Xamtanga (also Agawinya, Khamtanga, Simt'anga, Xamir, Xamta) is a Central Cushitic language spoken in Ethiopia by the Xamir people.
Phonology
Vowels FrontCentralBackHighMid vowelLow vowel The central vowels have fronted and backed allophones, depending on the adjacent consonant(s).
Consonants LabialCoronalPalatalVelarUvularGlottal NasalPlosive/Affricate Fricative*LateralTapSemivowel is found only word-initial in loanwords, and may be glottal or pharyngeal . is alveolar before the vowel , dental otherwise. can be ejective , and in some cases the ejectives appear to be in free variation with the voiceless plosives.
Phonological processes
Gemination In positions other than word-initial, Xamtanga contrasts geminate and non-geminate consonants. With most consonants, the difference between a geminate and a non-geminate is simply one of length, but the cases of are more complex. When not word-initial, non-geminate is realized as a bilabial or labiodental fricative , and and are realized as affricates: . Their geminate equivalents may be realized as prolonged , or can simply be short .
In word-initial position, geminate consonants do not occur, and /b t q/ are realized as plosives.
Notes
Bibliography