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Kukuya language

March 14, 2023

Not to be confused with Kukuya language (Papua New Guinea).

The Kukuya language, Kikukuya [kìkýkȳā], also transcribed Kukẅa and known as Southern Teke, is a member of the Teke dialect continuum of the Congolese plateau. It is the only language known to have a phonemic labiodental nasal /ɱ/. The name of the language comes from the word kuya "plateau".

Kukuya
Southern Teke
Native toRepublic of the Congo
RegionPlateaux Department
Native speakers
39,000 (2000)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3kkw
Glottologteke1280
B.77a[2]
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

Phonology

The five vowels are /i e~ɛ a o~ɔ u/, which may be long (double) or short. Other vowel sequences do not occur. /u/ is realised as [y] in the environment /ɲuni/ ([ɲyni]) and also before [j] or another [y], as in the name Kukuya [kýkȳā].

Consonant phonemes
Bilabial Labio-
Dental 		Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m ɱ n ɲ ŋ
Plosive Prenasalized ᵐpʰ ᵐb ⁿtʰ ⁿd ᵑkʰ ᵑɡ
Plain p b t d k~ɡ
Affricate Prenasalized ᶬp̪fʰ ᶬb̪v ⁿtsʰ ⁿdz
Plain p̪f b̪v ts dz
Fricative f s z~j (h)
Approximant l w


Prenasalized voiceless consonants are aspirated. Depending on speaker and region, the sound represented by ⟨y⟩ may be either [j] or [z], apart from the word "with", which is always [jà]. The labiodental nasal is realized as [ɱʷ] before /a/ and as [ɱ] before /i/ and /e/; Paulian (1975) suggests that this is due to a conflict between labialization and the spread front vowels. The velar stop is [k] word initially and typically [ɡ] between vowels; there is a similar alternation with [t] and [ɾ]. /mpf/, /ɱʷ/, /n/ and especially /d/ are uncommon. /h/ is found in a single highly frequent word, /hé/ ('also').

Cw sequences are rare and only occur before unrounded vowels; they include /tw/ [tɕɥ], /sw/ [ɕɥ], /ndzw/ [ndʒɥ], /jw/ [ʑɥ], /kw/ [kɥ]. (C cannot be /f, l/.) It may be possible that the frequent sounds [pf, bv, ɱʷ] (which occur before /i a u, i e a u, i e a/, respectively) are phonemically /pw, bw, mw/, but Paulian (1975) argues against this analysis. Cj sequences such as /pj, kj/ are also rare (a dozen cases) and only occur before /a/. It may be possible that the frequent sounds [ts, dz, ɲ] are phonemically /tj, dj, nj/, but they are not restricted as to following vowels and Paulian (1975) argues against this analysis. Diachronically, Kukwa affricates derive from stops before close vowels or vowel sequences, and /pf/ derives from *k rather than *p. The labiodentals are not found before /o/. /n/ is not attested before /u/, and /ŋ/ is not found in underived words before /i, u/.

Prenasalized affricates are generally transcribed mf, mv, ns, nz. Phonemic neutralization may occur when consonants are prenasalized:

N + /p, w/ → /mp/
N + /pf, f/ → /ɱp̪f/ ("mf")
N + /d, l/ → /nd/
N + /ts, s/ → /nts/ ("ns")
N + /dz, j/ → /ndz/ ("nz")

Syllables are primarily CV, with some CwV and CjV; vowel-initial syllables do not occur. Roots (not counting nominal prefixes and the like) are of the forms CV, CVV, CVCV, CVVCV, and CVCVCV. In the latter case, the middle vowel is neutralized. There are only six medial consonants, /k [ɡ], t [ɾ], n, m, l, p [b]/, and six combinations of medial C2C3 in the case of CVCVCV words, /–n–m, –t–p, –t–k, –l–p, –l–k, ?/.

Paulian (1975) posits both tone and stress, with tone being high or low, though not every syllable is assigned a tone: there are five word-tone patterns in the language. Vowels may carry two tones to accomplish this.

The labiodental nasal

A phonemic labiodental nasal, /ɱ/, has only been reported from this one language. It is "accompanied by strong protrusion of both lips", being [ɱʷ] before /a/ and [ɱ] before /i/ and /e/, perhaps because labialization is constrained by the spread front vowels; it does not occur before back (rounded) vowels.[3] However, there is some doubt that a true stop can be made by this gesture due to gaps between the incisors, which are filed to points by the Teke people and would allow air to flow during the occlusion;[4] this is particularly pertinent considering that one of the words with this consonant, /ɱáá/, means a 'gap between filed incisors'.[5] Because of these factors, Teke /ɱ/ might be better characterized as a labiodental nasal approximant ([ʋ̃] in IPA), rather than a nasal occlusive.

