by Dr. Frank Waabu O'Brien, Aquidneck Indian Council



|
Vowels |
SHORT u |
SHORT a |
LONG ee |
LONG o |
LONG oo |
LONG ô |
|
Said in words like |
a in sofa u in cut |
ah [short version] |
ee in green |
ah [long version] |
oo in moody |
a in blanc [French] |
|
Simplified written character |
ah uh
|
a |
ee |
ah |
oo |
ô â û |
| a | a | a | ||||
| á | ||||||
| â | â | |||||
| ai | ||||||
| au | ||||||
| ah | ||||||
| e | e | |||||
| ee [before ht, hch] | ee, é, ē | |||||
| ea | ea | |||||
| ei [before ht, hch] | ei (rare) | |||||
| i (sometimes) | i | |||||
| ie [rare] | ||||||
| o | o | o | ||||
| ó | ||||||
| ô | ||||||
| ∞, oo | ||||||
| u | u | |||||
| û |
1. Pay careful attention to ambiguity in Eliot’s writing of vowels—a, e, ee, ei, i, u and especially o--same spellings but different sounds.
2. See REFERENCE CHART C for more information on vowels, consonants, and special symbols (“diacritics”) in Massachusett.
3. See REFERENCE CHART B for Guide to sounds in Narragansett, derived from G. Aubin’s Ph.D. work at Brown University.
4. Prof. G. Aubin, in an e-mail exchange, felt this Chart challenged a number of assumptions and conclusions of his rival, Dr. Ives Goddard, Senior Linguist, Smithsonian Institution. The author offers no connotative comments, for the intent of CHART A is denotative only.
SPELLING
|
APPROXIMATE SOUND(S)
|
|
a |
uh in sofa ou in bought ah in father |
|
ah |
ah in father ou in bought |
|
an, aum, aun |
nasal sound |
|
au |
ou in bought au in caught ah in father |
|
aw |
ou in bought aw in raw ah in father |
|
b |
b in big p in pig |
|
c, cc |
k in cow, account kw in queen |
|
ca, co, cu |
k in call, cold, cut |
|
cau |
cow caw |
|
ce, ci
|
s-sound in cede, civil, acid z- or sh-sound as in sacrifice, ocean |
|
ch |
ch in chair |
|
ck |
k in cow ch in child kw in queen |
|
ckq [before w] |
k in cow kw in queen |
|
d, dd |
d in din, muddy t in tin, putty |
|
ddt, dt |
d in din t in tin tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
e |
e in he e in bed uh in sofa silent [no sound at end of word] |
|
ê |
e in he |
|
ea |
e in he ea in yeah ah in father |
|
ee |
ee in beet |
|
ei |
e in he uh in sofa |
|
emes [word ending] |
ee-mees |
|
ese [word ending] |
ees |
|
eu |
eu in feud |
|
g [before w] |
k in cow kw in queen guttural sound like German ach |
|
g, gg, gk[word middle after a vowel] |
k in cow kw in queen guttural sound like German ach |
|
g, gk[word ending] |
k in cow kw in queen guttural sound like German ach |
|
i |
uh in sofa e in he i in hit |
|
ie |
e in he |
|
ih |
uh in sofa |
|
îi |
ee [?] ee-uh [?] ee-ih [?] |
|
k, kk |
k in cow kw in queen guttural sound like German ach |
|
k [before consonant] |
kuh in cut |
|
m, mm |
m in mud, hammer |
|
n [before consonant] |
nuh in nut |
|
n, nn [middle, end of word] |
n in tan, tanning |
|
o |
uh in sofa ah in father oo in food |
|
o [after w] |
ah in father ou in bought au in caught |
|
oo, ô |
oo in food |
|
oa [after w] |
ah in father ou in bought |
|
oh |
uh in sofa oh in go [?] |
|
om, on |
nasal sound |
|
p, pp |
b in big, bigger p in pig, happy |
|
q [word beginning & before vowel] |
kw in queen |
|
q [before w] |
k in cow kw in queen guttural sound like German ach |
|
s [word beginning & after consonant] |
s in sip, racks |
|
s, ss [after vowel ] |
s in sip [one s sound] |
|
sc |
sk in skill |
|
sh [word beginning, word ending & before vowel] |
