Lesson 17: Pronunciation
01
Pronunciation
- In the corresponding forms below you will see that in alternative pronunciations of a given form, where two similar consonants the first of which is t or k (such as tt, tch, td, kk, kg) between vowels, the first t or k may optionally become j. Such changes as this, where a sound becomes less like a neighboring sound, are referred to as dissimilation. Listen and repeat:
Dissimilation of Consonants
Pronunciation exercise number 1
- in w éet tàal
- ʾin w éej tàal
- le ʾot(o)choʾ
- le ʾoj(o)choʾ
- ʾu kʾáat u káat tech
- ʾu kʾáat u kʾáaj tech
- sakkuntej
- sajkuntej
- k u tsʾáik gùustoj
- k u tsʾáij gùustoj
- máʾ ok(o)keniʾ
- máʾ ʾoj(o)keniʾ
02
Pronunciation
- A similar dissimilation can be observed in a phrase in which ts may optionally become s before t. Listen and repeat:
Dissimilation of Consonants
Pronunciation exercise number 2
- uts t in tʾàan
- ʾus t in tʾàan
03
Pronunciation
- In the corresponding forms below you will see that in alternative pronunciations of a given form where a glottalized consonant (especially kʾ, tsʾ and b) comes before another consonant, the glottalized consonant may optionally be replaced by ʾ. Listen and repeat:
Replacement
Pronunciation exercise number 3
- null
- kʾéekʾ(en)noʾob
- kʾéeʾ(e)noʾob
- k u líikʾsik
- k u líiʾsik
- k u tsʾoʾokʾ(o)leʾ
- k u tsʾoʾoʾ(o)leʾ
- bíin luʾukʾukech
- bíin lúuʾ(u)kech
- bíin tsʾáʾabaken
- bíin tsʾáaʾ(a)ken
- ʾu job(o)nel
- ʾu joʾ(o)nel
- lúubsej
- lúuʾsej
- ʾu jatsʾ(u)tsil
- ʾu jaʾ(u)tsil
04
Pronunciation
- In the forms below note that ʾ in close-juncture before j drops out:
Replacement
Pronunciation exercise number 4
- máʾ máʾalobiʾ
- má(ʾ) jatsʾutsiʾ
- téʾ t a kàajaloʾ
- té(ʾ) j kàajoʾ
- máʾ saʾiʾ
- má(ʾ) jáʾiʾ
05
Pronunciation
- In the forms below you will note that in certain cases where in one pronunciation of a form in which non-same vowels are either on opposite sides of ʾ or are adjacent (or are brought into such relationship through a loss of part of a sequence), there is an alternative pronunciation in which the first vowel assimilates to the quality of the second vowel.
Assimilation of Vowels
Pronunciation exercise number 5
- jéʾ in bineʾ
- jíʾ in bineʾ
- jéʾ a bineʾ
- jáʾ a bineʾ
- jéʾ u bineʾ
- júʾ u bineʾ
- minaʾan in mùukʾ
- miniʾin mùukʾ
- minaʾan u mùukʾ
- minuʾun u mùukʾ
- wá u y utstal
- wá (u) y utstal
06
Pronunciation
- You have already met many examples of contracted forms. Listen and repeat the following--note that the contracted forms in the #02s correspond to the full forms in the #01s:
Contractions
Pronunciation exercise number 6
- táan in xíimbal
- tin xíimbal
- tsʾoʾok u bin
- tsʾ ú bin
- máʾ táan a w ilik
- máan w ilik
- máʾa tech u bin
- máʾa ch u bin
- jéʾe bix tsíimin
- jéʾex tsíimin
07
Pronunciation
- More extreme contractions are notable in certain word such as the following:
Contractions
Pronunciation exercise number 7
- k u y iliken
- k y ilken
- k y iken
- k iken
- t u y ilajen
- t y iljen
- t y ilen
- t ilen