Xamtanga language

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Xamtanga (also Agawinya, Khamtanga, Simt'anga, Xamir, Xamta) is a Central Cushitic language spoken in Ethiopia by the Xamir people.

Xamtanga
ኽምጣጘ‎ (X’imt’a-nga)
Pronunciation[ˈχamtaŋa]
Native toEthiopia
RegionNorth Amhara Region
EthnicityXamirs
speakersL1: 210,000 (2010)[1]
L2: 11,000[1]
Ge'ez script
Language codes
ISO 639-3xan
Glottologxamt1239
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Phonology

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Vowels

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Front Central Back
High i ɨ u
Mid vowel ə
Low vowel a

The central vowels ə a/ have fronted and backed allophones, depending on the adjacent consonant(s).

Consonants

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Labial Coronal Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
plain labialized plain labialized
Nasal m n ŋ ŋʷ
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless t t͡ʃ k q
voiced b d d͡ʒ ɡ ɡʷ
ejective t͡ʃʼ kʷʼ
Fricative voiceless f s ʃ χ χʷ h*
voiced z
ejective
Lateral l
Tap ɾ
Semivowel j w

Phonological processes

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Gemination

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In positions other than word-initial, Xamtanga contrasts geminate and non-geminate consonants. With most consonants, the difference between a geminate and a non-geminate is simply one of length, but the cases of /b t q/ are more complex. When not word-initial, non-geminate /b/ is realized as a bilabial [β] or labiodental fricative [v], and /t/ and /q/ are realized as affricates: [tθ qχ]. Their geminate equivalents may be realized as prolonged [bː qː], or can simply be short [b t q].

In word-initial position, geminate consonants do not occur, and /b t q/ are realized as plosives.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Xamtanga at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  

Bibliography

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  • Appleyard, D. L. (1987). "A Grammatical Sketch of Khamtanga—I". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 50 (2): 241–266. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00049028. S2CID 123007452.
  • Appleyard, D. L. (1987). "A Grammatical Sketch of Khamtanga—II". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 50 (3): 470–507. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00039471. S2CID 246637332.
  • Appleyard, David L. (1988). "A Definite Article in Xamtanga". African Languages and Cultures. 1 (1): 15–24. doi:10.1080/09544168808717677.
  • Appleyard, David L. (2006). A Comparative Dictionary of the Agaw Languages. Kuschitische Sprachstudien – Cushitic Language Studies. Vol. 24. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag. ISBN 978-3-89645-481-2.
  • Darmon, Chloé (2010). "L'agäw xamtanga: une langue couchitique en contact avec l'amharique". Pount. Cahiers d'études: Corne de l'Afrique - Arabie du Sud. 4: 169–195.