Pazeh Language - Phonology

Phonology

Pazeh has 17 consonants, 4 vowels, and 4 diphthongs (-ay, -aw, -uy, -iw).

1. /t/ and /d/ do not actually share the same place of articulation; /d/ is alveolar or prealveolar and /t/ (as well as /n/) is interdental. Other coronal consonants tend to be prealveolar or post-dental.
2. The distribution for the glottal stop is allophonic, appearing only between like vowels, before initial vowels, and after final vowels. It is also largely absent in normal speech
3. /ɡ/ is spirantized intervocalically
4. /z/ is actually an alveolar/prealveolar affricate and only occurs as a syllable onset.
5. /h/ varies between glottal and pharyngeal realizations and is sometimes difficult to distinguish from /x/

While Pazeh contrasts voiced and voiceless obstruents, this contrast is neutralized in final position for labial and velar stops, where only /p/ and /k/ occur respectively (/d/ is also devoiced but a contrast is maintained). /l/ and /n/ are also neutralized to the latter. Voiceless stops are unreleased in final position.

Mid vowels ( and ) are allophones of close vowels (/i/ and /u/ respectively).

• Both lower when adjacent to /h/.
• /u/ lowers before /ŋ/. and are in free variation before /ɾ/
• Reduplicated morphemes carry the phonetic vowel even when the reduplicated vowel is not in the phonological context for lowering.
  • /mutapitapih/ → ('keep clapping').

/a/ is somewhat advanced and raised when adjacent to /i/. Prevocally, high vowels are semivocalized. Most coronal consonants block this, although it still occurs after /s/. Semivowels also appear post-vocally.