täîksiri
SCRIPT
| CONSONANTS |
|
TÄÎGNÄRI |
|
ROMAN |
|
bilabial |
alveolar |
velar |
bilabial |
alveolar |
velar |
| plain stops |
 |
|
|
p (b, v) |
t (d, ð) |
k (g, h) |
| fricatives |
|
|
|
|
s (*, z) |
|
| nasals |
 |
 |
|
m |
n |
|
| taps |
|
|
|
|
r |
|
| laterals |
|
 |
|
|
l |
|
There are eight consonants in täîksiri: /p/, /t/, /k/, /s/, /m/, /n/, /r/, and /l/.
/p/ becomes [b] when it appears before m, n, r, or l. Likewise, /t/ becomes
[d], and /k/ becomes [g]. /s/, when it appears before /m/, /n/, /r/, or /l/
becomes /m/, /n/, /r/, or /l/. For example /sl/ becomes [ll], /sn/ becomes [nn], etc.
Between two vowels, /p/ becomes [v], /t/ becomes [ð], /g/ becomes [h],
and /s/ becomes [z]. These changes are not reflected in the täîksiri
script (except for the /sl/ to [ll] type change), but are reflected in the romanization used in these pages.
In TÄÎKSIRI, /p/, /t/, /k/, and /s/ can be pronounced long, and
are written double, both in TÄÎKSIRI script and Roman orthography.
These do not undergo the changes discussed above.
PRONUNCIATION:
/n/, /m/, /l/, /s/, [b], [d], [g], [v], [z] as in english
/p/, as in english, but unaspirated
/t/, as in english, but unaspirated
/k/, as in english, but unaspirated
/r/, as tt in american english butter
[ð], as th in english this
[h], similar to h in english hot
| VOWELS |
|
TÄÎGNÄRI |
|
ROMAN |
|
FRONT |
BACK |
FRONT |
BACK |
|
unround |
round |
unround |
round |
unround |
round |
unround |
round |
| semi-vowel |
 |
|
|
 |
j |
|
|
w |
| high |
|
 |
|
 |
i |
ü |
î |
u |
| mid |
 |
 |
 |
 |
e |
ö |
ê |
o |
| low |
|
|
 |
|
ä |
|
a |
|
There are 2 semi-vowels or glides in täîksiri. /j/ and /w/.
/j/ appears at the begining of some words, but by-and-large, the glides only
appear between 2 vowels durring the pluralization process of verbs and a
few nouns.
The 10 vowels of täîksiri and can combine to a total of 60
diphtongs. Words generally harmonize vowels with regards to front and back,
with the first element of a diphtong being used to determine vowel harmony.
PRONUNCIATION:
/ j /, as y in english yes
/ w /, as w in english we
/ i /, as ee in english beet
/ ü /, as ee in english beet, but rounded
/ e /, as e in english bet
/ ö /, as e in english bet, but rounded
/ ä /, as a in english bat
/ î /, as oo in english boot, but un-rounded
/ u /, as oo in english boot
/ ê /, as u in english but
/ o /, as oa in english boat
/ a /, as o in english bot
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By: Tim W. Talpas, November, 2001
Send Questions/Comments to tim@zece.com