Difference between revisions of "Pronunciation"
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In Setswana, the vowels are pronounced as in the following English words: | In Setswana, the vowels are pronounced as in the following English words: | ||
| − | *' | + | *'a' as in 'c'''a'''r' |
| − | *' | + | *'e' as in 'l'''e'''t' |
| − | *' | + | *'i' as in 'm'''ee'''t' |
| − | *' | + | *'o' as in 'g'''o'''' |
| − | *' | + | *'u' as in 'sch'''oo'''l' |
There are also a few combinations of consonants which are pronounced very differently from English: | 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 "lo'''ch'''" |
| − | *' | + | *'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 | ||
| + | {| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1" | ||
| + | | kereke || church || [[File:Kereke.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | terekere || tractor || [[File:Terekere.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | tsela || road || [[File:Tsela.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | go bona || to see/get || [[File:Go_bona.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | phologolo || animal || [[File:Phologolo.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | diphala || impalas || [[File:Diphala.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | thata || very much/hard/difficult/brave || [[File:Thata.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | tlhapa || wash || [[File:Tlhapa.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | tsala || friend || [[File:Tsala.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | gape || again/also/too || [[File:Gape.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | sekgoa || English || [[File:Sekgoa.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | mma || woman/mother || [[File:Mma.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | ntlo || house || [[File:Ntloo.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | ngaka || doctor || [[File:Ngaka.ogg|noicon]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ===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=== | ||
| + | {| style="color:green;background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1" | ||
| + | | Front<br>unrounded || || || || || || || Back<br>rounded | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | ''High'' || i || || || || || || u | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | ''Mid'' || || e|| || || || o|| | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | || || || ê|| || ô|| || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | ''Low'' || || || || a|| || || | ||
| + | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 22:52, 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 | File:Kereke.ogg |
| terekere | tractor | File:Terekere.ogg |
| tsela | road | File:Tsela.ogg |
| go bona | to see/get | File:Go bona.ogg |
| phologolo | animal | File:Phologolo.ogg |
| diphala | impalas | File:Diphala.ogg |
| thata | very much/hard/difficult/brave | File:Thata.ogg |
| tlhapa | wash | File:Tlhapa.ogg |
| tsala | friend | File:Tsala.ogg |
| gape | again/also/too | File:Gape.ogg |
| sekgoa | English | File:Sekgoa.ogg |
| mma | woman/mother | File:Mma.ogg |
| ntlo | house | File:Ntloo.ogg |
| ngaka | doctor | File:Ngaka.ogg |
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 |