How do I use the pronunciation guide in the lexicon at peshitta.org?

[Paul Younan]

For instance, the word "many", 00ygs, is pronounced "SaG'iYoAA". This is not the phonetic rendering I am familiar with from standard English dictionaries and so I don't know how to pronounce this word in Western Aramaic.

Any suggestions of how I can find out how to use this lexicon's pronunciation guide?

Hi Tim,

My apologies for the pronunciation guide in this lexicon. Unfortunately, I am unable to modify anything related to the lexicon for legal reasons. It was a compilation effort by a different group, and has its benefits. The pronunciation guide is _not_ one of them.

For pronunciation of words, it's best to learn the alphabet (which as Borota pointed out, is largely phonetic) - and pick up a modern printed copy of the New Testament complete with vowel points. The unpointed text of the Interlinear on this site is not suited for learning pronunciation.

The word ("many") you originally inquired about is pronounced - saa-gee-yea - in more traditional Latin transliteration. Without a voweled text, all you have is consonants which is useless practically.

+Shamasha