Pronounciation
Klamath Tribes Language Project
waq dal ?i gee ?ewksiknii ?elGank
How do you say that in Klamath?
Ejectives Part IV: Constinuents, continued
Continuents are often glottalized in Klamath. They are symbolized by the use of an apostrophe.
m’
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m’ok’aak = baby |
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hom’as = like this |
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n’ | |
n’ep = hand |
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n’os = head |
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l’
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baal’aa?as = bread |
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l’iml’iml’i = roan (horse) |
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w’ | |
w’iqw’iqs = magpie |
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w’an = red fox |
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weew’ans = women |
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y’ | |
y’ayn’a = mountain |
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y’amsii = Yamsey (a place name) |
Klamath also has what are known of as voiceless resonants . Barker represents these sounds with upper case letters. Care should be taken here, for the tendency of those learning the language is to pronounce M, N and L as normal English. Klamath W sounds like English wh in where, when and why. And Klamath Y sounds like the initial sound in the English words huge, human and Huron.
M
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s?aaMaks = relatives |
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q’iMaac = ant |
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N | |
Naas = one |
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c’iNeeks = mosquito |
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L
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Las = feathers |
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Loops = soup |
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W | |
Weeqs = mallard duck |
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goWasgi = Get out of here! |
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Y
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meYas = trout |
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Yakc’a = hiccough |
Finally there are left the sounds represented by s, s? and h. Only the s? should prove difficult for the second language learner. In Barker’s Klamath Dictionary s? is treated as s plus ?.
s
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seesas = name |
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som = mouth |
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s? | |
s?abas = sun |
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s?aLam = autumn |
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h
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hiswaqs = man |
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lilhanks = deer |
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