35,921
edits
m
→Alphabet and Pronunciation: creating language page
m (→Additional Resources: creating language page) |
m (→Alphabet and Pronunciation: creating language page) |
||
| Line 271: | Line 271: | ||
==Alphabet and Pronunciation== | ==Alphabet and Pronunciation== | ||
Samoan is from the Austronesian family of languages. It is closely related to other Polynesian languages, especially Tongan | Samoan is from the Austronesian family of languages. It is closely related to other Polynesian languages, especially Tongan. | ||
Consonants: p,t,m,n,g,f,v,s, and a glottal stop, ' | Here is a very cursory overview of the language and some vocabulary. | ||
*Consonants: p,t,m,n,g,f,v,s, and a glottal stop, ' | |||
*A glottal stop is when you start a vowel with your throat closed, as usually is done in English. If you didn't, the word 'apple' would sound like 'happle.' | |||
*More letters k,h and r were added to the Samoan alphabet for foreign or borrowed words. To complicate things for the beginner, in the common vernacular some consonants are transposed when spoken: l for r and k for t. Thus the name Maria can become Malia and telefoni can become kelefoni. | |||
*The "g" is pronounced with "ng" sound, so Pago Pago is pronounced Pahngo Pahngo. You can have fun correcting your educated friends with this one. | |||
*Vowels: a,e, i, o, u pronounced generally as in romantic languages such as Spanish and Italian. | |||
The '''Samoa Alphabet''' consists of 14 letters, with another three letters ('''''H''''', '''''K''''', '''''R''''') used in loan words. The '''{{okina}}''' (''koma liliu'' or ''[[ʻokina]]'') is used for the [[glottal stop]]. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |- style="text-align:center;" | ||
! Aa, Āā || Ee, Ēē || Ii, Īī || Oo, Ōō || Uu, Ūū ||Ff || Gg || Ll || Mm || Nn || Pp || Ss || Tt || Vv || (Hh) || (Kk) || (Rr) || | ! Aa, Āā || Ee, Ēē || Ii, Īī || Oo, Ōō || Uu, Ūū ||Ff || Gg || Ll || Mm || Nn || Pp || Ss || Tt || Vv || (Hh) || (Kk) || (Rr) || ʻOkina|‘ | ||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |- style="text-align:center;" | ||
| /a/, /aː/ || /ɛ/, /eː/ || /ɪ/, /iː/ || /o/, /ɔː/|| /ʊ, w/, /uː/|| /f/ || /ŋ/ || /l, ɾ/ || /m/ || /n, ŋ/ || /p/ || /s/ || /t, k/ || /v/ || (/h/) || (/k/) || (/ɾ/) || /ʔ/ | |||
|} | |} | ||
'''Vowels''' | '''Vowels'''<br> | ||
Vowel length is phonemic in Samoan; all five vowels also have a long form denoted by the | Vowel length is phonemic in Samoan; all five vowels also have a long form denoted by the macron. For example, ''tama'' means child or boy, while ''tamā'' means father. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| Line 335: | Line 332: | ||
The consonants in parentheses are only present in loanwords and formal Samoan.<br> | The consonants in parentheses are only present in loanwords and formal Samoan.<br> | ||
In formal Samoan, used for example in news broadcasts or sermons, the consonants /t n ŋ/ are used. In colloquial Samoan, however, /n ŋ/ merge as [ŋ] and /t/ is pronounced [k]. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Samoan language," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoan_language#:~:text=In%20formal%20Samoan%2C%20used%20for%20example%20in%20news%20broadcasts%20or%20sermons, accessed 14 Jun 2021.</ref> | In formal Samoan, used for example in news broadcasts or sermons, the consonants /t n ŋ/ are used. In colloquial Samoan, however, /n ŋ/ merge as [ŋ] and /t/ is pronounced [k]. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Samoan language," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoan_language#:~:text=In%20formal%20Samoan%2C%20used%20for%20example%20in%20news%20broadcasts%20or%20sermons, accessed 14 Jun 2021.</ref> | ||
==Language Aids and Dictionaries== | ==Language Aids and Dictionaries== | ||