Pronunciation Notes 4
    
  1. To help pronounce the sound written "c" , listen to the following phrases, then try the words on the right.

     

      ລົດຈັກ lo#t-ca1kkk motorcycle
      ເບັດເຈົ້າ be1t ca2w your hook
      ເຣັດຈອກ he#t cO3O make a cup
      ຄັດເຈື້ອ ta1t ci2a cut paper
      ທອດຈືນ thO2Ot cyyn fried
      ເຫມິດຈ້ອຍ mo1t cO2Oy all gone
      ເຈົ້າ ca1w you
      ຂະເຈົ້າ khaca1w they
      ພວກເຈົ້າ phua1k- ha2w you
      ວຽງຈັນ wia2Ncan Vientiane
      ເຈັກ ce#k Chinese
            
  2. Be careful to distinguish between short and long vowels.   Practice the following.

     

    kan (ກັນ        kaan (ການ)  n)a4N (ຫຍັງ)
    na2(ນຳ        na2am (ນາມ  thu1ut  (ທູດ)
    pha4(ໄຜ      pha4ay (ພາຍ    kho1(ຄົນ
    thu#(ທຸກ     da1(ໄດ້) thu1ut (ທູດ     
    kho1n (ຄົນ)       kho1n (ຄົນ  ma1(ໄມ້)
    da1y (ໄດ້)        ma1y (ໄມ້)

                                                                                                                                  

  3. "uu" (-ູ) must be said with lips rounded.  It does not sound like "oo" in the English word "coo".  Compare these Lao and English words.

     

    ຄູ

    khu2u "coo" teacher

    ທູດ

     thuu1t "tooth" an ambassador

    ຢູ່

    ju#u    "you" to stay

    ໝູ່

     mu#u  "moo" friends

                                                                                                   

  4. A few words spelled with "h" may be pronounced "l".  The same speaker may sometimes say "h", sometimes "l" .  One of the word is "na#k-hi2An" (ນັກເຮີຍນ).    You may also hear "na#k-li2An" (ນັກເລີຍນ). 
         
  5. Practice the following phrases to help say "±".  Then try to say the "n)". words alone.

     

    ກິນຫຍັງ kin      n)a4N     what do you want to eat?
    ຄົນຢີ່ປຸ່ນ kho2n    n)i#ipu#n Japanese
    ເປັນຫຍັງ pen    n)a4N What happen?
    ບໍ່ຍາກ bO3O      n)a@ak not difficult
      
   
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