Database

Amharic

Ethiopia; Afro-Asiatic, Semitic

Summary:
a. In words with initial 'rI', the vowel is optionally transposed.
b. In the casual verbs with initial 'a', metathesis is optionally observed.
c. Metathesis of two consonants across an intervening vowel is observed in some lexical items.

Examples:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)

a. In words with initial 'rI', the vowel is optionally transposed.

Irda

rIda

'help!'

Irkus

rIkus

'defiled'

b. In the casual verbs with initial 'a', metathesis is optionally observed.

aTiftwall

aTfiwall

'he has extinguished'

c. Metathesis of two consonants across an intervening vowel is observed in some lexical items.

seTTeme

semmeTe

'he sank'

gezzere

gerreze

'he circumcised'

Conditions:
No information currently available.

Motivation:
No information currently available.

Related Information:
No information currently available.

Symbols:
I = intermediate vowel between [u] and [i] but slightly nearer [i]
T = [t] modified by forcible ejection and presence of the glottal stop

Last Updated: 6/20/2007

References:

Abraham, R. C. 1968. The Principles of Amharic. Institute of African Studies. Lowe & Brydone: London.
Dawkins, C. H. 1969. The Fundamentals of Amharic. Sudan Interior Mission: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.