Pı̀ phonology

Main article: Pı̀

This page gives an extensive description of Pı̀ phonological features.

Consonants

The consonant system distinguishes 20 phonemes, traditionally arranged in the following scheme:

		IPA			Transcription
plosive	voiceless	[p]	[k]	[t]	p	k	t
	voiced	[b]		[g]	b		g
nasal		[m]	[n]	[ɲ]	m	n	ñ
liquid			[r]			r
fricative	sibilant		[s]			s
	velar		[x]			x
	glottal		[h]			h
	palato-alveolar	[ʃ]		[ʒ]	š		ž
	palato-sibilant		[ɕ]			ɕ
	palatal		[ç]			ç
	labio-dental		[f]			f
affricate		[ʦ]		[ʧ]	c		č
approximant			[j]			j

The group of the plosive consonants is essentially well developed and distinguishes two sub-groups: voiceless and voiced.

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

The group of the fricative consonants is overall well developed and rich in points of articulation, but it displays no distinction between voiced and voiceless phonemes, except in the sub-group of the palato-alveolar consonants.

There are two affricate consonants and only one approximant phoneme, [j], which has a full consonantal value and it is never regarded as a semivowel.

Vowels

There are 13 vocalic phonemes.

IPA

Transcription

[i]

[u]

ı

u

[ɪ]

[ʊ]

ɪ

ʊ

[e]

[ə]

[o]

e

ə

o

[ɛ]

[œ]

[ɔ]

ɛ

ø

ɔ

[æ]

[ɑ]

æ

ɑ

[a]

a

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.

bɑ̄̀ - bɑ̀ - bɑ̱
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.