Table of Zuñi Sounds

The following symbols have been used in the texts and recording of native names in Bunzel's Zuñi papers.

Vowels

a, e, i, o, u have their continental values. As in English, long vowels tend to be closed, short vowels to be open, but the quality is variable and not significant. o is always closed, and is distinguished from O which is open.

ä	English hat.
ai	English i.
w	English w.
y	English y.

Consonants

p	French père
p?	glottalized p; the glottalization is very slight and the sound is frequently confused with the medial.
t	French té.
t?	Glottalized; glottalization very slight, as in the labial.
k^	Platalized k, unaspirated.
k^?	Palatalized k, glottalized.
k	Spanish boca.
m	English m.
n	English n.
ng	English ng (before k only).
l	English l
lh	Voiceless l.
s	English s.
c	English sh.
ts	German Zeit, but without aspiration.
ts?	Glottalized with slight force of articulation almost like dz.
tc	English church.
tc?	Glottalized with slight force of articulation.
h	More affricative than English h.
? or !	Glottal stop (! if following p, t, or k)

Length is indicated by a colon following the letter; both vowels and consonants may be long. All accented syllables are lengthened, some of the length being accorded to the terminating consonant. Where not indicated the primary accent is on the first syllable; the secondary accent, in words of four or more syllables, on the penult. Compound words retain their original accents.