sh in she, push |
|
sh [before consonant] |
s in sip |
|
shk |
sk in skill |
|
shq |
sk in skill |
|
sk |
sk in skill |
|
skc |
sk in skill guttural sound like German ach |
|
sp |
sp in spell |
|
sq |
skw in squid guttural sound like German ach |
|
t |
d in din t in tin tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
tt |
t in tin, putty d in din, muddy tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
tch |
tch in itch |
|
te [word beginning ] |
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t)) |
|
tea, ttea [after a vowel] |
tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
teau, teu, tteu [word middle or end] |
tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
u |
uh in sofa ah (short version). some think that at the beginning of some words, a u was a “whistling sound” (see w) |
|
w, ww |
y in yes |
|
z |
s in sip |
|
STRESS (Accent) |
Language |
| á (primary or main stress) |
Massachusett & Narragansett |
|
à (secondary stress) |
Historic records seem to omit |
|
PITCH (Tone) |
Language |
|
á (high or rising) |
Narragansett ? |
|
à (low or falling) |
Narragansett |
|
â (rising, then falling) |
Narragansett [in Massachusett ^ symbol is for nasals— â, ô, û] |
|
m’ (pause, hesitation) |
Massachusett |
|
SPELLING (from John Eliot and others)
|
APPROXIMATE SOUND(S) (Some are uncertain)
|
|
a [as in wadchu (“wachuw”)] |
a in sofa (or) ah [short or long version] |
|
aa [as in waantam∞onk] |
long ah [sometimes aa written as aá] |
|
á [as in násh (“nosh”)] |
long ah |
|
ā [as in wàwāmek] |
a in ale or á |
|
à [as in pà] |
a in abet |
|
â [as in nâmaus] |
a in French word blanc (â is a nasal sound) (or, perhaps) ah [long version] |
|
a in knave (nasalized). Rarely seen. |
|
|
u in put |
|
ä [as in peäsik] |
a in arm (or) cat (rarely seen) |
|
ae [word middle or ending] |
e in he (or) a in am (or) cat |
|
áe [word middle or ending as in agkomáe (“akomôee”)]
|
ah-ee (long ah) |
|
ag [as in tannag (“tanok”)] |
ak as in clock |
|
ah [word ending] |
long ah |
|
ai [as in naish (“nosh”)] |
long ah (or) ai in mail |
|
aih [as in nuppaih (“nupoh”)] |
ah [long version] |
|
am, an, ám, án [after consonant as in sampwe (“sôpwee”)]
|
a in French blanc (nasal sound) |
|
ash [word ending for plurals as in hassenash]
|
arsh in harsh (silent r) |
|
ass [word ending for some plurals, Narragansett]
|
ahs |
|
au [as in hennau (“henôw”)] |
Long ah (or) ow (or) ou in bought or ca in caught |
|
aû [as in aûke (“ahkee”), Narr.] |
long ah [a rising-falling pitch] |
|
aú, áu [as in nesáusuk (“neesôsuk”)] |
nasal sound ô as a in French blanc |
|
aü [as in aü] |
ah-ou (ü is oo in boot) |
|
b, bp [word middle after vowel as in kobhog (“kophak”)] |
b or p in big (or) pig (a sound between b / p) |
|
b, bp [word ending] |
b or p in big (or) pig (a sound between b / p) |
|
ca, co, cu |
k-sound like call, cold, cut |
|
cau |
cow (or) caw (see kau) |
|
ce, ci
|
s-sound in cede, civil, acid sometimes z- or sh-sound as in sacrifice, ocean
|
|
ch [word beginning and after h] |
ch in chair |
|
ch [word middle & word ending after vowel]
|
ch in much, etching |
|
cha [word beginning] |
cha in cha-cha |
|
cha, che, chi [word middle & ending, as in sâchem (“sôteum”)]
|
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t)
|
|
che, chee |
chee in cheese |
|
chu [word middle following vowel or word ending as in wechu (“weeteuw”)]
