Phonology
Khwe has 32 or 36 clicks, depending on whether one counts the four prenasalized clicks. There are four places of articulation, and, each with several "releases". Miller (2011), in a comparative study with other languages, interprets the description in Kilian-Hatz (2003) as follows, illustrated with the palatal articulation:
Click | Description |
---|---|
ǂʰ | aspirated |
ǂ | tenuis |
ᶢǂ | voiced |
ᵑǂ | nasal |
ŋᶢǂ | prenasalized |
ᵑǂˀ | glottalized nasal |
ǂ͡q | linguo-pulmonic |
ǂ͡χ | linguo-pulmonic fricative |
ǂ͡χʼ | linguo-glottalic fricative |
Read more about this topic: Khwe Language