Afrikaans phonology (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For assistance with IPA transcriptions of Afrikaans for Wikipedia articles, see Help:IPA/Afrikaans.

System of sounds for the Afrikaans language

Afrikaans has a similar phonology to other West Germanic languages, especially Dutch.

Monophthongs of Afrikaans on a vowel chart, from Wissing (2012:711)

Afrikaans has an extensive vowel inventory consisting of 17 vowel phonemes, including 10 monophthongs and 7 diphthongs. There are also 7 marginal monophthongs.

Monophthong phonemes[1]

| | Front | Central | Back | | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | unrounded | rounded | unrounded | rounded | | | | | | | | short | long | short | short | long | short | long | short | long | | | Close | i | () | y(ː) | | | u | () | | | | Mid | ɛ | (ɛː) | | ə | (əː) | œ | (œː) | ɔ | (ɔː) | | Near-open | (æ) | (æː) | | | | | | | | | Open | a | | | | | | ɑː | | |

The phonetic quality of the close vowels

[edit]

The phonetic quality of the mid vowels

[edit]

The phonetic quality of the open vowels

[edit]

Example words for monophthongs

Short Long
Phoneme IPA Orthography Gloss Phoneme IPA Orthography Gloss
/i/ /dif/ dief 'thief' /iː/ /spiːl/ spieël 'mirror'
/y/ /ˈsykis/ suutjies 'quietly'
/u/ /buk/ boek 'book' /uː/ /kuːl/ koeël 'bullet'
/ɛ/ /bɛt/ bed 'bed' /eː/ /seː/ 'say'
/ə/ /kənt/ kind 'child' /əː/ /ˈvəːə/ wîe 'wedges'
/œ/ /kœs/ kus 'kiss' /œː/ /rœːə/ rûe 'backs'
/ɔ/ /bɔk/ bok 'goat' /oː/ /soːə/ sôe 'sows'
/æ/ /pæl/ pêl 'pal' /æː/ /fæːr/ ver 'far'
/a/ /kat/ kat 'cat' /ɑː/ /kɑːrt/ kaart 'map'

In some instances of the postvocalic sequence /ns/, /n/ is realized as nasalisation (and lengthening, if the vowel is short) of the preceding monophthong, which is stronger in some speakers than others, but there also are speakers retaining [n] as well as the original length of the preceding vowel.[28]

Collins & Mees (2003) analyze the pre-/s/ sequences /an, ɛn, ɔn/ as phonemic short vowels /ɑ̃, ɛ̃, ɔ̃/ and note that this process of nasalising the vowel and deleting the nasal occurs in many dialects of Dutch as well, such as The Hague dialect.[29]

Diphthong phonemes[30][31]

Starting point Ending point
Front Central Back
Closed unrounded iʊ̯
rounded uɪ̯
Mid unrounded əɪ̯ ɪə
rounded œɪ̯, ɔɪ̯, oːɪ̯ ʏə, ʊə œʊ̯
Open unrounded aɪ̯, ɑːɪ̯

Example words for diphthongs

Phoneme IPA Orthography Gloss
/ɪø/ /sɪøn/ seun 'son'
/əɪ̯/ /ɦəɪ̯/ hy 'he'
/ɪə/ /vɪət/ weet 'to know'
/œɪ̯/ /ɦœɪ̯s/ huis 'house'
/ɔɪ̯/ /ˈχɔɪ̯əŋ/ goiing 'burlap'
/ʊə/ /brʊət/ brood 'bread'
/œʊ̯/ /kœʊ̯t/ koud 'cold'
/aɪ̯/ /ˈbaɪ̯ə/ baie 'many'

The long diphthongs, also known as 'double vowels', are phonemically sequences of a free vowel and a non-syllabic equivalent of /i/ or /u/: /iu, ui, oːi, eu, ɑːi/. Although both /iu/ and /eu/ are typically pronounced as [iu], they are spelled differently; the former as ⟨ieu⟩, and the latter as ⟨eeu⟩.[43]

