Overview
The various ethnologists, linguists, and researchers who have studied and documented the Quapaw language often developed their own unique systems to represent the sounds of our language. Our writing system is based upon the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a dynamic system used by linguists to document languages around the globe. Each individual sound (referred to as a ‘phoneme’) used has its own entry in our guide. We have provided English sound equivalents, where possible, to make learning easier for native speakers.
Table of Contents
Glossary
Listed below are additional concepts mentioned in the guide that may not be common knowledge to first-time language learners. Click any of the items to expand an informational dialog relating to the term:
Aspirated Sounds
The Quapaw language utilizes a feature of many languages, including English, called aspirates. An aspirate mark indicates that you should release a puff of air simultaneously with that particular letter, like the "huh" sound in the English word, hat. This video delves into how to create these sounds.
Nasal Sounds
It is important to know how to produce the
nasal sound when speaking Quapaw. Put simply, a
nasal is produced by pushing sound out of your mouth and nose at the
same time. This sound is used in many languages around the world,
including English, but the modern English alphabet does not have a
letter that represents it.
This may be tricky to understand without reference, so we recommend
using online resources to learn how to produce these sounds on your
own.
This video
provides an effective demonstration for producing the nasal sound.
To-Do
- Accented Letters
- Ogoneks
Pronunciation Guide
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Please notify our department via email if you have questions about the
Pronunciation Guide, or if you discover an error on this page.
Our email address is:
languagedepartment@quapawnation.com.