Introduction

This tutorial explains how to read and pronounce each letter of the Nuu-chah-nulth alphabet, using examples from the Kyuquot-Checleseht Northern dialect. To switch to a different dialect, click on the "Dialect" link in either of the navigation bars.

The Nuu-chah-nulth alphabet has forty-five letters. These are the letters in alphabetical order:

a	aa	c	c̓	č	č̓	e	ee	h
ḥ	i	ii	k	kʷ	k̓	k̓ʷ	ł	ƛ
ƛ̓	m	m̓	n	n̓	o	oo	p	p̓
q	qʷ	s	š	t	t̓	u	uu	w
w̓	x	xʷ	x̣	x̣ʷ	y	y̓	ʔ	ʕ

This is an inclusive alphabet, which is intended to be usable for all Nuu-chah-nulth dialects. Although some of these letters are rarely used in some dialects, every letter is used in at least one dialect. In particular, the letters e ee o oo x̣ x̣ʷ tend to be rare. Rare letters are pointed out as they come up in the tutorial.

The rest of the tutorial discusses the letters of the alphabet according to what kinds of sounds they are. We begin with the vowels, and then move to the various kinds of consonants. The consonants are discussed roughly from those that are easiest for English speakers to pronounce, to those that are most difficult.

Click ► to continue.