Buch, Englisch, Band 27, 60 Seiten, Format (B × H): 170 mm x 240 mm
Reihe: Languages of the World
Buch, Englisch, Band 27, 60 Seiten, Format (B × H): 170 mm x 240 mm
Reihe: Languages of the World
ISBN: 978-3-89586-364-6
Verlag: LINCOM
This study deals with the phonology of a Nigerian (Adamawa State) Central Chadic language, Bata, of which another dialect is known as "Bachama". In recent years, studies of Central and Eastern Chadic languages have revealed that, in many cases, the vowel system may be conceived as founded on phonological contrasts of height and length alone. Phonetic frontness and backness are attributable to the influence of separate, neighboring palatal and labial features. Other languages in the same branches seem, however, to have vowel systems which have incorporated front/back contrasts. The case of Bata is interesting because, although it apparently belongs to the latter group, it might also be analyzed as belonging to the former.