INTRODUCTION

1. The Guthlansk Alphabet

The Guthlansk alphabet includes all letters found in Modern English with the addition of ð, þ, ö and the accented vowels and diphthongs ó, ú, ái, aí, áu, aú. Some of these may have a pronunciation foreign to Modern English. Other letters are considered foreign to Guthlansk, such as c, q, v, and z that are only found in loanwords. Below is a list of the letters with their Guthlansk name and pronunciation in XSAMPA. In total there are 30 letters.

As mentioned above, c, q, v, and z are considered foreign in Guthlansk. They are not found in any natural Guthlansk word, however they are found in loanwords. Most loanwords containing q are usually adapted to the more common kw found in natural Guthlansk words except in brand names and trademarked words. The accent over some vowels and diphthongs denotes a different quality in pronunciation, and not stress.

2. Words and Syllables

Guthlansk words, like in other Germanic languages, may have one or more syllables. Typically they are no more than four syllables, but don't be surprised if there are. Most words are composed of a stem and an ending.

3. Stress

Stress or accent for Guthlanisk falls regularly on the first syllable. For compound words some stress may fall on the second syllable or third. Endings never receive stress, yet are never dropped as found in English. Stressed and unstressed syllables are not that different than English. Some prefixes may be unstressed in some environments, however meaning is not lost if pronounced wrong.

4. Length

Both vowels and most consonants may be differentiated by length. Spelling does not change to express length with the vowels, but consonants are doubled to indicate that they are long. In terms of length in Guthlansk one must not consider the idea of long and short in Modern English, but more like one would consider length in a musical note. In English long and short expresses the quality of the vowel, but in Guthlansk long and short expresses the duration of the sound.

A Simple Guide on Length

I. All vowels can be long or short. Vowels are long if:

a) no consonant follows

b) followed by a single consonant

c) followed by two consonants, the first vowel being either: p, t, k, s; and the second being: j, r, and v.

II. Vowels are short if they are followed by more than one consonant except for the situation described in c), before pp, tt, kk, and if followed by l or n they will be even shorter, this is due to the preaspiration found before these sounds.