Phonology
Consonants • [h] is only phonemic in the Amla dialect. • Sounds [f] and [q] can also occur, but only in loanwords and among Dari speakers. • [ʂ] is more commonly heard among older speakers, but is lost among younger speakers, and is heard as a postalveolar [ʃ]. • [ʐ] is more commonly heard among older speakers, but is lost among younger speakers, and is heard as a postalveolar [ʒ]. • /ʋ/ is heard before front vowels /i e/. When occurring before or after central or back vowels /a u o/, it is heard as [w]. • According to Masica (1991) some dialects have a //. Vowels • Only mid or low vowels have lengthened equivalents. • /e/ can be heard as [ɛ] and /a/ can be heard as [ə] or [æ], in certain environments. • == Further reading ==