Turkana
- Language Family
- Nilo-Saharan
- Subgroup
- Nilotic
- Area
- —
Summary
Initial consonants of a sequence of two syllables within a word may metathesize in fast speech.
Type(s) of metathesis
| Type | Status | Optionality | Position | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. CC | Synchronic | Optional | Adjacent | Root-initial, root-internal, root-final |
Case types and qualities
-
- CC
-
- C1:
- Bilabial nasal
- C1:
- Rhotic
- C1:
- Alveolar fricative
- C2:
- Bilabial nasal
- C2:
- Rhotic
- C2:
- Velar stop
Examples
á-kɛ́mɛ̀r-á
‘mole’ (preferred form)
ŋá-kɛ́rɛ̀m-á
ŋi-kwáŋɔ̀rɔ́mɔ́k-à
kind of tree (preferred form)
ŋi-kwáŋɔ̀mɔ́rɔ́k-à
Conditions
a. Metathesizing consonants share in common the basic phonological feature ‘sonorant’ or ‘obstruent’.
b. Metathesizing consonants are followed by identical vowels.
Motivations
No motivations could be found
Symbols
Comments
Bibliography
- Dimmendaal, G. J. 1983. The Turkana Language. Foris Publications. Dordrecht.