Phonology of the !Xũ dialect spoken in Ovamboland and western Kavango

Abstract

The dialect of !Xũ is spoken in north Namibian Kwanyama and Kwangali language areas. Sentences are units with a falling intonation contour (declarative) or non-failing (interrogative and non-final). In the non-final type, the intonation contour interferes with tonal patterns, in the others it does not. Words are stress groups which comprise a compulsory stressed element and optional unstressed elements. The stressed element is a root or part of a root. Syllables carry the tone (high, low, very high, or very low; or a combination: high-ending or lower-ending rise). The following are problems as to syllable boundaries: (a) Vowel combinations and double vowels. Those with change in vowel quality, i.e. a glide from breathy to clear accompanied by rising tone, are taken to be disyllabic. Otherwise temporary quantity decides, (b) Whether or not root medial consonant is distributed over two syllables, closing initial syllable. This is decided by analogy with the special vowel system occurring in closed syllables. There are restrictions in occurrence of consonants in open syllables: C → r and ŋ only in unstressed syllable; root medial C → only b,r,n,?,(m,s,x,w). The full range of vowels occurs in open syllables. Closed syllables either have no vowel, when a nasal does the work of a vowel, or have a vowel of a special, reduced, centralized set, where o and u are neutralized → rounded and a, e, and i → non-rounded vowel. There are restrictions in occurrence of final consonants: in monosyllables, only m and ŋ in the case of medial C distributed over two syllables, only b,r,n,?,m, and s.