Tricky Phonic Sounds

Most of the consonants sound similar to English sounds except for the ‘tricky’ sounds below:

j – is pronounced  ‘ch’ as in chair.    

kh – this is a unique  sound similar to ‘ch’ sound in ‘loch’ (Scottish lake).       

 r – similar to the ‘r’ sound in parrot, often it is rolled like the ‘r’ sound in French e.g.  roob (rain).  The tongue is placed close to the roof of the mouth and air breathed through giving a trill sound similar to French ‘r’ sound.   

‘  – this is the glottal stop and involves closing the glottis at the very back of the mouth/top of the throat, and then releasing the built-up air.  Similar to the cockney pronunciation of bottle – bo’el, Somali example – la’aan (without).    

x – this is a guttural ‘h’ sound exhaled from the back of the throat, as if clearing the throat.     

dh – this sound is also unique.  Kind of between ‘d’ and ‘r’ and is made with the tongue curled up so that the bottom touches the top part of the mouth. To make the sound the tongue flaps forward.     

 c – this sound is made by saying ‘a’ whilst pressing the tongue and the back of the mouth up against the back of the throat.  Sounds like choking.   

 

 

Short vowels

These are short sounds similar to English sounds.     

     a – as in ‘apple’     

    e – as in ‘egg’     

     i – as in ‘igloo’   

     o – as in ‘orange’   

     u – as in ‘put’   

Long vowels

These are stretched sounds hence ‘long’ vowels.

     aa – sounds like ‘ar’ in ‘bar’  

     ee – sounds like ‘air’ in ‘hair’

     ii –  sounds like ‘ee’ as in ‘bee’   

     oo – sounds like ‘or’   

     uu – sounds like ‘oo’ in shampoo