The Phonology of I nor: Phonological Processes
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
35 consonant phonemes, 8 vowels along with their long counterparts and two falling are
recognized in Inor. The consonants /ɲ/ and /r/ do not occur word-initially. Sequences
of two consonants are allowed word-initially, they also occur in word-medial and -final
positions. Consonant clusters with more than two members are usually not permitted,
except in the word ɁarβɁət ‘four’, in which three consonants are observed sequentially at
word-medial position. In Inor, consonant gemmination is rare. Inor has a few allophonic
consonants, such as [n, r, r,̃ j] are allophones of /n/ and [j, ɲ] as allophones of /ɲ/.
With regard to vowels, /u/ does not occur at word initially; /ɛ/ does not occur wordinitially
and -finally. The remaining vowels occur everywhere.
The processes that are identified in Inor phonology are labialization, palatalization,
nasalization, spirantization, glottalization, voicing, and metathesis with regard to
consonants and rounding, lengthening, rising, and backing with regard to vowels.
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phonemes, 8 vowels along with their long counterparts