Alphabet and Pronunciation
Alphabet
The LdP alphabet is based on the Latin one and contains 25 letters:
A
B
Ch
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
a
b
ch
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
There is no letter q, and c is used only in combination ch.
Consonants
b
like b in bar
ch
like ch in cheers
d
like d in duck
f
like f in fish
g
like g in groom
h
like ch in the German Fach (recommended), or h in home
j
like j in jack
k
like k in cake, aspirated
l
like l in love
m
like m in mamma
n
like n in nanny
p
like p in papa, aspirated
r
Any kind of rhotic sound will do. After a vowel it is to be pronounced, however articulated
s
like s in Sunday. Between vowels it may be voiced to some degree
sh
like sh in shoe
t
like t in type, aspirated
v
like v in vale (also admissible like w in wall)
w
like w in wall
z
like dz in adze
The combination ng at the end of a word is pronounced as one sound: [ŋ] (like in doing) is preferred, but [n] is also possible. In the middle of a word this combination is read exactly as combination of n plus g.
The letter x denotes the combination of letters ks. Between vowels it is recommended to read it as the combination of letters gs. In the position before a consonant may be read as [s].
Double consonants are not used.
In some proper names one should read "sh" as two separate consonants, in such cases a delimitator ' is used: Mas'hadov.
Vowels
a
like a in father
e
like e in bell
i
like ea in tea
o
like oa in boat
u
like oo in cool
The letter "y".
The letters i and y denote the same sound [i]. The use of y basically indicates that the sound is not stressed: pyu [piú]. Besides, y at the end of a word indicates that the word is not a verb: krai to cry — skay sky.
The letter names
Aa — a
Bb — be
CH ch — che
Dd — de
Ee — e
Ff — ef
Gg — ge
Hh — ha
Ii — i
Jj — ja
Kk — ka
Ll — el
Mm — em
Nn — en
Oo — o
Pp — pe
Rr — er
Ss — es
Tt — te
Uu — u
Vv — ve
Ww — wa
Xx — iks
Yy — ye
Zz — ze
The combination of letters SH can be spelled either as "es ha" or "sha". Although the letter C alone, without H, is absent in the alphabet, it has the name "charli". The name for this letter may be needed when spelling words of other languages. Similarly, the symbol Q has the name "kebek".
When transmitting and receiving voice messages by radio or telephone, it may be advisable to use the ICAO spelling alphabet. In the case of Lidepla its symbols have the following pronunciation:
Aa — alfa
Bb — bravo
Cc — charli
Dd — delta
Ee — eko
Ff — foxtrot
Gg — golf
Hh — hotel
Ii — india
Jj — juliet
Kk — kilo
Ll — lima
Mm — maik
Nn — novemba
Oo — oska
Pp — papa
Qq — kebek
Rr — romio
Ss — siera
Tt — tango
Uu — uniform
Vv — vikta
Ww — wiski
Xx — ex rei
Yy — yanki
Zz — zulu
It is also possible to use full words beginning with a given letter for spelling, ex.:
a — amiga
b — bileta
ch — chipe
d — duma
e — egale
f — fabula
g — gana
h — hema
i — informa
j — jabra
k — kitaba
l — luna
m — mama
n — nocha
o — opa
p — pama
r — regula
s — salam
sh — shamba
t — tabla
u — unida
v — vino
w — worda
x — xilofon
y — yunga
z — zian
Example:
— Hey, yu audi ku? Skribi ba may el-meil adres! Tayar ku? Walaa: luna haifen duma haifen pama, akauda, informa nocha bileta opa xilofon, punta, regula unida.
— Hey, do you hear me? Write down my e-mail address! Ready? Here it is: luna haifen duma haifen pama, at sign, informa nocha bileta opa xilofon, dot, regula unida.
