Page:Cambodian system of writing and beginning reader.pdf/15

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/ae/
as in /kmae/ 'Khmer'. Falling diphthong, starting at a point similar to English a in sat and moving to a position similar to English e in set.
/aə/
as in /kaət/ 'be born'. Falling diphthong, moving from the position of /aa/ described above, to the position of /əə/ described above.
/ao/
as in /cao/ 'thief'. Falling diphthong, moving from a sound similar to English a in Father to a sound similar to the English o in song.
/ɑɑ/
as in /kɑɑ/ 'neck'. Low central unrounded vowel, backer than the English a in Father, but fronter than the English aw in law.
/uu/
as in /tuuk/ 'boat'. High back rounded vowel, like the English oo in boot.
/uə/
as in /muəq/ 'hat'. Falling diphthong, moving from the position of /uu/ described above to a position somewhat lower than /əə/ above.
/oo/
as in /koo/ 'ox'. Higher-mid back rounded vowel with lax and breathy articulation, similar to French ô in rôle.
/ou/
as in /koun/ 'offspring'. Tense falling diphthong, moving from a position lower than, to a position higher than, /oo/ above; like American English o in go.
/ɔɔ/
as in /rɔɔk/ 'to seek'. Lower-mid back semi-rounded vowel with lax and breathy articulation. Occurs only long.
/ɔə/
as in /pɔə/ 'color'. Falling diphthong, moving from the position of /ɔɔ/ described above to a position lower and backer than /əə/ above.
Short Vowels and Diphthongs
/i/
as in /cih/ 'to ride'. High front unrounded short vowel, like English i in sit.
/e/
as in /seh/ 'horse'. Mid front unrounded short vowel, like English e in set.
/-i/
as in /kɨt/ 'to think'. High central unrounded short vowel; shorter and lower than /ɨɨ/ described above.
/ə/
as in /bət/ 'to close'. Mid central unrounded short vowel, slightly higher than u in standard American English but.
/a/
as in /kat/ 'to cut'. Lower-mid front-of-center unrounded short vowel, similar to French a in patte.
/ɑ/
as in /kɑt/ 'to jot down'. Low central unrounded short vowel, identical in quality with its long counterpart /ɑɑ/ above.
/u/
as in /tuk/ 'to keep'. High back rounded short vowel, lower in quality than its long counterpart /uu/ described above.
/o/
as in /kon/ 'film'. Mid back rounded short vowel, slightly diphthongized [oᵘ̯] in some environments.
/ĕə/
as in /nĕəq/ 'person'. Tense falling diphthong, moving from a position lower than /e/ above to a mid central position.
/ŭə/
as in /lŭəq/ 'to sell'. Sometimes falling, sometimes rising, short diphthong, moving from a position somewhat lower than /u/ above to a mid central position.