Page:A handbook of modern Japan (IA handbookofmodern01clem).pdf/25



a like a in father e  " e   " men i  " i   " pin o  " o   " pony u  " oo  " book ai as in aisle ei  "   weigh au   }  as o in bone ō } ū as oo in moon

i in the middle of a word and u in the middle or at the end of a word are sometimes almost inaudible.

The consonants are all sounded, as in English: g, however, has only the hard sound, as in give, although the nasal ng is often heard; ch and s are always soft, as in check and sin; and z before u has the sound of dz. In the case of double consonants, each one must be given its full sound.

There are as many syllables as vowels. There is practically no accent; but care must be taken to distinguish between o and ō, u and ū, of which the second is more prolonged than the first.

Be sure to avoid the flat sound of a, which is always pronounced ah.