Key to Pronunciation Symbols
(Phonetic Transliteration by Kulbir S. Thind, MD)
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Gurm
Char

Symbols
used in
romanization

Examples of Pronunciation

A/a

ago, abroad,achieve,adopt,agree, alone, banana.

Aa/aa

Aah, army, archive, art, Aalii.

I/i

It, Islam, Israel, if, image, is.

Ee/ee

Eel, eagle, eat, ego.

U/u

Uttar Pradesh.

Oo/oo

Ooty, oof, ooblast.

É/é

Able, age, aim.

Æ/æ

At, as, apple, angry.

O/o

Oak, oath, oatmeal, oriental, oatmeal.

Ou/ou

Out, ounce, outer.

S/s

source, less, simple, some.

H/h

hat, head, hand, happy.

K/k

kin, cook, ache, kick, cat.

Kʰ/kʰ

Deep palatal sound of k as in Khaki (a yellowish color), Khomeni (Ayatula). German ich, Buch.

G/g

go, big, gift, gag, game

Gʰ/gʰ

Deep palatal sound of 'g' is something like in ghost.

Ǹ/ǹ

Must be learnt. Something likes in junction.

Ch/ch

chin, nature, church, chane.

Chʰ/chʰ

Like sh in shin, and in President Xi.

J/j

job, gem, edge, join, judge.

Jʰ/jʰ

Deep labial sound of ‘j’.

Ñ/ñ

Must be learnt (something like in ginger).

T/t

tie, attack, tin, tap.

Tʰ/tʰ

thug.

D/d

did, adder, deed, dam, double.

Dʰ/dʰ

Deep palatal sound of ‘d’.

Ņ/ṇ

Must be learnt.

Ṫ/ṫ

Must be learnt.

Ṫʰ/ṫʰ

thin, thick, three, ether.

Ḋ/ḋ

the, then, either, this, there.

Ḋʰ/ḋʰ

Deep labial sound of ‘the’.

N/n

no, own, sudden, nib, number.

P/p

pepper, lip, pit, paper.

F/f

fifty, cuff, phase, rough, fit, foot, fur.

B/b

baby, rib, bib, button.

Bʰ/bʰ

Deep palatal sound of ‘b’.

M/m

mum, murmur, dim, nymph.

Y/y

yard, young, union.

R/r

red, car, rarity, rose.

L/l

lily, pool, lid, needle, lamb.

V/v

vivid, give, live.

Ṛ/ṛ

Deep palatal sound of ‘r’.

Sʰ/sʰ

shy, mission, machine, special.

Ķʰ/ḳʰ

Deep vocal sound of ‘kh’.

Ġ/ġ

Deep vocal sound of ‘g’.

Z/z

zone, raise, zebra, xylem.

Ƒ/ḟ

Deep labial sound of ‘f’.

Ļ/ḷ

Deep palatal sound of ‘l’.

H

h

Same as ‘h’ (devoid of ‘a’).

h

Same as ‘h’ (devoid of ‘a’).

  ç

ch

Same as ‘ch’ (devoid of ‘a’).

t

Same as ‘t’ (devoid of ‘a’).

  œ

Same as ‘ṫ’ (devoid of ‘a’).

  ˜

n

Same as ‘n’ (devoid of ‘a’).

y

Same as ‘y’ (devoid of ‘a’).

  R

r

Same as ‘r’ (devoid of ‘a’).

  Í

v

Same as ‘v’ (devoid of ‘a’).

aa

bother, cot, father, cart, palm.

ਿ

i

tip, banish, active, pit, it, give.

ee

nosebleed, bee, feed, beat.

u

bull, pull, full, cure hood, book

oo

cool, pool, boot, tool, rule.

é

ray, say, day, hay, bay.

æ

mat, map, bad, lad, glad, rat, bat.

o

bone, know, toe, note, go.

ou

out, pound, loud.

ᶰ/ⁿ

indicates that a preceding vowel or diphthong is pronounced with the nasal passages open, as in French un bon vln blanc.

ᶰ/ⁿ/m

indicates that a preceding vowel or diphthong is pronounced with the nasal passages open, as in French un bon vln blanc or a short sound of ‘m’ such as in lamb, nymph.



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