Ra-tor phonology

 Phonemic inventory

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Alveolar

sibilant Velar

Nasal m n ŋ

Stop t t͡s k

Fricative f s x

Resonant r ʟ


Vowels

Front Central Back

High i u

Mid-low ɛ ɔ

Low a

Syllable structure

(C1)V(C2)

C1: a consonant

V: a vowel

C2: a consonant

Allophony

Non-glottal fricative resonants [r ʟ] become voiceless [r̥ ʟ̥] after a non-nasal consonant except for a resonant.

Non-pharyngeal unrounded alveolar consonants [n t͡s r̥ ...] become palatalised [nʲ t͡sʲ rʲ̥ ...] after a front high vowel.

Labial obstruents or nasals [m f] assimilate in labiodentality to a following labial obstruent or nasal.

Some words

/samxaf/ [samxaf]

/naŋfir/ [naŋfirʲ]

/kunas/ [kunas]

/sinxak/ [sinʲxak]

/sanas/ [sanas]

/fisnuf/ [fisʲnuf]

/ɛsa/ [ɛsa]

/ufsɔŋ/ [ufsɔŋ]

/xɔsat/ [xɔsat]

/ʟaxkis/ [ʟaxkisʲ]

/kiŋɔx/ [kiŋɔx]

/xasxar/ [xasxar]

/kaxsis/ [kaxsisʲ]

/ra/ [ra]

/rakɛs/ [rakɛs]

/fɛtsix/ [fɛtsix]

/taxrir/ [taxr̥irʲ]

/mafraf/ [mafr̥af]

/riskis/ [risʲkisʲ]

/rɔas/ [rɔas]

/xunxu/ [xunxu]

/fɔsxas/ [fɔsxas]

/xusʟax/ [xusʟ̥ax]

/sasŋas/ [sasŋas]

/ŋuŋta/ [ŋuŋta]

/iti/ [itʲi]

/finxa/ [finʲxa]

/fufi/ [fufi]

/imtuk/ [imtuk]

/xixkɛf/ [xixkɛf]


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