|
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t). chu is rarely seen with this sound as a word ending; see next entry for more common sound with this word ending. |
|
chu [word ending as in wadchu (“wachuw”) & meechu (“meechuw”)]
|
chew |
|
ckq [word middle as in Narr., muckquétu (“mukweeteuw”)]
|
qu as in queen (see kq) |
|
dch, dtch [word middle & word ending after vowel] |
ch in much, etching |
|
dj |
ch in match (rare) |
|
dt, d [word middle after vowel] |
t in tin (or) d in din (a d-t sound) [d may be silent in some words like wadchu (“wachuw”)]
|
|
dt, d [word ending as in kod (“kat”)] |
t in tin (or) d in din (a d-t sound) |
|
dtea [after a vowel] |
tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
dti |
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
e [word beginning or middle as in kesukun (“keesukun”)]
|
e in he (or) a in sofa (or) e in bed (Narr.) |
|
e [word ending as in wuske (“wuskee”) or seipe (“seep”)] |
e in he [usually for adjectives & adverbs; a final e in some Roger Williams & Cotton words is probably silent and tells us that the preceeding vowel is a long sound; e.g. cummúmuckquete (“kumumukweet”)] (see ese for another example)
|
|
ē |
e in he |
|
ee |
ee as in green (or, before ht & hch) a in sofa |
|
é [as in wétu (“weeteuw”)] |
e in he |
|
è [as in mètah] |
e in end, bed |
|
ê [Narr., as in pennêtunck] (“pehnêtunck”)]
|
Roger Williams says ^ is “long sounding Accent” (e in he)
|
|
ë |
a in tame (ë rarely seen) |
|
ea [as in sekeneam (“seekuniam”)] |
e in he (or) long ah (or) e in bed (Narr.) (or) ea in yeah (Narr.) |
|
ei [as in keihtoh (“kuhtah”)] |
a in sofa [before ht, hch] (or) i in hit (or, rarely) ee in heed |
|
emes [word ending for diminutive as in mehtugquemes (“muhtukweemees”)]
|
eemees |
|
es [word ending for diminutive as in mehtugques (“muhtukwees”)]
|
ees |
|
ese [word ending for Narr. diminutive, as in squáese (“skwahees”)]
|
ees [final e in ese probably silent & means preceeding vowel is “long”; see e (word ending)] |
|
et [word ending , “locative” as in pautuxet] |
et in set |
|
eu [as in ayeu (“ayuw”)] |
eu in feud |
|
êuck [word ending as in Narr., Massachusêuck]
|
e in he + ook in hook (or) e + yuck |
|
f |
not used |
|
g, gg, gk [word middle after a vowel as in agkomáe (“akomôee”)]
|
k in cow [perhaps a guttural sound]; one g heard in gg. |
|
g, gk [word ending as in mehtug (“muhtukw”) & tannag (“tanok”)] |
k in cow [perhaps a guttural sound] (or) qu in queen |
|
gh |
k in cow (or) ge in age |
|
ghk |
k in cow (or) qu in queen |
|
gi, ji |
gi in giant |
|
gq [word ending as in mehtugq (“muhtukw”) ]
|
qu in queen |
|
gw , gqu [word middle between vowels as in mehtugquash (“muhtukwash”) ]
|
qu in queen |
|
h, hh |
h in hot (one h heard) |
|
h’ [word beginning as in h’tugk] |
h in hot (a pause or breathing sound after h) |
|
hch, ch |
ch in chair |
|
hk [word middle as in kishke (“keeskee”) ] |
k in cow |
|
hsh |
sh in shoe |
|
ht |
ht in height |
|
hw, hwh |
wh in what |
|
i [word middle as in quinni (“kwinee”)]
|
a in sofa (or) e in he (or) i in hit |
|
i [word ending as in m∞i (“moowee”) ]
|
e in he |
|
í [as in sickíssuog] |
i in hit (or) a in sofa |
|
ī |
i in ice |
|
ì [ as in nechìppog] |
i in ill |
|
ï [as in aúï] |
e in he (or) i in pin (ï rarely seen) |
|
ie |
e in he [rare] |
|
îi |
· ee [?](Narr.) · ee-uh [?] (Narr.) · ee-ih [?](Narr.)
