(Although some unofficial spellings use K, Q and Y, those letters can usually be found only in foreign words, but they are part of the Venetian alphabet, anyway.)
Venetian pronunciation (Grafia Veneta Unitaria)
Notes
- There is more than one way to write some letters.
- c = [ʧ] before e or i, [k] elsewhere
- g = [ʤ] before e or i, [g] elsewhere
- n = [ŋ] before a consonant and at the end of words
VENETIAN PRONUNCIATION
Venetian pronunciation might pose some difficulties for beginners. Yet, it is very regular, and once the rules are understood it is easy to pronounce the words correctly.
PRONUNCIATION OF VOWELS
These are a few tips to pronounce Venetian vowels with the approximate English equivalents
- A—sounds like a in father
- E—has two sounds: short vowel like e in pen; long vowel, similar to ai in fair
- I—sounds like ea in tea or i in marine
- O—has two sounds: like o in cozy or similar to o in cost
- U—sounds like u in rude
Tips:
- Venetian vowels are always articulated in a sharp, clear fashion, regardless of stress; they are never slurred or pronounced weakly.
- Vowels (a,e,i,o,u) always retain their value in diphthongs.
Here are a few basic pronunciation rules and quick instructions on how to pronounce Venetian consonants.
- The consonants B, F, M, N, and V are pronounced as in English.
- C before a, o, u and before consonants has a sound similar to the English k; before e and i a sound similar to the English ch as in church.
- D is somewhat more explosive than in English, with the tongue near the tip of the upper teeth but with no aspiration.
- G before a, o, and u and before consonants has a sound like the g in good; before e and i like the g in general.
- Gn is like the ny in canyon.
- J is pronounced in many ways...in most places like the spanish ll of paella, as an i or as an alternative of the g of general
- H is silent.
- L is as in English, but sharper and more forward in the mouth.
- Ł somewhere is read as L, somewhere as E or silent.
- P is as in English, but without the aspiration that sometimes accompanies this sound in English.
- Q is always pronounced like the English k.
- R is different from the English r; it is pronounced with one flip of the tongue against the gums of the upper teeth. This is the trilled r.
- Initial S before vowels and unvoiced consonants (c, f, p, q, s, t) is pronounced like the s insun.
- X before voiced consonants (b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v) is pronounced like the s in rose.
- T is approximately the same as in English, but no escaping of breath accompanies it.
- Z can be voiced, like ds in beds, or voiceless, like ts in bets.
Tips:
- Venetian is a phonetic language, which means that it is spoken the way it is written. Venetian and English share the Latin alphabet, but the sounds represented by the letters often differ considerably from one language to the other.
The consonants not listed below (b, f, m, n, v) are pronounced as in English. The approximate English equivalents are as follows:
c before a, o, and u is like the English k.
Venetian / English
caxa house
co with
cuxinare to cook
c before e or i is like the English sound ch in chest.
caxa house
co with
cuxinare to cook
c before e or i is like the English sound ch in chest.
Venetian / English
ciopa loaf
rece ears
ciopa loaf
rece ears
ch (found only before e or i) is like the English k.
Venetian / English
che that
chimica chemistry
parché why/because
d is somewhat more explosive than in English, with the tongue near the tip of the upper teeth but with no aspiration.
che that
chimica chemistry
parché why/because
d is somewhat more explosive than in English, with the tongue near the tip of the upper teeth but with no aspiration.
Venetian / English
di day
data date
do due
di day
data date
do due
g before a, o, and u is as in the English word go.
Venetian / English
gato cat
goto glass (to drink)
guanto glove
gato cat
goto glass (to drink)
guanto glove
g before e or i is like the g in gem, could be replaced by j. In this case it would be pronounced as the spanish ll in most areas of Venetia.
Venetian / English
gełato/jeato ice cream
agio/ajo garlic
pagina/pajina page
gh (found only before e or i) is like the g in go.
Venetian / English
gheto? have you?
maghi magicians
gheto? have you?
maghi magicians
gn is approximately like ny in canyon.
