II. Consonants There are 28 consonant symbols in Vietnamese alphabet but only 21 consonant phonemes and only eight of them may be in final positions. They are marked with an asterisk in the following chan: Vietna- Pho- Rough Examples mese neme English (Sounds spelling Equi- Remarks initial, Meaning valent middle & final positions' b /by bed Fortis preglottalised imploded ba three or * p in final position : unrcleased. tap to practise * C or /k/ ean Fortis, unaspirated ca to sing k or q r; ■ hoc kern qua to study ice-cream to cross * ch ICI chop Unaspirated palatal, less friction than in English cho each to give manner (1 Iz 1 zone Ordinary: Eenis lamino-dental da skin or gi /(I / gi what (1 do Forlis preglottalized imploded dl to go 8 9f tgi go Elsewhere: Voiced dorsorelar ga railway gh spirant. station ghé horrible h Ihl hat Glottal fricative and voiceless ha i two kh 1 x / as in Eenis voiceless dorsorelar common spirant khong not Í /l / lot Lamino - Alreolar - lateral lam to do * in / ni / me Bilabial - nasal mai tomorrow him in final position: unreleased tim heart * n in 1 not Post dental - nasal Nam South in in final position: unreleased in to print * ng '0' singer Similar to /r) / sound in medial agon delicious or positions is in singer. Velar -nasal mang to bring ngh in final position: short unreleased nghe to hear * ii h /r/ canyon Palatal in final position: short unreleased often backed. nho nhanh grape quick ph IÍI phone Voiceless labio dental phái right r IT 1 run Voiced Palato - Alveolar, ra to go out s If I show Voiceless Palato - Alveolar stfa milk * t HI top Voiceless unaspirated ■ dental in final position: unreleased. tói tot me good th /th/ thin Lenis aspirated detal to / o / tham visit but with stronger aspiration. trén tr ft/ * entry Forlis unaspirated Palatal, less than in English. Somewhat similai to / tr / in entry, but with the tip of the tongue pulled back. on above V I v / very Voiced labio - dental va and X / s / see Voiceless alveolar similar to / s / in see xa far 141 L