South Mande Reconstruction: Initial consonants1 - Langues mandé ...

2.5. Yaure [Lautenschlager 1992].Consonants:p t c k kpb d j g gbf sv zɓ/m l/n y/ɲ w/Note: š is interpreted as a separate phoneme in [B. Hopkins 1987; E.Hopkins 1987], but Frank Lautenschlager [Lautenschlager 1992:13] arguesthat it should be considered as an allophone of /s/ in combination withhigh back vowels followed by front middle vowels: /sue/ = [sue] or [še],/sʊɛ/ = [sʊɛ] or [šɛ].Vowels: like in Guro.Tones: 4 level tones.2.6. Gban [Le Saout 1973].Consonants:t c k kw kpd j g gw gb s zb/m l/n y/ɲ w/Notes:a) Le Saout mentions that [b] is sometimes realized as slightlyingressive; in my recordings, it is usually realized as implosive.modulated tones, falling and rising. According to this author, the level tones are incomplimentary distribution: high tone does not accompany voiced initial consonants,while low tone does not appear with voiceless, sonant and implosive consonants.My interpretation is different, because the complementary distribution oftones does not work (especially in the personal pronouns). For the discussion see[Vydrine 2003]; a more detailed study of the Guro phonology is being done byOlga Kuznetsova and Natalia Kuznetsova.