kurmanji_complete

h is pronounced, in areas in which it occurs, like the ح of Arabic (a voiceless
pharyngeal fricative, [ħ]); in areas where it is not so pronounced, it
is not differentiated from h
j is the ‘j’ of French, the English ‘g’ in ‘beige’ [Z]
k is the aspirated ‘k’ of English ‘key’ [kH] (see below)
k is the unaspirated ‘k’ of English ‘sky’ plus pharyngealization [k ÷ ] (see
below)
l is a liquid ‘l’ as in Persian, like the l in ‘lee’ [l]
m is the ‘m’ of English [m]
n is the ‘n’ of English [n]
p is the aspirated ‘p’ of English ‘pie’ [pH] (see below)
p is the unaspirated ‘p’ of English ‘spy’ plus pharyngealization [p ÷ ] (see
below)
q is a voiceless uvular stop, like the Arabic ق [q]; it is pronounced like
‘k’ but farther back in the throat
r is a flap as in Persian and Italian [R]; does not occur word-initially
r is a trill, like the ‘rr’ of Spanish [r]; all initial r’s are trilled; the trilled r
is only sporadically indicated in the orthography by rr (e.g. pir ‘very,’
which is sometimes written pirr), otherwise it is not indicated in the
writing system
s is the ‘s’ of English [s]
ş is pronounced like the ‘sh’ in ‘ship’ [S]
t is the aspirated ‘t’ of English ‘tie’ [tH] (see below)
t is the unaspirated ‘t’ of English ‘sty’ plus pharyngealization [t ÷ ] (see
below)
v is the ‘v’ of English [v]
PHONOLOGY
w is the ‘w’ of English ‘we’ [w] except before i, î, and ê, when it is a
close back unrounded semivowel [µ], like the ‘u’ in French cuire and
huit
x is pronounced like the ‘ch’ in German ‘Bach’ and the Arabic خ, a voiceless
uvular fricative [x]
x is a voiced uvular fricative [ƒ], the ghayn (غ) of Arabic; it is the voiced
counterpart to x
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