Re: Phonotactics of Velian I, or: Phonology of Velian II: The Wrath of John Vertical ;-)
| From: | R A Brown <ray@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Saturday, July 7, 2007, 6:52 |
|---|
Andreas Johansson wrote:
> Quoting R A Brown <ray@...>:
>
>
>>Andreas Johansson wrote:
[snip]
>>>Xhosa has words like _mntu_ (meaning "human" I think), and while I don't
>>
>>know
>>
>>>exactly how that is pronounced,
>>
>>Actually it's _umntu_ (plural: abantu). The word is two syllables (three
>>syllables in the plural, of course): um-ntu. The _nt_ is prenasalized
>>dental plosive.
>
>
> Hm. Googling for "mntu" I find Xhosa texts* containing it ... but apparently
> only following words ending in a vowel. Elision?
I guess so. I think my "Xhosa - a Concise Manual" is a little too
concise at times. It definitely gives the word as _umntu_ (singular) ~
abantu (plural). But I am wondering about the pronunciation of the
singular form now.
After I sent the mail, it occurred to me a feature of the Bantu
languages is that syllables are always open or unblocked (Swahili does
have some blocked syllables but, I am fairly certain, only in borrowings
from Arabic, English etc).
I find that in Zulu, which is closely related to Xhosa, the words in
question are: umuntu /u.mu.ntu/ ~ abantu /a.ba.ntu/. This makes me think
that the Xhosa _umntu_ is actually three syllable, namely /u.m.ntu/
Anyway, syllabic nasals are certainly found in Swahili and I think in
some other Bantu langs, as well as prenasalized plosives.
--
Ray
==================================
ray@carolandray.plus.com
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
==================================
Nid rhy hen neb i ddysgu.
There's none too old to learn.
[WELSH PROVERB]
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