Assamese grammar/Sounds in Assamese Language- অসমীয়া ভাষাৰ ধ্বনিসমূহ

There are 21 sounds in the Assamese language.

Sworo Dhwoni or Vowel Sounds

There are 8 vowel sounds in the Assamese language, which is smaller than most other Indo-Aryan languages. These 8 sounds are:

1. o as in "on" (IPA: ɔ), we will use "o" for this from now on. For example, "mon" is "mind"

2. a as in "fast" (IPA: a), we will use "a" for this from now on. For example, "man" is "pride"

3. i as in "tin" (IPA: i), we will use "i" for this from now on. For example, "bir" is "valiant"

4. u as in "put" (IPA: u), we will use "u" for this from now on "but" is "gram"

5. a as in "fat" (IPA: ɛ), we will use "e" for this from now on. For example, "mel" is "meeting"

6. oo as in the Cockney "hook" (IPA: ʊ), we will use "u'" for this from now on. For example, "mu'r" is "my"

7. o as in "more" (IPA: o), we will use "o'" for this from now on. For example, "bo'l" is "let's go"

8. e as in "bed" (IPA: e), we will use "e'" for this from now on. For example, "dhe'r" is "a lot"

There are two diphthongs that are frequently used: o'i and o'u. There are other diphthongs as well, but they are not recognised as such in Assamese grammar.

Byonzon Dhwoni or Consonant Sounds

There are 21 consonant sounds in Assamese, which again is a much smaller set compared to other Indo-Aryan languages, and even the Dravidian languages. Assamese is the only Indo-Aryan language that does not have any retroflex sounds whatsoever: that is, no sound where you roll your tongue backwards to speak. Every language in South Asia, except the Northeast of India, has retroflex sounds, and it is a hallmark of "Indian accents". The Northeast, however, is geographically and culturally close to Southeast Asia, and these influences might have led to a loss of retroflexion.

1. k as in "kite". For example, "kauri" is "crow"

2. kh as in "Shock him". For example, "kham" is "I will eat"

3. g as in "gate". For example, "gan" is "song"

4. gh as in "ghetto". For example, "ghor" is "home"

5. ng as in "singer". For example, "dangor" is "big"

6. s as in "sea". For example, "sorai" is "bird"

7. j as in "jug" (in some dialects). For example, "jolpan" is "snacks"

8. z as in "zebra". For example, "zo't" is "there-where"

9. jh as in "Jhansi" (in some dialects). For example, "jharu" is "mop"

10. zh as in "Azhaan" (in some dialects). For example, "zharu" is "mop"

11. t as in "tomato". For example, "tel" is "oil"

12. th as in "I am at home". For example, "kotha" is "speech"

13. d as in "day". For example, "din" is "day

14. dh as in "ad-hominem". For example, "dhe'r" is "a lot"

15. n as in "name". For example, "nam" is "name"

16. p as in "power". For example, "pani" is "water"

17. ph as in "Slap him". For example, "phol" is "fruit"

18. b as in "batter". For example, "bon" is "forest"

19. bh as in "The cab heated by the time it reached the station". For example, "bhat" is "rice"

20. m as in "marry". For example, "mon" is "mind"

21. r as in "rose". For example, "ronga" is "red"

22. l as in "love". For example, "sila" is "kite"

23. w as in "will". For example, "buwari" is "daughter-in-law"

24. ch as in Scottish "loch" (we will instead use the IPA "x" for this sound, from now on). For example, "oxom" is "Assam"

25. h as in "house". For example, "ahar" is "food"

26. y as in "yellow". For example, "xeuziya" is "green"

The count reaches 26 above for two reasons. Some of the sounds are used only in some dialects, and not in the standard dialect. "w" and "y" are sometimes counted as diphthongs: "yo = i + o" and "wo = u + o" respectively.

Nasalisation

In addition to the sounds produced, Assamese also distinguishes between nasalised vowels and non-nasalised vowels. Most of the time, vowels are non-nasalised, and whenever nasalisation is used, it is indicated in writing, as shall be described in subsequent chapters. From now on, we will indicate nasalisation by writing a * after the vowel.

Example: "ba*h" is "bamboo", while "bah" is a "nest".