What is ñ?

The letter ñ (lowercase) or Ñ (uppercase) is a letter of the modern Latin alphabet, formed by adding a tilde (~) on top of an n. Its name in Spanish is eñe.

• Origin and History: The origin and history of the ñ can be traced back to medieval Spanish writing. It emerged as a way to represent a palatal nasal consonant, often arising from the simplification of double 'nn' or other similar consonant clusters.

• Pronunciation: The letter represents a palatal nasal consonant, similar to the 'ny' sound in the English word "canyon."

• Languages: While most prominently used in Spanish language, the ñ is also found in other languages like Galician, Basque, Filipino, and some indigenous languages of the Americas.

• Cultural Significance: The cultural significance of the letter ñ in the Spanish-speaking world is immense. It has become a symbol of Hispanic identity and language pride, representing a unique sound absent from many other languages.

• Computer Representation: The letter ñ has specific computer representation and encoding in character sets like Unicode, allowing it to be accurately displayed and used in digital text.