Pronouncing "llyfrgell," the Welsh word for library, may be challenging for non-
Welsh speakers. In this post, we break down the pronunciation into
syllables and provide a
phonetic guide to make it easier.
Breaking down "llyfrgell" into syllables
To pronounce "llyfrgell" correctly, it is helpful to break the word down into smaller parts or syllables. The word has three syllables, which are pronounced as follows: [ɬəvˈrɡɛɬ].
Pronouncing the syllables
Now that we know the syllables, let's explain each one in detail.
1. "ll": The first syllable is the
Welsh letter combination "ll," pronounced [ɬ]. To make this sound, place the tip of your tongue at the roof of your mouth, slightly behind your upper teeth. Allow air to flow around the sides of your tongue while you exhale, creating a voiceless alveolar lateral fricative sound.
2. "yfr": The second syllable is "yfr," pronounced as [əvˈr]. The "y" in Welsh makes a schwa sound "ə" in this context. The "fr" is pronounced as "vr" with a very light "v" sound, almost like "f."
3. "gell": The last syllable is "gell," pronounced as [ɡɛɬ]. The "g" is pronounced as a hard "g" sound, like in the English word "go." The "ll" is again pronounced as the Welsh "ll" sound we discussed earlier.
Put together, "llyfrgell" should be pronounced in a seamless sequence as [ɬəvˈrɡɛɬ].
Now that you have a better understanding of how to pronounce "llyfrgell", you can confidently talk about libraries in Welsh!