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* <small><sup>1</sup></small> The plain plosives /b d g/, the prenasalised plosives /<sup><small>m</small></sup>b <sup><small>n</small></sup>d <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>g/ and the non-glottal fricatives /v z/ are pronounced voicelessly in a register called '''''nenge la''''', which, at any one time, is spoken by most speakers: [p t k], [<sup><small>m</small></sup>p <sup><small>n</small></sup>t <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>k], [f s]. The voiced pronunciation is only used in a register called '''''nenge hu''''', which is exclusively spoken by men who have passed initiation. The early missionaries who first described and wrote down the language were only allowed contact with initiated men, which is why the voiced allophones, although used by less than half of the speakers, are traditionally used to describe these phonemes. | * <small><sup>1</sup></small> The plain plosives /b d g/, the prenasalised plosives /<sup><small>m</small></sup>b <sup><small>n</small></sup>d <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>g/ and the non-glottal fricatives /v z/ are pronounced voicelessly in a register called '''''nenge la''''', which, at any one time, is spoken by most speakers: [p t k], [<sup><small>m</small></sup>p <sup><small>n</small></sup>t <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>k], [f s]. The voiced pronunciation is only used in a register called '''''nenge hu''''', which is exclusively spoken by men who have passed initiation. The early missionaries who first described and wrote down the language were only allowed contact with initiated men, which is why the voiced allophones, although used by less than half of the speakers, are traditionally used to describe these phonemes. | ||
* <small><sup>2</sup></small> In '''''nenge hu''''', /d/ is frequently pronounced as a tap or flap [ɾ] when before an unstressed vowel. | * <small><sup>2</sup></small> In '''''nenge hu''''', /d/ is frequently pronounced as a tap or flap [ɾ] when before an unstressed vowel. | ||
* <small><sup>3</sup></small> ''Post pausa'', the prenasalised plosives /<sup><small>m</small></sup>b <sup><small>n</small></sup>d <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>g/ are preceded by a syllabic nasal [m̩.p n̩.t ŋ̩.k] or [m̩.b n̩.d ŋ̩.g]. When immediately following a vowel, the nasalised onset can phonetically be regarded as belonging to the previous syllable Some speakers of '''''nenge hu''''' | * <small><sup>3</sup></small> ''Post pausa'', the prenasalised plosives /<sup><small>m</small></sup>b <sup><small>n</small></sup>d <sup><small>ŋ</small></sup>g/ are preceded by a syllabic nasal [m̩.p n̩.t ŋ̩.k] or [m̩.b n̩.d ŋ̩.g]. When immediately following a vowel, the nasalised onset can phonetically be regarded as belonging to the previous syllable. Some speakers of '''''nenge hu''''' pronounce the prenasalised plosives in all positions as geminate nasals [mː nː ŋː]. This same tendency in '''''nenge la''''' retains the lack of voicing during the release into the vowel, causing these to sound like [mh nh ŋh]. | ||
* <small><sup>4</sup></small> /j/ has a palatalising effect on preceding consonants, especially alveolar consonants and /h/. The sequence /hj/ is pronounced [ç]. The sequences /dj <sup><small>n</small></sup>dj nj zj lj/ generally end up pronounced towards [t͡ɕ~d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡ɕ~d͡ʒ ɲ ɕ~ʒ ʎ]. This effect on obstruents tends to be stronger in '''''nenge hu''''', resulting in postalveolar [d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ] whereas '''''nenge la''''' tends to use palatalised [t͡ɕ <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡ɕ ɕ] or [t͡s<small><sup>j</sup></small> <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡s<small><sup>j</sup></small> s<small><sup>j</sup></small>]. Three additional phonemes */d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ/ are sometimes suggested in order to explain the presence of a contrast between plain and palatalised pronunciations of /d <sup><small>n</small></sup>d z/ before /i/, while the sequence /ji/ is elswhere prohobited. Analyses that do not posit these extra phonemes simply allow /ji/ to appear in this location. | * <small><sup>4</sup></small> /j/ has a palatalising effect on preceding consonants, especially alveolar consonants and /h/. The sequence /hj/ is pronounced [ç]. The sequences /dj <sup><small>n</small></sup>dj nj zj lj/ generally end up pronounced towards [t͡ɕ~d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡ɕ~d͡ʒ ɲ ɕ~ʒ ʎ]. This effect on obstruents tends to be stronger in '''''nenge hu''''', resulting in postalveolar [d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ] whereas '''''nenge la''''' tends to use palatalised [t͡ɕ <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡ɕ ɕ] or [t͡s<small><sup>j</sup></small> <sup><small>n</small></sup>t͡s<small><sup>j</sup></small> s<small><sup>j</sup></small>]. Three additional phonemes */d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ/ are sometimes suggested in order to explain the presence of a contrast between plain and palatalised pronunciations of /d <sup><small>n</small></sup>d z/ before /i/, while the sequence /ji/ is elswhere prohobited. Analyses that do not posit these extra phonemes simply allow /ji/ to appear in this location. | ||
* <small><sup>5</sup></small> /w/ has a labialising effect on preceding consonants, with /hw/ most notably being pronounced [ʍ]. | * <small><sup>5</sup></small> /w/ has a labialising effect on preceding consonants, with /hw/ most notably being pronounced [ʍ]. | ||