Open AccessThe phonology of vocalic height in Kikuria
Author(s) -
Chacha Nyaigotti Chacha,
David Odden
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
studies in african linguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.178
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2154-428X
pISSN - 0039-3533
DOI - 10.32473/sal.v27i2.107382
Subject(s) - vowel harmony , bantu languages , phonology , linguistics , vowel , phonological rule , harmony (music) , mid vowel , mathematics , art , philosophy , formant , musical , visual arts
Vowel height harmony is common in Bantu languages, but the language Kikuria has a particularly rich system of vowel height alternations, which are described in this paper. Included in the height-related phonology of the language are three regressive height harmonies and one progressive harmony. Certain of these processes are triggered by glides and palatal consonants, while for other processes these consonants are transparent, and stem-initial vowels behave exceptionally for some, but not all, of these processes.