NAVLIPI

The World’s First (and Only) Truly Phonemic Alphabet

Full NAVLIPI Alphabet with Word Examples

NAVLIPI in ‘Alphabetical Order’: As it would be Taught, with WORD EXAMPLES in common languages.
The FULL NAVLIPI ALPHABET: “Alphabetical order” of NAVLIPI for didactic (teaching) purposes.

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NAVLIPI in ‘Alphabetical Order’: As it would be Taught, with WORD EXAMPLES in common languages.

(Only the most commonly used phones and phonemes are given. Examples of RARE phones/phonemes are omitted.)

Legend

NAVLIPI transcription given in square brackets after each word example.
When non-English word examples are cited, definition is given, in parentheses and quotes.
Thus, e.g.: i English hit [hiₒ]. Irish gall [gaa], (“stranger”).

Vowels**, Fundamental

001	q [2(2)(1)], a [2(2)(3)], aa [2(2)(4)]
007	i [1(1)(1)], ii [1(1)(1)], u [3(3)(1)], uu [3(3)(1)]
011	ₒ [2(4)(-1)],  [2(4)(2)], l [2(9)(2)],  [2(11)(2)]
081	m_₀m_₀ [2(12)(2)], n_₀n_₀ [2(13)(2)]

q	English about [qbaauₒ].
i	English hit [hiₒ].
	English heat [hₒ].
u	English pull [pₒul].
	English pool [pₒl].
ₒ	Tamil பழம் (pazham) [paoam], (“fruit”).
	American English purchase [pₒqchₒƐs].
l	American English able [Ɛbl].
	Irish gall [gaa], (“stranger”).
m_₀m_₀	South African name Mbeki [M_₀m_₀bƐkii]
n_₀n_₀	East African name Nkomo [N_₀n_₀komo]

(**Vowels are defined as phones where breath is completely or almost completely unimpeded.) Vowels, Derivative

20	Ɛ [1(1)(2)], ƐƐ [1(1)(2)], e [1(1)(3)], ee [1(1)(3)], Ɔ [1(1)(4)], ƆƆ [1(1)(4)]
26	y [3(1)(1)], yy [3(1)(1)], o/ [3(1)(2)], o// [3(1)(3)]
30	o [3(3)(3)], oo [3(3)(3)],  [3(3)(4)],  [3(3)(4)]

Ɛ	English clay [klƐ].
ƐƐ	French des [ₒƐƐ], (“of”).
e	English bet [beₒ].
ee	English fair [fee, feer].
Ɔ	English hat [hƆₒ].
ƆƆ	English man [mƆƆn].
y	French tu [ₒy], (“you”, singular).
yy	German üblich [yyblix], (“customary”).
o/	French peu [po/], (“little”).
o//	French peur [po//], (“fear”).
o	Spanish doble [doblƐ], (“double”).
oo	English door [ₒoo, ₒoor].
	English talk [ₒko].
	English ball [bl].

Non-Vowels^##, Glottal^&&

034	 [1-1], h [6-1], h.. [6-2]

:	Arabic sa‘ala [sa:ala], (“asked”). Hawaiian name, Hawai ‘ I [Hawaai:i]
h	English hit [hiₒ].
h..	Arabic hurub [h..urub], (“war”).

(^##Non-vowels are defined as all phones that are not vowels. Thus, this includes, e.g., plosives, fricatives, “semi-vowels”, approximants, clicks and implosives.) (^&&For articulation positions, see elsewhere in this website.) Non-Vowels, Uvular

037	k.. [1-3], k..hₒ [2-3], g.. [3-3], n.. [5-3], x.. [6-3], .. [7-3]

k..	Arabic qalb [k..alb], (“heart”).
k..hₒ	Arabic xilaaf [k..hₒilƆf], (“against”).
g..	Arabic ghaban [g..aban], (“bankruptcy”).
n..	Japanese ban [baan..], (“turn”).
x..	German doch [ₒox..], (“but yes”).
..	Parisian French rouler [..ulƐ], (“to roll”).

