Alphabet and phonology

Alphabet

 * 1)   The first two letters don't represent sounds alone but represent vowel fronting (in the case of ჵ) and pharyngealisation (in the case of ჷ) of the following letter.
 * 2)  This sound is quite volatile and can skip word boundaries:  (1st person root) +  (two) >  (1st person dual 'you two')

Phonology
The IPA representation is written on the left and the ' Rakal orthography on the right.

Consonants

 * 1) Pharyngeal/epiglottal/glottal
 * 2) All properly aspirated  etc.
 * 3)  Alveolar.
 * 4) Properly written with small superscript m, n , ɴ
 * 5) Properly written with small superscript ʢ . Pharyngealised consonants (considered the soft form) become aspirated (hardened) word-finally. Likewise, their soft mutation spirantises (turns them into fricatives, another word for which is spirant, from Latin spīrāns, breathing) them (/pʢ > /v/) while soft mutation of aspirated consonants pharyngealise them (/p/ > /pʢ/)
 * 6) Glottal. Not written between vowels. Also breaks all sequences of vowels (long vowels are not written twice and there are no diphthongs). Minimal pair e.g. ⟨⟩ to build and ⟨⟩ to write well.
 * 7)  Only soft mutations of corresponding aspirated plosive (in the case of plosives /b, d, ɢ/) or pharyngealised plosive (in the case of fricatives /v, ð, ʁ/).
 * 8)  Labiodental
 * 9) Labialised
 * 10) Only word-initially after nasal mutation of plosives, where it assimilates their place of articulation: . Else (finally) uvular.
 * 11) Alveolar approximant  is soft mutation of  while dental approximant  is soft mutation of /θ/.
 * 12) Long ბ 'split in two' as in the syllable  in some morphological patterns.
 * 13)  Often realised as some combination of voiced or voiceless pharyngeal/epiglottal fricative/approximant/trill.

Vowels
All syllables are closed with the maximal structure: (C)(C)VC(C). However, initial double consonants are very limited. Stressed vowels are lengthened before sonorants and voiced obstruents.
 * 1) [ə] is inserted between groups of more than one or two consonants e.g.  1st person + present perfect (now + before) + past + not + it > I haven't done it.
 * 2) Usually near-open to open-mid [æ~ɛ].