Lesson 1: Pronunciation

01

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of one syllable, these are:

"neutral" in pitch (no mark) and short in duration (single vowel)

Pronunciation exercise number 1

  • pik
  • ek
  • bat
  • chʾom
  • ukʾ
02

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of one syllable, these are:

high (or gliding) in pitch (´) and long in duration (written double)

Pronunciation exercise number 2

  • míis
  • méek
  • máak
  • póol
  • múul
03

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of one syllable, these are:

low (or level) in pitch (`) and long in duration (written double)

Pronunciation exercise number 3

  • mìis
  • pèek
  • bàak
  • jòol
  • jùul
04

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of two syllables, these accents manifest themselves in slightly different ways:

"neutral" in pitch with both syllables of equal intensity

Pronunciation exercise number 4

  • kimen
  • wenel
  • janal
  • okol
  • kupul
05

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of two syllables, these accents manifest themselves in slightly different ways:

high (or gliding) in pitch on the first syllable with greater intensity on the first syllable

Pronunciation exercise number 5

  • tsíimin
  • téepʾel
  • táabal
  • xóotʾol
  • lúubul
06

Pronunciation

  • This section describes and illustrates the vowel sounds of Maya as they combine with three Maya accents. In words of two syllables, these accents manifest themselves in slightly different ways:

low (or level) in pitch on the first syllable, with greater intensity on the first syllable

Pronunciation exercise number 6

  • jìitʾil
  • bèetej
  • tàalen
  • xòotʾol
  • lùubul
07

Pronunciation

  • If the examples which differ only in accent are presented one after the other, the differences become more apparent.

Pronunciation exercise number 7

  • chich
  • tíich
  • chìich
  • ek
  • éekʾ
  • èekʾ
  • bat
  • báat
  • bàak
  • koj
  • póok
  • kòoj
  • ukʾ
  • chúuk
  • chùuk
08

Pronunciation

  • If the examples which differ only in accent are presented one after the other, the differences become more apparent.

Pronunciation exercise number 8

  • kimen
  • kíimen
  • kìimil
  • wenel
  • éemel
  • èemel
  • ajal
  • báanal
  • bàanal
  • okol
  • tóopʾol
  • tòopʾol
  • kupul
  • lúubul
  • lùubul