In Esperanto each letter has only one sound, and each sound is
represented in only one way. The words are pronounced exactly as spelt,
every letter being sounded.
Those CONSONANTS which in English have one simple sound only are exactly
the same in Esperanto; they are--b, d, f, k, l, m, n, p, r, t, v, z (r
must be well rolled).
q, w, x, y are not used.
c, g, h, s, which in English represent more than one sound, and j are
also used with the mark ^--
c cx, g gx, h hx, j jx, s sx.
c - (whose two English sounds are represented by k and s) has the sound
of TS, as in iTS, TSar.
cx - like CH, TCH, in CHurCH, maTCH.
g - hard, as in Go, GiG, Gun.
gx - soft, as in Gentle, Gem, or like J in Just, Jew.
h - well breathed, as in Horse, Home, How.
hx - strongly breathed, and in the throat, as in the Scotch word loCH.
(Ask any Scotsman to pronounce it). Hx occurs but seldom. It is the
Irish GH in louGH, and the Welsh CH.
j - like Y in Yes, You, or J in halleluJah, fJord.
jx - like S in pleaSure, or the French J, as in deJeuner, Jean d'Arc.
s - like SS in aSS, leSS, never like S in roSe.
sx - like SH in SHe, SHall, SHip, or S in Sugar, Sure.
In newspapers, etc., which have not the proper type, cx, gx, hx, jx, sx
are often replaced by ch, gh, hh, jh, sh, or by c', g', h', j', s', and
ux by u.
ux - is also a consonant, and has the sound of W in We, as EUXropo, or U
in persUade.
The VOWELS a, e, i, o, u have not the English, but the Continental
sounds.
a - always like A in Ah! or in tArt.
e - like E in bEnd, but broader, like E in thEre.
i - is a sound between EE in mEEt and I in Is.
o - like O in fOr, or in the Scottish NO, or AU in AUght.
u - like OO in bOOt, pOOr.
a, e, i, o, u are all simple sounds, that is, the mouth is kept in one
position while they are being sounded. In learning them lengthen them
out, and be careful not to alter the position of the mouth, however long
they are drawn out. In the compound sounds given below the shape of the
mouth changes; to get the correct pronunciation sound each letter fully
and distinctly, gradually bringing them closer until they run together,
when they become almost as follows:--
aj - nearly like AI in AIsle, or I in nIce, fIne.
ej - nearly like EI in vEIn.
oj - nearly like OY in bOY, or OI in vOId.
uj - nearly like UJ in hallelUJah.
aux - like AHW, or nearly OU in hOUse, pronounced broadly, haOUse.
eux - like EHW, or EY W in thEY Were, AYW in wAYWard.
Practise saying aja, eja, oja, uja, auxa, euxa several times quickly.
Then gradually drop the final a.