A obscure a.
i, e, are probably the same sound, intermediate between the continental values of i and e.
î = i in hill.
a has its continental value.
o, u, are probably the same sound, intermediate between the continental values of o and u.
ä = German ä in Bär.
â = aw, in law, only in foreign words.
a
o u indicate that the preceding, consonant is pronounced with a, o, and u position of the mouth respectively.
+ indicates great length of preceding vowel.
I have omitted the anterior palatal series, because the Haida sounds which should be classed under that head seem to me accidentally produced, owing to the presence of a following close vowel. p seems to occur only in onomatopoetic elements; b occurs not more than two or three times in strictly Haida words; and m, although considerably more abundant, is by no means common. The catch (?) is used in Masset instead of Skidegate g and , instead of Skidegate x. x is like German ch in Bach; x is similar, but pronounced farther forward. Even among old people the fortis-sounds are frequently reduced to simple pauses. This is particularly true of sounds formed far forward in the mouth. At other times they are uttered with rapidity and force. In recording my texts, I found it difficult to distinguish fortis-sounds from sonants. L sounds something like dl, and L something like tl or kl; in both the tip of the tongue touches the back of the teeth, and the air is expelled at the sides: l is similar, but more of the tongue is laid against the roof of the mouth, and a greater volume of air allowed to escape. ñ is identical with English ng in such words as string.
Words in parentheses in the translations have been added to make the sense of the Indian clearer; bracketed words or parts of words in Indian indicate forms which are inserted in the rhythmic songs, but would be omitted in prose.
