Appendix:Greek pronunciation
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Vowels
[edit]The following table contains some vowel letters that are pronounced as consonants.
Also see Diphthongs.
| IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| α | a | ɐ | low central | αγορά /aɣoˈɾa/, άνω /ˈano/ | |
| ο ω |
o | o̞ or ɔ | mid back | ομάδα /oˈmaða/ πάνω /ˈpano/, ωμέγα /oˈmeɣa/ |
|
| ου | u | high back | πουλί /puˈli/, φούστα /ˈfusta/ | ||
| ε αι |
e | e̞ or ɛ | mid front | πεθερά /peθeˈɾa/, μέλι /ˈmeli/ αιτία /eˈtia/, παιδί /peˈði/ |
|
| ι η υ ει οι υι |
i | high front | βιβλίο /viˈvlio/, παιδί /peˈði/ μητέρα /miˈteɾa/, νίκη /ˈnici/ γλυκό /ɣliˈko/ κλειδί /kliˈði/ |
||
| ι η υ οι ει |
ʝ | j | καράβια /kaˈɾavʝa/, παιδιά /peˈðʝa/, μαγειρειό /maʝiɾˈʝo/ | only with unstressed [i] after β, δ, ζ, ρ and before a vowel | |
| ç | φωτιά /foˈtça/, ελάφια /eˈlafça/, καλάθια /kaˈlaθça/, ίσιος /ˈisços/, πιο /ˈpço/, ποιος /ˈpços/ | only with unstressed [i] after θ, π, σ, τ, φ and before a vowel | |||
| ɲ | μια /ˈmɲa/, μυαλό /mɲaˈlo/ | only with unstressed [i] after μ and before a vowel | |||
| για /ʝa/, κιάλια /ˈcaʎa/, νοιάζομαι /ˈɲazome/, χιόνι /ˈçoni/ | only with unstressed [i] after γ, κ, λ, ν, χ and before a vowel. The preceding consonant becomes palatal. | ||||
| αυ | af | αυτός /aˈftos/, ταυ /ˈtaf/ | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ)[1] and word-final | ||
| av | αυγή /aˈvʝi/, μαύρος /ˈmavɾos/ | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)[1] | |||
| ευ | ef | ευχαριστώ /efxaɾiˈsto/ | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ)[1] and word-final | ||
| ev | ευαγγέλιο /evaŋˈɟelio/ | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)[1] | |||
| e | Εύβοια /ˈevia/, ευφημισμός /efimiˈzmos/ | before β, φ | |||
| ηυ | if | επηυξημένος /epifksiˈmenos/ | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ) and word-final | ||
| iv | απηύδησα /aˈpivðisa/ | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν) |
Diphthongs
[edit]Diphthongs: when two vowels are pronounced very fast, as one syllable.
| IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Examples | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| άι αϊ | ai̯ | aj a͜i | νεράιδα /neˈɾai̯.ða/, χαϊδεύω /xai̯ˈðe.vo/ | |
| έι εϊ έυ εϋ |
ei̯ | ej e͜i | Χεμινγουέι /çe.miŋ.ɣuˈei̯/, λεϊμόνι /lei̯ˈmo.ni/ γκρέυ /ɡɾei̯/, τρόλεϋ /ˈtɾo.lei̯/ |
Chiefly in borrowings. Not to be confused with έι, εϊ, εϋ /e.i/ (with true diaeresis), as in τέιο, θεϊκός, and Κεϋλάνη. |
| όι οϊ | oi̯ | oj o͜i | κορόιδο /koˈɾoi̯.ðo/, κοροϊδεύω /ko.ɾoi̯ˈðe.vo/ |
Consonants
[edit]Also see some Vowels that are pronounced as consonants.
Also see Grouped consonants.
| IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β | v | Voiced labiodental fricative | βουλή /vuˈli/, σοβαρός /sovaˈɾos/, συμβουλή /siɱvuˈli/, βόδι /ˈvoði/, βόρεια /ˈvoɾia/ | ||
| γ | ɣ | Voiced velar fricative | γάμος /ˈɣamos/, αγάπη /aˈɣapi/, αγόρι /aˈɣoɾi/, γάτα /ˈɣata/ | before [a], [o], [u] | |
| ʝ | j | Voiced palatal fricative | για /ʝa/, γένος /ˈʝenos/, Γεώργιος /ʝeˈoɾʝios/, γυαλί /ʝaˈli/ | before ι, η, υ, οι, ει and [e] | |
| δ | ð | Voiced dental fricative (interdental) | δώρο /ˈðoɾo/, παιδί /peˈði/, δάχτυλο /ˈðaxtilo/, ενδιαφέρον /enðiaˈfeɾon/ | ||
| ζ | z | z̺ | Voiced alveolar fricative | ζωή /zoˈi/, ζήλια /ˈziʎa/, χαζός /xaˈzos/, ζάχαρη /ˈzaxaɾi/ | |
| θ | θ | Voiceless dental fricative (interdental) | θάλασσα /ˈθalasa/, άνθος /ˈanθos/, θέμα /ˈθema/ | ||
| κ | k | Voiceless velar plosive | κόρη /ˈkoɾi/, σύκα /ˈsika/ | before [a] [o] [u] | |
| c | Voiceless palatal plosive | κήπος /ˈcipos/, πακέτο /paˈceto/, κιάλια /ˈcaʎa/ | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι and [e] | ||
| λ | l | Dental lateral approximant | λάθος /ˈlaθos/, καλό /kaˈlo/, λεμόνι /leˈmoni/, πάλι /ˈpali/ | [ʎ] before [i] in some dialects, idiolects | |
| ʎ | Palatal lateral approximant | κιάλια /ˈcaʎa/ | [li]+vowel with [i] unstressed | ||
| μ | m | Bilabial nasal | μόνος /ˈmonos/, χώμα /ˈxoma/ | ||
| ɱ | Labiodental nasal | συμφωνία /siɱfoˈnia/, σύμβαση /ˈsiɱvasi/ | before β, φ (labial/labiodental fricatives) | ||
| ν | n | Dental nasal | νονός /noˈnos/, ένας /ˈenas/, άνω /ˈano/, νύχτα /ˈnixta/, άνοιξη /ˈaniksi/ | [ɲ] before [i] in some dialects and idiolects | |
| ɲ | Palatal nasal | νοιάζομαι /ˈɲazome/, πανιά /paˈɲa/ | [ni]+vowel with [i] unstressed | ||
| ŋ | Velar nasal | άγγελος /ˈaŋɟelos/, ανάγκη /aˈnaŋɟi/, εγχείριση /eŋˈçiɾisi πανκ /ˈpaŋk/, Χέμινγουεϊ /ˈçemiŋɣuˈei/ |
before velar and palatal consonants[2] or pronunciations of non-Greek terms | ||
| ξ | ks | Voiceless velar plosive and Voiceless alveolar fricative | ξένος /ˈksenos/ | ||
| π | p | Voiceless bilabial plosive | πόδι /ˈpoði/, κάπου /ˈkapu/, παπάς /paˈpas/, πέντε /ˈpende/ | ||
| ρ | ɾ | r | Alveolar flap | ροδιά /ɾoˈðʝa/, ψάρι /ˈpsaɾi/, πάρα /ˈpaɾa/, ρετσίνα /ɾeˈt͡sina/ | |
| σ/ς | s | Voiceless alveolar fricative | σώμα /ˈsoma/, δάσος /ˈðasos/, βάση /ˈvasi/, σαλάτα /saˈlata/ | ||
| σ | z | Voiced alveolar fricative | Λέσβος /ˈlezvos/, Πελασγός /pelaˈzɣos/, Έσδρας /ˈezðɾas/, κόσμος /ˈkozmos/ | before [v, ɣ, ʝ, ð, z, m] | |
| τ | t | Voiceless dental plosive | τέλος /ˈtelos/, ποτό /poˈto/, μητέρα /miˈteɾa/ | ||
| φ | f | Voiceless labiodental fricative | φόρος /ˈfoɾos/, νέφος /ˈnefos/, φούστα /ˈfusta/ | ||
| χ | x | Voiceless velar fricative | χαρά /xaˈɾa/, άγχος /ˈaŋxos/, χουρμάς /xuɾˈmas/, χρεώνω /xɾeˈo.no/, δάχτυλο /ˈðax.ti.lo/, Αλλάχ /aˈlax/ | before [a, o, u], or consonants; at the end of words | |
| ç | Voiceless palatal fricative | χιόνι /ˈçoni/, βροχή /vɾoˈçi/, χέρι /ˈçeɾi/ | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, [e] | ||
| ψ | ps | Voiceless bilabial plosive and Voiceless alveolar fricative | ψωμί /psoˈmi/ |
Grouped consonants
[edit]| IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| τσ τς |
ts | τσέπη /ˈtsepi/, παπούτσι /paˈputsi/ | |||
| τζ | dz | τζαμί /dzaˈmi/, παντζάρι /panˈdzaɾi/ | |||
| μπ | b | Voiced bilabial plosive | μπότα /ˈbota/, μπίρα /ˈbiɾa/ | initial position | |