Venetian / English
ragno spider
łavagna blackboard
bagno bath
sogno dream
h is silent, usually only in foreign languages. In Venetian language it is mostly used for spelling issue.
ragno spider
łavagna blackboard
bagno bath
sogno dream
h is silent, usually only in foreign languages. In Venetian language it is mostly used for spelling issue.
Venetian / English
hotel hotel
Oh! [ò] Oh! [ou]
hotel hotel
Oh! [ò] Oh! [ou]
l is as in English.
Venetian / English
mi I, me
xia/zia aunt
ł is used to solve a spelling issue: in some areas it is read as l, somewhere as é, but in mostly areas it is silent.
beło (beo/bel/belo) handsome, nice
gało (gàeo/gal/galo) rooster
muło (mùeo/mul/mulo) mule
łengua (lengua/engua) tongue, language
p is as in English, but without the aspiration that sometimes accompanies this sound in English.
mi I, me
xia/zia aunt
ł is used to solve a spelling issue: in some areas it is read as l, somewhere as é, but in mostly areas it is silent.
beło (beo/bel/belo) handsome, nice
gało (gàeo/gal/galo) rooster
muło (mùeo/mul/mulo) mule
łengua (lengua/engua) tongue, language
p is as in English, but without the aspiration that sometimes accompanies this sound in English.
Venetian / English
pan bread
patata potato
pévaro pepper
pan bread
patata potato
pévaro pepper
qu is always pronounced like the English K.
Venetian / English
cuà (qua) here
cuinto (quinto) fifth
cuéo łà (queo łà) that one there
cuòta (quota) quote
cuà (qua) here
cuinto (quinto) fifth
cuéo łà (queo łà) that one there
cuòta (quota) quote
r is different from the English r; it is pronounced with one flip of the tongue against the gums of the upper teeth. This is the trilled r.
Venetian / English
esare to be
albergo hotel
arte art
s is sometimes like the English s in house or mass.
esare to be
albergo hotel
arte art
s is sometimes like the English s in house or mass.
Venetian / English
casa case,box
stansa room
festa party; holiday
casa case,box
stansa room
festa party; holiday
x is sometimes (but always before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, and v) like the English s in rose.
Venetian / English
roxa rose
texoro treasure
fraxe phrase
xvelto quick
xbàlio mistake
sc before a, o, or u is like sk in ask.
roxa rose
texoro treasure
fraxe phrase
xvelto quick
xbàlio mistake
sc before a, o, or u is like sk in ask.
Venetian / English
scoltare to listen
scoła school
pesca peach
scultura sculpture
sc before e or i is a particular sound, something like the st in christian.
scoltare to listen
scoła school
pesca peach
scultura sculpture
sc before e or i is a particular sound, something like the st in christian.
Venetian / English
sciopo rifle
sciantìxa spark
scexa chip
sch occurs only before e or i, and is pronounced like the English sk.
sciopo rifle
sciantìxa spark
scexa chip
sch occurs only before e or i, and is pronounced like the English sk.
Venetian / English
pesche peaches
dischi disks; records
t is approximately the same as in English, but with no escaping of breath.
pesche peaches
dischi disks; records
t is approximately the same as in English, but with no escaping of breath.
Venetian / English
contento glad
carta paper
matita pencil
contento glad
carta paper
matita pencil
z is voiceless, like ts is bets in some areas, in other areas it is like ds in beds. In the most part of Venetia this letter and sound are not used at all and usually the X goes in its place.
Venetian / English
xero/zero zero
xanxara/zanzara mosquito
marso/marzo March
Venesia/Venezia Venice
xio/zio uncle
Note:
xero/zero zero
xanxara/zanzara mosquito
marso/marzo March
Venesia/Venezia Venice
xio/zio uncle
Note:
When ci, gi, and sci are followed by a, o, or u, unless the accent falls on the i, the i is not pronounced. The letter i merely indicates that c, g, and sc are pronounced, respectively, like the English ch, g (as in gem), and "s-c" as"christian".
Venetian / English
ciao hello
facia face
jornałe/giornałe newspaper
sciodare to unnail
ciao hello
facia face
jornałe/giornałe newspaper
sciodare to unnail
No comments:
Post a Comment