Studies in African Linguistics (Dec 1990)

Contextual labialization in Nawuri

  • Roderic F. Casali

DOI
https://doi.org/10.32473/sal.v21i3.107430
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 3

Abstract

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A spectrographic investigation into the non-contrastive labialization of consonants before round vowels in Nawuri (a Kwa language of Ghana) supports the notion that this labialization is the result of a phonological, featurespreading rule and not simply an automatic transitional process. This assumption is further warranted in that it allows for a more natural treatment of some other phonological processes in the language. The fact that labialization before round vowels is generally not very audible is explained in terms of a principle of speech perception. A final topic addressed is the question of why (both in Nawuri and apparently in a number of other Ghanaian languages as well) contextual labialization does tend to be more perceptible in certain restricted environments.

Keywords