Phonology Woods Cree

1 phonology

1.1 consonants
1.2 vowels
1.3 nonpalatalized -th

1.3.1 voiced dental fricative patterns (ð)

phonology

like other western cree languages , dialects, woods cree contains seventeen different phonemes (sounds). small phonemic inventory language; example, canadian english distinguishes thirty-eight phonemes. following phonemes can found in western cree languages , dialects: /a, â, c, ê, h, i, î, k, m, n, o, ô, p, s, t, w, y/. woods cree differs in merging /ê/ /î/ (and decreasing vowel inventory 1 down 6 distinct vowels) adding th (/ð/) reflex of proto-algonquian *r (and maintaining distinct phoneme other western dialects have lost.template:reference requires clarification

consonants

vowels

the following chart describes western cree (including woods cree) vowel system.

an important aspect of cree vowel system proto algonquian short /e/ phoneme merged short /i/ phoneme shown above. in woods cree long /e:/ has merged long /i:/ phoneme. results in vowel system of woods cree consisting of 3 long vowels /i: u: a:/ , 3 short vowels /i u a/ in entire language.

nonpalatalized -th

the distinguishing feature of woods cree use of nonpalatalized -th sound in places other dialects of cree use different sound: example, plains cree known using -y phoneme. can demonstrated cree word . in woods cree word nitha (niða) whereas in plains cree pronounced niya (nija) spelt ᓂᔭ in cree orthography. significant distinction between woods cree , plains cree has been questioned in analysis , history of language. various researchers , explorers throughout history have concluded there loss of intelligibility between woods cree , plains cree , distinguishing them separate languages.

voiced dental fricative patterns (ð)

cree /ð/ shares features both obstruents , sonorants. many languages around globe have been recorded using /ð/ phoneme , in of these cases phoneme classified obstruent. however, /ð/ phoneme in spoken woods cree has resemblance sonorant phoneme. of evidence demonstrated in article concludes more logical classify phoneme sonorant due following 5 factors: sonorant realizations of /ð/ phoneme, placement of /ð/ phoneme in phonological inventory, voicing patterns of phoneme in non-word final positions, usage of /l/ phoneme replacement /ð/ phoneme in caregiver speech, , lastly /l/ , /ð/ phoneme replacement of /r/ in english loan words. in proto-algonquian, /ð/ phoneme of woods cree has been reconstructed *l and, thus, demonstrates relation being categorized sonorant. analysis challenged particular factors show likeness of /ð/ obstruent. example, among younger speakers /ð/ phoneme replaced /t/ , voicing in word-final positions shows falls under obstruent classification. 1 reason particularly unique form of /ð/ phoneme explained in article possible phonological shift occurring in woods cree speech due influence of english phonology on language, however, data inconclusive due endangered status of language.