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]