Kikai phonology

The following is the phonology of the Onotsu dialect, which is based on Shirata (2013b).

As with most Ryukyuan languages to the north of Central Okinawan, stops are described as "plain" C’ and "glottolized" C‘. Phonetically, the two series are aspirated [Cʰ] and tenuis [C˭], respectively.

Phonetics

The following is the phonology of the Kamikatetsu dialect, which is based on Shirata (2013a).

Consonants

Consonant phonemes

		Bilabial		Alveolar		Post- alveolar		Palatal		Velar		Glottal
Nasal			m		n				ɲ		ŋ
Stop	plain	p˭	b	t˭	d			c˭	ɟ	k˭	ɡ
	aspirated	pʰ	bʰ	tʰ	dʰ			cʰ	ɟʰ	kʰ	ɡʰ
Affricate	plain			t͡s	dz	t͡ɕ	dʑ
	aspirated			t͡sʰ		t͡ɕʰ
Fricative		ɸ	β	s	z	ɕ	ʑ	ç	ʝ	x	ɣ	h
Approximant					ɹ				j		w
Flap			ⱱ̟		ɾ

Vowels

According to Shirata (2013b), Onotsu dialect has /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/ and /u/. In more conventional interpretations, two more vowels /ɨ/ and /ɘ/ are added. Shirata analyzes conventional /Ci/ and /Cɨ/ as /Cji/ and /Ci/, respectively. Similarly, /Ce/ and /Cɘ/ are interpreted as /Cje/ and /Ce/.

Consonant phonemes

		Front		Central		Back
Close	plain	i		ɨ			u
	tenuis	i˭					u˭
Close-mid		ɪ
Mid	plain	e		ɘ			o
	tenuis	e˭					o˭
Open	plain			a
	tenuis			a˭

External links

• Kikai language