YANKTONAI DAKOTA PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

a č čh č’ d 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

asáŋpi

the sound a pronounced through the nose, in swamp

ičábu

č

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

čhiyé

čh

like in cheese

nič’ú

č’

like č followed by a glottal stop

ógde

d

like in dog

bébena

e

like in bed

ǧí

ǧ

a gutteral sound, like gargling water

hiŋháŋ

h

like in house

ȟóta

ȟ

like in Spanish Juan

i

like in sit

íŋyaŋ

like sing

kimímina

k

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

khukhúše

kh

like k in kill

kȟáŋta

kh

the sound k followed by ȟ

čík’ana

k’

like k followed by a glottal stop

mayá

m

like in map

núŋpa

n

like in nap

osní

o

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

pápa

p

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

pheží

ph

like in pill

wapȟáha

the sound p followed by ȟ

wanáp’iŋ

p’

the sound p followed by a glottal stop

ská

s

like in so

šá

š

like in ship

tópa

t

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

thípi

th

like in till

tȟadó

the sound t followed by ȟ

t’á

t’

the sound t followed by a glottal stop

wagmú

u

like in the Spanish way of saying “Cuba”

uŋzóǧe

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

wówapi

w

like in well

yámni

y

like in yes

zitkána

z

like in zero

ižáŋžaŋ

ž

like s in pleasure

naȟ’úŋ

a stop in speech