Shoshoni Vowels
Shoshoni has six vowels:
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a, ai, e, i, o, u
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These vowels can occur either long or short.
Long vowels are pronounced twice as long as short vowels.
They are written doubled:
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aa, aaii, ee, ii, oo, uu
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Examples
| Shoshoni Letter | Shoshoni word |
English sound equivalent
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| a | ada' mother's brother |
"o" in "hot"
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aa |
haa' yes |
"a" in "father"
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ai' |
gai' no |
"e" in "get"
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ai |
gai not |
"ay" in "way"
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(see note on ai under Diphthongs below )
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e |
enne you (SINGULAR) |
"u" in "put"
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ee |
sadee' dog |
"u" in "put" but held longer
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i |
iki right here |
"ea" in "seat" but shorter
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ii |
sii-bungu sheep |
"ea" in "seat"
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| o | mo' hand |
"oe" in "toe" much shorter
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| oo | gotoo' fire |
"oe" in "toe" without "w" sound at the end
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| u | yuhu fat, lard |
"oo" in "too"
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| uu | duu-daibo' African-American |
"oo" in "too" but held longer
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Shoshoni Diphthongs
| Shoshoni Letter | Shoshoni word |
English sound equivalent
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| ai |
daiboo' whiteman, Euro-American
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"igh" in "high" |
| ea | mea' moon |
"u" in "put" followed by "a" in "about"
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eai |
beaichehku morning |
"u" in "put" followed by "ay" in "hay"
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| ei | dei' female friend |
"u" in "put" followed by "ee" in "bee"
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ia |
bia' mother |
"ia" in "Maria"
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oi |
newezoiga'i Nez Perce Indian
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"oy" in "boy" |
| ua |
dua' son |
"oo" in "too" followed by "a" in "about"
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ui |
bui eye |
"ewy" in "chewy"
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