Re: OT: "Tracheal" consonants: a curiosity?

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 17:53:04 -0400, # 1 <salut_vous_autre@...> wrote:

>>As to which languages use epiglottals - they have been reported to
>>occur in Arabic, Salishan languages, Nootka, Somali, some Caucasian
>>languages, Dahalo (East Africa), Amis (Taiwan) - in fact many
>>instances previously reported as pharyngeals may in fact be realized
>>at least allophonically as epiglottals.
>>
>
>Are there oppositions between pharyngal and epiglottal consonants?
>
>Or pharyngal, glottal, and epiglottal consonants?
Allegedly some dialects of the Caucasian language Agul contrast pharyngeal
and epiglottal (and perhaps glottal). Certainly a glottal/epiglottal
contrast would be possible, since it is a variant of glottal/pharyngeal.

>
>>Epiglottalized vowels (as opposed to true epiglottal segments) have
>>also been reported in Ju|hoansi & !Xoo (both Khoesan) as well as
>>in Bai (Tibeto-Burman), and probably others that I can't recall off
>>the top of my head.
>>
>
>Isn't an epiglottalized vowels the same as a creaky voiced vowel? if not
>does it sound similar and is there a X-Sampa symbol?
They are nothing alike - creaky voiced (or glottalized) vowels contrast
with epiglottalized vowels in several Khoesan languages, and I don't
think they sound similar at all. There is no X-Sampa symbol for
epiglottalized that I am aware of, though you could use a raised
epiglottal (stop or fricative?) which is what I've seen in the IPA
literature, so maybe _?\ would serve.

Bfowol

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