Palatalisation is a morphophonological phenonemon that occurs in northern Lhuvan (and Irish e.g.), but not in New Common Lhuvan. Although my description of Lhuvan is mainly based on NCL, it may be important to discuss palatalisation to understand some writing conventions.

Most of the consonants can be palatalised. In early Lhuvan palatalised consonants are either just simple consonsants or the result of a specific phonological context. This has not yet been examined.

Palatalisation is indicated in writing by adding a ‹h› to the preceding consonant. Central Lhuvan, not allowing palatalisation, realises palatalised sounds as non-palatalised sounds plus a short but audible palatal glide [j].

As a matter of fact central Lhuvan has got a lot more consonant plus glide clusters than northern Lhuvan has got palatalised consonants, and so this "add an h"-rule became common for these clusters, too.

Now here is a list of all Lhuvan consonants and their graphemes. Note that doubled consonants that are not listed are just twice as long. Double (long) consonants are never word initially. "Palatal glide" consonants are never word final. To these letters an ‹h› may be added: ‹p, b, t, d, k, g, m, n, ng, f, v, s, s', r, l›.

Please note the pronounciation of the following:

‹tt› is pronounced [dj]

‹dd› is pronounced [ð] as in ‹hidd› "mist".

‹xx› is pronounced [dZ]

‹q› is pronounced [gw] as in «qáiv» "shadows" [gwæIv].

In modern transcription one grapheme is used that can hardly been displayed on screen:
an ‹s› with an acute on it for ‹s'›.

[Lhuvan phonology 4]