4. Oral versus nasal vowels

[Jan]

Oral and nasal vowels often contrast meaning. Look for instance at the following pairs of words:

hí - 'tooth'
híŋ - 'body hair'

ská - 'white'
skáŋ - 'to melt'

k’ú - 'to give smth to sb'
k’uŋ - 'the aforesaid'

tȟáka - 'to parch'
tȟáŋka - 'big'

For this reason, it is important that you train your ear to hear the difference and your tongue to pronounce it.

[Jan]

Level 2 textbook, page 9

Listen to the words and decide which vowel you hear (a, e, i, o, u, aŋ, iŋ, uŋ):



1: off-white
sá
sáŋ

2: white
ská
skáŋ

3: beaver
čhápa
čháŋpa

4: chokecherry
čhapȟá
čhaŋpȟá

5: apple
tȟaspá
tȟaspáŋ

6: onion
pší
pšíŋ

7: foot
sí
síŋ

8: muskrat
sikpȟé
siŋkpȟé

9: stone
íyaŋ
íŋyaŋ

10: grass
pheží
phežíŋ

11: pants
uzóǧe
uŋzóǧe

12: nose
pȟasú
pȟasúŋ

13: braids
osú
osúŋ

14: socks
huyákȟuŋ
huŋyákȟuŋ

15: leg
hú
húŋ