The Makah Museum is closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to the opportunity to invite visitors inside again, and will do so when it is considered safe. The Makah Indian Reservation is also closed to non-residents. Thank you for your understanding.
Makah Museum
Makah Museum

Makah Alphabet and Sounds

Listen • Learn • Practice

Makah Alphabet & Sounds

Qʷi·qʷi·diččaq

Learn the letters, sound combinations, and pronunciation patterns used to write and speak Qʷi·qʷi·diččaq.

Watch: The Makah Alphabet with Misty

The guide below lists Makah letters and diacritics, their names, and familiar English words that may help demonstrate pronunciation.

Consonants

Letter Pronunciation
ʔ Glottal stop: a catch in the throat, as in the pause between the syllables of “uh-uh.”
c [ts], as in “hats” or “tsunami.”
č [ch], as in “chin.”
š [sh], as in “shell.”
ɫ Barred-l: a lisped or “juicy” l-sound made at the side of the mouth by blowing air while the tongue is positioned to make an [l] sound.
ƛ Barred-lambda: a “juicy” [kl] or [tl] click-like sound made at the side of the mouth.
x Made by rasping air near the roof of the mouth, similar to air escaping from a tire or the Spanish sounds in “José” and “México.”
x̌ X-wedge: made by producing air friction near the back of the throat, similar to a sawing sound.
q A low k-sound made by raising the root of the tongue toward the back of the throat.

Diacritics

Mark Name and use
ʷ Raised-w: round the lips while producing the sound that the raised-w accompanies.
’ Glottal mark: constrict, pop, or sharpen the sound of the letter it accompanies.

Vowels

Type Letter Pronunciation example
Short a “uh,” as in “mutt.”
Long a· “ah,” as in “hot.”
Combined ay As in “Hawai‘i.”
Combined aw As in “ouch.”
Short e As in “bet.”
Long e· As in “cat.”
Combined ey As in “hey!”
Short i As in “sit.”
Long i· As in “feet.”
Combined iy As in the ending of “honey.”
Combined iw As in “few.”
Short o As in “for.”
Long o· As in “note.”
Combined oy As in “toy.”
Short u As in “look.”
Long u· As in “moon.”
Combined uy Pronounced quickly.

Occasional Letters

Some additional sounds occur in names, songs, and Chinook Jargon: m and n are pronounced as in English; ŋ is pronounced as in “song”; and ḥ, or dotted-h, moves the “h” breath sound farther back toward the throat opening.

Stress and Accented Syllables

If the vowel in the first syllable is short, stress the second syllable. If the first-syllable vowel is long and marked with a dot, stress the first syllable.

Examples: ʔaƛpu· — seven; č̓i·x̌pa·ɫ — six.