Soft or Aspirated Letters

 

These letters have a twofold pronunciation, a hard sound (original) and a soft sound.

 

ܒ ܓ ܕ ܟـ ܦ ܬ

 

The soft or aspirated sound is called ܪܘܼܟܵܟܼܵܐ Rukakha, and the hard or unaspirated sound is called ܩܘܼܫܵܝܵܐ Q:ushaya.

 

The hard form is indicated by placing a small dot over the letter (omitted in modern printed books). The soft form is indicated by placing a dot under the letter. But these dots are not written when they could interfere with vowel points.

 

There is one exception. The letter Péh is written ܦ̮ـ when aspirated. A ܩܸܫܬܵܐ Qishta ̮   is placed under the letter Péh.

 

 

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MAJLIYANA

 

A mark [ ̰   ], called Majliyana, is used with certain consonants to give each one a different sound. Majliyana is not found in the Assyrian Classical language.
When it is under Gamâl  ܓ̰ , it changes the pronunciation from g (in game) to g (in gender) or j (in jay), and therefore Gamâl is called Jamâl instead.

 

When it is under Kap ܟ̰ـ ـܟ̰ ܟ̰  , it changes the pronunciation from k to ch (in church), and therefore Kap is called Chap instead.

The same mark with Sheen ܫ̰   or ܫٓ , makes them pronounced as s in pleasure.

 

 

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