Diaeresis is a diacritical mark that consists of two dots placed over a vowel, indicating that the vowel should be pronounced separately from the preceding vowel. For example, in the word “naïve,” the diaeresis shows that the “a” and “i” are pronounced as distinct syllables rather than forming a single sound. This mark is often used in English and other languages to clarify pronunciation. In addition to its use in English, diaeresis appears in various languages, such as French and German. In French, it can be found in words like “Noël,” while in German, it appears in the form of an umlaut, altering the sound of the vowel.