Orthography

Note: we follow the orthographic conventions in Suh Ade Fobujong’s “Mankon for Beginners.”
Consonants

Working orthography IPA Example words
b b bə (it)
dz  dz  ndzɛ́rə̂ (thief)
dʒígídʒá (bracelet)
 d d diʔɛ (place, land/show me, to locate)
f f faʔa (work)
ɣ ɣ nəɣàm (word)
g g məŋgə̀n (a special word for ****BRIDE****!!!!! 🙂 🙂
k k ake (what)
 l l lɨə́ (ant)
m m màŋgyɛ̀ (woman)
mb mb mbómɛ (for me)
ŋ ŋ ŋwaʔnɨ̀ (book, write, school)
n n abéénə (how is it?)
ɲ ɲ ɲó (snake)
 nd nd nda (house)
pf pf pfùŋə́ (owl)
r r ɲàmɨkárə (horse)
s s sɨŋə́ (bird)
ʃ ʃ ʃwiə́bó (finger)
 tʃ tʃɨ̂ (sit)
ts ts tsɔʔɔ (kind of bird)
v v mvə́ (dog)
w w ŋwaʔnɨ̀ (book, write, school)
y j yǎŋnɨ̂ (hurry)
z z ɨzɛ̀ɣə̀ (broom)
ʔ ʔ tsɔʔɔ (kind of bird)
High tone
Low tone
Falling tone
ǎ Rising tone

 
Vowels

Working Orthography IPA Example Words
a a  ndá (house)
i i  zəŋwí (big)
ɨ ɨ nzɨm  (back)
e e  ɲé (skin)
ɛ ɛ alɛ́mə (blood/tongue)
ə ə mətô (stomach)
o o abòm (egg)
ɔ ɔ  ŋɔ̀ (person)
 u u múŋə (child)

 

Language Documentation Training Center