Difference between revisions of "Pronunciation"

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=== Examples===
 
=== Examples===
  
Check [[audio help]] if the audio doesn't work with your browser
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Check [[Audio Help]] if the audio doesn't work with your browser
 
{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
 
{| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
 
| kereke || church || test1
 
| kereke || church || test1

Revision as of 09:48, 21 May 2011

In Setswana, the vowels are pronounced as in the following English words:

  • 'a' as in 'car'
  • 'e' as in 'let'
  • 'i' as in 'meet'
  • 'o' as in 'go'
  • 'u' as in 'school'

There are also a few combinations of consonants which are pronounced very differently from English:

  • 'g' = an 'h' sound deep in your throat, like the end of "loch"
  • 'kg' = k + an 'h' sound deep in your throat
  • 'kh' = k + some air
  • 'ph' = p + some air
  • 'th' = t + some air (NOT like English "th")
  • 'ny' = think of isolating the 'ny' in 'canyon'
  • 'tl' = think of isolating the 'tl' in 'Atlanta'
  • 'tlh' = 'tl' + some air
  • 'ts' - think of isolating the 'ts' in 'itself'
  • 'tsh' = 'ts' + some air
  • 'nts' = n + 'ts' sound
  • 'š' = sh

Examples

Check Audio Help if the audio doesn't work with your browser

kereke church test1
terekere tractor test1
tsela road test1
go bona to see/get test1
phologolo animal test1
diphala impalas test1
thata very much/hard/difficult/brave test1
tlhapa wash test1
tsala friend test1
ga ka test1 test1
sekgoa English test1
mma woman/mother test1
ntlo house test1
ngaka doctor test1


Accents in written Setswana

You will occasionaly see accents (eg ê) in written Setswana. š is regularly used, but the others are not.

In some dictionaries and learning texts (such as Heinmann "Setswana ya Mophato" by Emang Butale, Mpho Mmopi, Dimakatso Mahlanza ISBN 0-7962-0156-0) circumflex accents are used on ô ê to indicate low toned o and e (????)

Because use of accents makes it difficult to search for words, (eg searching for "yone" will not produce a result for "yônê") in this wiki, no accents other than š should be used (unless a non accented form is also given). However, both forms are used in the dictionary.

Vowel Sounds

Front
unrounded
Back
rounded
High i u
Mid e o
ê ô
Low a