Lesson 13: Pronunciation
01
Pronunciation
- A consonant cluster frequently met in Yucatec Maya results from preposing the particle x to various nouns, simple or derived. The transition between the x and the initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Since similar initial clusters are not unknown in English (Schlitz, schmoo, Schneider, shrimp), these should cause you little trouble. Listen carefully to the following, and repeat them carefully.
Consonant Cluster x + C
Pronunciation exercise number 1
- x meyaj
- x nuk
- x lèek
- x ròosaj
- x wáay
- x yèet
02
Pronunciation
- A consonant cluster frequently met in Yucatec Maya results from preposing the particle x to various nouns, simple or derived. The transition between the x and the initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Since similar initial clusters are not unknown in English (Schlitz, schmoo, Schneider, shrimp), these should cause you little trouble. Listen carefully to the following, and repeat them carefully.
Consonant Cluster x + C
Pronunciation exercise number 2
- x bonkéewel
- x pakʾach
- x tóopʾ
- x kòombakʾ
- x tséen
- x chàan
03
Pronunciation
- A consonant cluster frequently met in Yucatec Maya results from preposing the particle x to various nouns, simple or derived. The transition between the x and the initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Since similar initial clusters are not unknown in English (Schlitz, schmoo, Schneider, shrimp), these should cause you little trouble. Listen carefully to the following, and repeat them carefully.
Consonant Cluster x + C
Pronunciation exercise number 3
- x pʾaj
- x tʾaráʾach
- x kʾampàal
- x tsʾíik
- x chʾúupal
04
Pronunciation
- A consonant cluster frequently met in Yucatec Maya results from preposing the particle x to various nouns, simple or derived. The transition between the x and the initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Since similar initial clusters are not unknown in English (Schlitz, schmoo, Schneider, shrimp), these should cause you little trouble. Listen carefully to the following, and repeat them carefully.
Consonant Cluster x + C
Pronunciation exercise number 4
- x ʾáantaj
- xáantaj
- x jòolokʾ
- xòok
05
Pronunciation
- Somewhat less common in English are initial clusters of j plus w (as in whopper, wheel, whale) (for those speakers who pronounce them as though blowing out a candle) and of j plus y (as in hue, huge, Hubert) (for those speakers which hue doesnot rhyme with you). Yucatec Maya not only has these clusters with initial j, but since this j is a very common particle, preposed both to noun and to verb roots, has clusters of j with all other consonants as well. Here, too, the transition between the j and the root-initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Listen closely to the following examples and imitate each one carefully.
Consonant Cluster j + C
Pronunciation exercise number 5
- j wáay
- j yùuk
- j lúubij
- j résolbernajij
- j máanij
- j náʾatij
06
Pronunciation
- Somewhat less common in English are initial clusters of j plus w (as in whopper, wheel, whale) (for those speakers who pronounce them as though blowing out a candle) and of j plus y (as in hue, huge, Hubert) (for those speakers which hue doesnot rhyme with you). Yucatec Maya not only has these clusters with initial j, but since this j is a very common particle, preposed both to noun and to verb roots, has clusters of j with all other consonants as well. Here, too, the transition between the j and the root-initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Listen closely to the following examples and imitate each one carefully.
Consonant Cluster j + C
Pronunciation exercise number 6
- j búʾulij
- j páʾatij
- j tàalij
- j kòonol
- j tsoʾ
- j chúʾupij
07
Pronunciation
- Somewhat less common in English are initial clusters of j plus w (as in whopper, wheel, whale) (for those speakers who pronounce them as though blowing out a candle) and of j plus y (as in hue, huge, Hubert) (for those speakers which hue doesnot rhyme with you). Yucatec Maya not only has these clusters with initial j, but since this j is a very common particle, preposed both to noun and to verb roots, has clusters of j with all other consonants as well. Here, too, the transition between the j and the root-initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Listen closely to the following examples and imitate each one carefully.
Consonant Cluster j + C
Pronunciation exercise number 7
- j pʾíilij
- j tèel
- j kʾáʾamij
- j tsʾakyaj
- j chʾíijij
08
Pronunciation
- Somewhat less common in English are initial clusters of j plus w (as in whopper, wheel, whale) (for those speakers who pronounce them as though blowing out a candle) and of j plus y (as in hue, huge, Hubert) (for those speakers which hue doesnot rhyme with you). Yucatec Maya not only has these clusters with initial j, but since this j is a very common particle, preposed both to noun and to verb roots, has clusters of j with all other consonants as well. Here, too, the transition between the j and the root-initial consonant may be open or it may be close. Listen closely to the following examples and imitate each one carefully.
Consonant Cluster j + C
Pronunciation exercise number 8
- j ʾéemij
- j jíitʾij
09
Pronunciation
- In 5.2.2 and in 11.2.3, we presented a series of Maya intonation patterns. ** Here we shall present additional exercises in which there simplest patterns, or extensions of them, are re-grouped in such a way as to bring out the minimum contrasts between them. Listen carefully to each example, and imitate it as precisely as you can, attending particularly to the minimum differences between the items in each group. The following contrast intonational terminal contours:
Contrasting Set of Maya Intonation Patterns
Pronunciation exercise number 9
- wá letiʾ
- k tàal
- tsʾeʾetsʾek xaneʾ
- kʾas
- t in kanaj
- t in (kanik) kanaj
- k in kanik u màasil
- sáasamal in kanik u màasil/ màasil
- màasil
10
Pronunciation
- The following contrast intonation levels:
Contrasting Set of Maya Intonation Patterns
Pronunciation exercise number 10
- leloʾ
- k in kanik
- t in kanaj
- ʾuts
- lelaʾ