Simplified guide to pronounciation

... and some humor

This is a rule-of-the-thumb guide to pronunciation of special characters only (I'll expand it later). They are often pronounced differently, depending on their position. But it will give you a rough idea. I hope, I gave you enough warnings that this is really non-scientific! (If we wanted to be scientific, we would have to start to call them names like: labials, dentals, palatals, velars).

COMMON CHARACTERS:

pronounce like a in: f a r

pronounce like ch in: CHZECH or CHECK

pronounce like d in: d e v u s h k a (sorry, that's Russian for girl; or D i o r)

pronounce like e in: f a i r

pronounce like ee in: m e e t

pronounce like ly in: L y u b l a n a (town in former Yugoslavia; or m i l l i o n).

pronounce like l in: l o n g (you really have to pronounce it long.)

pronounce like n in: n e w

pronounce like a in: b a l l

pronounce like sh in: s h o u t

pronounce like ty in: T y e r e s k o v a (famous Russian cosmonaut; or not yet)

pronounce like oo in: f o o l

pronounce like ea in: l e a k

pronounce like s in: l e i s u r e

CZECH ALPHABET ONLY:

pronounce like ye in: y e l l o w (it's not that easy, of course - I hear every Czech screaming)

it is an undescribable rolling of r together with sh (as in shoot)

pronounce like oo in: t o o l (not exactly)

SLOVAK ALPHABET ONLY:

pronounce like a in: f a t

pronounce like r in: r u g b y (don't forget to roll the tongue - I hear every Slovak screaming)

pronounce like uo in: q u o t a

THE END

I hear every linguist screaming.

... AND SOME HUMOR.

A group of CZECHS was waiting in a long line in the Immigration Office to be admitted to the United States. The line was not moving at all. One of them, who spoke best English, decided to go up-front and find out what was going on. He returns after a while and with the devastated look on his face says. "Guys, we won't make it." "What happened?" asks the rest. "Well, they have a big sign on the wall saying: 'We don't accept CHECKS!' "