Ru becomes n before n; thus: An gun’ ne for an guru ne, “it is a person.”
When one word ending with a vowel is immediately followed by another commencing with a vowel, the final vowel of the first word is in some cases dropped; thus:—
- Moshir’ ebitta for moshiri ebitta, “the whole world.”
Oya moshir’ un guru for Oya moshiri un guru, “a foreigner.”
Utar’ obitta for Utara, obitta “everybody.”
I becomes y before a, as, yayamkiri “to recognize,” while о is sometimes heard for u, as, anno for annu, “to defeat.”
Care must always be taken to pronounce the double consonants as in speaking Italian or Japanese. As:—
Ine, “where?” Inne, “a multitude.” Ota, “sand” Otta, “in,” “to.” Shina, “to lace up” Shinna, “a difference.” Tane, “now” Tanne, “long.”
When it is desirable to give special clearness or emphasis to a noun or adjective ending with a vowel, such final vowel may be reduplicated preceded by the consonant h; thus :—
- Nimaki or Nimakihi, “a tooth.”
To or Toho, “a day;” “a lake.”
Pirika or Pirikaha, “good,”
Kunne or Kunnehe “black,” “dark.”
There are some cases in which it is customary to reduplicate the final vowel, such reduplication being almost universally practiced by the Ainu. As:—For example:—
- Chaha instead of cha, “twigs.”
Hochihi ,, ,, hochi “a sum.”
Wen-kurihi instead of wenkuri, “a rain cloud.”
