Į̄mχɛ̱́ phonology

Main article: Į̄mχɛ̱́

This page gives an extensive description of Į̄mχɛ̱́ phonological features.

Consonants

The consonant system distinguishes 33 phonemes, traditionally arranged in the following scheme:

		IPA			Transcription
plosive	voiceless	[p]	[k]	[t]	p	k	t
	voiced	[b]	[g]	[d]	b	g	d
	palatal	[c]		[ɟ]	c		ɟ
nasal		[m]		[n]	m		n
		[mʲ]		[nʲ]	ḿ		ń
liquid		[r]		[rʲ]	r		ŕ
fricative	sibilant		[s]			s
	velar		[x]			x
	glottal		[h]			h
	retroflex	[ʂ]		[ʐ]	ʂ		ʐ
	palato-alveolar	[ʃ]		[ʒ]	š		ž
	palato-sibilant		[ɕ]			ɕ
	palatal	[ç]		[ʝ]	ç		ʝ
	uvular	[χ]		[ʁ]	χ		ř
	dental	[θ]		[ð]	θ		ð
	bilabial		[β]			β
affricate		[ʧ]		[ʤ]	č		ǧ
approximant		[j]		[w]	j		w

The group of the plosive consonants is essentially rich and distinguishes three sub-groups: voiceless, voiced, and palatal.

The group of the nasal is substantially poorer, but anyway quite developed, with unpalatalized and palatalized variants. The group of the liquid consonant is even scarcer, with a single phoneme [r] and its palatalized variant [rʲ].

The group of the fricative consonants is overall rich in its large amount of phoneme and of points of articulation, with an extensive distinction between voiced and voiceless phonemes. The phonemes [j] and [w] have a full consonantal value and they are never regarded as semivowels.

Vowels

There are 14 vocalic phonemes.

IPA

Transcription

[i]

[y]

[ɨ]

[u]

ı

y

į

u

[ʊ]

ư

[e]

[ə]

[o]

e

ə

o

[ɛ]

[œ]

[ʌ]

[ɔ]

ɛ

ø

ǫ

ɔ

[a]

[ɑ]

a

ɑ

Aside from the composite distinction in height, backness and roundness, all vowels are framed in an elaborate tonal system, with multiple tone distinctions. This tonal system is thoroughly described below.

Tones

All vowels clearly display a distinctive feature: the tone.

ðɛ̄ - ðɛ́ - ðɛ̱́
eagle - to say - to cultivate

There are 18 possible tonal distinctions, that can be expressed on every single vowel. These distinctions arise from tone leves and falling or rising features among these leves. The five distinguished tone leves are marked by a numeral sign:

• [V⁵], high level
• [V⁴], high-mid level
• [V³], mid level
• [V²], mid-low level
• [V¹], low level

The high tone, the mid tone and the low tone are regarded as primary levels, while the high-mid level and the mid-low level are called middle levels.

Primary levels produce three tones, called linear (as a graphic example of the tones, the vowel [a] is used):

• [V⁵⁵]: ā
• [V³³]: a
• [V¹¹]: a̱

Conversely, middle levels cannot produce any linear tones.

Tones can be expressed by an alteration of the level value. This kind of tones is called uneven tones. If the tone is altered towards an higher level, they are called rising tones, while if the tone is altered towards a lower level, they are called falling tones:

Rising tones:

• [V³⁵]: á
• [V²⁵]: ā́
• [V¹⁴]: a̱̋
• [V¹³]: á̱

Falling tones:

• [V⁵³]: ā̀
• [V⁵²]: ā̏
• [V⁴¹]: ȁ̱
• [V³¹]: à

Another tonal distinction is expressed by two types of alterations in tone levels. This kind of tones is called spike tones. If the spike is altered towards an higher level, they are called apex tones, while if the spike is altered towards a lower level, they are called bottom tones:

Apex tones:

• [V⁴⁵³]: ā̂
• [V³⁵⁴]: ā̃
• [V¹³²]: â
• [V²³¹]: â̱

Bottom tones:

• [V⁵³⁴]: ǎ
• [V⁴³⁵]: ā̌
• [V³¹²]: ã̱
• [V²¹³]: ǎ̱

The incidence of every tone is not homogenous among the words. Some of the tones are considerably less widespread than others. Generally speaking, linear tones are the most widespread, while the uneven tones are the second commonest. Spike tones are the least widespread.