|
|
is, ish [word middle as in kishke (“keeskee”)]
|
ees [ see entry for sh & shk] |
|
ish [word ending as in anish (“ahnish”)]
|
ish as in dish |
|
is [word ending as in mokkis (“mahkus”)]
|
us |
|
it, ut [word ending, “locative”] |
it or ut in put |
|
j |
ch in match (or) gi in giant (rare) |
|
ji |
gi in giant |
|
jt [word middle after vowel as in quajtog (“kwochtak”)]
|
ch in etching |
|
k [word beginning & after consonant]
|
k in cow |
|
k, kk [word middle after vowel as in mokkis (“mahkus”)]
|
k in cow (one k heard) [perhaps a guttural sound] |
|
k [word ending as in ahtuk (“ahtukw”)] |
qu in queen (or) k in cow |
|
k’ [word beginning as in k’chi] |
2nd k in kick (make a pause or breathing sound after k) |
|
kau |
cow (or) caw (see cau) |
|
ke |
kee in keep (or) kuh |
|
kē, kee |
kee in keep |
|
kh |
ck in back? [perhaps a guttural sound] |
|
ki |
kee in keep (or) ki in kick |
|
ko |
ka in karate (or) co in coop |
|
kq [before consonant & word ending] |
qu in queen [see ckq] |
|
kqu [word middle between vowels as in nukqutchtamup (“nukwuchtamup”)]
|
qu in queen [see ckq] |
|
kuh, keh [as in keht∞nog (“kuhtoonakw”)] |
kuh |
|
l |
el (rarely seen in southeastern New England dialects) |
|
m, mm |
m in mud (or) hammer (one m heard) |
|
m’ [word beginning as in m’tugk] |
meh or muh (a pause or breathing sound after m) |
|
n [ beginning of word] |
n in no |
|
nn [ beginning of word as in nnin, (“nuh-nihn”)]
|
nuh-nih (two n sounds) |
|
n, nn [middle, end of word] |
n in tan (one n sound) |
|
o [as in kod (“kat”)] |
ah [short or long version] (or) oo in food |
|
oa |
oa in soap (or) oak (or) broad |
|
oo [as in askook] |
oo in food |
|
oooo, ∞∞ |
first oo or ∞ spoken; said as oo in food |
|
ó [as in wómpi (“wampee”) & anóme (“anôme”)]
|
ah [long version] (or, rarely) o in old |
|
ō |
o in old |
|
ô [as in woskétomp (“waskeetôp”)] |
a in French word blanc (nasal sound) |
|
|
o in no [as a nasal sound?] Very rare. |
|
ock [word middle or ending, Narr.] |
ak in clock |
|
og [word middle or ending] |
ak in clock |
|
oh [as in ohke (“ahkee”)] |
ah [short or long version] (or) nasal sound ôh [after n] |
|
òh [as in pòhqui] |
a in sofa |
|
oi |
oi in oil |
|
ôi |
nasal a in blanc + e in he |
|
om, on [nasal sound as in woskétomp(“waskeetôp”)]
|
a in French word blanc (nasal sound) |
|
onk [word ending, abstract nouns as in meetsuonk]
|
onck (or) unck |
|
Times;letter-spacing:-2.0pt'>oo [as in askook (“ahskook”)] |
oo in food [Eliot’s special (digraph) symbol for double oo; the same as ∞ (or) 8]
|
|
∞ [as in mutt∞n (“mutoon”)] |
oo in food (modern symbol for oo ; 8 also used for oo) |
|
∞∞, oo oo |
first ∞ or oo spoken; said as oo in food |
|
|
oo in boot |
|
|
oo in foot |
|
ou |
ou in out |
|
∞w [word beginning] |
whee (“whistling sound” which Eliot couldn’t explain] |
|
p, pp [word middle after vowel] |
p or b in pig (or) big (a sound between p / b). One p heard
|
|
p [word ending] |
p or b in pig (or) big (a sound between p / b) |
|
ps [word beginning or middle as in psuk] |
pss ( rare) as in collapse |
|
pu, puh [as in appu (“apuw”)] |
pu in put |
|
q [before consonant & word ending] |
qu in queen |
|
qu [word beginning & after consonant] |
qu in queen |
|
qu [word middle between vowels] |
qu in queen |
|
qua [as in quadjtog (“kwochtak”)] |
quo in quota (or) qua in quality |
|
quâ |
quo in Pequot |
|
que [as in ahque (“ahkwee”)] |
que in queen (or) quest |
|
qui |
que in queen (or) qui in quick |
|
quie [as in wishquie (“weeskwayee”)] |
kwayee |
|
quo [as in ahquompi (“ahkwahmpee”)] |
quah |
|
qun [as in qunutug (“kwunutukw”)] |
kwun |
|
qū |
coo (like dove-sound) |
