| Marshallese consonants
|
|---|
| IPA
|
Examples
|
English approximations
|
Notes
|
|---|
| Allophones of /j/
| | ɛ̯
|
|
yarn
|
| | e̯
|
|
yes
|
| | i̯
|
|
you
|
| | Allophones of /k/
| | k
|
|
cork
|
Implicitly velarized ([kˠ]).
| | ɡ
|
Pikinni
|
gargle
|
Between vowels. Implicitly velarized ([ɡˠ]).
| | Allophones of /kʷ/
| | kʷ
|
Kuwajleen
|
kook
|
| | ɡʷ
|
|
google
|
Between vowels.
| | kw
|
Kwaron̄
|
quilt
|
Simplified IPA for [kʷ(w)].
| | ɡw
|
O̧kwōj
|
guano
|
Between vowels. Simplified IPA for [ɡʷ(w)].
| | Allophones of /mˠ/
| | mˠ
|
M̧ajeļ
|
marmalade
|
| | mw
|
M̧weeņļap
|
gym wear
|
Simplified IPA for [mˠ(β̞ˠ)].
| | Allophones of /ŋʷ/
| | ŋʷ
|
Ron̄ļap
|
wrong way
|
| | ŋw
|
Ron̄ļap
|
wrong way
|
Simplified IPA for [ŋʷ(w)].
| | Allophones of /pʲ/
| | pʲ
|
Pikinni
|
peep
|
| | bʲ
|
Epjā
|
bib
|
between vowels
| | Allophones of /pˠ/
| | pˠ
|
Bokaak, bwil
|
purpose
|
| | bˠ
|
|
barber
|
between vowels
| | pw
|
Bokaak, bwil
|
sleepwear
|
Simplified IPA for [pˠ(β̞ˠ)].
| | bw
|
Bokaak, bwil
|
subway
|
Between vowels. Simplified IPA for [bˠ(β̞ˠ)].
| | Allophones of /tʲ/
| | tʲ
|
jouj
|
meet you, church, bless you, shush
|
| | zʲ
|
|
his yarn, pleasure, good year, judge
|
Between vowels.
| | Allophones of /tˠ/
| | tˠ
|
Ruot
|
taught
|
| | dˠ
|
wōtōm
|
dud
|
Between vowels.
| | Other single consonants
| | lʲ
|
Kōle
|
leave (RP)
|
| | lˠ
|
M̧aļoeļap
|
bill
|
Dark L ([ɫ]).
| | lʷ
|
Jabtoļon̄e, Lo̧ļwe
|
Galway, well wisher
|
Rounded dark L ([ɫʷ]).
| | mʲ
|
Mile
|
meme
|
| | nʲ
|
Epoon
|
ninny
|
| | nˠ
|
Arņo
|
none
|
| | nʷ
|
|
onward
|
| | ŋ
|
aelōn̄
|
sung
|
Implicitly velarized ([ŋˠ]).
| | rʲ
|
Amedka
|
No English equivalent
|
Trilled behind the front teeth, siimilar to Hungarian r.
| | rˠ
|
Pikaar
|
rat
|
Trilled, without lip rounding.
| | rʷ
|
Jo̧rwe, Nim̧ur
|
roof
|
Trilled, with lip rounding.
| | w
|
|
weed
|
| | Consonant clusters
| | kk
|
|
background
|
Simplified [k̚.k ~ kː].
| | kkʷ
|
|
black goose
|
Simplified [k̚ʷ.kʷ ~ kʷː].
| | kkw
|
|
|
Simplified [k̚ʷ.kʷ(w) ~ kʷː(w)].
| | llʲ
|
|
|
Simplified [lʲ.lʲ ~ lʲː].
| | llˠ
|
|
still life
|
Simplified [lˠ.lˠ ~ lˠː].
| | llʷ
|
|
|
Simplified [lʷ.lʷ ~ lʷː].
| | lrʲ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [lʲ.rʲ].
| | lrˠ
|
|
bull ride
|
Simplified [lˠ.rˠ].
| | lrʷ
|
|
|
Simplified [lʷ.rʷ].
| | lʲtˠ
|
|
melted
|
| | lˠtˠ
|
|
ultimate
|
| | mbʲ
|
|
embue
|
Simplified [mʲ.bʲ].
| | mbˠ
|
|
number
|
Simplified [mˠ.bˠ].
| | mbw
|
|
Tagalog Zamboanga
|
Simplified [mˠ.bˠ(β̞ˠ)].
