ALPHABET

a, e, i, o, u

have their continental sounds (short).

â, ê, î, ô, û

long vowels.

A, E, I, O, U

obscure vowels.

vowels not articulated but indicated by position of the month.

ä

in German Bär.

aw in law.

in German voll.

in bell.

-

separates vowels which do not form diphthongs.

ai

i in island.

au

ow in how.

l

as in English.

ll

very long, slightly palatized by allowing a greater portion of the back of the tongue to touch the palate.

posterior palatal 1; the tip of the tongue touches the alveoli of the lower jaw, the back of the tongue is pressed against the hard palate, sonans.

L

the same,, short and exploded (surd; Lepsius's t).

L!

the same with very great stress of explosion.

q

velar k.

k

English k.

k*

palatized k (Lepsius's k'), almost ky.

kX

might be better defined as a posterior palatal ky between k and k*.

x

ch in German Bach.

X

x pronounced at posterior border of hard palate.

x*

palatal x as in German ich.

s, c

are evidently the same sound and might be written s* or c*, both being palatized; c (English sh) is pronounced with open teeth, the tongue almost touching the palate immediately behind the alveoli; s is modified in the same manner.

d, t, b, p, g, k

as in English, but surd and sonant are difficult to distinguish.

h

as in English.

y

as in year.

w

as in English.

m

is pronounced with semiclausure of the nose and with very slight compression of the lips; it partakes, therefore, of the character of b and w.

n

is pronounced with semiclausure of the nose; it partakes, therefore, of the character of d.

p. 8

!

designates increased stress of articulation.

designates increased stress of articulation due to the elision of q.

?

is a very deep laryngeal intonation, due to the elision of q.

2, 4

designate excessive length of vowels, representing approximately the double and fourfold mora.