Non-Vowels, Velar

043	k [1-4], khₒ [2-4], g [3-4], ghₒ [4-4], nₒ [5-4], x [6-4],  [7-4]

k	English sky [skaaƐ]
kh_₀	English kitten [kh_₀itn], Hindi/Urdu kholnaa (“to open”) [kh_₀olnaa]
g	English good [guₒ]
ghₒ	Hindi/Urdu ghanaa [ghₒanaa], (“deep, dense”).
n_₀	English king [ki_₀g]
x	Irish chaol [xeol], (“thin”).
	Faarsi gham [am], (“sadness”).

Non-Vowels, Retroflex

050	 [1-5], h_₀ [2-5],  [3-5],  [4-5],  [5-5], h_₀ [6-5], h_₀ [7-5],  . [8-5], hₒ [9-5], . [10-5]

	Hindi/Urdu toota [uuaa], (“broken”).
	Hindi/Urdu theek [iik], (“OK, all right”).
	Hindi/Urdu daak [aak], (“mail”).
	Hindi/Urdu dheela [iilaa], (“loose”).
	Hindi/Urdu ganatantra [gaatantra], (“democracy, people’s rule”).
h_₀	Hindi/Urdu irshya [iirh_₀jaa], (“jealousy”).
.	Hindi/Urdu kadak [ka.ak], (“hard, tough, stiff”).
hₒ.	Hind/Urdu padhnaa [pahₒ.naa], (“to study”).
.	Panjabi lena [lƐ.aa], (“to take”).

Non-Vowels, Medio-Palatal

063	 [1-6],  [3-6],  [5-6],  [6-6]

	Turkish car [ar], (“advantage, profit”).
	Turkish jem [Ɛm], (“horse bit”).
	Irish ngiall [ jaal], (“hostage”).
	Hungarian narancssarga [naranaargaa], (“orange color”).

Non-Vowels, Palatal

068	c [1-7], chₒ [2-7],  [3-7],  [4-7],  [5-7], sh_₀ [6-7], zh_₀ [7-7]
075	j [28-7]

c	Italian ciao [caao], (“bye”).
chₒ	Hindi/Urdu chhed [chₒƐd], “hole”.
	English joke [ouk].
	Hindi/Urdu jhoola [uulaa], (“swing”).
	English inch [ic]
sh_₀	English shoot [sh_₀uuₒ]
zh_₀	English pleasure [pₒlezh_₀qr]
j	English yes [jes]

Non-Vowels, Alveolar

077	 [1-8], h_₀ [2-8],  [3-8], n [5-8],  [6-8]

ₒ	English sty [sₒaaƐ]
	English tomorrow [umro]
ₒ	English day [ₒƐi]
n	English indeed [inₒiiₒ]
h_₀	Mandarin xie xie [h_₀iƐ h_₀iƐ], (“thank you”).

Non-Vowels, Dental

095	t [1-10],  [2-10], d [3-10], dh_₀ [4-10], n [5-10] (PCON)

t	Spanish, Italian, Hindi/Urdu tu [tuu], (“you”, singular).
	Hindi/Urdu thaknaa [aknaa], (“to get tired”).
d	Spanish dar [daar], (“to give”); Hindi/Urdu denaa [dƐnaa], (“to give”).
	Hindi/Urdu dhonaa [onaa], (“to wash”).
n	Spanish andar [aandaar], (“to walk”); Hindi/Urdu andar [andar], (“inside, interior”).

Non-Vowels, Dental, Pharyngealized

100	t.. [1-11], d.. [3-11]

	Arabic kitab [kiƆb], (“book”).
	Arabic kidab [kiƆb], (“henna”).