In diminutives ending in /ki/ formed to monosyllabic nouns, the vowels /u, ɪə, ʊə, ɛ, ə, œ, ɔ, a, ɑː/ are realised as closing diphthongs [ui, ei, oi, ɛi, əi, œi, ɔi, ai, ɑːi]. In the same environment, the sequences /ɛn, ən, œn, ɔn, an/ are realized as [ɛiɲ, əiɲ, œiɲ, ɔiɲ, aiɲ], i.e. as closing diphthongs followed by palatal nasal.[44]

Vowel comparison between Standard Dutch and Afrikaans

Pronunciation Examples
Standard Dutch Afrikaans Standard Dutch Afrikaans
short a /ɑ/ /a/ kat /ˈkɑt/ kat /ˈkat/
long a // /ɑː/ kaart /ˈkaːrt/ kaart /ˈkɑːrt/
short e /ɛ/ /ɛ/ bed /ˈbɛt/
long e // /ɪə/ weet /ˈʋeːt/ weet /ˈvɪət/
eu /øː/ /ʏə/ neus /ˈnøːs/ neus /ˈnʏəs/
short i /ɪ/ /ə/ kind /ˈkɪnt/ kind /ˈkənt/
long i, ie /i/ /i/ dief /ˈdif/
short o /ɔ/ /ɔ/ bok /ˈbɔk/
long o // /ʊə/ brood /ˈbroːt/ brood /ˈbrʊət/
oe /u/ /u/ boer /ˈbur/
short u /ʏ/ /œ/ kus /ˈkʏs/ kus /ˈkœs/
long u /y/ /y/ duur /ˈdyr/
ai /ɑɪ̯/ /aɪ̯/ ai /ˈɑɪ̯/ ai /ˈaɪ̯/
aai /aːɪ̯/ /ɑːɪ̯/ haai /ˈhaːɪ̯/ haai /ˈhɑːɪ̯/
au, auw /ɔʊ̯/ou, ouw /ɔʊ̯/ ou /œʊ̯/ dauw /ˈdɔʊ̯/koud, vrouw /ˈkɔʊ̯t, ˈvrɔʊ̯/ dou /ˈdœʊ̯/koud, vrou /ˈkœʊ̯t, ˈfrœʊ̯/
ei /ɛɪ̯/ij /ɛɪ̯/ ei /əɪ̯/y /əɪ̯/ eiland /ˈɛɪ̯lɑnt/hij /ˈhɛɪ̯/ eiland /ˈəɪ̯lant/hy /ˈhəɪ̯/
eeu, eeuw /eːʊ̯/ eeu /iʊ̯/ leeuw /ˈleːʊ̯/ leeu /ˈliʊ̯/
ieu, ieuw /iʊ̯/ ieu /iʊ̯/ kieuw /ˈkiʊ̯/ kieu /ˈkiʊ̯/
oei /uɪ̯/ /uɪ̯/ groei /ˈɣruɪ̯/ groei /ˈχruɪ̯/
ooi /oːɪ̯/ /oːɪ̯/ mooi /ˈmoːɪ̯/
ui /œʏ̯/ /œɪ̯/ huis /ˈhœʏ̯s/ huis /ˈhœɪ̯s/
uw /yʊ̯/ u /y/ schaduw /ˈsxaːdyʊ̯/ skadu /ˈskɑːdy/

Consonant phonemes | | Labial | Alveolar | Post- alveolar | Dorsal | Glottal | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Nasal | m | n | | ŋ | | | | Plosive | voiceless | p | t | t͡ʃ | k | | | voiced | b | d | (d͡ʒ) | (ɡ) | | | | Fricative | voiceless | f | s | ʃ | χ | | | voiced | v | (z) | ʒ | | ɦ | | | Approximant | (w) | l | j | | | | | Rhotic | | r | | | | |

