Nahuatl phonology

Nahuan languages are defined as a subgroup of Uto-Aztecan by having undergone a number of shared changes from the Uto-Aztecan protolanguage (PUA). The table below shows the phonemic inventory of Classical Nahuatl as an example of a typical Nahuan language. In some dialects, the /t͡ɬ/ phoneme, so common in Classical Nahuatl, has changed into either /t/, as in Isthmus Nahuatl, Mexicanero and Pipil, or into /l/, as in Nahuatl of Pómaro, Michoacán. Many dialects no longer distinguish between short and long vowels. Some have introduced completely new vowel qualities to compensate, as is the case for Tetelcingo Nahuatl. Others have developed a pitch accent, such as Nahuatl of Oapan, Guerrero. Many modern dialects have also borrowed phonemes from Spanish, such as /b, d, ɡ, f/.

Phonemes

Classical Nahuatl Consonants

		Labial	Alveolar		Palatal	Velar			Glottal
			central	lateral		central		lateral
						plain	labialized
Nasal		m	n		ɲ	ŋ	⟨ŋw⟩ ŋʷ
Plosive	voiceless	p	t		c	k	⟨kw⟩ kʷ		⟨’⟩ ʔ
	voiced	b	d		⟨ç⟩ ɟ	ɡ	⟨gw⟩ ɡʷ
Affricate	voiceless		ts	⟨tš⟩ tɬ	tʃ
	voiced		dz	⟨dž⟩ dɮ	dʒ
Fricative	voiceless	f	s	⟨š⟩ ɬ	ʃ	x	⟨xw⟩ xʷ	⟨ẏ⟩ ʟ̝̊	h
	voiced	v	z	⟨ž⟩ ɮ	ʒ	ɣ	⟨ɣw⟩ ɣʷ	⟨y⟩ ʟ̝	⟨ħ⟩ ɦ
Approximant		ʋ	⟨r⟩ ɹ	l	j	⟨q⟩ ɰ	w	⟨ł⟩ ʟ

Classical Nahuatl Vowels

	Front		Central		Back
	long	short	long	short	long	short
Close	⟨ii⟩ iː	i	⟨ɵɵ⟩ ɵː	ɵ	⟨uu⟩ oː	⟨u⟩ o
Mid	⟨ee⟩ eː	e	⟨əə⟩ ɞː	⟨ə⟩ ɞ	⟨ʌʌ⟩ ʌː	ʌ
Open	⟨ææ⟩ æː	æ	⟨aa⟩ aː	a	⟨oo⟩ ɒː	⟨o⟩ ɒ

* The glottal phoneme, called the "saltillo", occurs only after vowels. In many modern dialects it is realized as an [h], but in others, as in Classical Nahuatl, it is a glottal stop [ʔ].

In many Nahuatl dialects vowel length contrast is vague, and in others it has become lost entirely. The dialect of Tetelcingo (nhg) developed the vowel length into a difference in quality:

	Long vowels				Short vowels
Classical Nahuatl	/iː/	/eː/	/aː/	/oː/	/i/	/e/	/a/	/o/
Tetelcingo dialect	/i/	/ʲe/	/ɔ/	/u/	/ɪ/	/e/	/a/	/o/

Allophony

Most varieties have relatively simple patterns of sound alternation (allophony). In many dialects, the voiced consonants are devoiced in word-final position and in consonant clusters: /j/ devoices to a voiceless palato-alveolar sibilant /ʃ/, /w/ devoices to a voiceless glottal fricative [h] or to a voiceless labialized velar approximant [ʍ], and /l/ devoices to voiceless alveolar lateral fricative [ɬ]. In some dialects, the first consonant in almost any consonant cluster becomes [h]. Some dialects have productive lenition of voiceless consonants into their voiced counterparts between vowels. The nasals are normally assimilated to the place of articulation of a following consonant. The voiceless alveolar lateral affricate [t͡ɬ] is assimilated after /l/ and pronounced [l].

Phonotactics

Classical Nahuatl and most of the modern varieties have fairly simple phonological systems. They allow only syllables with maximally one initial and one final consonant. Consonant clusters occur only word-medially and over syllable boundaries. Some morphemes have two alternating forms: one with a vowel i to prevent consonant clusters and one without it. For example, the absolutive suffix has the variant forms -tli (used after consonants) and -tl (used after vowels). Some modern varieties, however, have formed complex clusters from vowel loss. Others have contracted syllable sequences, causing accents to shift or vowels to become long.

Stress

Most Nahuatl dialects have stress on the penultimate syllable of a word. In Mexicanero from Durango, many unstressed syllables have disappeared from words, and the placement of syllable stress has become phonemic.

External links

• Nahuatl