Hantza/Phonology

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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

Consonantal allophony

Nasals

Nasals

Plosives

Plosives

Fricatives

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/.

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]

Affricates

Affricates

Approximants

Approximants

Liquids

The single rhotic in Hantza /r/ also has a great many realisations but these differ according to dialect: [ɾ ~ ɹ ~ r ~ ʀ ~ ʁ ~ χ ~ x]. It is also often labialised before /o, u/.

The lateral /l/ is realised as a dark [ɫ] when followed by /k, h/ and as 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. Vowel length is not phonemic in Hantza and there are no diphthongs.

Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a

Vocalic allophony

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].

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