Consonant comparison between Standard Dutch and Afrikaans

Pronunciation Examples
Standard Dutch Afrikaans Standard Dutch Afrikaans
z /z/voiced s /z/ s /s/ zuid /ˈzœʏ̯t/analyse /aːnaːˈlizə/ suid /ˈsœɪ̯t/analise /ɑːnɑːˈlisə/
starting v /v/ /f/ vier /ˈvir/ vier /ˈfir/
middle v /v/ w /v/ haven /ˈɦaːvən/ hawe /ˈɦɑːvə/
v (for Latin and French loanwords) /v/ v, w /v/ visueel /vizyˈeːl/conservatief /kɔnsɛrvaːtif/ visueel /visyˈɪəl/konserwatief /kɔnsɛrvɑːtif/
w /ʋ/ /v, w/ weet /ˈʋeːt/kwaad /ˈkʋaːt/wraak /ˈvraːk/ weet /ˈvɪət/kwaad /ˈkwɑːt/wraak /ˈvrɑːk/
ch /x/g /ɣ/ g /χ/ acht /ˈɑxt/gat /ˈɣɑt/ agt /ˈaχt/gat /ˈχat/
sch /sx/ sk /sk/ school /ˈsxoːl/ skool /ˈskʊəl/
-rgen /-rɣən/ -rge /-rgə/ bergen /ˈbɛrɣə(n)/ berge /ˈbɛrgə/
-rv- /-rv/ -rw- /-rv/ sterven /ˈstɛrvə(n)/ sterwe /ˈstɛrvə/
-tie /-tsi, -si/ -sie /-si/ actie /ˈɑktsi ~ ˈɑksi/ aksie /ˈaksi/
-st /-st/ -s /-s/ best /ˈbɛst/ bes /ˈbɛs/
-cht /-xt/ -g /-χ/ lucht, echtgenoot /ˈlʏxt, ˈɛxtxənoːt/ lug, eggenoot /ˈlœχ, ˈɛχənʊət/
-ct /-kt/ -k /-k/ contact /ˈkɔntɑkt/ kontak /ˈkɔntak/
-isch /-is/ -ies /-is/ Tsjechisch /ˈtʃɛxis/ Tsjeggies /ˈtʃɛχis/

Afrikaans consonants with example words

Voiceless Voiced
Phoneme Example Phoneme Example
IPA IPA Orthography Gloss IPA IPA Orthography Gloss
/m/ /man/ man 'man'
/n/ /noːɪ̯/ nooi 'invite'
/ŋ/ /səŋ/ sing 'to sing'
/p/ /pɔt/ pot 'pot' /b/ /bɛt/ bed 'bed'
/t/ /ˈtɑːfəl/ tafel 'table' /d/ /dak/ dak 'roof'
/k/ /kat/ kat 'cat' /ɡ/ /ˈsɔrɡə/ sorge 'cares'
/tʃ/ /ˈtʃɛχis/ Tsjeggies 'Czech' /dʒ/ /ˈbadʒi/ budjie 'budgerigar'
/f/ /fits/ fiets 'bicycle' /v/ /ˈvɑːtər/ water 'water'
/s/ /sɪøn/ seun 'son' /z/ /ˈzulu/ Zoeloe 'Zulu'
/χ/ /χut/ goed 'good'
/ʃ/ /ˈʃina/ Sjina 'China' /ʒ/ /viʒyˈɪəl/ visueel 'visually'
/ɦ/ /ɦœɪ̯s/ huis 'house'
/l/ /lif/ lief 'dear'
/j/ /ˈjɪəsœs/ Jesus 'Jesus'
/r/ /roːɪ̯/ rooi 'red'

Some studies[54] suggest Afrikaans is currently undergoing tonogenesis, whereby the contrast in voicing of onset plosives is turning into a contrast in the tone of the following vowel. This change is especially prevalent among younger and female speakers, and it is attributed to prolonged contacts with Khoisan and Bantu languages.

