Summary p226

226

CONYERSATIONAL PORTUGUESH

CONYERSATIONAL PORTUGUESE

227

d

g

g

h

j

I

I

Ut

m

as d in dog; it is pronounced forcefully in Rio de Janeiro and with some speakers (espe-cially before e or i) it approximates the j in just.

before e and i is somewhat like s in measure. otherwise like g in go. is not pronounced.

is like g before e and i (see above),

is formed with the tongue forward, the tip near the upper teeth.

in finał position is quite soft.

this combination is like lii in million.

in initial position in a word or syllable is like English m; in finał position in a syllable or word it tends tonasalize the precedingvowel; this nasal ąuality is especially strong in Brazil, but it may be slight or even absent in Continental Portuguese. (Lips should not be closed in pronouncing m at the end of a word.)¹

ss

t

n

nh

qu

qu

r

in initial position is like English n; in finał position as for m, above.^x

as ni in onion.¹

before a or o is like ąu in ąuota. before e or i is usually like k.

is pronounced by tapping the tip of the tongue against the gum ridge back of the upper teeth; initial r and rr are trilled with the tongue vibrating in this position; this

x

z

¹ Also see Lesson 4.

pronunciation is heard in Portugal and in Sao Paulo. In Rio de Janeiro and in some other parts of Brazil r is pronounced back in the mouth (similar to a French back r).

between vowels is z, as s in rosę.

before a voiced consonant (a consonant sound produced with a vibration of the cords, as h, d, ge, gi,J, l, m, n, r, v, z) tends to be as z in azure.

before a voicełess consonant (a consonant sound produced without a vibration of the vocal cords, as hard c and hard g,/ p, qu, t), and finał s are pronounced as s in see in Sao Paulo and by some cariocas, and as sh in shine in Portugal and by some cariocas.

in initial position, or after a consonant, as s in see.

as ss in passage.

is much like English t; before e or i it is pronounced very forcefully by some cariocas, being palatalized and approximating the ch in church.

like z in some words: exame; like sh in some words: caixą; like s in see in some words: maxtmo; like x in wax in some words: tdxi.

is generally like z in zeal; however, in finał position or before a voiceless consonant s is also heard in Brazil, sh is the common pronunciation in Portugal and is also used by some cariocas; before a voiced consonant it is like z in azure in Portugal and with some cariocas.