Tam`q
SQ = Standard Qatama TQ = Tam’q Qatama
Contents
Phonology
Consonants
| Labial | Coronal | Palatal | Dorsal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stops | t | d | k | g | ||
| Nasals | m | n | ŋ | |||
| Approximants | l | j | ||||
| Fricatives | ʃ ~ ʒ | χ ~ ʁ | ||||
| Affricates | (t)ʃ | |||||
| Trills | r ~ ɾ | |||||
SQ onset /q/ has merged with /k/. TQ /χ/ subsumes SQ coda /q/, /h/ and /ʔ/. /χ/ still has a vocalic allophone [ə] between consonants. Between vowels, /χ/ becomes [ʁ].
The realization of /k/ and /g/ depends on its position within the word and whether or not the syllable is stressed. /k/ is [g] if word-internal and unstressed, and /g/ becomes [Ø] if word-internal and unstressed. This usually results in allophonic diphthongs or long vowels. Unstressed intervocalic /t/ becomes [d].
SQ /tɬ/ has become /(t)ʃ/. [ʃ] is also an allophone of [ʒ] preceding voiceless consonants.
Syllables with /k/, /g/, /m/ + /j/, /w/ lose their initial consonant.
The /l/ in the definite article /al/ is assimilated if the following word begins with a coronal consonant.
SQ /ʒr/ is often realized as [ʒ:].
Vowels
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| a | u |
SQ /o/ has merged with /u/.
Unstressed /a/ is often realized as [ə] and sometimes dropped.
Both vowels become nasalized _NC or _N#. /ã/ is often [ɑ̃]
The dropping of [ə] depends on the number of syllables in the word.
Stress
Stress falls on a word’s first syllable or on its first non-(C)V-syllable.
Pronouns treated differently?
Sample words
tam’q [təˈməχ]
aja [ˈaʒə]
daya [ˈdajə]
m’hu [ˈməχu]
anha [ˈɑ̃χə] (/a/ nasalized)
tlaga [ˈʃaə] or [ˈʃa:] (/g/ dropped)
g`tla [ˈgəʃə]
taruya [ˈtaɾuj(ə)]
muga [ˈmuə] (/g/ dropped)
anyaga [ˈɑ̃jə:] (/g/ dropped creating [əə] becoming [ə:], /a/ nasalized)
komuga [ˈkumuə] (/g/ dropped)
kangha [ˈkɑ̃χə]
mungra [ˈmũɾə]
mura [ˈmuɾə]
okada [ˈugdə] (/k/ becomes [g], middle [ə] dropped)
onyom [ũˈjũ] (both /u/’s are nasalized)
gumahu [ˈgũʁu] (first the [ə] is dropped, creating the syllable /gum/, which becomes [gũ])
amahaq [əməˈʁaχ], possibly [məˈʁaʁ]
ongoq [uˈŋuχ]
tajum [təˈʒũ]
tangaq [təˈŋaχ]
galam [gəˈlɑ̃] (/g/ not dropped since it is word-initial)
kayata [ˈkajdə] (/k/ not [g] since it is word-initial, dropping of middle [ə], unstressed intervocalic /t/ becomes [d])
maqla [ˈmaʁl(ə)]
guaja [ˈwaʒə] ([gw] becomes [w])
mugun [muˈgũ] (/g/ not dropped, because it is stressed)
Sample sentences
tamu kojra al mung = lit. "house loves the woman" = the woman loves (the) house
[ˈtamu ˈkuʒːəl ˈmũ]
al tamu taha = lit. "the house big" = the big house
[əˈtːamu ˈtaχə]
kogra nara al kama aj tanga aj munu m`ta ung gun ta | oyo tamu m`nara uja ung g`tam naya
[ˈkurːə ˈnarə lˈkamə aʃ ˈtaŋə ʒˈmunu ˈmətə ŋˈɡun tə || ˈuyu ˈtamu ˈmənrə ˈujə ˈuŋ ɡəˈtam ˈnayə]
"to-meet 3PL ART village of family of sister POSS-1SG PAST travel 1SG | DIM-ART home POSS-3PL but/however PAST happy 3SG-F"
I went to the village of my sister and her family to meet with them. Their house was very poor, but she seemed happy anyway.
noj muna kuj gun ta = lit. "with care must walk I" = I must walk carefully
[ˌnuʒ ˈmunə ˌkuʒ ˈɡun tə] (or ["ɡun də]?)
al tajala ungla gaq taka = lit. "the sauce did.not eat we" = We did not eat the sauce
[əˈtːaʒl ˈuŋlə ˌɡəχ ˈtaɡə]
kya naj tamu m`ga mua = lit. "IMP to house your go" = Go to your house!
[ˈja nəʃ ˈtamu məː ˈwa] (possibly [tam:ə:]?)
kya mada naj um kama = lit. "IMP return to EMPH village" = Come back to the village!
[ˈja ˌmadə nəʒ ũˈkamə]
