| Also Known As: Khamtanga,Agawinya,Simt'anga,Xamta,Xamir
Description:
Xamtanga or Khamtanga is a Central Cushitic language spoken in Ethiopia by the Xamir people.
The central vowels /ɨ ə a/ have fronted and backed allophones, depending on the adjacent consonant(s).
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 tː 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...... full article at Wikipedia |
