Abstract
This article reports some results of the first large-scale, comprehensive survey of the phonological systems of the Khoisan languages of the Kalahari Basin Area. These languages are famous for their large sets of click phonemes, a typologically rare characteristic otherwise found only in a limited number of languages worldwide. They are also unique because the click phonemes carry a high functional load in terms of phonemic and lexical distinctions in the respective systems. Finally, these languages have strikingly similar and highly skewed root phonotactics. The article provides empirical support for a range of claims and speculations that have been made about these typologically rare systems of the Kalahari Basin Area.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 509-535 |
Number of pages | 27 |
Journal | Linguistic Typology |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jul 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
Keywords
- African languages
- Kalahari Basin Area
- Khoe-Kwadi languages
- Khoisan languages
- Kx'a languages
- Tuu languages
- clicks
- phonological typology