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