Xitsonga segmental phonology

Abstract

Xitsonga, a southern Bantu language (S53) spoken in South Africa, possesses rich phonological patterns that have been underreported in the literature. This paper aims to provide an overview of the phonology of Xitsonga with a focus on segmental phonology, building up on existing literature. The consonants of Xitsonga show a four-way laryngeal system with phonation contrast in sonorants and several lateral consonants. These consonants display alternations of post-nasal hardening, affrication, and lateral-nasal alternation. Vowel raising and vowel coalescence are also examined. Data with variation from previous studies have been updated to reflect the status of lexical items in contemporary Xitsonga.