Pronunciation Guide
The following are the most commonly heard sounds of Umonhon and their orthographic (written) representation.
| Letter |
Umonhon example |
English example |
|
a
|
ská (white)
|
father
|
|
b
|
biamá (they say)
|
boy
|
|
ch
|
chéshka (short)
|
church
|
|
chʰ
|
íⁿchʰoⁿ (right now)
|
church
|
|
d
|
dúba (four)
|
dog
|
|
e
|
shé (apple)
|
weight, Las Vegas
|
|
ɛ
|
hɛ (louse)
|
bet
|
|
ɛⁿ
|
hithɛⁿkithe (hurry)
|
hen
|
|
g
|
égoⁿ (like that)
|
girl
|
|
h
|
huhú (fish)
|
high
|
|
i
|
ní (water)
|
radio
|
|
in
|
wíⁿ (one)
|
mean (with a soft n)
|
|
j
|
júba (a little bit)
|
judge
|
|
k
|
ké (turtle)
|
skate
|
|
kʰ
|
akʰí (I return home)
|
key
|
|
m
|
mí (sun)
|
man
|
|
n
|
nú (man)
|
no
|
|
on
|
óⁿba (day)
|
yawn (with a soft n)
|
|
p
|
pá (nose)
|
spit
|
|
pʰ
|
óⁿ pʰoⁿ (elk)
|
pot
|
|
s
|
sábe (black)
|
sun
|
|
sh
|
shé (apple)
|
ship
|
|
t
|
té (bison)
|
stop
|
|
tʰ
|
a tʰí (I'm here)
|
top
|
|
th
|
tháwa (to count)
|
that
|
|
u
|
tú (blue)
|
blue
|
|
w
|
waʔú (woman)
|
wing
|
|
x
|
xubé (holy)
|
Bach (voiceless, raspy)
|
|
gh, ğ
|
ğáge (cry, weep) |
Bach (voiced, soft) |
|
z
|
zí (yellow)
|
zoo
|
|
zh
|
zhíⁿga (small) |
beige |
|
ʔ
|
tʔé (dead) |
uh-oh (glottal stop) |
This UNL list is a work in progress. We are continuing to explore the modern Omaha sound system. We are trying to reflect
the current spelling protocols at Umónhoⁿ Nation Public School at Macy, Nebraska.
Marking stress on the correct syllable is very important in Umónhoⁿ. Moving the accent mark can change the meaning of the
word. For example: bthítube — "I pinch," becomes bthitúbe — "I chop," while wáthathe — "table," becomes watháthe — "food."
