Vowel harmony

Category
Phonology - Suprasegmental
Notes

Languages

Language Feature Status Grammatical Notes Source Etymology Notes General Notes Phylogenetic Code
Cahuilla
Cupeño
Luiseño
Serrano
Kitanemuk
Kawaiisu
Timbisha
Western Mono
Chemehuevi
Southern Paiute
Southern Ute
Shoshone
Comanche
Idaho Shoshone
Northern Paiute
Gabrielino
Achagua yes Melendez, 1998: 35
Resígaro no info Allin, 1976: 95
Bare yes Aikhenvald, 1995: 8
Piapoco no Galindo, 2002, p. 69-81
Yukuna yes Shauer & Shauer, 1972, p. 10
Yavitero no info
Wapishana yes When the vowel /a/ occurs immediately after a consonant preceded by the vowel /i/, the /a/ harmonizes and becomes [ɛ]. Santos, 2006:47
Wayuu yes Alvarez, 1985: p. 165; Mansen, Richard A. & David Captain. (2000). "El idioma Wayuu (o Guajiro)" In María Stella González de Pérez and María Luisa Rodriguez de Montes (eds.) Lenguas Indígenas de Colombia: una visión descriptiva: p. 798
Tariana yes Aikhenvald 2003: 44
Apurinã no Facundes, 2000: 57-67
Asheninka Apurucayali no Happens only occasionally, however. Mihas 2010
Maipure no Very limited set of vowels, so vowel harmony appears to be avoided. Zamponi 2003:14-20
Yanesha' no Fast 1953:191-4
Kinikinau yes Souza 2008:66
Baure yes Danielsen 2007: p73
Nanti no Michael, 2008
Paresi yes Brandão 2010:12
Palikur no info Launey 2003
Yine no Matteson 1965
Añun yes Patte 1989:41
Bora yes Seifart - 2005:37-38
Makiritare yes Hall 1988: 270
Makushi no Abbott 1991: 140-148
Eñepa no info
Pemon yes Pessoa 2005
Guna no Smith
Naso yes with a limited set of aspect affixes Quesada 2000 regressive in certain verbs
Ika no Frank 1985:17-9
Kogi no info
Cabecar no info
Guaymí yes mid vowels become high in contact with high vowels and front vowels become back in contact with back vowels Quesada 2008:26
Damana yes
Sikuani no de Kondo (Vol.1,2) - 1985
Macaguan no Buenaventura - 1993
Aguaruna yes Overall 2007:93-4 But only with one suffix. Otherwise, it does not occur.
Northern Emberá no info more likely not Aguirre 1999:16-26; Mortensen 1999:4-8 Chamí
Waorani no info
Ingá no vowel inventory has only 3 sounds; differences in two dialects, but no harmony found Levinson 1976:19-32
Matses no Fleck:172
Mapudungun no Salas 1992, p.73-92
Páez no info
Quechua Ayacuchano no info
Tikuna no Montes 2000:291-95
Urarina no Olawsky:63-75
Waunana no info
Andoke no info Landaburu 1979
Puinave no Giron 2008: p104
Central Aymara no Huayhua Pari 2001: 10 to 107
Kakua yes Bolaños fieldnotes
Kaingang no Cavalcante 1987
Minica Witoto yes Minor and Minor 1982. p.15, 33
Hup yes limited to vowel-copying suffixes and diachronic processes affecting Epps 2008
Nadëb/Roçado dialect no Barbosa 2005
Dâw yes Martins 2004:102
Desano yes vowel lowering- affects limited number of verb suffixes Miller 1999, p. 18 Vowel harmony, involving vowel lowering, affects a limited number of verb suffixes (Kaye 1970:186-88): -di- (past nominative) changes to -de-, -bi- (negative) changes to -be-, -bu- becomes -bo-, -ku- to -ko-, and -yu- to -yo-.
Cubeo no Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 13 When two identical vowels are juxtaposed across morpheme boundaries, the two vowels coalesce.
