Template:se-IPA/documentation

This template automatically converts Northern Sami words into their IPA pronunciation. The template uses Module:se-IPA as a back-end.

Usage

For most words, you can just enter the template in the pronunciation section without parameters:

 ===Pronunciation===
 * {{se-IPA}}

Not all features of Northern Sami pronunciation are indicated in the spelling. Sometimes, the template will need a "hint" to know how the word is actually pronounced. This is done in the form of a parameter, which gives the word in its spelled form, but with hints added:

 ===Pronunciation===
 * {{se-IPA|áš'ši}}

The following pronunciation features need hints:

• Overlong (quantity 3) consonants. These are indicated by writing a plain apostrophe between the two letters: áš'ši, cum'mát.
• Long vowels in a stressed syllable. The vowels e, i, o and u are assumed to be short, long vowels must be indicated with a macron over the vowel: bōhccot, rīktes.
• Long vowels in a syllable after a stressed one. The vowels i and u are assumed to be long in a syllable after a stressed syllable, but not if the consonant /j/ follows. You must indicate long vowels in this special case, e.g. viesūid.
• Shortened vowels. In a syllable after a stressed one, there are two different kinds of short a, e and o, namely the originally-short type (which causes diphthong simplification in the case of e and o) and a shortened type (which does not cause diphthong simplification). The shortened vowels have special effects on the preceding vowels and consonants, including a change of diphthongs into final-stressed ones. To indicate shortened vowels, place a dot below the vowel: ahkạhaš, čalmmẹheapmẹ, čuoččọ.
• The cluster lj. Normally, the sequence lj is intepreted as a single weak-grade (quantity 2) consonant, /ʎː/. However, there are a few words like olju where it actually stands for a sequence of two consonants in the strong grade (quantity 3). To indicate this, place a plain apostrophe between the two letters: ol'ju. This only needs to be done in the strong grade, the weak grade ljj is unambiguous.

The inflection tables for nouns, adjectives and verbs will automatically include these hints in the endings, but some may need to be provided on the word stem. If you are unsure about which hints a word needs, you can look them up online on Álgu, which includes some additional pronunciation hints much like those used by this template. Never add pronunciations if you are not sure!

Limitations

• Consonant clusters can only have a maximum of two consonants for the moment. It's not yet clear how the template should split syllables if more than two consonants are involved.
• For words with irregular stress, like advearba, there is no way to indicate it, even though it definitely should. Do not use the template for such words!
• It doesn't work properly for compound words, since they often have irregular stress patterns and unexpected pronunciation of medial consonants.
• It doesn't work for words that have two vowels next to each other, like albmeassi (4 syllables, no ea diphthong!) or rádio.