In lesson 3, we covered one side of several pairs. Today, we'll explore their counterparts. Let's dive in:

• 𐑮-('roar')
• 𐑔-('thigh')
• 𐑜-('gag')
• 𐑱-('age')
• 𐑚-('bib')

The first character we'll explore is 𐑮 ('roar'), which represents the word "roar." It captures a strong 'r' sound, like a lion’s roar. The character 𐑮 ('roar') even looks a bit like a sound wave from a lion’s open mouth. On the other hand, the 𐑤 ('loll') character represents a mouth that is opening up leading into the strong sound that 𐑮 ('roar') shows.

Next, we look at 𐑔 ('thigh'), a character that can be tricky, especially compared to its counterpart 𐑞 ('they'). The key difference is in how the "th" sound is voiced. 𐑞 ('they') uses a voiced "th," which makes your throat vibrate, while 𐑔 ('thigh') uses a voiceless "th," creating a softer, breathy sound. This difference is important for correct pronunciation.

Practice saying the words while focusing on whether you're using your vocal cords. Try saying 𐑞 ('they') with a breathy, voiceless sound—it will feel unnatural. Similarly, saying 𐑔 ('thigh') with your vocal cords engaged will also feel wrong.

Moving on, the letter 𐑜 ('gag') looks like a lowercase 'g' and has the same short 'g' sound. It sits low on the line because it's pronounced deeply in the vocal cords. As the mirror image of its pair, 𐑒 ('kick'), you can tell them apart by remembering that to gag, you need to be upright, with your mouth above and throat below.

Moving on to another pair, the Shavian character 𐑱 ('age') represents the long 'a' sound, like the name of the letter 'A.' This contrasts with 𐑧 ('egg'), which captures a short 'e' sound. The similar mouth positioning for these sounds is why Kingsley paired them as mirrors.

Like the 𐑩 ('ado') and 𐑳 ('up') pair, 𐑧 ('egg') and 𐑱 ('age') also have a 'ceiling' structure to set them apart.

Finally, the Shavian character 𐑚 ('bib') represents the voiced 'b' sound and is the counterpart to 𐑐 ('peep'). Both characters use the same mouth position, but 𐑚 ('bib') adds a subtle vocal cord vibration. Visually, it looks like a lowercase 'b' with a small hook at the bottom, similar to it's namesake a bib.

Congratulations! You've learned half of the Shavian Alphabet in just four lessons! Here are the characters you've learned so far:

• 𐑕 𐑟-(s)o and (z)oo
• 𐑑 𐑛-(t)ot and (d)ead
• 𐑥 𐑯-(m)ime and (n)un
• 𐑩 𐑳-(a)do and (u)p
• 𐑦 𐑰-(i)f and (ea)t
• 𐑤 𐑮-(l)oll and (r)oar
• 𐑞 𐑔-(th)ey and (th)igh
• 𐑒 𐑜-(k)ey and (g)ag
• 𐑧 𐑱-(e)gg and (a)ge
• 𐑐 𐑚-(p)eep and (b)ib