☰ Contents · Uzbek language

Adjacent vowels and the spelling of G, K, Q, G‘

Lessons 36–39 · 4 lessons · N. Mahmudov, A. Sobirov, Sh. Sattorov, Sh. Toshmirzayeva, D. Mannopova. Ona tili (Uzbek language), Grade 5 (fully revised 5th edition). G‘afur G‘ulom Publishing House, Tashkent, 2020
36

Pronunciation and spelling of adjacent vowels

Textbook: pp. 69–70
GoalDistinguish the pronunciation and spelling of borrowed words with adjacent vowels.
New words
adjacent vowels · yonma-yon unlilarteam, community · jamoaindustry · sanoatpoet · shoir
Explanation

In Uzbek, words where two vowels stand side by side are usually borrowed from Arabic, Persian or other languages. In speech we adapt such words to our language: we say the two vowels as one long vowel or insert a consonant between them. For example, jamoa (team) may sound like «jamo», mutolaa (reading) like «mutola», shoir (poet) like «shoyir», sanoat (industry) like «sanovat». But in writing these words keep their original form, with both vowels: jamoa, mutolaa, shoir, sanoat.

Worked examples
In «jamoa» (team) o and a stand side by side; in speech it may sound like «jamo», but it is written jamoa.
«Shoir» (poet) is also said «shoyir», but it is written shoir.
Class activity

Write five words with adjacent vowels on the board. Say each one first in the standard way and then in its spoken form, and check its spelling.

Practice
1
From which languages do words with adjacent vowels mainly come?
2
How can «shoir» be said in speech? And how is it written?
3
Fill in the letters: jam...a, san...at.
4
Why aren’t the vowels dropped in writing?