-esperanto">Double letters in Esperanto</a></li>
<li><a href="https://esperanto.stackexchange.com/questions/3626/are-double-consonants-pronounced-distinctively-from-single-consonants-in-esperan">Asking specifically about Finnlando</a></li>
</ul>

<p>The conclusion is: The double letter should be pronounced differently from the single letter, and it should be a true double consonant (not just a long consonant). <em>Finnlando</em> becomes hard to pronounce by these rules, and Esperantists are in fact shifting to the word <em>Suomio</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-30T10:31:24.380Z
2018-04-30T11:49:20.617Z
2018-04-30T11:49:20.617Z
Sir Cornflakes
<p>The Esperanto word for 'Finland' is <em>Finnlando</em>. What does the doubled consonant specify? The Esperanto alphabet is phonemic. Why are there two consonants? Is it gemination (which doesn't appear often elsewhere in Esperanto)?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-30T15:37:20.200Z
Is it very rare for a root to have a double consonant and they are avoided. Most double consonants are just the result of affixation (mal-longa, mal-larĝa, ek-koni...), and agglutination of roots together (sen-noma...).
Vanege EO
<writing-systems><phonology><esperanto>
What do double consonants specify in Esperanto?
# What do double consonants specify in Esperanto?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-30)

The Esperanto word for 'Finland' is *Finnlando*. What does the doubled consonant specify? The Esperanto alphabet is phonemic. Why are there two consonants? Is it gemination (which doesn't appear often elsewhere in Esperanto)?

**Tags:** writing-systems, phonology, esperanto
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is it very rare for a root to have a double consonant and they are avoided. Most double consonants are just the result of affixation (mal-longa, mal-larĝa, ek-koni...), and agglutination of roots together (sen-noma...).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-30. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

There are two questions (with answers) on the Esperanto stackexchange dealing with this problem (and yes, it is perceived as a problem even among Esperanto speakers):

* [Double letters in Esperanto](https://esperanto.stackexchange.com/questions/4812/double-letters-in-esperanto)
* [Asking specifically about Finnlando](https://esperanto.stackexchange.com/questions/3626/are-double-consonants-pronounced-distinctively-from-single-consonants-in-esperan)

The conclusion is: The double letter should be pronounced differently from the single letter, and it should be a true double consonant (not just a long consonant). *Finnlando* becomes hard to pronounce by these rules, and Esperantists are in fact shifting to the word *Suomio*.


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