I. Phonology
I.1. Vowels
Monophtongs:
Sound |
7 |
E |
¡ |
O |
U |
Writing |
a |
e |
i |
o |
u |
Note: <e> in final position is always /e/.
Sound |
7: |
e: |
¡: |
O: |
U: |
Writing |
â |
ê |
î |
ô |
û |
Diphtongs:
Sound |
7¡ |
7U |
¡7 |
¡O |
O¡ |
Writing |
ai |
au |
ia |
io |
oi |
Half Vowels:
Sound |
j |
Writing |
y |
I.2. Consonants
Sound |
p |
t |
k |
b |
d |
g |
Writing |
p |
t |
k |
b |
d |
g |
Sound |
f |
v |
s |
S |
ts |
h |
Writing |
f |
v |
s |
sh |
z |
h |
Sound |
m |
n |
4 |
r |
l |
Writing |
m |
n |
ng |
r |
l |
Note: <hy> und <hv> are aspirated /j/ resp. /v/, that is: /j/ und /v/.
I.3. Stress
Normally the accent lies on the penultimate syllable, resp. on the syllable before that, if the vowel in the penultimate is short and only a single conconant follows (with <sh> normally being counted a single consonant); e.g.: g'olla (the wolf), but y'enashan (the lineage). Long vowels and diphtongs are always (!) stressed. Exceptions (which are especially numerous with the verb) are marked by (`) over the stressed vowel; e.g.: vèvarte, you have brought.
I.4. Examples with articulation:
rota /r'Ot7/ (wheel, f.); agna /'7gn7/ (lamb, m.); gôs /gO:s/ (ox(cow, m./f.); vèrenni /v'Ereni/ (to bring, to carry, inf.); yêlla /j'e:l7/ (cave, f.); sellan /s'El7n/ (purchase, n.); yenashan /j'En7S7n/ (gender, lineage, n.); giolsi /g'¡Os¡/ (he will, of geleni, to will); tau /t7U/ (you, pron.); heva /h'Ev7/ (his/her pron.); ihve /¡ve/ (self, pron.); Fergiartu /fErg¡7rtU/ (the same).