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.