xox PHONETICS saos is normally pronounced (saus) sev is normally pronounced (seu) ics is normally pronounced (zius) rav(u) is often pronounced (krau). Note in particular that nav is almost always pronounced (nau). After a long vowel or diphthong, tbe vocalization is much less common, IF the following word begins with a vowel, the final or de facto final » is more likely to retain its consonantal articulation. Notice particularly that under these circumstances the word jau will often be pronounced (av). 4. VOWEL WEAKENING Many speakers subjeet final short vowels to considerable weakening. Frequently the vowel is merely whispered. Cf. the spelling bi for bija, In some cases this ‘weakening seems to have led to the complete loss of the vowel, although this tendency cannot be considered as typical; thus: ‘bija may be reduced as far as (bij) ‘meita may be reduced as far as (meit) lausa may be reduced as far as (klaus). Short vowels immediately preceding a fnal s are subject to the same weakening, and in the ease of some speakers, total loss. Thus: bijis may be reduced as far as (bis) ‘meitas may be reduced as far as (meits) cepures may be reduced as far as (cepurs). In the present tense of mixed conjugation verbs in -it and ~indt, the endings containing 4, i. e., «dm, -dmies, -t, ~dties, -ds, are normally pronounced with short a. 5. STRESS Latvian words are stressed on the first syllable. Exceptions to this rule (¢. 8. neviens, pusotra) are rare, and are indicated in notes to the vocabularies. 6. INTONATION Long vowels and diphthongs (and for this purpose sequences of vowel plus 1,1]. m, m9 ate considered diphthongal) are subject to certain intonation patterns. In a few areas three patterns are distinguished: the even intonation (stiepta intondeija), the falling intonation (krlto§@ intondclfa) and the broken intonation (laustd intondeija). The even tone calls for very little comment: the vowel or diphthong is PHONETICS sod uttered on a level tone with no significant variation in intensity. The falling tone® begins more loudly, falling off towards the end. “The broken tone! divides the duration of the vowel or diphthong into two sections: a rising, tense and loud beginning is followed in mid-syllable by a noticeable weakening, and a relaxed or weakened, sometimes even whispered, final segment. However, many areas have only a two-way contrast; in some the falling and broken intonations are fused, in others the falling and even, These intonational variations limit the generalization that can be made to the broad statement ‘that for most speakers the basic distinction is between an even intonation and 4 non-even intonation. In view of these variations, and the fact that the intonation patterns of the Hiterary language have not been fully investigated,® it would be illusory to attempt a rigid doctrine, just as it would be impossible to allow for even the major variations; we have therefore decided to limit our commentary to those ‘cases where total homophony is prevented only by an intonation distinction, i.e., where the syllable intonation performs a distinctive function, * See Miisdienu latviesu literdras vatodas gramatika, 1, p. 37. + The classification and description of Latvian phonemes are treated in more detail in op. cit, pp. 20-37. See also Laua, A., Latvledu literdrds valodas Soretika, ® See Endzelins, Larviesu valodas gramatika, p. 38. 4 See op. cit.. p. 34. * See Misdienu latvieSu lrerdras valodas gramatika, 1, p. 68. * Ibid.