Kukuya language
Encyclopedia
The Kukuya language, Kikukuya kìkýkçȳā, also transcribed Kukẅa and known as Southern Teke, is a member of the Teke
dialect continuum
of the Congolese plateau. It is known for being the only language claimed to have a phonemic labiodental nasal /ɱ/. The name comes from the word kuya "plateau".
Prenasalized voiceless consonants are aspirated. Y is pronounced [j] or [z] depending on speaker and region, 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 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; similarly with [t]~[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 argues against it. 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 argues against this analysis. Diachronologically, 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:
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 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
Since a labiodental nasal is only attested from this one language, it is worth providing some minimal pairs with other consonants.
Teke languages
The Teke languages are a series of Bantu languages spoken by the Teke people in the western Congo and in Gabon. They are coded Zone B.70 in Guthrie's classification...
dialect continuum
Dialect continuum
A dialect continuum, or dialect area, was defined by Leonard Bloomfield as a range of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these differences accumulate such that speakers from opposite ends of the...
of the Congolese plateau. It is known for being the only language claimed to have a phonemic labiodental nasal /ɱ/. The name comes from the word kuya "plateau".
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 [kýkçȳā].| m | ɱʷ | n | ɲ | ŋ | |
| mpʰ mb | ɱp̪fʰ ɱb̪v | ntʰ nd | ntsʰ ndz | ŋkʰ ŋɡ | |
| p b | pf bv | t~ɾ d | ts dz | k~ɡ | |
| f | s j~z | (h) | |||
| l | w | ||||
Prenasalized voiceless consonants are aspirated. Y is pronounced [j] or [z] depending on speaker and region, 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 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; similarly with [t]~[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 argues against it. 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 argues against this analysis. Diachronologically, 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 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
Since a labiodental nasal is only attested from this one language, 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