Non-Vowels, Bilabial

109	p [1-15], phₒ [2-15], b [3-15], bhₒ [4-15], m [5-15]
117	w [28-15]

p	English spy [spₒaaƐ]
ph_₀	English put [pₒuₒ], Hindi/Urdu phal (“fruit”) [ph_₀al]
b	English bit [biₒ]
bh_₀	Hindi/Urdu bhook [ph_₀uuk], (“hunger”).
m	English met [meₒ]
w	English wet [weₒ]

Non-Vowels, Fricatives, Alveolar

093	s [6-9], z [7-9]

s	English sit [siₒ]
z	English zombie [zmbi]

Non-Vowels, Fricatives, Labiodental

107	f [6-13], v [7-13]

f	English fat, fit [fƆₒ, fiₒ]
v	English vein [vƐin]

Non-Vowels, Centrals Non-Vowels, LateralsMost Common Post-OpsMost Common Phonemic Condensates Not Represented by Post-Ops

060	 [30-5], ₒ [30-5F]
084	r [8-8], rh [11-8], rr [12-8]
	(American) English purchase [pₒqchₒƐs]
ₒ	Tamil pazham பழம் [paoam], (“fruit”).
r	Spanish pero [pero], (“but”); Hindi/Urdu karo [karo], (“do!” (command))
rr	Spanish perro [perro], (“(male) dog”).
088	l [31-8]
	 [31-5]
l	English lit [liₒ]
	Tamil pallam பள்ளம் [paam], (“hole”).
hₒ	Aspiration	e.g. [p] (unaspirated) (as in Hindi/Urdu pal, “an instant”) [pal] vs. [phₒ] (aspirated) (as in Hindi/Urdu phal, “fruit”) [phₒal]
h_₀	Fricatization	e.g. [t] (dental plosive) (as in Spanish, Italian, Hindi/Urdu tu [tuu], “you (singular)”) vs. [th_₀] (dental or interdental fricative) (as in English thin) [th_₀in]]
	Unvoiced + Voiced	e.g. [b] (e.g. Mandarin bu also articulated pu [bu], “no, not”)
n_₀, m_₀, ~	Nasalization	as in Portuguese São [Sã or San_₀ or Sam_₀] (“saint”)
.	Flap/tap	e.g. Hindi/Urdu doobnaa [uubnaa] (“to drown”) vs. Hindi/Urdu [ka.ak] (“tough, hard, brittle”)
..	Pharyngeal or uvular or “faucal” variant	e.g. English sky [skaaƐ] vs. Arabic qalb [k..alb] (“heart”)
	Click, ingressive	e.g. English “tsk tsk” [tt] (indication of disapproval or negativity); e.g. common sound to urge on horses, the “giddyap” click [lll] (repeated).
vw	Can be articulated either as [v] or as [w], e.g. Hindi/Urdu van, wan [vwan], “forest, wood”
xr	Can be articulated either as trilled [rrr] or as uvular or velar fricative [x.] or [x] (whether voiced or unvoiced e.g. Parisian French rien (“nothing”) [xrien_₀ or xrie~].

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The FULL NAVLIPI ALPHABET: “Alphabetical order” of NAVLIPI for didactic (teaching) purposes

Given below is the full NAVLIPI script (alphabet) as it would be taught. For a more detailed description, including word examples in major world languages, please see NAVLIPI Made Simple 1: For Beginners or the full NAVLIPI book, Vol. I. In the representation below, which is NAVLIPI as it would be taught, e.g. to children in schools, the numbers in the left margin are added for convenience in referring to the glyphs (letters) of the alphabet. Thus, #15 is the letter r.

A. Vowels, Fundamental

001	q [2(2)(1)], qq [2(2)(1)], a [2(2)(3)], aₒ [2(2)(3)], aa [2(2)(4)], aaₒ [2(2)(4)]
007	i [1(1)(1)], ii [1(1)(1)], u [3(3)(1)], uu [3(3)(1)]
011	ₒ [2(4)(-1)],  [2(4)(2)],  [2(5)(2)], _₀ [2(7)(2)], r [PCON-8], l [2(9)(2)],  [2(11)(2)]
081	m_₀m_₀ [2(12)(2)], n_₀n_₀ [2(13)(2)]

B. Vowels, Derivative

20	Ɛ [1(1)(2)], ƐƐ [1(1)(2)], e [1(1)(3)], ee [1(1)(3)], Ɔ [1(1)(4)], ƆƆ [1(1)(4)]
26	y [3(1)(1)], yy [3(1)(1)], o/ [3(1)(2)], o// [3(1)(3)]
30	o [3(3)(3)], oo [3(3)(3)],  [3(3)(4)],  [3(3)(4)]

