- Part of sounding like a Lao person
depends on mastering the rhytm of the Lao language. This depends greatly on long and
short vowels. Practice these phrases, first slowly, then working up to normal speed,
but with proper rhythm.
[+g0qhk [+vvd |
bO&O
kha^w bO&O O^ok |
not enter, not exit |
| [a'py'
[a'-kp |
ba&G
Ni#G ba&G sa#ay |
female, male |
|
16jr5ho 16jruh |
ju&u
phu@n ju&u phi@i |
stay there, stay here |
| z6h0qf
z6h-nj |
phu&u
kho&t phu&u sy&y |
dishonest man, honenst man |
- The mid tone must be level. The voice goes neither up nor
down at the end.
|
vnjo |
y&yn |
other |
|
16j |
ju&u |
stay |
|
[+ |
bO&O |
no, not |
|
ly |
si&i |
will |
|
Vbj' |
ny&G |
one |
|
0uj]qf |
khi&i
lo&t |
ride in a car |
|
[+c,jo |
bO&O
mE&En |
That's not right. |
|
z6hvnjo |
phu&u
y&yn |
someone else. |
|
|6jpjk' |
mu&u
Na&aG |
my friend's walking. |
|
8njo16j |
ty&yn
ju&u |
Awake |
- Note the tone patters in the following and practice them.
|
g7uj'|;f |
khA&G
mu^at |
half a platoon |
|
g7uj'dhvo |
khA&G
kO@On |
half a lump |
|
g7uj'-qj;3,' |
khA&G
su&amo#oG |
half an hour |
|
g7uj'3] |
khA&G
lo%o |
half a dozen |
|
g7uj'Vj;p |
khA&G
nu&ay |
half a fruit |
|
g7uj',nh |
khA&G
my@y |
half a day |
|
|;fg7uj' |
mu^at
khA&G |
one and a half platoons |
|
-qj;3,'g7uj' |
su&amo#oG
khA&G |
an hour and a half, etc |
- Be sure you can say the vowel n yy correctly. Lips should be unrounded. Without stopping say the
following sequence several times by alternately rounding and unrounding your
lips : 6 n 6 n
6 n 6 n 6
n uuyyuuyyuuyyuuyyuuyy.
Compare uu and yy.
|
|6j |
mu@u |
friend |
|
,n |
my@y |
hand |
|
l6o |
su#un |
zero |
|
-njo |
sy#yn |
lively |
|
v6o |
u&un |
(no translation) |
|
vnjo |
y&yn |
other |
|
s6 |
hu#u |
ear |
|
sn |
hy#y |
(no translation) |
|