Given its rarity, it is worth providing some minimal pairs with other consonants:

ɱíì eyes, míì urine, pfìí small opening
kì-mààlà to complete the rest, kì-ɱààlà to laugh at
ɱé they (class 4), bvé they (class 8), fè bulb, mfê the cold
kì-ɱànàmà to rejoice, kì-bvànàmà to shake with fear
ɱáá gap between filed incisors, mbváá interval
ɱáanà baby, mà-mbvàànì to meet

Notes

  1. ^ Kukuya at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009.
  3. ^ Paulian (1975:57)
  4. ^ Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996:18)
  5. ^ Paulian (1975:40)

References

  • Ladefoged, Peter; Maddieson, Ian (1996). The Sounds of the World's Languages. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 978-0-631-19815-4.
  • Paulian, Christiane (1975), Le kukuya, langue teke du Congo: phonologie, classes nominales, Peeters Publishers, ISBN 2-85297-008-2

March 14, 2023
kukuya, language, confused, with, papua, guinea, kikukuya, kìkýkȳā, also, transcribed, kukẅa, known, southern, teke, member, teke, dialect, continuum, congolese, plateau, only, language, known, have, phonemic, labiodental, nasal, name, language, comes, from, w. Not to be confused with Kukuya language Papua New Guinea The Kukuya language Kikukuya kikykȳa also transcribed Kukẅa and known as Southern Teke is a member of the Teke dialect continuum of the Congolese plateau It is the only language known to have a phonemic labiodental nasal ɱ The name of the language comes from the word kuya plateau KukuyaSouthern TekeNative toRepublic of the CongoRegionPlateaux DepartmentNative speakers39 000 2000 1 Language familyNiger Congo Atlantic CongoBenue CongoSouthern BantoidBantu Zone B Teke B 70 KukuyaLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code kkw class extiw title iso639 3 kkw kkw a Glottologteke1280Guthrie codeB 77a 2 This article contains IPA phonetic symbols Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols instead of Unicode characters For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA Contents 1 Phonology 1 1 The labiodental nasal 2 Notes 3 ReferencesPhonology EditThe five vowels are i e ɛ a o ɔ u which may be long double or short Other vowel sequences do not occur u is realised as y in the environment ɲuni ɲyni and also before j or another y as in the name Kukuya kykȳa Consonant phonemes Bilabial Labio Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar GlottalNasal m ɱ n ɲ ŋPlosive Prenasalized ᵐpʰ ᵐb ⁿtʰ ⁿd ᵑkʰ ᵑɡPlain p b t d k ɡAffricate Prenasalized ᶬp fʰ ᶬb v ⁿtsʰ ⁿdzPlain p f b v ts dzFricative f s z j h Approximant l wPrenasalized voiceless consonants are aspirated Depending on speaker and region the sound represented by y may be either j or z apart from the word with which is always ja The labiodental nasal is realized as ɱʷ before a and as ɱ before i and e Paulian 1975 suggests that this is due to a conflict between labialization and the spread front vowels The velar stop is k word initially and typically ɡ between vowels there is a similar alternation with t and ɾ mpf ɱʷ n and especially d are uncommon h is found in a single highly frequent word he also Cw sequences are rare and only occur before unrounded vowels they include tw tɕɥ sw ɕɥ ndzw ndʒɥ jw ʑɥ kw kɥ C cannot be f l It may be possible that the frequent sounds pf bv ɱʷ which occur before i a u i e a u i e a respectively are phonemically pw bw mw but Paulian 1975 argues against this analysis Cj sequences such as pj kj are also rare a dozen cases and only occur before a It may be possible that the frequent sounds ts dz ɲ are phonemically tj dj nj but they are not restricted as to following vowels and Paulian 1975 argues against this analysis Diachronically Kukwa affricates derive from stops before close vowels or vowel sequences and pf derives from k rather than p The labiodentals are not found before o n is not attested before u and ŋ is not found in underived words before i u Prenasalized affricates are generally transcribed mf mv ns nz Phonemic neutralization may occur when consonants are prenasalized N p w mp N pf f ɱp f mf N d l nd N ts s nts ns N dz j ndz nz Syllables are primarily CV with some CwV and CjV vowel initial syllables do not occur Roots not counting nominal prefixes and the like are of the forms CV CVV CVCV CVVCV and CVCVCV In the latter case the middle vowel is neutralized There are only six medial consonants k ɡ t ɾ n m l p b and six combinations of medial C2C3 in the case of CVCVCV words n m t p t k l p l k Paulian 1975 posits both tone and stress with tone being high or low though not every syllable is assigned a tone there are five word tone patterns in the language Vowels may carry two tones to accomplish this The labiodental nasal Edit A phonemic labiodental nasal ɱ has only been reported from this one language It is accompanied by strong protrusion of both lips being ɱʷ before a and ɱ before i and e perhaps because labialization is constrained by the spread front vowels it does not occur before back rounded vowels 3 However there is some doubt that a true stop can be made by this gesture due to gaps between the incisors which are filed to points by the Teke people and would allow air to flow during the occlusion 4 this is particularly pertinent considering that one of the words with this consonant ɱaa means a gap between filed incisors 5 Because of these factors Teke ɱ might be better characterized as a labiodental nasal approximant ʋ in IPA rather than a nasal occlusive Given its rarity it is worth providing some minimal pairs with other consonants ɱii eyes mii urine pfii small opening ki maala to complete the rest ki ɱaala to laugh at ɱe they class 4 bve they class 8 fe bulb mfe the cold ki ɱanama to rejoice ki bvanama to shake with fear ɱaa gap between filed incisors mbvaa interval ɱaana baby ma mbvaani to meetNotes Edit Kukuya at Ethnologue 18th ed 2015 subscription required Jouni Filip Maho 2009 New Updated Guthrie List Online Paulian 1975 57 Ladefoged amp Maddieson 1996 18 Paulian 1975 40 References EditLadefoged Peter Maddieson Ian 1996 The Sounds of the World s Languages Oxford Blackwell ISBN 978 0 631 19815 4 Paulian Christiane 1975 Le kukuya langue teke du Congo phonologie classes nominales Peeters Publishers ISBN 2 85297 008 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kukuya language amp oldid 1144048137, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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