 e |
|
|
ze |
`slept
(uncertain) |
| a |
msamo |
`fearless’ |
pa |
`keep’ |
|
|
| (f) e
+ (i, u, o, a) |
| ei |
|
|
kamei |
`postage’ |
| eu |
weceulo |
`go
through’ |
aqeś |
`servant’ |
| eo |
|
|
ileo |
`retire’ |
| ea |
lizeame |
`market
place’ |
pea |
`possess’ |
|
|
| (iii) The
vowels in V2 position with the privilege of occurring with different
vowels in V1 position. Excepting ö all vowels can occur in V2 position.
|
| (g)
(u, ö, i, e, a, o) + a |
| ua |
zualo |
`to
resemble another person’ |
ithulua |
`was
seeing’ |
| a |
msamo |
`fearless’ |
pöa |
`keep’ |
| ia |
pialo |
`continue
to speak’ |
aFamia |
`hell’ |
| ea |
lizeme |
`market
place’ |
pea |
`possess’ |
| aa |
aalķmģ |
`land
lady’ |
aa |
`place’ |
| oa |
 unoalaw |
`more
over’ |
akunoa |
`address’ |
|
|
| (h) (u,
ö, i, e, a, o) + i |
| ui |
ueuic |
`silent’ |
chui |
`metal’ |
| i |
kha |
`dissolve’ |
iniki |
`does
not heed’ |
| ii |
ciili |
`earthquake’ |
nonii |
`damp’ |
| ei |
|
|
kamei |
`postage’ |
| oi |
oiso |
`to
continue to live’ |
oi |
`to
draw attention’ |
|
|
| (i) (i,
ö, i, e, a, o) + u |
| uu |
kuuthi |
`kidney
beans’ |
atuu |
`boar’ |
| u |
zuwele |
`sleep
(request)’ |
zu |
`before’ |
| iu |
|
|
thiś |
`behind’ |
| eu |
weceulo |
`go
through’ |
hekboden |
`despair’ |
| ou |
|
|
tuchÓu |
`male
nurse’ |
|
|
| (j)
(u, ö, i, o) + e |
| ue |
cśe |
`ate’ |
| *e |
ze |
`slept
(uncertain) |
| ie |
hephopie |
`describe’ |
| oe |
soe |
`difficult’ |
| ae |
mlae |
`could
not’ |
|
|
| (i)
(u, o, e, a,) + o |
| uo |
akuoci |
`necklace’ |
kusśo |
`long’ |
| oo |
wooto |
`to
arrive’ |
|
|
| eo |
|
|
ileo |
`retire’ |
|
|
| From
the examples of the vowel clusters given above could be seen that
certain vowel clusters do not occur in this medial position. These
are: |
| (i) e
in V2 position does not occur after any vowel |
| (ii) e
in V1 position does not occur before i, o, a, |
| (iii)
u in V2 position does not occur after i, o, |
| (iv)
a in V1 position does not occur before a, o, though cluster is
available in word-initial and word final position. |
| (v) a
cluster of oo does not occur in word-final position. These in brief
are the phonotactics of Sema. |
| 2.3.
SYLLABIC PATTERN |
Respiration
is the basis of Syllable. The Syllable producing movement of the respiratory
muscles has been called a chest pulse because the inter coastal muscles
in the chest are responsible for it. At least one such movement must
be involved in whatever is said. At least one such movement must be
involved in whatever expels a small amount of air from the lungs.
This air escapes in a relatively free and unrestricted passage and
it is in this movement of the least restriction in the sequence of
movements that makes up the syllable, that is vowel. The vowel carries
the chest pulse. Thus a syllable is essentially a movement of the
speech organs and not a characteristic feature of the speech sound,
though in a given language, the sounds will contain clues to the occurrence
of the syllable producing movement.
|
