Phonology
Consonants • The glottal stop [ʔ] is only heard in word-initial position, before vowels. • /h/ occurs only in limited distribution. • Sounds /t, d, ⁿd/ are heard in complimentary distribution with affricate sounds [ts, dz, ⁿdz] when in word initial position before /i/. • /ɗ/ may have a retroflex [ɽ] or trill [r] allophone, when in intervocalic positions. • /ɾ/ may also be heard as a retroflex [ɽ] in free variation. • [ŋ] occurs as an allophone of /n/ when before a velar stop, or when at the end of root words or morphemes. Vowels • /ə/ is heard as [ɨ] when in CVCV open syllables. ==References==