| mb | Prenasalized Voiced bilabial plosive | καμπάνα /kamˈbana/ | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors; alternative pronunciations: [ᵐb, b] | ||
| b | Voiced bilabial plosive | μπουμπούκι /buˈbuci/ | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors | ||
| mp | Prenasalized Voiceless bilabial plosive | κομπιούτερ /komˈpçuteɾ/ | with borrowed words (careful § barely attested pronunciation), commonly pronounced /koˈbʝuter/ | ||
| μπτ | mt or mpt | Πέμπτη /ˈpemti/ or /ˈpempti/ | |||
| ντ | d | Voiced dental plosive | ντουλάπα /duˈlapa/, ντάμα /ˈdama/, ντομάτα /doˈmata/ | initial position | |
| nd | Prenasalized Voiced dental plosive | πέντε /ˈpende/, έντομο /ˈendomo/ | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors; alternative pronunciation: [ⁿd, d] | ||
| d | Voiced dental plosive | ντουντούκα /duˈduka/ | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors | ||
| nt | Prenasalized Voiceless dental plosive | αντένα /anˈtena/ | with borrowed words (careful § barely attested pronunciation), commonly pronounced /aˈdena/ | ||
| ντσ ντς |
nt͡s | Prenasalized Voiceless alveolar affricate | αβάντσα /aˈvant͡sa/ | ||
| ντζ | nd͡z | Prenasalized Voiced alveolar affricate | σκαντζόχοιρος /skaˈnd͡zoçiɾos/ | Many speakers don't distinguish between dz and ndz and for those who do their ndz doesn't map consistently with the established spellings, thus the given word may be pronounced as /skaˈdzoçiɾos/ by both of the above-mentioned groups. | |
| γκ | ɡ | Voiced velar plosive | γκρίνια /ˈɡɾiɲa/, γκάζι /ˈɡazi/ | initial position, before [a, o, u], or a consonant | |
| ɟ | Voiced palatal plosive | γκιόνης /ˈɟonis/ | initial position, before ι, η, υ, οι, ει, [e] | ||
| ŋɡ | Prenasalized Voiced velar plosive | αγκώνας /aŋˈɡonas/ | medial position | ||
| ŋɟ | Prenasalized Voiced palatal plosive | ανάγκη /aˈnaŋɟi/ | medial position | ||
| γκτ | ŋkt | ελεγκτής /eleˈŋktis/ | |||
| γγ | ŋɡ | Prenasalized Voiced velar plosive | αγγλικός /aŋɡliˈkos/ | alternate pronunciation: [ᵑɡ, ɡ] | |
| ŋɟ | Prenasalized Voiced palatal plosive | άγγελος /ˈaŋɟelos/ | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, [e]; alternate pronunciation: [ᵑɟ, ɟ] | ||
| ŋɣ | Prenasalized Voiced velar fricative | έγγραφο /ˈeŋɣɾafo/ | |||
| ŋʝ | ŋj | Prenasalized Voiced palatal fricative | εγγεγραμμένος /eŋʝeɣɾaˈmenos/ | before [i] and [e] | |
| γχ | ŋx | Prenasalized Voiceless velar fricative | άγχος /ˈaŋxos/ | ||
| ŋç | Prenasalized Voiceless palatal fricative | αγχίνοια /aŋˈçinia/ | before [i] and [e] | ||
| γξ | ŋks | Σφιγξ /sfiŋks/ |
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Holton, D., Mackridge, P. and Philippaki-Warburton, I. (1997). Greek: A comprehensive grammar of the modern language. London: Routledge.
- ^ For /ŋɟ ŋç/ see §1.4.2.4. at Mackridge, Peter (1985) The Modern Greek Language: A Descriptive Analysis of Standard Modern Greek. Oxford University Press.
Suggested sources
[edit]The main sources of the values above were:
- Holton, D., Mackridge, P. and Philippaki-Warburton, I. Greek: A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Language. London: Routledge, (1997).
- Peter Mackridge, The modern Greek Language
- Peter Mackridge, Η Νεοελληνική γλώσσα Athens (1990,1999) (translation in Greek by K.N. Petropoulos)
- Wikipedia: Modern Greek phonology
- Wikipedia: IPA for Greek
- Wikipedia: International Phonetic Alphabet
- Wikipedia: IPA chart for English
- Wiktionary: IPA pronunciation key