N.B.: Total number of vowels: 45 of which 22 have short / long versions (=44) (not all shown in above list) and one of which is a phonemic condensate. B. Non-vowels, except clicks, ejectives, and implosives

034	 [1-1], h [6-1], h.. [6-2]
037	k.. [1-3], k..hₒ [2-3], g.. [3-3], n.. [5-3], x.. [6-3], .. [7-3]
043	k [1-4], khₒ [2-4], g [3-4], ghₒ [4-4], nₒ [5-4], x [6-4],  [7-4]
050	 [1-5], th_₀ [2-5],  [3-5],  [4-5],  [5-5], h_₀ [6-5], h_₀ [7-5], . [8-5], hₒ [9-5], . [10-5]
060	 [30-5], ₒ [30-5F],  [31-5]
063	 [1-6],  [3-6],  [5-6], h_₀ [6-6], _₀ [7-6]
068	c [1-7], chₒ [2-7],  [3-7],  [4-7],  [5-7], sh_₀ [6-7], zh_₀ [7-7]
075	j [28-7],  [31-7]
077	 [1-8], tth_₀ [2-8],  [3-8],  [4-8] n [5-8], hₒ [6-8], h_{₀ [7-8]}
084	r [8-8], rh [11-8], rr [12-8], rrh_₀ [13-8] (***)
088	l [31-8], lhₒ [32-8]
090	lh_₀ [33-8], lj [34-8], l.. [35-8]
093	s [6-9], z [7-9]
095	t [1-10],  [2-10], d [3-10], dh_₀ [4-10], n [5-10] (PCON)
100	t.. [1-11], d.. [3-11], th_₀.. [6-11]
103	dh_₀.. [7-11], th_₀ [6-12], dh_₀ [7-12],  [31-12]
107	f [6-13], v [7-13]
109	p [1-15], phₒ [2-15], b [3-15], bhₒ [4-15], m [5-15], ph_₀ [6-15], bh_₀ [7-15], ph_₀ph_₀ [12-15]
117	w [28-15], w° [28-15b]
(***)	rₒ [30-8], placed here, is very rare, so not used.

Phonemic Condensates (illustrated with examples where appropriate)

119	pₒ [PCON-1], (aspirate + non-aspirate), p [PCON-2] (unvoiced + voiced), kh [PCON-3] (stop + fricative)
122	ph [PCON-4] (stop + forward fricative)
123	b_ [PCON-5] (stop + semi-vowel), vw [PCON-6] (semi-vowel + forward fricative), ttr [PCON-7] (stop + flap)
126	xr [PCON-10] [((trill + flap + semi-vowel) in alveolo-dental artition) + (uvular fricative)]
127	a= [PCON-15] Denotes a “mobile, generic” vowel where choice of vowel does not appear to matter, e.g. in some Semitic and Chinese languages.
	(PCON-11 to PCON-14, PCON-16, PCON-17 not in alphabetical order since they are very rare.)

E. Tones In the “alphabetical order”, tones will be placed here. However, tones will be language specific. Hence, for tonal languages, each language’s tones will be placed here, in the order that they are taught traditionally in that language. Thus, e.g., for Mandarin, the four tones will be placed here in the order they are traditionally taught, with word examples. F. Clicks, Implosives, Ejectives* 137 [14-6]138c [14-7], c’ [24-7], z’ [27-7]

128	k..k.. [17-3], k [14-4], kk [17-4], k’ [24-4], g” [27-4]
133	 [14-5],  [15-5], n_₀ [16-5],  [17-5]
141	 [14-8], d [15-8], n_₀ [16-8]
144	l [18-8],  [2-5], ln_₀ [20-8]
147	 [22-8], l [23-8]
149	’ [24-8], dt” [27-8]
151	s’ [25-9], t [14-10],  [22-10], l [23-10], t” [27-10]
156	f’ [25-13], p [14-15], p [1-6], p’ [24-15], b’ [27-15]

*As these are rare in the world’s major languages, they are placed last in the “alphabetical order”, and are unlikely to be taught at all, except in the languages to which they apply.

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