Consonants
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When the letter T and S
combine in Mohawk, you get the ts
sound as in the English words below.
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| ratà:wens | ratò:rats | raksá:'a | rón:kwe |
| he swims | he hunts | boy | man |
| róre'sen | raón:raon | raríhton | ró:ta's |
| he is fat | hummingbird | policeman | he is sleeping |
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The glottal stop ' is a sound made by closing the
air passage in the throat. (note this glottal stop ' is used in Kahnawake
not Ahkwesasne, I could not find it in the computer)
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| o'wà:ron | o'nò:wa | o'nhónhsa' | o'tà:ra |
| meat | lock or guitar | egg | clan |
| ori'kó:wa | a'tóhsera | o'kén:ra | o'nén:hare' |
| cherry | tent | soil | grapes |
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Put your finger on your voice box while saying these syllables and feel the glottal sound. It will feel like a catch in the throat. Do these sounds with the glottal stop: |
| ta' | te' | ti' | to' | ten' | ton' |
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(The following was taken from "Kanien'keha
Dictionary: Fall 1998 Mohawk 101 Printing; Akwesasne Mohawk Board of Education
and The State of New York at Potsdam" without permission)
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