1.0 The map — the sounds worth a second look
1 · Pronunciation — how to say what you read · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
| sound (as spelled here) | what it is | like… | see |
|---|---|---|---|
| kh | throaty rasp at the back | Scottish loch, German Bach | The consonants that differ |
| gh | the voiced version of kh | Parisian French r, Arabic ghayn | The consonants that differ |
| v | plain "v" — but it's where old w went | English v; never say w | The consonants that differ |
| ʾ / dropped | a catch in the throat (glottal stop) | the middle of uh-oh | The consonants that differ |
| the "heavy" words | a whole word said darker/throatier | (no English equivalent) | The "heavy" sound |
| stress | which syllable you lean on | usually the second-to-last | Stress |
Everything else — the vowels, and consonants like b, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, sh, t, z — is close enough to English that you can just say it and be understood.
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