Hawaiian Phonology - Consonants

Hawaiian has one of the smallest consonant inventories (Rotokas, the smallest, has 6) and one of the smallest phoneme inventories.

and are reported to be in free variation, although reports of could be a misinterpretation of unaspirated by English speakers.

There is basic free variation of and . However, since Hawaiian has no affricates, no fricative besides /h/, and no other stops besides /p/ and /ʔ/, any non-labial and non-glottal stop, fricative, or affricate, can function as a /k/. In essence, can all "work" as an allophone of /k/. Nevertheless, the main allophones noted by the missionaries in the 1820s, and by linguists, are and . Elbert & Pukui point out some instances of a allophone. Schütz conjectured that a t-dialect existed in the northwestern islands, and a k-dialect in the southeastern islands. Roberts documented a sound between 'th' and 'k' in free variation with 'k' among elders from O'ahu and Kaua'i.

There is some evidence for instances of free variation between and .

There is also free variation between (lateral), (tap), and (approximant). Elbert & Pukui have pointed out some instances of and as allophones. Schütz has conjectured that is prevalent in the northwestern islands and is prevalent in the southeastern islands.

There is free variation of and . Pukui & Elbert (1986:xvii) have conjectured that there is conditioned variation of and, but their use of "usually" makes their theory an admission of free variation. Schütz has conjectured that there was neither nor, but rather "something between the two". This is most likely, a labiodental approximant (see also Schütz's (1994:113) quotes from letter of Artemas Bishop.)

Carter has shown instances of synchronic alternation of every non-glottal Hawaiian consonant /p, k, m, n, l, w/ with glottal fricative /h/ and glottal stop /ʔ/. (See Hawaiian phonology#Glottal stop)

There are also instances of variation with zero allophones. For example: /huli/ ~ /hui/ ('turn'); /luhia/ ~ /luia/ ('variety of shark').