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Unit 1
Amharic

2) at the end of the word it sounds almost like German ch in nach. Technically a velar spirant [χ].
3) at the end of the word followed by the vowel /u/ this sound is like a sharp puff of breath with the lips rounded.

Examples:

hedo 'he went' hedhu 'I went'
hedh 'you went' hedaccıhu 'you (pl.) went'

/l/ is formed farther forward in the mouth than English l and is very much like french l in elle or Italian l in lingua. The middle of the tongue is closer to the roof of the mouth than it is for English l.

Examples:

alə 'he said' allə 'there is'

/ñ/ is like ny the sound in English canyon. Technically a palatalized n [ñ] or [ny].

/r/ is rolled or flapped - the tip of the tongue striking one or more times on the gum ridge behind the upper teeth. It is very much like Italian r in caro.

Examples:

nəggərə 'he told' roman 'pomegrenate'
bərrədə 'it was cold' bırr 'dollar'

/š/ approximates the sh sound in English harsh rather than in she. It is close to the French ch in chat.

/t/ is made against the teeth rather than against the ridge back of the teeth as in English. It is otherwise very much like English t except in the final position where it is more aspirated (released with a short puff of breath).

/ž/ is like the French j in jour or somewhat like the English s in in pleasure.

/'/ is a glottal stop [ʔ], a stoppage of breath which can be heard before each of the words: in English if these words are pronounced slowly and deliberately.

/y/ like y in yes, yeast, etc. Between vowels /y/ is just a kind of trough in between the vowel peaks. Both vowels are said distinctly, e.g. /kəyət/ 'where from' /getaye/ 'sir', etc.

/w/ like w in west. Between vowels /w/ is a slight w-glide, e.g. /baKlowoc/ 'mules'. Where the second vowel is an /o/, /w/ stands for the same kind of trough as described above in the case of /y/. The /w/ trough or glide is rounded. Compare the /w/ glide in /awo/ 'yes', /səwoc/ 'people' with the /y/ glide in /mayət/ 'to see' and /ıyut/ 'look at it'.

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