Aspects of Ethiopian Komo (morpho)phonology

Abstract

This paper presents the first comprehensive analysis of the phonological system of Komo (Koman of Western Ethiopia), including the tone system and morphophonological processes in the verb involving deictic directional morphology. The consonant inventory contains plain, ejective, implosive stops and an ejective affricate in three places of articulation. Komo has a seven-vowel inventory with Advanced Tongue Root (ATR) contrast in the high vowels and a typologically rare bi-directional ATR harmony system. Komo displays anticipatory [+ATR] harmony as well as progressive [–ATR] harmony, which, when taken together, call into question the notion of a single “dominant” ATR feature value in an ATR harmony system.