Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/29

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DANISH SOUNDS.
15

43. t is written but not pronounced in adverbs ending in igt; Ex.: tydeli(gt) plainly; in the article and pronoun de(t).

44. In foreign words ti before a vowel as a rule is pronounced as tsi; Ex.: partiel, Kwtient, Differentiering differentiation; but th ending t i o n is pronounced as sjon: Nation pron. Nasjon, Motion exercise, pron. Mosjon.

45. d has a sound like English d, but less voiced, 1) in the beginning of words : Dal valley, Dole dock, din thine; 2) in the middle and at the end of words after a consonant (if not mute (see § 47) ; Ex. : Olding old man, Foraldre parents, Byrd birth, lard learned; 3) between two vowels, when the word is of foreign origin or a proper noun: Soda, Adam, Edda.

46. The sign d also represents an open consonant with a sound similar to that of English soft th in father; in pronouncing this "soft" d (phonetic sign 6) the tip of the tongue is allowed to remain in the lower part of the mouth, while the front of the tongue is raised towards the gums and the breath is gently squeezed between the tongue and the gums. This sound occurs:

1) in the middle of words between two vowels (also when written double: Padde toad, Kladde rough-draught; but Bredde breadth and Vidde width, have closed d); Ex.: bede to beg, grade to cry, weep, Naade grace, Maade manner; 2) in the middle of words after a vowel before j, l, m, n, r and the genitive s; Ex.: dadle to reproach, Sedler bills, rödme to blush, krydre to spice; 3) at the end of a word after a vowel; Ex.: Gud God, Stud bullock, Vid wit. Also when ending the first part of a compound word, even if the second part begins with a hard consonant; Ex.: Blodtab loss of blood, udsat exposed.

47. d is written but not pronounced (mute) 1) in most cases after l and n; Ex. : Gul(d) gold, Il(d) fire, smal(d)e to crack (a whip), Skul(d)er shoulder, hol(d)e to hold, Haan(d) hand, Venin(d)e lady friend.