Vowel Harmony in Nilo-Saharan Languages

Oxford University Press eBooks, pp. 610–624

Abstract

Abstract Almost 70 Nilo-Saharan languages are cited in this chapter, several of which are mentioned because of a particular behavior in their vowel harmony (VH) system, whereas others are treated more elaborately with sets of examples. The great majority of the Nilo-Saharan languages have vowel systems with VH based on the feature [ATR]. Several subtypes are found: (1) languages with nine or 10 contrastive vowels; and (2) languages with seven contrastive vowels and two or three allophones, which results in the same nine or 10 surface vowels. There are languages which synchronically have a seven-vowel system, but the literature on these languages points to a historical nine-vowel system for all of them. The [+ATR] value is normally dominant. The behavior of the [–ATR] vowel /a/ in a [+ATR] environment may differ from language to language. Other features found in relation to [+ATR] vowels and VH are breathiness and expanded pharynx.

Authors 1

1. Constance Kutsch Lojenga corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Summer Institute of Linguistics, Leiden University, The Netherlands