Hantza/Phonology: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with ":''See also: Hantza alphabet'' ==Consonants== There are eighteen consonant phonemes in Hantza. {| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="blueta...")
 
 
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:''See also: [[Hantza/Alphabet|Hantza alphabet]]''
:''See also: [[Hantza/Alphabet|Hantza alphabet]]''


==Consonants==
This article deals with the phonology and phonetics of [[Hantza]] and the statements made herein refer to the [[Hantza/Dialects#Karakum|Karakum]] dialect as this includes around 53% of native Hantza speakers. For specific traits of other dialects see [[Hantza/Dialects|Hantza dialects]]. Likewise, [[Hantza/Prosody|prosody]] is dealt with in a separate article.
 
==Consonant phonemes==
There are eighteen consonant phonemes in Hantza.
There are eighteen consonant phonemes in Hantza.
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In Hantza, /s/ is typically realised as the retracted [s̠] and, for many speakers, it is realised as [ɕ] before /i/. Similarly, /ts/ may become [tɕ] before /i/.
Note that the phoneme /g/ is missing in the plosive series.
 
Those consonants that exhibit allophony are discussed below.
 
==Consonantal allophony==
===Fricatives===
In Hantza, /s/ is typically realised as the retracted [s̠]. This phonetic value is similar to that found in some northern dialects of [[w:Dutch language|Dutch]]. To English speakers it may sound like it is actually the post-alveolar fricative [ʃ]. Indeed, for many speakers /s/ is realised as [ɕ] before /i/. Similarly, for these /ts/ also becomes [tɕ] before in the same environment.


The glottal fricative /h/ is realised differently depending on the vowel that follows it. These allophones are given in the table below:
The glottal fricative /h/ is realised differently depending on the vowel that follows it. These allophones are given in the table below:
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The single rhotic in Hantza /r/ also has a great many realisations but these differ according to [[/Dialects|dialect]]: [ɾ ~ ɹ ~ r ~ ʀ ~ ʁ ~ χ ~ x]. It is also often labialised before /o, u/.
Note that despite /h/ being referred to as "glottal" it most often not glottal phonetically.


The lateral /l/ is realised as a dark [ɫ] when followed by /k, h/ and as a clear [l] elsewhere.
===Liquids===
The single rhotic in Hantza /r/ also has a great many realisations [[Hantza/Dialects|cross-dialectically]]; this could be one of [ɹ ~ ɾ ~ r ~ ʀ ~ ʁ ~ χ ~ x]. The pronunciation of /r/ can also differ idiosyncratically from the dialectal norm.


==Vowels==
As with the glottal /h/, the rhotic phoneme /r/ is also often labialised before the vowels /o, u/.
Hantza's vowel inventory is a simple five-vowel system, similar to that of many modern languages, such as Greek and Swahili. Vowel length is not phonemic in Hantza and there are no diphthongs.
 
The lateral /l/ is realised as a dark [ɫ] when followed by /k, h/ and is a clear [l] elsewhere.
 
==Vowel phonemes==
Hantza's vowel inventory is a simple five-vowel system, similar to that of many modern languages, such as Greek and Swahili.


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In most dialects, with the exception of /a/, vowels do not undergo reduction when unstressed; /a/ is phonetically [ä] when stressed and [ɐ] when unstressed. The remaining four vowels /i, u, e, o/ are usually realised as [ɪ, ʉ, ɛ, ɔ].
Vowel length is not phonemic in Hantza and there are no diphthongs.
 
==Vocalic allophony==
In most dialects, including the Karakum, vowels are realised qualitatively different when unstressed.
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 198px; text-align:center;"
! style="width: 66px; " |
! style="width: 66px; " |/a/
! style="width: 66px; " |/e/
! style="width: 66px; " |/i/
! style="width: 66px; " |/o/
! style="width: 66px; " |/u/
|-
! Stressed
| [ä]
| [e]
| [i]
| [o]
| ]
|-
! Unstressed
| [ɐ]
| [ɛ]
| [ɪ]
| [ɔ]
| [ʊ̈]
|}
 
Note that this is not the case for all dialects.
 
{{Hantza}}

Latest revision as of 17:25, 30 August 2014

See also: Hantza alphabet

This article deals with the phonology and phonetics of Hantza and the statements made herein refer to the Karakum dialect as this includes around 53% of native Hantza speakers. For specific traits of other dialects see Hantza dialects. Likewise, prosody is dealt with in a separate article.

Consonant phonemes

There are eighteen consonant phonemes in Hantza.

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive p b t d k ʔ
Fricative f s h
Affricate t͡s d͡z
Approx. j w
Liquid r l

Note that the phoneme /g/ is missing in the plosive series.

Those consonants that exhibit allophony are discussed below.

Consonantal allophony

Fricatives

In Hantza, /s/ is typically realised as the retracted [s̠]. This phonetic value is similar to that found in some northern dialects of Dutch. To English speakers it may sound like it is actually the post-alveolar fricative [ʃ]. Indeed, for many speakers /s/ is realised as [ɕ] before /i/. Similarly, for these /ts/ also becomes [tɕ] before in the same environment.

The glottal fricative /h/ is realised differently depending on the vowel that follows it. These allophones are given in the table below:

Before /a/ Before /e, i/ Before /o, u/
Intervocalic [ħ̝] [ç] [ɦ̝ʷ]
Elsewhere [x̟] [ħ̝ʷ]

Note that despite /h/ being referred to as "glottal" it most often not glottal phonetically.

Liquids

The single rhotic in Hantza /r/ also has a great many realisations cross-dialectically; this could be one of [ɹ ~ ɾ ~ r ~ ʀ ~ ʁ ~ χ ~ x]. The pronunciation of /r/ can also differ idiosyncratically from the dialectal norm.

As with the glottal /h/, the rhotic phoneme /r/ is also often labialised before the vowels /o, u/.

The lateral /l/ is realised as a dark [ɫ] when followed by /k, h/ and is a clear [l] elsewhere.

Vowel phonemes

Hantza's vowel inventory is a simple five-vowel system, similar to that of many modern languages, such as Greek and Swahili.

Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a

Vowel length is not phonemic in Hantza and there are no diphthongs.

Vocalic allophony

In most dialects, including the Karakum, vowels are realised qualitatively different when unstressed.

/a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/
Stressed [ä] [e] [i] [o] [ʉ]
Unstressed [ɐ] [ɛ] [ɪ] [ɔ] [ʊ̈]

Note that this is not the case for all dialects.

The Hantza Language (VTE)
Orthography Hantza alphabet (Latin script)
Phonology IPA for HantzaPhonologyProsody
Grammar NounsNumeralsVerbsParticlesSyntaxDerivational morphology
Vocabulary Basic phrasesKinshipSwadesh list
Texts Test Case SentencesThe North Wind and the SunThe Lord's PrayerThe Tower of Babel
Other DialectsEthnologyDemography