Phonetic Inventory
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |
| Stops | p/b | t/d | k/g, kw | ||
| Fricatives | f | s | h | ||
| Approximates | w | l, ɾ | j | ||
| Nasals | m | n | ŋ |
| Front | Central | Back | |
| High | i, iː | u, uː | |
| Mid | e, eː | o, oː | |
| Low | a, aː |
The symbols listed in the tables above are phonetic symbols. These will be used to transcribe Rātiis words, but not to write them. To write them, we utilize a romanization system (below) that should make the pronunciation fairly transparent. The following sounds will be written using the same letter as their phonetic symbol: p, b, f, m, t, d, s, l, n, j, g, h, i, e, a, o, and u.
Romanization and Pronunciation
This is the romanization system, which will be used to spell the language using the Roman alphabet. The full system is described in detail below:
- A, a: Pronounced like the “a” in “father”.
- Ā, ā: Pronounced like the “a” in “father”, but held slightly longer.
- B, b: Pronounced like the “b” in “bad”.
- C, c: [k] Pronounced like the “k” in “skin” (In English an initial “k” is aspirated. Compare the “k” in “keep” and the “k” in “skin.” The Rātiis k should always be pronounced like the “k” in “skin”; never like the “k” in “keep”).
- D, d: Pronounced like the “d” in “diet”.
- E, e: Pronounced like the “a” in “gate”.
- Ē, ē: Pronounced like the “a” in “gate”, but held slightly longer.
- F, f: Pronounced like the “f” in “fog”.
- G, g: Pronounced like the “g” in “goat” (never like the “g” in “genius”).
- H, h: Pronounced like the “h” in “head”.
- I, i: Pronounced like the “i” in “machine”.
- Ī, ī: Pronounced like the “i” in “machine”, but held slightly longer.
- J, j: [j] Pronounced like the “y” in “yet”.
- L, l: Pronounced like the “l” in “love”.
- M, m: Pronounced like the “m” in “matter”.
- N, n: Pronounced like the “n” in “never”.
- O, o: Pronounced like the “o” in “tote”.
- Ō, ō: [oː] Pronounced like the “o” in “tote,” but held slightly longer.
- P, p: Pronounced like the “p” in “spin” (In English an initial “p” is aspirated. Compare the “p” in “pin” and the “p” in “spin.” The Rātiis p should always be pronounced like the “p” in “spin”; never like the “p” in “pin”)
- Qu, qu: [kʷ]
- R, r: Pronounced like the “r” in Spanish “pero”. Nearly identical to the “t” or “d” sound in English “matador” (pronounced quickly).
- S, s: Pronounced like the “s” in “sad”.
- T, t: Pronounced like the “t” in “stake” (In English an initial “t” is aspirated. Compare the “t” in “take” and the “t” in “stake.” The Rātiis t should always be pronounced like the “t” in “stake”; never like the “t” in “take”).
- U, u: Pronounced like the “u” in “ruminate”.
- Ū, ū: Pronounced like the “u” in “ruminate”, but held slightly longer.
- V, v: [w] Pronounced like the “w” in “walk”
- Double Consonants: Doubled consonants, or geminates, occur occasionally in Rātiis. To pronounce a doubled consonant, simply pronounce it twice. You might think of it as lingering over the consonant. Think of the “s” sound you pronounce in “Miss Sally”. It’s a longer “s” than if you pronounce the similar phrase “Miss Ally”. The same goes for the doubled consonants of Rātiis.
Stress
In Rātiis syllables can be either light or heavy. Heavy syllables end in a consonant, a long vowel, or a diphthong. Light syllables are open syllables with a short vowel. If the penultimate syllable is heavy, it receives the stress, otherwise the antepenultimate syllable is stressed. In two syllable words, the initial syllable is stressed regardless.
Since Rātiis stress is entirely predictable, it is not explicitly marked.
Syllable Structure
The maximum syllable structure in Rātiis is sCCVCC, with a word final /s/ allowed. Nasals may only be found in a consonant initial cluster following an initial /s/ with no other consonants. Coda Clusters may only consist of a liquid followed by a nasal, except with word final /s/ is included.