|
qut |
kwut |
|
r |
are (rarely used in southeastern New England dialects) |
|
s [word beginning & after consonant] |
s in sip |
|
s, ss [after vowel as in nusseet (“nuseet”)]
|
s in sip (one s sound) |
|
sh [before vowel & word ending as in mukquoshim (“mukwahshum”)]
|
sh in shoe, she, ship |
|
sh [before consonant as in kishke (“keeskee”) ] |
s in sip |
|
shau [as in petshau (“peetshow”)] |
show in rain-shower |
|
shk [before vowel as in kishke (“keeskee”) ]
|
sk in Alaska, skill |
|
sq [as in mosq (“mahskw”)] |
squah in squat |
|
suck [word ending, for plurals in Narragansett]
|
sook |
|
t [word beginning & after consonant as in taûbot]
|
t in tin (or) d in din (a d-t sound) |
|
t, tt [word middle after vowel as in nuttah (“nutah”)]
|
t in tin (or) d in din (a d-t sound) [one t heard]
|
|
t, tt [word end as in moskeht] |
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
tch [word middle & word ending after vowel]
|
ch in etching (or) tch in watch |
|
te [word beginning as in teag (“teokw”)] |
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t)) |
|
tea, ttea [after a vowel] |
tee-ah [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
teau, teu, tteu [word middle or end as in keteau (“keeteow”)]
|
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) |
|
to, tó, tô [as in attóau (“atôow”)] |
to in top [a nasal sound] |
|
tu, ttu [word middle or end as in wétu (“weeteuw”), pittu (puteow”)]
|
tee-you [fast tempo] (a complex sound between ch & t) Other sounds like ti, tti, tj have the tee-you sound plus additional sounds |
|
toh [as in kehtoh (“kuhtah”)] |
tah |
|
u [as in wuttup (“wutup”)] |
a in sofa (or) ah (short version). Some think that at the beginning of some words, a u was a “whistling sound” (see w) |
|
ú [as in aúï ] |
u in rude (or) a in sofa |
|
ū |
u in rude, tune |
|
ù [as in wonkqùssis] |
u in circus, up? |
|
û |
a in blanc (or) u in mud? (nasal sound) |
|
ü [as in aü] |
u in upsilon (or) oo in boot (ü rarely seen) ? |
|
uck, uk [word ending as in pasuk (“posukw”)]
|
uhck , oock; k is qu sound as in queen for some |
|
ut, it [word ending, “locative” as in kehtompskut]
|
ut in put (or) it |
|
uw [word beginning] |
a w “whistling sound” |
|
v |
not used |
|
w, ww |
w in won (one w heard) [perhaps a “whistling sound” in some words beginning with w]
|
|
wh |
wh in what |
|
wi |
why (or) wee |
|
wu [as in wuttup (“wutup”)] |
wah (or) woo (or) wuh |
|
x |
ex in exit (rarely seen) |
|
y |
y in yes |
|
|
y in lyre (in Eliot, others ?) |
|
ỳ |
y in typical (or) fully |
|
yau |
yaw |
|
yeu [as in ayeu (“ayuw”)] |
you |
|
yo |
yah (or) yo in yo-yo |
|
yó |
yah (or) yo in yo-yo |
|
yō |
yo in yo-yo |
|
z, zs [as in nukkezheomp (“nukeeshiôp”)] |
s in sip |

[2] The author’s linguistic written and recorded materials of the reconstructed Indian-dialogue translations are being processed for donation to the Rhode Island Historical Society, University of Rhode Island’s Special Collections Department and other repositories.
[3] I thank my good friend and Nétop Edward _____ for his extensive help in teaching me basic Algonquian pronunciation.
[4] The most ambitious and current regional revitalization program is among the Wampanoag tribes, Gay Head (Aquinnah) & Mashpee Tribe, for the Massachusett or Wampanaog (Wôpanâak) Language. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is also rebuilding their lost language, as are the neighboring Mohegan Tribal Nation. See References for tribal website addresses.
Go on to the Reference List
Go back to the Algonquian Language Revival Table of Contents
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