Page 399 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Language CONTEXTS 397
Pronunciation
There are five tones in Burmese – three main tones plus two additional modifiers:
Creaky high tone High, short pronunciation with tightened throat (akin to the
pronunciation of the English word “squeak”). Transliterated using an acute accent, eg á.
Plain high tone Longer pronunciation, starting high and falling (like the English “fall”
pronounced with a falling intonation). Transliterated using a grave accent, eg à.
Low tone Starts and stays low. Transliterated with no additional symbol.
Stopped syllable High sound cut short with a glottal stop at the end (like the first
syllable of “bot-tle” spoken in a Cockney accent). Transliterated with a -q, eg aq.
Reduced (or “weak”) syllable Usually applied to the first syllable of a two-syllable word
where the first syllable is short and unstressed (as in the English “beneath”, or for that
matter, “reduced”). Transliterated with a breve accent, eg ă.
Burmese also distinguishes between aspirated and unaspirated consonants, the latter
pronounced with a slight puff of air (put your hand in front of your mouth and say the
English words “bin” and then “pin” to get a clear idea of the difference). Aspirated
consonants are transliterated by placing an apostrophe after them (eg k’); those in the
following section marked “whispered” begin with a sound similar to the start of the
English “hmm”.

ă as in “about” hn same as “n” but whispered
a as in “car” hng same as “ng” but whispered
a in aq and an as in “cat” hny same as “ny” but aspirated
ai in aiq and ain as in “site” hw same as “w” but whispered
au in auq and aun “ou” as in “lounge” k as in French “corps”
aw as in “saw” k’ as in “core” (aspirated)
e as in French “café” ky “ch” as in “cello”
e in eh as in “sell” l as in “law”
e in eq as in “set” m as in “more”
ei in eiq and ein “a” as in “late” n as in “nor”
i as in “ravine” ng as in “long”
i in iq and in as in “sit” ny “gn” as in Italian “gnocchi”
o as in the French “eau” p as in French “port”
ou in ouq and oun “o” as in “tone” p’ as in “pore” (aspirated)
u as in “Susan” q glottal stop
u in uq and un “oo” as in “foot” r as in “raw”
b as in “bore” s as in “soar”
ch same as “ky” but aspirated s’ same as “s” but aspirated
d as in “door” sh as in “shore”
dh “th” as in “this” t as in French “tour”
g as in “gore” t’ as in “tore” (aspirated)
gy as in “judge” th as in “thaw”
h as in “hot” w as in “war”
hl same as “l” but whispered y as in “your”
hm same as “m” but whispered z as in “zone”
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
GREETINGS AND BASIC PHRASES No hín-ìn
Goodbye thwà-meh-naw? Do you speak English? Ìn-găleiq sagà pyàw-daq-
Excuse me (to get past) nèh-nèh-lauq thălà?
Sorry sàw-ri-naw What’s that èh-da Băma-lo beh-lo
Please kyè-zù pyú-bì called in Burmese? k’aw-dhălèh?
Thank you kyè-zù tin-ba-deh Could you repeat that? pyan-pyàw-ba-oùn?
Thanks (less formal) kyè-zù-bèh I don’t understand nà măleh-ba-bù
Yes houq-kéh Can you help me? k’ăná-lauq louq-pè-ba?

356-402_Myanmar_B2_Contexts.indd 397 30/06/17 2:22 pm