Re: A "minimalist" phonology...

--- Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...> wrote:

> Henrik Theiling wrote:
> > Ah, I like that a lot.  The language must sound very interesting.
> > I assume the language is pronounced /ad1g@/ then?
>
> I would guess that the vowels have front and back allophones.
They do. Abkhaz, another NW Caucasian language, has only two phonemic
vowels, but they show up as six allophones total, depending on if the
preceding consonant is neutral (a~@), palatized (e~i) or labiovelar
(o~u).

Bomhard's version of Nostratic has a three-vowel system with two
allophones each: a/@ e/i o/u. (ObConlang: so does Old Tech.)
Ilich-Svitych and Dolgopolsky, on the other hand, have seven-vowel
systems (a a" e i o u u").

~ D wrestling with Win Me ~

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