Hamtai (Kapau) Language/Vowels

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Hamtai uses 6 letters to represent 7 different sounds in the Hamtai language. One of the letters, ä, is not present in English.

Table of vowels in Hamtai[1]
Front Central Back
Close i

/i/

i

/ɨ/

u

/u/

Open Mid ä

/ʌ/

Close Mid e

/e/

o

/o/

Open a

/a/

Values of Sounds[edit | edit source]

i - like the ee in free

i (ɨ) - like the i in middle

u - like the oo in boot

ä - like the u in gut

e - like the a in play

o - like the o in horse

a - like the o in now

Examples[edit | edit source]

me'ä - small

yeä - dry (not wet)

koe'ä - dry (not green)

na'a - big

äinä - when?

poeäno - the immediate conjugation of päwo (to come by going down) in the 1st person plural tense (we just have come by going down)

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Oates, W.; Oates, L. (1968). Kapau pedagogical grammar. Canberra, Australia: The Australian National University. pp. 7–8.