Letter Transcription Example Notes a ah father b b boy p at end of word c ts, k in combinations or foreign d d day e ay(long) daytime e e or eh (short) met f f fall g g go h h hold silent after a vowel i ee (long) deed ie ee deed i I or ih (Short) fit j y yes k k kite always pronounced before n l l live m m met n n net o o or oh (long) photo Oh, not Oh - oo o aw (short) lawyer p p pet qu kv lack-variety r r rise trilled s z zeal word beginning between two vowels s sh she with st or sp at beginning of sylable s s see all else or when doubled t t take u oo (long) food u oo (short) foot v f fit w v vest x ks looks y used only in foreign words and pronounced as in foreign w ord or ü z ts lets ä e or eh (short) met ä ay (long) daytime ö er her do not pronoune r itself ü ew few ch kh gutteral ch sh shell chs ks looks ck k back ng ng singing sch sh shell ai, ei aye kite au ow cow a ü , eu oy boy
An Englishman, Frenchman, Spaniard and a German were waiting in the airport for their flight to depart. Someone asked what the most beautiful word was.
The Englishman said, "That's easy, the word butterfly. Not only is a butterfly beautiful, but the thought of butter flavor is beautiful and the flow of the word butterfly is beautiful!"
The Frenchman spoke at once, "That is amazing! In French the word for butterfly is Papillion. Just as you said, a butterfly beautiful and the flow of the word Papillion is beautiful!"
And then the Spaniard spoke. "In Spanish is the same. The spanish word for butterfly is Mariposa. It is a beautiful word and image. Butterfly may be the most beautiful word in every language!"
There was a pause in the conversation and everyone turned to the German. He looked embarrassed. Finally he said, "The German word for butterfly is Smetterling!" Then he went to the bar.
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