Dhaalan
» Pronunciation
The
following is a brief introduction to pronunciation rules
in Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaraay. There is more information in the Garay Guwaala language lessons.
| Yuw spelling | Similar English sound |
| a | short vowel, as in 'cut', but sounds like 'o' in 'got' after w |
| aa | long vowel, as in 'father' |
| i | short vowel, as in 'pin' |
| ii | long vowel, as in 'peel' |
| u | short vowel, as in 'put' |
| uu | long vowel, as in 'cool' |
| ay | as in 'bay' or 'hay' |
| aay | as in 'my' or 'buy' (but sometimes said 'oy', as in 'boy' |
| b | between English 'b' and 'p', or can sound like either |
| d | between English 'd' and 't', or can sound like either |
| g | between English 'g' and 'k', or can sound like either |
| dh | like English 'd'd, but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth |
| m | same as in English |
| n | same as in English |
| ng | a single or 'one' sound, as in 'singer' (not 'two' sounds, as in 'finger' |
| nh | like English 'n' but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth |
| ny | as in onion |
| dj | sometimes sounds like John, or as in budge, and even like 'ch' in 'catcher' |
| l | the same as in English |
| r | like 'r' in English 'run', but with the tongue tip turned back |
| rr | a 'rolled' 'r', as some Scottish or German people say it. Often, at the end of a word, it can sound like the 'd' in 'bed' |
| w | the same as in English, though wu at the start of a word is mostly pronounced like u |
| y | the same as in English, though yi at the start of a word is mostly pronounced like i |