So... yeah. I decided to make up a language, even though I don't have anywhere near the time or focus. But here we are.

You don't have to read this to understand the book. It's only here for people who are interested (and because I made it so why not put it up just in case).

This is just for pronunciation, not an explanation of the whole language. If you want a dictionary or a list of grammar rules, tell me and I can try to put my notes in a comprehensible form so they can be published as a separate book or something. But for now, I hope this makes sense.

Pronunciation

Some rules:

-Tanagùk'i is VERY percussive, so that it carries underwater. This means it has a very limited dynamic range

-5 types of letters: vowels, vowel consonants, vocalized consonants, percussive consonants, and indicators

-By default, percussive consonants are a syllable by themselves

-Open-mouth percussive consonants (usually c, g, k, d, q, or in some cases j or t) are often followed by an indicator (vowel with an accent, like à) which is not pronounced. These indicate the mouth shape used when making the consonant sound. š can also be used this way, to indicate the "ee" shape

-If a percussive IS followed by something else in the same syllable, an apostrophe ' is used after the consonant or its indicator

-Some words don't use your vocal chords at all

Alphabet

Vowels

-a = "ah"

-e = like the a in "apple"

-i = "ih" or "ee"; the only letter with two common pronunciations

-o = "oh"

-u = "uh" (not "oo")

Vowel consonants (consonants that can be drawn out like a vowel)

-f = like in English, but no hard start, almost whistle-ish

-m = same as English

-n = same as English

-s = same as English

-x = like imitating a cat hissing

-z = "sh"

-r = flutter tongue thing

-v = the sound of tired brass players (horse noise with lips)

Vocalized consonants (consonants that use your vocal chords)

-l = serves as both r and l (somewhere in between); tight and short

-w = back-of-throat "l" sound, same place as g

-y = like its use as a consonant in English

Percussive consonants (hard, sharp consonants)

-b = mix of English b and p; like kick drum in beatboxing

-c = "ch"

-d = very sharp version of English d, almost like t

-g = hard click in back of mouth, same place as g but more percussive

-t = "ts"; softer but still short

-j = like that kissing suction noise

-k = almost like "ksh"; like the English sound but more closed and forward

-p = "pf"

-q = click on roof of mouth

Indicators

-h = used to indicate glottal stops (like in "uh oh"); also notates a new syllable

-(à) = used to indicate mouth shape used with a percussive consonant; (any vowel or š)