Swo phonology
It is believed that only a small number of Swo speakers know how to write. The following is a preliminary description of the orthography system, and can be viewed here:
Swo phonology: vowels
So far, nine vowels have been discovered in the Swo phonology:
| front | central | back | |
| closed vowels: | i | ɨ | u |
| semi-open vowels | e | ə | o |
| voyelles ouvertes: | ɛ | a | ɔ |
The manner of producting the non central semi-open vowels is contrary to expectation associated with the normal phonetic value of /e/ and /o/. In reality, in Swo they are produced like [ɪ] and [ʊ].
The other vowels in Swo are produced with the same expected manner as other languages.
Below you fill find the Swo letters corresponding to their pronunciation and and Swo words written in the International Phonetic Alphabet and their meanings.
| /i/ | ti | [tì] | chose sacré, prohibé (sacred object, taboo) |
| /e/ | te | [tɪ̂] | là (there) |
| /ɛ/ | sɛɛy | [sɛ̀ɛ̀j] | cracher (chew) |
| /ɨ/ | edɨgɨ | [ɪ̀dzɨ̀gɨ́] | forêt (forest) |
| /ə/ | nəŋ | [nə̂ŋ] | quatrième (C.1,3,5,7) (fourth) |
| /a/ | ba | [bâ] | épouser (to marry) |
| /u/ | kúm | [kúm] | richesse (wealth) |
| /o/ | modo | [mʊ̀ɾʊ̀] | personne (person) |
| /ɔ/ | wɔ | [wɔ̀] | cracher (chew) |
La phonologie swo: les consonnes et les semi voyelles
| p | t | k | kf |
| b | d | g | gv |
| f | s | ||
| v | z | ||
| l | |||
| m | n | ŋ |
Les semi voyelles sont au nombre de duex: la palatale, écrite «y» ([j] en API), et la bilabiale, écrite «w» ([ʋ] en API).
