Language/Ganda/Pronunciation/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation

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Luganda, Ganda, Oluganda language - Alphabet and Pronunciation

Alphabet[edit | edit source]

Alphabet
a b c d e f g i j k l m n ŋ (ng’) ny o p r s t u v w y z
Valeurs phonétiques
/a/ /b/ /c/ /d/ /e/ /f/ /ɡ/ /i/ /ɟ/ /k/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ /ɲ/ /o/ /p/ [r] /s/ /t/ /u/ /v/ /w/ /j/ /z/

Prononciation[edit | edit source]

Vowels[edit | edit source]

Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open a

Consonants[edit | edit source]

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive p b t d c ɟ k ɡ
Fricative f v s z
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Approximant l~r j w
Trill

Notes[edit | edit source]

  • All consonants except l/r/w and y can be doubled/equal at the beginning of a word. This reinforces or lengthens the sound of the consonant.
  • At the beginning of a word ا is used alone to show the vowels [a] and [a:] or followed by Waw and Yaa to spell the vowels [u] and [i] respectively. It is also used in a word to spell [a:]
  • Before a vowel و and ي are pronounced [w] and [j]; word-finally or before a consonant they are pronounced [u] and [i]
  • Before c/j/ny/y or soft k or g/ the letter n is pronounced [ɲ]. Before hard k or g/it is pronounced [ŋ]. Elsewhere it is pronounced [n] and the special letters ny and ŋ are used for [ɲ] and [ŋ].
  • Latin spelling uses l or r for these sounds
  • The Arabic alphabet for writing Luganda has never been standardized, so there is a lot of variation in its usage.
  • The digraph ny is considered a separate letter.
  • The doubling mark ّ is used to strengthen or lengthen a consonant/or to indicate a long vowel where it is unclear from the context
  • The letter r is used after an e or an i/the letter l is used elsewhere. Both letters can be pronounced /l/ or /r/ depending on the context.
  • The letters k and g are pronounced [ʧ]/[ʤ] when followed by i or (silent) y/ and [k]/[g] elsewhere.
  • The sounds [ɲ] and [ŋ] are usually spelled ny/ŋ in Latin orthography/ but in some circumstances the letter n is used for both
  • The sounds [ʧ] and [ʤ] are usually spelled c/j in Latin orthography, but when followed by i or (silent) y, they are spelled k/g
  • Unless followed by a vowel/all consonants have an intrinsic continuation [a]. Exceptions to this rule are و, ن, م, ڠ, ڃ and ي which must not have an intrinsic vowel. When followed by the sound [a], they are marked with a َ (superscript ا)
  • Vowels written alone are pronounced well before a nasal consonant followed by a non-nasal (e.g. nsanvu [ns'a:nvu] 'seven hundred')/or after a consonant followed by a semi-vowel (e.g. omweso [omw'e:so ] 'Kiganda board game')/and runs elsewhere. Long vowels in other positions are spelled with double letters.
  • With the exception of ŋ / the letters are also referred to by their English (British) names

Videos[edit | edit source]

THE LUGANDA ALPHABET[edit | edit source]

Learning Luganda & the Alphabet with Nkoza & Nankya[edit | edit source]

Contributors

Vincent and Maintenance script


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