/sU o/ |
‘listen(imp.)’ : |
/sÚo/ |
‘beautiful’
|
|
/koro/
|
‘new’ :
|
/kóro/
|
‘fog’
|
|
/la/
|
‘put on’ : |
/lá/
|
‘pick, put off’
|
|
/t ba/
|
‘ruined’ :
|
/tbá/
|
‘nature’
|
|
/tho/
|
‘was’ :
|
/thó/
|
‘knowledge’
|
/lo/
|
light’ : |
/ló/ |
‘iron, steel’ |
|
Contrast of Lenis and Geminates
|
|
/str/
|
‘veil’ :
|
/sttr/
|
‘seventy’
|
|
/bd€/
|
‘increases’ :
|
/bdd€/ |
‘ties’
|
|
/ a/
|
‘make(some- :
|
/a/ |
‘bus stops’
|
|
thing) fly’
|
|
|
|
/kIso/
|
‘how’ : |
/kIsso/ |
‘story, legend’ |
|
|
|
|
Vowels:
|
|
Vowels in the language are distinguished on the basis of (i) tongue
height, (ii) tongue position and (iii) lip position. There are ten vowel
phonemes in the language out of which four are front, four are back and
two are central vowels. Front and central vowels are unrounded and back
vowels are rounded. Lower high and mid central vowels are short vowels and
do not occur in the final position where as all the other vowels occur in
all the positions.
|
|
Following are the vowel phonemes:
|
|
/i/, high front unrounded tense vowel, occurs in all the positions.
|
|
/istri/
|
‘iron’
|
/diyo/
|
‘lamp’
|
/bdri/
|
‘belt’
|
|
|
/ti i/
|
‘cucumber’ |
/khei/
|
‘sandal, slipper’
|
|
|
/I/ Lower high front unrounded and lax vowel, occurs in the initial and
medial positions.
|
| /Iţ/
|
‘brick’
|
/tIllo/
|
‘coloured thread used in shoes etc.’
|
|
|
/Isaro/
|
‘signal,
|
hint’
|
/chIpro/
|
‘apron’
|
|
|
/e/ Mid front unrounded vowel occurs in all the positions.
|
| |
|
/ek/
|
‘one’
|
/bel/
|
‘creeper’
|
/ke/
|
‘what’
|
|
|
/ewẽ/
|
‘uselessly/
|
/sek/
|
‘heat’
|
/che/
|
‘six’
|
|
|
/€/
Lower mid front unrounded vowel occurs in all the positions.
|
|
/€ k/
|
‘spectacles’
|
/b€t/
|
‘cane’
|
/tr€/
|
‘three’
|
| /€rn/ |
‘anvil’ |
/r€mco/ |
‘spoon’ |
/k€/
|
‘vomiting’
|
|
|
// Mid central unrounded vowel and this vowel does
to occur only in
the word final position.
|
|
/fim/
|
‘opium’
|
/rs/
|
‘soup’
|
|
/l/
|
‘custard apple’
|
/rkabi/ |
‘saucer’
|
|
|
/a/ Low central unrounded vowel occurs in all the positions.
|
|
/alo/
|
‘nest’
|
/caku/
|
‘knife’
|
/ca/
|
‘tea’
|
|
/a o/
|
‘niche,
|
hole in
|
/jamo/
|
‘frock’
|
/ma/ ‘in’
|
|
the wall
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/u/ High back rounded tense vowel occurs in all the positions.
|
|
/ustro/
|
‘razor’
|
/thum/
|
‘garlic’
|
/tkku/
|
‘spindle’
|
|
/us/
|
‘heat’ |
/bu o/ |
‘tree,plant’ |
/nimbu/
|
‘lemon’
|
|