  1. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 2–7.
  2. ^ a b c d Donaldson (1993), p. 5.
  3. /ɛ/[[Category:Pages%5Fwith%5Fplain%5FIPA]]"%5Fand%5F"The%5Frounded%5Fmid-high%5Fback%5Fvowel%5F/ɔ/[[Category:Pages%5Fwith%5Fplain%5FIPA]]"%5F3-0" title="null">^ Wissing (2016), sections "The unrounded mid-front vowel /ɛ/" and "The rounded mid-high back vowel /ɔ/".
  4. ^ Such as Donaldson (1993).
  5. ^ a b Donaldson (1993), pp. 4, 6.
  6. ^ Such as Le Roux & de Villiers Pienaar (1927) or Wissing (2016).
  7. ^ Swanepoel (1927), p. 38.
  8. ^ a b c Wissing (2016), section "The rounded and unrounded mid-central vowels".
  9. ^ Wissing (2012), p. 711.
  10. ^ Swanepoel (1927), p. 39.
  11. /ɑ/[[Category:Pages%5Fwith%5Fplain%5FIPA]]"%5F11-0" title="null">^ Wissing (2016), section "The unrounded low-central vowel /ɑ/".
  12. ^ See the vowel chart in Le Roux & de Villiers Pienaar (1927:46).
  13. ^ a b c d Donaldson (1993), p. 7.
  14. ^ Lass (1984), pp. 76, 93–94, 105.
  15. /a/[[Category:Pages%5Fwith%5Fplain%5FIPA]]"%5F15-0" title="null">^ Wissing (2016), section "The unrounded low-central vowel /a/".
  16. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 4–6.
  17. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 5–6.
  18. ^ a b c d Donaldson (1993), p. 3.
  19. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 4, 6–7.
  20. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 3, 7.
  21. ^ For example by Le Roux & de Villiers Pienaar (1927) and Donaldson (1993).
  22. ^ For example by Lass (1984).
  23. ^ For example by Wissing (2016).
  24. ^ For example by Le Roux & de Villiers Pienaar (1927) and Lass (1984).
  25. ^ For example by Donaldson (1993) and Wissing (2016).
  26. ^ a b Donaldson (1993), p. 6.
  27. ^ Swanepoel (1927), p. 22.
  28. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 3, 5.
  29. ^ Collins & Mees (2003), p. 71.
  30. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 2, 8–10.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g Lass (1987), pp. 117–119.
  32. ^ De Villiers (1976), pp. 56–57.
  33. ^ a b c d Donaldson (1993), p. 8.
  34. ^ a b c Lass (1987), p. 117.
  35. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 8–9.
  36. ^ Lass (1987), p. 118.
  37. ^ a b Cited in Lass (1987:117–118). The preview on Google Books makes it unclear whether De Villiers' book is "Afrikaanse klankleer. Fonetiek, fonologie en woordbou" or "Nederlands en Afrikaans", as both are cited at the end of Lass's chapter.
  38. ^ Wissing (2009), p. 333.
  39. ^ a b c Donaldson (1993), p. 10.
  40. ^ a b Donaldson (1993), p. 9.
  41. ^ Swanepoel (1927), p. 44.
  42. ^ Lass (1984), p. 102.
  43. ^ Donaldson (1993), p. 12.
  44. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 10–11.
  45. ^ a b Donaldson (1993), p. 11.
  46. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 13–15.
  47. ^ For example Den Besten (2012).
  48. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 14–16.
  49. ^ a b c Donaldson (1993), p. 15.
  50. ^ Den Besten (2012).
  51. ^ "John Wells's phonetic blog: velar or uvular?". 5 December 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2015. Only this source mentions the trilled realization.
  52. ^ a b Bowerman (2004:939): "White South African English is one of very few varieties to have a velar fricative phoneme /x/ (see Lass (2002:120)), but this is only in words borrowed from Afrikaans (...) and Khoisan (...). Many speakers use the Afrikaans uvular fricative [χ] rather than the velar."
  53. ^ Donaldson (1993), pp. 13–14.
  54. ^ Coetzee, A. W.; Beddor, Patrice S.; Shedden, Kirby; Styler, Will; Wissing, Daan (2018). "Plosive voicing in Afrikaans: Differential cue weighting and tonogenesis". Journal of Phonetics.