Kotiria yes examples exist of vowel harmony but participation seems random; marginal as a 'system' Stenzel 2004, p. 66
Makuna no info Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.26 The vowel /e/ varies freely between [e] and [ɛ].
Koreguaje no Cook & Criswell 1993, p.9 The vowel /e/ has a closed variant [e] when it precedes another vowel or /h/ in the phonological phrase. The open variant [ɛ] in other positions. Also, check top of p.70
Barasano no Jones & Jones 1991, p.8-9
Tanimuca no Strom 1992, p.22
Siona no Wheeler - 1970:19-22
Tukano no West and Welch 2004, Ramirez 1997 no evidence for this, except for nasal harmony/spreading
Yanomami yes regressive, usually involves change in rounding. Lizot 1996: p.26-27; Ramirez 1994: 82-83
Ninam no info
Sanumá yes Migliazza 1972: p.158 Many yanomama pronouce everything partially nasalized
Surui no Bontkes and Bontkes 2009:17
Karitiana no Everett 2006:203-17
Nheengatu no info not many phonological processes described Cruz 2011
Paraguayan Guaraní no info
Aché no info more likely not
Kokama no Vallejos 2010
Nyangumarta yes 1
Jingulu yes 1
Wambaya yes 1
Bunuba no 0
Walmajarri yes 1
Nyulnyul yes 1
Warrwa no 0
Worrorra yes 16-7 1
Garrwa no info X
Gooniyandi yes 1
Warlpiri yes n84 1
Bardi yes 1
Yugambeh
Yorta Yorta yes 53 1
Yir Yoront
Yindjibarndi yes 24 1
Yidiny yes 1
Yanyuwa no 0
Yandruwandha yes 29, 112 1
Yan-nhangu
Yalarnnga no info x
Woiwurrung no info x
Wirangu No 47 0
Wemba-Wemba no H 17-20 0
Warumungu yes 14-15 1
Wangkumara no info X
Uradhi No 323-330 0
Paakantyi no 0
Pitta-Pitta No 192 0
Pintupi no info x
Nyungar no info x
Nhanta no info x
Ngiyambaa no 14-39 0
Ngayawang No 0
Muruwari yes 47 1
Mpakwithi
Mayi-Yapi yes 32 1
Martuthunira no 28-31, 39-40 0
Marrgany No 297 0
Kuuk Thaayorre No 33 0
Kuku Yalanji yes 31 1
Kugu-Nganhcara yes 381 1
Kaurna yes 3 1
Kalkatungu no 14-5b 0
Jaru no info x
Guugu-Yimidhirr Maybe 39 1
Gureng Gureng no info x
Gupapuyngu
Gumbaynggirr yes 264 1
Gugu-Badhun no 0
Yuwaalaraay No 20 0
Dyirbal No 288 0
Duungidjawu no 19 0
Djinang No 3 0
Djabugay
Diyari no 0
Dharuk
Dharawal no info x
Darkinyung yes 15 1
Bularnu no 14 0
Biri no info x
Bidjara-Gungabula no info x
Batyala no info x
Arabana yes 48-52 1
Alyawarr no info X
Nyikina no 0
Yawuru
Ngarinyin
Yulparija No 17 0
Wathawurrung no 66 0
Mathi-Mathi no 64-66 0
Hunter River and Lake Macquarie no 25 0
Thanggati no 11, 42-3 0
Katthang no 30, 75 0
Panyjima no 133 0
Ngarinyeri No 18 0
Kurrama yes 1
Yingkarta no? 0
Githabul No 5 0
Gunya No 297 0
Kunjen No 15 0
WesternTorres yes K81 1
Wakaya no 0
Yindjilindji yes 501 1
Bandjalang yes Crowley 14, Sharpe 19-21 1
Ngaatjatjara yes 42 1
Arrernte No 76 0
Kokatha No 20 0
Karajarri Yes 60 1
Pitjantjatjara Yes Y 38 1
Ritharrngu Yes 21 1
Warrgamay No 23-4 0
Warluwarra yes 839 1
Warnman no info x
Djapu no 30 0
Bilinarra no 0
Wiradjuri no info x
Aghu-Tharnggala No 25 0
Narungga No info 35 x
Tharrkari No 9 to 11 0
Wajarri No 26 0
Warungu yes? 81-4 1
Adnyamathanha
Yagua no Payne and Payne 1990
Baniwa no limited to demonstratives Ramirez 2001:381