Re: [X] vs. [x]

Danny Wier wrote:

<<I checked the data I have (mostly found online) on North Caucasian -
Ubykh
did have velar and uvular fricatives, but the eleven other languages I
know
of (Abkhaz, Abaza, Adyghe, Kabardian, Chechen, Ingush, Avar, Lak,
Dargwa,
Lezgian, Tabasaran) don't make the distinction; the fricatives are all
uvular.>>

An addition to your survey: I checked data about Ossetian; it has only
uvular fricatives too. "Back tongue" consonants there are /k/, /g/,
/k_>/, /q/, /X/ and /R/. What indeed adds to confusion is that /q/ is
written as "kha + tverdyj znak"!

------------
Paul Roser wrote:

<<but Karbardian (and Adyghe) definitely makes the distinction [skip] In
Cyrillic <x> is velar, <x>+<tvordij znak*> is uvular.>>

On one hand, this may be a confusion: see the note about Ossetian
speling above; on the other hand, the material I have at my disposal
makes me to agree with you. Adyghe grammar sketch (the standard
Chirkassian lang used in Adyghea based on Temirgoy dialect) mentions
/x/, /X/ and /X_w/, Kabardian (actually, just another dialect of
Chirkassian used in Kabarda, according to their own ethnic
identification AFAIK) has /x_w/ in addition.

-- Yitzik