Guayabero language
Guahiban language of Colombia
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Phonology
The Guayabero syllable structure can be represented as CV(V)(C)(C). Each syllable has an obligatory single consonant onset and a nucleus of one or two vowels. An optional coda of at most two consonants can occur in both word-medial and final positions.[2]
- /w/ is heard as labiodental [ʋ] when preceding front vowel sounds.
- /d/ can be heard as fricatives in syllable-final positions. As a voiced dental [ð] when after front vowels, and as a voiceless [θ] when after back vowels in syllable-final positions.
- /n/ is heard as [ɲ] when following front vowels and as [ŋ] when preceding velar /k/.
- /b/ is heard as preglottal [ˀb] in accented syllable-initial positions and as [β] in intervocalic positions.
- /s/ is also heard as postalveolar [ʃ] in syllable-final position in free variation.
- /x/ is heard as uvular [χ] in accented syllables.
- /j/ is heard as a stop [ɟ] in accented syllable-initial positions.
- Vowels /i, e, ɨ, a, o, u/ are heard in unstressed position as [ɪ, ɛ, ɨ̞, ʌ, ɔ, ʊ].
