Vowels.
- a as in cat.
- á ” father.
- ʿa (not English) not unlike a in dart.
- e as in pen.
- é like the first a in fatal.
- i as in it.
- í ” ravine.
- o ” lot.
- ó ” home.
- ʿo (not English) not unlike o in noble.
- u as in put.
- ú ” adjure, true.
- ʿu not unlike oo in doom.
- y, at the end of words, instead of i.
Diphthongs.
- ai as i in tide (ay at the end of words).
- oi (oy), as in noise.
- au (aw), as ow in now.
Consonants.
- b as in beat.
- d ” door.
- f ” fan.[2]
- g ” got.
- j ” join.[3]
- k ” keep.
- l ” leave.
- m ” man.
- n ” not.
- ñ ” the Spanish “campaña,” like ni in companion, onion.
- p ” pain.[2]
- r ” rain.
- s ” son.
- t ” tame.
- v ” vain.
- w ” win.
- y ” yet.
- z ” zeal.
Double Consonants.
- gh as in ghost, and the g in grumble.
- ks as x in tax, excise.
- kh as ch in the Scotch word loch.
- th as in tooth.
- ts as in Betsy.
- ng as in wrong.
HENRY BARTH, Ph.D.
St. John’s Wood, London, May 1, 1857.