Verse:Mwail/Qocwane

Phonology

Consonants in Nuosu

		Labial	Alveolar		Retroflex	(Alveolo-) Palatal	Velar	Glottal
			plain	sibilant
Nasal	unvoiced	(m̥) IPA(key): ⟨hm⟩	(n̥) IPA(key): ⟨hn⟩
	voiced	(m) IPA(key): ⟨m⟩	(n) IPA(key): ⟨n⟩			(ɲ) IPA(key): ⟨ny⟩	(ŋ) IPA(key): ⟨ng⟩
Stop/ Affricate	unvoiced	(p) IPA(key): ⟨b⟩	(t) IPA(key): ⟨d⟩	(ts) IPA(key): ⟨z⟩	(ʈʂ) IPA(key): ⟨zh⟩	(tɕ) IPA(key): ⟨j⟩	(k) IPA(key): ⟨g⟩
	aspirated	(pʰ) IPA(key): ⟨p⟩	(tʰ) IPA(key): ⟨t⟩	(tsʰ) IPA(key): ⟨c⟩	(ʈʂʰ) IPA(key): ⟨ch⟩	(tɕʰ) IPA(key): ⟨q⟩	(kʰ) IPA(key): ⟨k⟩
	voiced	(b) IPA(key): ⟨bb⟩	(d) IPA(key): ⟨dd⟩	(dz) IPA(key): ⟨zz⟩	(ɖʐ) IPA(key): ⟨rr⟩	(dʑ) IPA(key): ⟨jj⟩	(ɡ) IPA(key): ⟨gg⟩
	prenasalized	(ᵐb) IPA(key): ⟨nb⟩	(ⁿd) IPA(key): ⟨nd⟩	(ⁿdz) IPA(key): ⟨nz⟩	(ᶯɖʐ) IPA(key): ⟨nr⟩	(ᶮdʑ) IPA(key): ⟨nj⟩	(ᵑɡ) IPA(key): ⟨mg⟩
Continuant	unvoiced	(f) IPA(key): ⟨f⟩	(l̥) IPA(key): ⟨hl⟩	(s) IPA(key): ⟨s⟩	(ʂ) IPA(key): ⟨sh⟩	(ɕ) IPA(key): ⟨x⟩	(x) IPA(key): ⟨h⟩	(h) IPA(key): ⟨hx⟩
	voiced	(v) IPA(key): ⟨v⟩	(l) IPA(key): ⟨l⟩	(z) IPA(key): ⟨ss⟩	(ʐ) IPA(key): ⟨r⟩	(ʑ) IPA(key): ⟨y⟩	(ɣ) IPA(key): ⟨w⟩

Vowels

Vowels in Nuosu

		Front	Non-front
			unrounded	rounded
Syllabic consonant	loose		(z̩) IPA(key): ⟨y⟩	(v̩ʷ) IPA(key): ⟨u⟩
	tight		(z̠̩) IPA(key): ⟨yr⟩	(v̠̩ʷ) IPA(key): ⟨ur⟩
Close	loose	(e̝) IPA(key): ⟨i⟩	(ɤ̝) IPA(key): ⟨e⟩	(o̝) IPA(key): ⟨o⟩
Open-mid	tight	(ɛ) IPA(key): ⟨Template:Not a typo⟩		(ɔ) IPA(key): ⟨uo⟩
Open			(a) IPA(key): ⟨a⟩

Nuosu has five pairs of phonemic vowels, contrasting in a feature Andy Eatough calls loose throat vs. tight throat. Underlining is used as an ad-hoc symbol for tight throat; phonetically, these vowels are laryngealized and/or show a retracted tongue root. Loose vs. tight throat is the only distinction in the two pairs of syllabic consonants, but in the vocoids it is reinforced by a height difference.Template:R

The syllabic consonants Template:Transliteration are essentially the usual Sinological vowels ɿ ʮ, so ⟨y⟩ can be identified with the vowel of the Mandarin 四 Template:Transliteration "four", but they have diverse realizations. Template:Transliteration completely assimilates to a preceding coronal except in voice, e.g. /ɕz̩˨˩/ [ɕʑ̩˨˩] ꑮ Template:Transliteration "to marry", and is [m͡l̩] after a labial nasal, e.g. /m̥z̩˧sz̩˧/ [m̥m͡l̩˧sɹ̩˧] ꂪꌦ Template:Transliteration "cloth". Template:Transliteration assimilates similarly after laterals, retaining its rounding, e.g. /l̥v̩ʷ˧/ [l̥l̩ʷ˧] ꆭ Template:Transliteration "to stir-fry", and is [m̩ʷ] after a labial nasal, e.g. /m̥v̩ʷ˧/ [m̥m̩ʷ˧] ꂥ Template:Transliteration "mushroom"; moreover it induces a labially trilled release of preceding labial or alveolar stops, e.g. /ⁿdv̩ʷ˨˩/ [ⁿd^ʙβ̩˨˩] ꅥ Template:Transliteration "to hit".

The tight-throat phone [ɤ̝] occurs as the realization of /ɤ̝/ in the high tone. That it is phonemically loose-throat is shown by its behaviour in tightness harmony in compound words.

Polynuosu syllable structure is (C)V.