SIL International Publications

Mundari Phonology

Relation Text: 
SIL Electronic Working Papers 2014-005
Statement of Responsibility: 
Stirtz, Timothy M
Issue Date: 
2014
Abstract: 
Mundari of South Sudan has 8 vowels and at least 19 vowel glides that function in [ATR] sets. There is partial (half) [+ATR] spreading onto mid vowels /É , É /, neutralization of plosive voicing word-finally, a word-final consonant constrain of /l/, and a vowel co-occurrence restriction in adjacent syllables of roots. In addition, Mundari has a significant amount of morphophonology, including bi-directional consonant assimilation, on-glide formation, polar tone, root tone replacement, bi-directional [+ATR] spreading, and vowel raising. Whereas Mundari has 8 vowel phonemes, the related languages of Bari and Kuku have 10 vowels, and this difference results in different vowel alternations for Mundari which can be explained by comparing the corresponding morphemes in these languages.
Extent: 
36 pages
Table of Contents: 
Abstract
Introduction
1 Consonants
1.1 Consonant distribution
1.2 Consonant contrasts
2 Vowels
2.1 Vowel distribution in word positions
2.2 Vowel contrasts
2.3 Functional load of [ATR]
2.4 Vowel distribution in adjacent syllables of roots
3 Syllable structure
4 Tone
5 Tone morphophonology
6 Consonant morphophonology
7 Vowel morphophonology
8 [ATR] morphophonology
8.1 Rightward [+ATR] spreading
8.2 Leftward [+ATR] spreading from roots to prefixes
8.3 Partial [+ATR] quality on /É /, /É /
8.4 Leftward [+ATR] spreading from suffixes to roots
8.5 Suffixes differing by vowel height
9 Summary
References
Subject: 
Phonological Description
Vowel Raising
Vowel Glides
Replacement Tone
Polar Tone
Neutralization
Assimilation
Advanced Tongue Root Partial Spreading
Country: 
South Sudan
Field: 
Subject Languages: 
Content Language: 
Nature of Work: 
Domain SubType: 
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