Βaβar phonology

Main article: Βaβar

This page gives an extensive description of Βaβar phonological features.

Consonants

The consonant system distinguishes 30 phonemes, traditionally arranged in the following scheme:

		IPA		Transcription
ejective	alveolar	[tsʼ]	[tɬʼ]	tsʼ	tɬʼ
	velar	[kxʼ]		kxʼ
	retroflex	[ʈʂʼ]		ʈʂʼ
plosive	alveolar	[t]	[d]	t	d
	velar	[k]	[g]	k	g
	palatal	[c]	[ɟ]	ç	ɟ
	retroflex	[ʈ]	[ɖ]	ʈ	ɖ
	uvular	[q]		q
nasal	bilabial	[m]		m
	alveolar	[n]		n
	uvular	[ɴ]		ɴ
liquid		[r]		r
fricative	bilabial	[ɸ]	[β]	ɸ	β
	alveolar	[ð]		ð
	velar	[x]	[ɣ]	x	ɣ
sibilant	alveolar	[s]	[z]	s	z
	post-alveolar	[ʃ]	[ʒ]	š	ž
	retroflex	[ʂ]	[ʐ]	ʂ	ʐ
approximant		[j]	[w]	j	w

There is a well developed separate group of ejective consonants, which distinguishes three sub-group: alveolar, velar, and retroflex. The total amount of ejective phonemes is, however, four.

The group of the plosive consonants is essentially rich and distinguishes four sub-groups: alveolar, velar, palatal, retroflex, and uvular, even though the uvular include only the phoneme [q].

The group of the nasal is slighty poorer, but anyway quite developed, with the noteworthy presence of the uvular phoneme [ɴ]. The group of the liquid consonants is remarkably scarce, with the only phoneme [r].

The group of the fricative consonants is overall well developed, with three different points of articulation and a limited distinction between some voiced and voiceless phonemes. In the analysis, the group of the sibilant consonants is regarded as a separate group, with with three different points of articulation and an extensive distinction between voiced and voiceless phonemes too.

There is no affricate consonant. The phonemes [j] and [w] can have both a semivocalic and a full consonantal value.

Very importantly, both at a phonological and morphosyntactical level, all nasal and liquid consonant can function as syllabic nucleus, acquiring thus a syllabic value. In this case they are regarded as semivocalic consonants. This distinction, however, is not reflected in the written form, using the same letters as the full consonantal phonemes.

		IPA	Transcription
nasal	bilabial	[m̍]	m
	alveolar	[n̍]	n
	uvular	[ɴ̍]	ɴ
liquid		[r̍]	r

Vowels

There are 4 vocalic phonemes, which display other forms of distinction.

3 vowels have a short form and a long form. The mid-central phoneme, [ə], makes no distinction in length.

IPA						Transcription
[i]	[iː]			[u]	[uː]	i	ī			u	ū
		[ə]						ə
		[a]	[aː]					a	ā