The following alphabet is used in transcribing native words:--
a, e, i, u have their continental sounds (in Chukchee and Koryak always long).
o like o in nor.
ä obscure vowel (long).
ë like a in make.
A, E, I obscure vowels (short).
ê like e in bell, but prolonged.
e
i a diphthong with an accent on i. It always has a laryngeal intonation, ei?.
o between o and u long.
ü mouth in i position, lips in u position (short).
w, y as in English.
Very long and very short vowels are indicated by the macron and breve respectively.
The diphthongs are formed by combining any of the vowels with i and u. Thus:--
ai like i in hide.
ei like ei in vein.
oi like oi in choice.
au like ow in how.
l as in German.
ł pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the palate a little above the alveoli of the upper jaw, the back of the tongue free.
L posterior palatal l, surd and exploded (affricative), the tip of the tongue pressed against the hard palate.
Ł posterior palatal l, sonant.
r as in French.
ř dental with slight trill.
ŗ velar.
m as in English.
n as in English
ñ nasal n sound.
n* palatized n (similar to ny).
b, p as in English.
b`, p` d`, d`, g`, k` have a spirant added (gehauchter Asatz of Sievers).
v bilabial.
g like g in good.
h as in English.
x like ch in German Bach.
x* like ch in German ich.
q velar k.
k as in English.
ġ velar g.
d, t as in English.
d*, t* palatized (similar to dy and ty).
s as in English.
s* palatized (similar to sy).
š palatized German z.
c like English sh.
č like English ch.
j like j in French jour.
ĵ like j in joy.
c* strongly palatized
ĵ* strongly palatized j.
! designates increased stress of articulation.
?
a very deep laryngeal intonation.
? a full pause between two vowels: yiñe?a.