NAKODA PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

a č čh č’ e ǧ h ȟ i k kh k’ m n o p ph p’ s š t th t’ u w y z ž

The little slash on top of a vowel (á é í ó ú áŋ íŋ úŋ) shows which part of the word is loudest.

aǧúyapi

a

like in father

áŋpa né

the sound a pronounced through the nose, in swamp

wikčémna

č

like ch in discharge
(i.e. no air behind it)

or when it occurs between vowels

iŋčánu

č

like j in ajar

čháŋ

čh

like in cheese

iŋč’ínahomni

č’

like č followed by a glottal stop

thaté

e

like in bed

núǧe

ǧ

a gutteral sound, like gargling water

h

like in house

ȟóta

ȟ

like in Spanish Juan

istó

i

like in sit

iŋkhú

like sing

kiškána

k

like k in skill
(i.e. no air behind it)

or when it occurs between vowels

šúŋka

k

like g in ego

makhú

kh

like k in kill

ak’íŋ

k’

like k followed by a glottal stop

mayá

m

like in map

niséhu

n

like in nap

osní

o

like in the Canadian way of saying “oh geez!”

pahá

p

like p in in spill
(i.e. no air behind it)

or when it occurs between vowels

sápa

p

like b in oboe

phahá

ph

like in pill

čhup’ó

p’

the sound p followed by a glottal stop

ská

s

like in so

šiná

š

like in ship

tópa

t

like in still
(i.e. no air behind it)

or when it occurs between vowels

até

t

like d in adapt

thípi

th

like in till

t’á

t’

the sound t followed by a glottal stop

púza

u

like in the Spanish way of saying “Cuba”

huŋská

the sound u pronounced through the nose, a bit like in moon

waówapi

w

like in well

yámni

y

like in yes

z

like in zero

pheží

ž

like s in pleasure

wačhís’a

a stop in speech