The velar lateral ejective affricate is a rare type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨k𝼄ʼ⟩ (extIPA; strict IPA: ⟨kʟ̝̊ʼ⟩).
| Velar lateral ejective affricate | |
|---|---|
| k𝼄ʼ | |
| kʟ̝̊ʼ | |
| Audio sample | |
It is found in two forms in Archi, a Northeast Caucasian language of Dagestan, plain [k𝼄ʼ] and labialized [k𝼄ʷʼ]. It is further forward than velars in most languages, and might better be called prevelar. Archi also has voiceless (pulmonic) variants of its lateral affricates, several voiceless lateral fricatives, and a voiced lateral fricative at the same place of articulation, but no alveolar lateral fricatives or affricates.[1]
[k𝼄ʼ] is also found as an allophone of /kx/ (ejective after a nasal) in Zulu and Xhosa, and of the velar ejective affricate /kxʼ/ in Hadza. In the latter, it contrasts with palatal [c𝼆], as in [c𝼆ʼak𝼄ʼa] 'to cradle'. In fact, the velar ejective is reported to be lateral, or to have a lateral allophone, in various languages of Africa which have clicks, including Taa, various varieties of !Kung, Gǁana (including Gǀui dialect), Khwe (ǁAni dialect), and Khoekhoe.[2]
Features
editFeatures of the velar lateral ejective affricate:
- Its manner of articulation is affricate, which means it is produced by first stopping the airflow entirely, then allowing air flow through a constricted channel at the place of articulation, causing turbulence.
- Its place of articulation is velar, which means it is articulated with the back of the tongue (the dorsum) at the soft palate.
- Its phonation is voiceless, which means it is produced without vibrations of the vocal cords.
- It is an oral consonant, which means air is allowed to escape through the mouth only.
- It is a lateral consonant, which means it is produced by directing the airstream over the sides of the tongue, rather than down the middle.
- The airstream mechanism is ejective (glottalic egressive), which means the air is forced out by pumping the glottis upward.
Occurrence
edit| Language | Word | IPA | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archi[3] | кьан | [k𝼄ʼan] | 'to love' | Pre-velar.[3] Archi contrasts between plain and labialized versions. |
| Gǀui[4] | [example needed] | In free variation with the /kxʼ/. | ||
| Sandawe | tl’ungu | [k𝼄ʼùŋɡȕ] | 'sky' | Allophone of /tɬʼ/ before /u, w/ |
| ǁXegwi | [example needed] | |||
| Zulu | umklomelo | [umk𝼄ʼɔˈmɛːlo] | 'prize' | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The Archi language tutorial" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
- ^ Hirosi Nakagawa, 1996. An Outline of Gǀui Phonology.
- ^ a b Archi dictionary entry for /k͡𝼄ʼan/, including sound file
- ^ Nakagawa, Hirosi. (1996). "An Outline of ǀGui Phonology". African Study Monographs, Suppl. 22, 101–124.