Long Island Algonkian is a language with several unique sounds that are different from English. To change these sounds to make them more like English would take away from the beauty of the language.
Algonquian people did not use a writing system so to share the language we needed to write Algonkian words using a modern familiar alphabet. We use Mohegan linguist Stephanie Fielding’s alphabet, which is the easiest for English speakers to learn.
Introduction To The Alphabet
There are no silent letters in our Algonquian languages.
Vowels
Our Algonkian language has six vowels using two unique characters. These vowel sounds are important because they collectively represent all the sounds possible in Long Island Algonkian.
We write the vowels like this: [ Á, á ] [ I, i ] [ O, o ] [ Ô, ô ] [ U, u ] [ A, a ]
We pronounce the vowels like this:
| Vowel | Sound | Length | As In | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Á, á | aah | elongated | Father | Listen |
| I, i | ee | elongated | Knee | Listen |
| O, o | oo | elongated | Soon | Listen |
| Ô, ô* | aun | elongated | Aunt | Listen |
| U, u | uh | short | Potato | Listen |
| A, a | ah | short | Fat | Listen |
*If ô precedes the letter p, it sounds like omp, as in the word romp.
Consonant Variations
When a word begins with the letter [C, c] it sounds similar to the letter [ j ] as in the word [ Just]. When the letter [C, c] appears within a word or at the end of a word it sounds similar to [ch] as in the word [ church].
The letter [K, k] at the beginning of a word sounds the same as in English. The letter [k] within a word or at the end of a word sounds similar to the letter [g] as in the word [ gun].
The letter [H, h] at the beginning of a word is the same as in English. In English, the letter [h] within a word is silent as in the word [ somewhere]. This is not the case in our language. The letter [h] within a word must always be sounded as a short aspiration or breath (try saying huh as short as possible).
The letter [P, p] at the beginning or end of a word sounds the same as in English. The letter [p] within a word sounds similar to the letter [b] as in the word [ but].
In English, the letter [Q, q] is always followed by a [u]. This is not the case with Algonkian words. The letter [Q, q] whether it appears at the beginning of a word, within a word or at the end of a word sounds similar to [qu] as in the word [ quick] (but it is a shorter sound where the [u] is almost whispered).
As in English, the letter [S, s] is sometimes pronounced like a [z]. The
change from [s] to [z] occurs between two vowels and at the beginning or end of a word. However, it sounds like [s] when it comes before or after [h] as in the word [ shut]. When [s] appears in clusters like [sk] [sp] [sq] its pronunciation is [s].
The letter [T, t] at the beginning or end of a word sounds the same as in English. The letter [t] within a word sounds similar to the letter [d] as in the word [ dog].
Blends
When certain vowels are combined with the consonants [y] and [w], the voiced sound blends to make unique one syllable sounds.
| Combination | Sound | Syllable | As in |
| ay | ah-ee | ah is short | fight |
| áy | aah-ee | aah is longer | pie |
| aw | ah-oo | ah is short | tow |
| áw | aah-oo | aah is longer | claw |
| uw | uh-oo | uh is short | glow |
| uy | uh-ee | uh is short | why |