The Tlingit verb stems in Part 2 of the dictionary are arranged in the Tlingit alphabetical order listed below. This alphabet has been set up to show the sound patterns of the language. It begins with all the vowels (each shown with a glottal stop in front of it, since no Tlingit verb stem begins with just a vowel). Following the vowels are the aspirates (h-like sounds) and then the sonorants (y, w and n). The remainder are grouped partly according to how far back in the mouth they are made from the alveolars (d-like sounds), which are nearest the front, through the sibilants (s- and sh-like sounds) and laterals (l-like sounds) to the velars (k-like sounds) and, furthest back of all, the back velars (k-like sounds, but made further back in the mouth).
Symbols to the left in each pair of columns are the letters used in written Tlingit, those to the right are the equivalent technical (phonetic) symbols.
Tlingit Symbols Phonetic Symbols Tlingit Symbols Phonetic Symbols Tlingit Symbols Phonetic Symbols .ee ?i ts ¢ k' k’ .ei ?e ts' ¢' k'w k’w .oo ?u s s x x .aa ?a s' s’ xw xw .i ?' j j [w/carrot over 'j'] x' x’ .e ?E ch c [w/carrot over 'c'] x'w x'w .u ?u ch' c’ [w/carrot over 'c'] g G .a ?^ sh s [w/carrot over 's'] gw Gw h h dl l k q hw hw tl lkw qw y y tl' lk' q’ w w l lk'w q’w n n l' l’x X d d g g xw Xw t t gw gw x' X’ t' t' k k x'w X’w dz 3 kw kw (Note: two further symbols are employed in written Tlingit, but these do not affect the alphabetical ordering; they are ‘ for high tone and ` for low tone.) Please note after consultation with knowledgeable Tlingit speakers, we chose not to add the symbol ( `) for the low tone on the web edition of the dictionary.