Page:Primary Lessons In Swatow Grammar.djvu/9

INTRODUCTION.

Sounds of the Letters.

a as in palm,	e.g. pá, full.
e as„ in„ met,	e.g.„ mé, quick.
i as„ in„ machine,	e.g.„ sîn, god.
o not final or followed by h as in no,	e.g.„ mông, touch.
o final or followed by h as in born,	e.g.„ bó, mother.
u like oo in boon,	e.g.„ bûn, literary.
ṳ nearly as in turn, or more exactly as eu in French heure,	e.g.„ tṳ, pig.
ai as in aisle,	e.g.„ lâi, come.
au like ou in house,	e.g.„ lãu, old.
oa as in boa,	e.g.„ tōa, large.
oi, as„ in„ going,	e.g.„ õi, able.
ou like o in no,	e.g.„ lōu, road.
ua as in dual, but with second part more distinct,	e.g.„ múa, full.
uai like ui in quire, with„ second„ part„ more„	e.g.„ kùai, strange.
ue as in fluent, with„ second„ part„ more„	e.g.„ būe, not yet.
ui as„ in„ fluid, with„ second„ part„ more„	e.g.„ múi, handsome.
ch nearly as in chin, but with less aspiration,	e.g.„ chin, truth.
chh with strong aspiration,	e.g.„ chhin, relatives.
g as in go,	e.g.„ gōu, hinder.
h initial as in hand,	e.g.„ hãn, limit.
h final marks an explosive sound in certain words all of which are in the ji̍p tones,	e.g.„ po̍h, thin.
j nearly as in June,	e.g.„ jūn, tough.
k nearly„ as„ in„ keep, but without aspiration	e.g.„ ki̍p, concerning.
kh with strong aspiration,	e.g.„ khéng, willing.
l as in lamb,	e.g.„ lâm, south.
m as„ in„ man,	e.g.„ mān, slow.
n as„ in„ no,	e.g.„ nôu, child.
p nearly as in pang, but without aspiration,	e.g.„ pâng, room.
ph with strong aspiration,	e.g.„ phâng, sail,
s as in sun,	e.g.„ sũn, obey.
t nearly as in tan, but without aspiration,	e.g.„ tán, wait.
th with strong aspiration,	e.g.„ thàn, earn.
ⁿ represents a strongly marked nasal,	e.g.„ kiáⁿ, child.