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All other things being equal, vowel systems tend towards symmetry, so the
system shown in Figure 2.3 is unexpected. However, vowel systems which are symmetric
except for the lack of the front low vowel - are not uncommon in African languages.
They have been attested in several language families:
(13) Languages which are symmetric except for a missing front low vowel - 2
a. Banda
Langbasi, Ngbugu, Ngundu, Kpagua, Gubu, Gbi, Linda, and Yakpa
(Cloarec-Heiss 1978)
b. Adamawa
Karan (Hartell 1993)
c. Gur
Lyele (Bassole 1982), Moba (Russell 1985)
d. Grassfields Bantu
Ewondo and Metta (Hartell 1993), Moghamo (Stallcup 1978)
e. Bantoid
Mambila (Perrin & Hill 1969)
f. Central Sudanic
Sara-Mbay (Cloarec-Heiss 1995a: 326)
Boyd (1989: 202) notes that Adamawa-Ubangian languages typically have
triangular seven- or nine-vowel systems, but if there is an asymmetry, it is usually
manifested as the lack of -. In Zing and Karang (both Adamawan), there has been a
merger of A and -. For Banda (which includes Mono), Boyd suggests that - has shifted to
a more central position.
A couple of typological observations are worth noting concerning the Mono
vowel system. First, Crothers (1978) observes that eight vowel systems are relatively rare
in the world’s languages, so the Mono system is not widely attested. Second, the Mono
system appears to contradict a universal put forth by Crothers: “The number of height
distinctions in front vowels is equal to or greater than the number in back vowels”
(Crothers, p. 122). According to the analysis of Olson & Schrag and Kamanda, Mono has
three back vowels, but only two front vowels.
2 Most of these references were pointed out to me by Roderic Casali (per. comm.).
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