pronunciations given in the list below are those of Australian English, and are only meant as a guide. The letters in square brackets () are the IPA. a (short) : 'u' as in 'hut' — gath 'shallow, shallows', mathaman 'hit, kill' a, á (long) (aa in the Bani orth.) 'a' as in father — áth 'bottom turtle shell' ('plastron'), ma 'spider', lág, laaga 'place' b as in English — Báb 'Dad', bibir 'power, authority' d as in English — da 'chest', idi 'oil, grease, fat, dead-calm sea' dh similar to d, but with the tip of the tongue put against the top teeth- dha 'ladder, stairs', adhal 'outside', Bádhu 'Badu' e (short) 'e' as in bed — bero 'rib, side of boat, river bank, etc.', nge 'then', tete 'animal/bird leg' e, é (long) (ee in the Bani orth.) 'are' as in bared — gér 'sea snake', dhe 'slime', sei 'there' g as in English get, never as in general — gigi 'thunder', gugu 'owl' i (short) short 'ee' as in feet — midh 'how', sisi 'gecko', ipi 'wife'i, í (long) (ii in the Bani orth.) 'ee' as in feed — síb 'liver, centre', gi 'knife', ígil 'life' k as in English — kikiman 'hurry up', kakayam 'bird-of-paradise l similar to English 'l' in lean, but with the tip of the tongue against the top teeth; never as in English kneel — lág 'place, home', li 'basket', gúl 'double-outrigger sailing canoe'm as in English — mám 'love, affection', Ama 'Mum, Aunty', ma 'spider' n similar to English 'n' in nun, but with the tip of the tongue against the top teeth — naawu, KKY na 'song', nan 'her, it', nanu 'her(s), its' ng as in English sing; never as in English finger — ngai 'I, me', ngœrang 'armpit' o (short) more or less 'o' as is in got, though more rounded — sob 'slowness', mogai, Bœigu moga, Saibai-Dœwan mogo 'blank skink' o (long) (oo in the Bani orth.) more or less 'o' as in god, though more rounded — gor 'tie-hole', so 'show'ò (short) short version of 'oa' in broad — mòdhabil 'costs, prices', gòyal 'bald' ò (long) (oo in the Bani orth.) 'oa' in broad — mòs 'lung, spittle', gòy 'baldness' œ (short) 'a' as in about — bœtœm 'lean (animals)', bœga 'mallard' œ (long) (ooe in the Bani orth.) more or less like 'er' in herd — wœr 'water',