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Welcome to our Lakota and Dakota alphabet page! The following charts show the pronunciation for the Sioux spellings 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: | Sioux pronunciation: |
a | a | Like the a in father. | |
e | e | Like the e sound in Spanish, similar to the a in English gate. | |
i | i | Like the i in police. | |
o | o | Like the o in note. | |
u | u | Like the u in flute. |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: |
an | an, ą, aη, aŋ, aN | ã |
in | in, į, iη, iŋ, iN | ĩ |
on | on, , oη, oŋ, oN | ũ |
un | un, ų, uη, uŋ, uN | ũ |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Sioux pronunciation: |
b | b | Like b in bill. | |
c | č, ch, ć, , , j | t ~ d | An unaspirated, 'soft' ch sound, like the ch in filching or the t in vulture. Sometimes it sounds more like the j in jar. This character is also used to represent the aspirated ch (see Aspiration, below.) |
c | č, ch, c‘, , c | th | An aspirated, 'hard' ch sound, like the one in chair. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated ch (see Aspiration, below.) |
c' | c’, č', ç, c' | t' | Like ch in char, but with a catch after it (like ch'ar). |
d | d | Like d in English die. Only used in Dakota pronunciation. | |
g | g | Like g in gate. Also used to represent the g in Spanish saguaro. | |
g | , gh, ğ | Like g in Spanish saguaro. Also used to represent the g in English gate. | |
h | x | h~x | Like h in hay. At the end of a word or before another consonant, it is pronounced like the ch in German ach. |
h' | h' | Like h in hay but with a catch after it (like h'ay.) | |
j | zh, ž, ź |   | Like a French j. In English, you can hear this sound at the end of words like garage. |
k | , , g | k | Like the unaspirated k in ski. Also used to represent the aspirated k in key. |
k | kh, k‘, , kx | kh~kx | Like the aspirated k in key. Sometimes it is pronounced more raspily. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated k in ski. |
k' | k’, ķ | k' | Like k in key, but with a catch after it (like k'ey). |
l | l | Like l in English light. Only used in Lakota pronunciation. | |
m | m | Like m in English moon. | |
n | n | Like n in English night. | |
p | , , b | p | Like the unaspirated p in spin. Also used to represent the aspirated p in pin. |
p | ph, p‘, , px | ph~px | Like the aspirated p in pin. Sometimes it is pronounced more raspily. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated p in spin. |
p' | p’ | p' | Like p in pin, but with a catch after it (like p'in). |
s | s | Like s in so. Also used to represent the sh in show. | |
s | š, sh, ś, s, s | Like sh in show. Also used to represent the s in so. | |
s' | s’, ş | s' | Like s in so, but with a catch after it (like s'o.) Also used to represent sh with a catch after it. |
s' | š', sh', ś', s', s' | ' | Like sh in show, but with a catch after it (like sh'ow.) Also used to represent s with a catch after it. |
t | , , d | t | Like the unaspirated t in sty. Also used to represent the aspirated t in tie. |
t | th, t‘, , tx | th~tx | Like the aspirated t in tie. Sometimes it is pronounced more raspily. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated t in sty. |
t' | t’, ţ | t' | Like t in tie, but with a catch after it (like t'ie). |
w | w | Like w in English way. | |
x | , r | x | Guttural sound that doesn't exist in English. Like ch in German ach. |
x' | ' | x' | Like ch in German ach, but with a catch after it. |
y | j | Like y in English yes. | |
z | z | Like z in zoo. | |
z' | z' | Like z in zoo, but with a catch after it (like z'oo.) | |
’ | A pause sound, like the one in the middle of the word "uh-oh." |
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