Potawatomi Language - Sounds

Sounds

In this article, the phonology of the Northern dialect is described, which differs somewhat from that of the Southern dialect spoken in Kansas.

There are five vowel phonemes (plus four diphthongs) and nineteen consonant phonemes.

<é>, which is often written as , represents an open-mid front unrounded vowel, /ɛ/. represents the schwa, /ə/, which has several allophonic variants. Before /n/, it becomes, before /k/, /ɡ/, and /ʔ/, and word-finally, it is . is pronounced /u/ in Michigan, and /o/ elsewhere; when it is in a closed syllable, it is pronounced . There are also four diphthongs, /ɛj ɛw əj əw/, spelled <éy éw ey ew>. Phonemic /əj əw/ are realized as .

The obstruents, as in many Algonquian languages, do not have a voicing distinction per se, but rather what is better termed a "strong"/"weak" distinction. "Strong" consonants, written as voiceless (

), are always voiceless, are often aspirated, and are longer in duration than the "weak" consonants, which are written as voiced () and are often voiced and are never aspirated. Nasals before another consonant become syllabic. /t/, /d/, and /n/ are dental: .

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