Lesson 4

Vowels - Ritēkhe

There are five vowels, which can be long or short, which we mark with a macron in the transliteration. Below is the approximate pronunciation in English.

The single most significant feature of Naucan vowels is reduction. Vowels in unstressed syllables are often softened and centralized, producing a different sound than when they are in a stressed syllable. Mastering this rhythmic alternation is essential for fluent speech.

Consonants - Syēkhe

These consonants function basically like in English.

• Stops: p /p/, b /b/, t /t/, d /d/, k /k/, g /g/

• Nasals: m /m/, n /n/

• Approximants: y /j/, w /w/

• Sibilants: s /s/, z /z/

The r /ɾ/ is a quick tap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, identical to the sound made for tt in the American English pronunciation of butter or ladder.

The ph /ɸ/ is a voiceless bilabial fricative. To produce it, bring your lips close together as if you were about to say "p," but instead of stopping the air, let it escape with a soft, breathy friction. It is the exact sound you make when blowing out a candle.

The th /θ/ is identical to the th in the English word thin.

The kh /x/ is a voiceless velar fricative, a sound made in the back of the throat. It is the same sound as the ch in German Bach or the Scottish loch.

Sound Changes - Ēkhekeys

There are four sound changes, and we mention them here, but for now they are not important.

• Voicing before voiced consonants

• Devoicing at the end of words and before voiceless consonants

• Nasal assimilation

• Gemination

Word Stress

Fortunately, word stress in Naucan is highly predictable. You don't need to memorize the stress for every word; you just need to learn two simple rules based on syllable weight.

A syllable's "weight" is determined by its structure:

•  A syllable is heavy if it contains a long vowel (ā), a diphthong (ay, aw), or ends in a consonant.

• A syllable is light if it contains only a short vowel and does not end in a consonant (e.g., ka, be, ri).

Here are the rules for placing stress:

• For words of 3 or more syllables: If the second-to-last syllable (the penult) is heavy, stress it. If it's light, stress the third-to-last syllable (the antepenult).

• For words of 2 syllables: Always stress the first syllable.

Let's look at some examples:

 **ba**-na-na (banana)

Analysis: 3 syllables. The penult (na) is light. Therefore, stress falls on the antepenult: **ba**-na-na.

do-**kē**-tu (to speak)

Analysis: 3 syllables. The penult (kē) is heavy because it contains a long vowel. Therefore, stress falls on the penult: do-**kē**-tu.

si-**kan**-tu (to meet)

Analysis: 3 syllables. The penult (kan) is heavy because it ends in a consonant. Therefore, stress falls on the penult: si-**kan**-tu.

A-**me**-ri-ka (America)

Analysis: 4 syllables. The penult (ri) is light. Therefore, the stress falls on the antepenult: A-**me**-ri-ka.