From FrathWiki
Vowels
Kythish has 7 'short' vowels (a, e, i, o, u, w, and y) and 7 roughly equivalent 'long' vowels (á, é, í, ó, ú, ẃ, and ý). The terminology is based on the fact that long vowels, when stressed, have a longer duration than their short equivalents.
| Vowel |
IPA Equivalent |
Notes |
| a |
[æ] |
Heightened to [ɛ] in a diverse number of dialects. |
| á |
[a] |
[aː] when stressed. |
| e |
[ɛ] |
|
| é |
[e] |
[eː] when stressed. |
| i |
[ɪ] |
|
| í |
[i] |
[iː] when stressed. |
| o |
[ɔ] |
Relaxed to [ɞ] in eastern dialects. |
| ó |
[o] |
Relaxed to [ɵ] in the east; [oː] ([ɵː]) when stressed. |
| u |
see notes |
Ranges from back open-mid ([ʌ]) in the north and west through back near-open, near-back near-open in the south and centre to central near-open ([ɐ]) in the east. Most lexicographers give it as [ʌ], as this is the pronunciation most often heard in and around hácei. |
| ú |
[ɑ] |
[ɑː] when stressed. |
| w |
[ʊ] |
|
| ẃ |
[u] |
Relaxed to /ʉ/ in the east, or retained as /y/ or /ʏ/ in many rural areas; /uː/ (/ʉː/, /yː/, /ʏː/) when stressed. |
| y |
[ə] |
In some dialects, [ɘ] when stressed. |
| ý |
[ɜ] |
[ɜː] when stressed. |
In addition, the dialectal vowels ø and ǿ are pronounced thus:
| Vowel |
IPA Equivalent |
Notes |
| ø |
[œ] |
|
| ǿ |
[ø] |
[øː] when stressed. |
Consonants
| Consonant |
IPA Equivalent |
Notes |
| b |
[b] |
[p] initially and medially for many speakers. |
| bh |
[β] |
Considered allophonic with v. |
| c |
[kʰ] |
Finally and in clusters, [k]. |
| ch |
[x] |
|
| ć |
[x] |
|
| d |
[d] |
[t] initially and medially for many speakers. |
| dh |
[ð] or [z] |
Depends on whether d is realised as dental or alveolar (usually the former). |
| ð |
[ð] |
|
| f |
[f] |
|
| g |
[g] |
[k] initially and medially for many speakers. |
| gh |
[ɣ] |
|
| ǵ |
[ɣ] |
|
| h |
[h] |
|
| hƿ |
[hʍ] |
[ʍ] in a diverse number of dialects. |
| j |
[j] |
|
| l |
[l] |
|
| ĺ |
[ɬ] |
|
| m |
[m] |
|
| n |
[n] |
|
| ŋ |
[ŋ] |
|
| p |
[pʰ] |
Finally and in clusters, [p]. |
| ph |
[ɸ] |
Considered allophonic with f. |
| r |
see notes |
Adjacent to a fricatives, [ɹ], otherwise, [r], and shortened to [ɾ] in quick speech. (Gutturalised as [xɹ] or [χɹ] in southern and some metropolitan dialects). |
| ŕ |
[ʀ̥] |
|
| s |
[s] |
|
| ś |
[ʃ] |
|
| t |
[tʰ] |
Finally and in clusters, [t]. |
| th |
[θ] or [s] |
Depends on whether t is realised as dental or alveolar (usually the former). |
| þ |
[θ] |
|
| v |
[v] |
|
| ƿ |
[w] |
Adjacent to voiceless consonants, [ʍ]. |
| z |
[z] |
|
| ź |
[ʒ] |
|
In addition, the dialectal consonants ç and ḉ, and digraph çh, are pronounced thus:
| Consonant |
IPA Equivalent |
Notes |
| ç |
[cʰ] |
Finally and in clusters, [c]. |
| çh |
[ç] |
|
| ḉ |
[ç] |
|
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