| | mmʲ
|
|
swim meet
|
Simplified [mʲ.mʲ ~ mʲː].
| | mmˠ
|
|
|
Simplified [mˠ.mˠ ~ mˠː].
| | mmw
|
|
|
Simplified [mˠ.mˠ(β̞ˠ) ~ mˠː(β̞ˠ)].
| | ndˠ
|
|
under
|
Simplified [nˠ.dˠ].
| | nlʲ
|
|
only
|
Simplified [nʲ.lʲ].
| | nlˠ
|
|
unlike
|
Simplified [nˠ.lˠ].
| | nlʷ
|
|
onlooker
|
Simplified [nʷ.lʷ].
| | nnʲ
|
|
unneeded
|
Simplified [nʲ.nʲ ~ nʲː].
| | nnʲ
|
|
pen knife
|
Simplified [nˠ.nˠ ~ nˠː].
| | nnʷ
|
|
|
Simplified [nʷ.nʷ ~ nʷː].
| | nrʲ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [nʲ.rʲ].
| | nrˠ
|
|
sunrise
|
Simplified [nˠ.rˠ].
| | nrʷ
|
|
|
Simplified [nʷ.rʷ].
| | nzʲ
|
|
cleanser, ninja
|
Simplified [nʲ.zʲ].
| | ŋɡ
|
|
finger
|
| | ŋɡʷ
|
|
mongoose
|
Simplified [ŋʷ.ɡʷ].
| | ŋɡw
|
|
penguin
|
Simplified [ŋʷ.ɡʷ(w)].
| | ŋŋ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [ŋ.ŋ ~ ŋː].
| | ŋŋʷ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [ŋʷ.ŋʷ ~ ŋʷː].
| | ŋŋw
|
|
|
Simplified [ŋʷ.ŋʷ(w) ~ ŋʷː(w)].
| | ppʲ
|
|
upbeat
|
Simplified [p̚ʲ.pʲ ~ pʲː].
| | ppˠ
|
|
|
Simplified [p̚ˠ.pˠ ~ pˠː].
| | ppw
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [p̚ˠ.pˠ(β̞ˠ) ~ pˠː(β̞ˠ)].
| | rlʲ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [rʲ.lʲ].
| | rlˠ
|
|
car lot (rhotic accents)
|
Simplified [rˠ.lˠ].
| | rlʷ
|
|
Wate'rloo (rhotic accents)
|
Simplified [rʷ.lʷ].
| | rrʲ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [rʲ.rʲ ~ rʲː].
| | rrˠ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [rˠ.rˠ ~ rˠː].
| | rrʷ
|
|
No English equivalent
|
Simplified [rʷ.rʷ ~ rʷː].
| | ttʲ
|
|
chit-chat
|
Simplified [t̚ʲ.tʲ ~ tʲː].
| | ttˠ
|
|
outdo
|
Simplified [t̚ˠ.tˠ].
|
|
| Marshallese vowels
|
|---|
| IPA
|
Example
|
English approximations
|
Notes
|
|---|
| Allophones of /æ/
| | æ
|
jān
|
trap
|
Palatalized.
| | ɑ
|
kab
|
palm
|
Velarized.
| | ɒ
|
|
lot (RP), thought (GA)
|
Rounded.
| | æ͜ɑ, æ͜ɒ, ɑ͜æ, ɑ͜ɒ, ɒ͜æ, ɒ͜ɑ
|
Short diphthongs.
| | Allophones of /ɛ/
| | ɛ
|
|
dress
|
Palatalized.
| | ʌ
|
|
nurse (RP), comma (GA)
|
Velarized.
| | ɔ
|
|
thought (RP), goat (GA)
|
Rounded.
| | ɛ͜ʌ, ɛ͜ɔ, ʌ͜ɛ, ʌ͜ɔ, ɔ͜ɛ, ɔ͜ʌ
|
Short diphthongs.
| | Allophones of /e/
| | e
|
|
kit
|
Palatalized.
| | ɤ
|
|
like foot but without rounded lips
|
Velarized.
| | o
|
|
foot
|
Rounded.
| | e͜ɤ, e͜o, ɤ͜e, ɤ͜o, o͜e, o͜ɤ
|
Short diphthongs.
| | Allophones of /i/
| | i
|
|
fleece
|
Palatalized.
| | ɯ
|
|
like goose but without rounded lips
|
Velarized.
| | u
|
|
goose
|
Rounded.
| | i͜ɯ, i͜u, ɯ͜i, ɯ͜u, u͜i, u͜ɯ
|
Short diphthongs.
|
|
