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Welcome to our Natchez alphabet page! The following charts show the pronunciation for the Natchez orthography we have used on our site, as well as some alternate spellings that you may find in other books and websites.
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Natchez pronunciation: |
a | a | Like the a in father. | |
a∙ | a, aa, a: | a | Like the a in father, only held longer. |
e | e | Like Spanish e, somewhat like the a in Kate. | |
e∙ | e, ee, e: | e | Like the a in Kate, only held longer. |
i | i | Like the i in police. | |
i∙ | i, ii, i: | i | Like the i in police, only held longer. |
o | o | Like the o in note. | |
o∙ | o, oo, o: | o | Like the o in note, only held longer. |
u | u | Like the u in flute. | |
u∙ | u, uu, u: | u | Like the u in flute, only held longer. |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: |
an | ã | |
en | ||
in | ĩ | |
on | õ | |
un | ũ |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Natchez pronunciation: |
c | sh, s, š | Like sh in shy. | |
h | h | Like h in hay. | |
k | g | k | Like the soft k in sky. |
kw | gw | kw~kw | Like the qu in square. |
l | l | Like l in light. | |
ł | L, 'l | ł | This sound is a lateral fricative that doesn't really exist in English. The Natchez pronunciation sounds like the "ll" in the Welsh name "Llewellyn." Some English speakers can pronounce it well if they try to pronounce the "breathy l" in the word clue without the c in front of it. |
m | m | Like m in moon. | |
n | n | Like n in night. | |
p | b | p | Like the soft p in spy. |
t | d | t | Like the soft t in star. | tc | ts, ch, dz, c | ts~t | Like ts in cats or tch in catch. |
w | w | Like w in way. | |
x | h | x | Like the raspy j in Spanish jalapeño. |
y | j | Like y in yes. | |
’ | A pause sound, like the one in the middle of the word "uh-oh." |
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