Here are the basic sounds represented by the phonetic symbols in the pronunciation guide:

Vowel Sounds:

a -- apple, bat

ah -- father, hot

aw -- law, long

ay -- ace, fate

e -- bed

ehr -- merry

ee -- see, tea

ih -- pin, middle

oh -- go, oval

oo -- food, two

ow -- how, now

oy -- boy

u -- foot, put

uh -- puff

ur -- burden, curl

y, eye -- ice, time

Consonants:

g -- got, beg

j -- jem, job

k -- cap, keep

ch -- chair

s -- see

sh -- shut

z -- zoom

zh -- mirage

kh -- guttural "k"

NEBRASKA PLACES

Arapahoe _ (Ah-RAP-ah-hoh)

Beatrice _ (Bee-AT-russ)

Brule _ (BROOL)

Cairo _ (KARE-row)

Chappell _ (CHAP-uhl)

Clatonia _ (Clay-TONE-ee-ah)

Colon - (KOH-lon)

Genoa _ (Gen-OH-ah)

Gilead _ (GIL-ee-ed)

Hebron _ (HE-brun)

Hooper _ (HUH-per)

Juniata _ (Joon-ee-ET-ah)

Kearney _ (CAR-nee)

Keha Paha County _ (Kip-ah-HA) County

Lake McConaughy (mah-CON-eh-hay)

Louisville _ (loo-IS-vil)

Naponee _ (Nap-uh-NEE)

Neligh _ (NEE-lee)

Niobrara _ (Nigh-oh-BRAR-ah)

Norfolk _ (NOR-fork)

Osceola _ (Oh-SEE-oh-lah)

Otoe County _ (OH-toh) County

Palmyra _ (Pal-MY-rah)

Schuyler _ (SKY-lur)

Scotia _ (SKOH-shuh)

Steinauer (STEEN-er)

Tamora (Tuh-MOR-uh)

Tecumseh _ (Teh-KUM-sah)

Tekamah _ (Teh-KAY-muh)

Uehling (YOO-ling)

Utica _ (YOO-tih-kuh)

Wauneta _ (Wah-NEE-tuh)

Wynot _ (WIE-not)

Yutan _ (YOO-tan)

PUBLIC FIGURES & NEWSMAKERS

Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey (FAY-hee)

Former Gov. Mike Johanns (JO-hans)

Gov. David Heineman (HIGH-nah-men)

Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy (SHEE-hee)

State Labor Commissioner Fernando Lecuona (Loo-COIN-uh)

State Economic Development Director Richard Baier (BUY-er)

State Sen. Chris Beutler (BITE-lur)

State Sen. Ray Aguilar (AG-you-lar)

State Sen. John Synowiecki (SIN-oh-wicky)

State Sen. Bob Kremer (KRAY-mur)

State Sen. Pat Bourne (BORN)

State Sen. Don Preister (PRY-stur)

State Sen. Ron Raikes (RAYKs)

Hall County Attorney Jerry Janulewicz (Jan-YOU-lev-its)

Holt County Sheriff Bruce Theye (TIE)

Grand Island Mayor Jay Vavricek (Vav-RAH-chek)

Columbus businessman Anthony Raimondo (RAY-mond-doe)

Creighton baseball coach Ed Servais (SER-viss)

Creighton basketball player Johnny Mathies (MATH-iss)

Creighton basketball player Kellen Miliner (MILL-in-ner)

Creighton basketball player Jimmy Motz (MOATS)

InfoUSA Inc. founder Vinod Gupta (GOOP-tuh)

Nebraska Cattlemen's Greg Ruehle (ROO-lee)

Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs Executive Director Judi Morgan

Gaiashkibos (gahsh-KEE-bos)

Nebraska Democratic Party Chairman Steve Achelpohl (Ah-kuh-POLE)

Nebraska Health and Human Services System Director Nancy Montanez

(MON-tah-nez)

Nebraska Office of Highway Safety Director Fred Zwonechek

(ZWAN-ah-chek)

Nebraska Rural Development Director Lisa Dominisse (dom-in-EES-ee)

North Platte police chief Martin Gutschenritter (Goot-chen-RITTER)

Omaha golfer Scott Gutschewski (guh-CHESS-kee)

UNO Afghan Studies Director Thomas Gouttierre (Goo-TEE-air)

U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon (Bah-TAL-yun)