Japanese Phonology: Difference between revisions

From MiWiki
← Older editNewer edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
Line 47: Line 47:
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɡ}} often becomes {{Phone|ja|ɣ}} intervocalically. It becomes {{Phone|ja|ŋ}} medially in older speakers, with some exceptions.
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɡ}} often becomes {{Phone|ja|ɣ}} intervocalically. It becomes {{Phone|ja|ŋ}} medially in older speakers, with some exceptions.
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɽ}} is postalveolar medially. It is typically realized as an affricate {{Phone|ja|d̠<sup>ɹ̝̆</sup>}} initially and after {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}. It may be postalveolar {{Phone|ja|l̠}} in any position. Sometimes it may be approximant {{Phone|ja|ɹ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɽ}} is postalveolar medially. It is typically realized as an affricate {{Phone|ja|d̠<sup>ɹ̝̆</sup>}} initially and after {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}. It may be postalveolar {{Phone|ja|l̠}} in any position. Sometimes it may be approximant {{Phone|ja|ɹ}}.
* Phonemic {{Phoneme|ja|tˢ}} is normally realized as a cluster {{Phone|ja|ts}}. It is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|tɕ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}.
* Phonemic {{Phoneme|ja|tˢ}} is normally realized as a cluster {{Phone|ja|ts}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|n}} is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|ɲ̟}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}. Some speakers realize it as alveolar before {{Phoneme|ja|u}}.
* Some speakers realize {{Phoneme|ja|n}} as alveolar before {{Phoneme|ja|u}}.
⚫
* Consonants are strongly palatalized before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}; {{Phoneme|ja|Ci}} typically becomes {{Phone|ja|Cʲi}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}, the moraic nasal, has variable realization. Word-finally, it is usually a uvular nasal consonant, or a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before a vowel, approximant, {{Phoneme|ja|s}}, or {{Phoneme|ja|h}}, it is typically a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before other consonants, it takes on the same place of articulation.
* {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}, the moraic nasal, has variable realization. Word-finally, it is usually a uvular nasal consonant, or a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before a vowel, approximant, {{Phoneme|ja|s}}, or {{Phoneme|ja|h}}, it is typically a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before other consonants, it takes on the same place of articulation.
* {{Phoneme|ja|s, z}} are palatalized to {{Phone|ja|ɕ, ʑ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|z}} is typically {{Phone|ja|<sup>d</sup>z}} initially and after {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|z}} is typically {{Phone|ja|<sup>d</sup>z}} initially and after {{Phoneme|ja|ɴ}}; initially, it is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|<sup>d</sup>ʑ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|h}} is realized as {{Phone|ja|ɸ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|u}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|h}} is realized as {{Phone|ja|ç}} and {{Phone|ja|ɸ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}} and {{Phoneme|ja|u}} respectively.
* {{Phoneme|ja|hh}} is intervocallically realized as {{Phone|ja|xx}}. It is intervocallically realized as {{Phone|ja|ɸɸ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|u}}.
⚫
* {{Phoneme|ja|hh}} is intervocallically realized as {{Phone|ja|çç}} before {{Phoneme|ja|i}}, {{Phone|ja|ɸɸ}} before {{Phoneme|ja|u}}, or {{Phone|ja|xx}} otherwise.
* {{Phoneme|ja|j}} affects the preceding consonant just like {{Phoneme|ja|i}}, but is absorbed.
* {{Phoneme|ja|w}} has little to no rounding, except after {{Phoneme|ja|o}}, and has no spreading. {{Phone|ja|ɰ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|w}} has little to no rounding, except after {{Phoneme|ja|o}}, and has no spreading. {{Phone|ja|ɰ}}.

=== Palatalization ===

⚫
All consonants are strongly palatalized before {{Phoneme|ja|i}} or {{Phoneme|ja|j}}, and the latter is absorbed into the consonant.

* {{Phoneme|ja|Ci, Cj}} typically becomes {{Phone|ja|Cʲi, Cʲ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|tˢ}} is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|tɕ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|n}} is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|ɲ̟}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|s, z}} are palatalized to {{Phone|ja|ɕ, ʑ}}.
* {{Phoneme|ja|z}} initially is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|<sup>d</sup>ʑ}}.
⚫
* {{Phoneme|ja|h}} is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|ç}}, and {{Phoneme|ja|hh}} is palatalized to {{Phone|ja|çç}}.


== Vowels ==
== Vowels ==

Revision as of 01:11, 27 October 2025

Miyuki Takara speaks Japanese.

Consonants

Phonemic consonants in Tokyo dialect.
Bilabial Dental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Plosive p
b
 t
d
 k
ɡ
Affricate ts
Nasal
m
n
ɴ
Flap
ɽ
Fricative s
z
 h
Approximant
j
w
  • /p, t, tˢ, k/ are moderately aspirated
  • /tˢ/ is geminated as /ttˢ/
  • /b/ is typically realized as [b], but can become [β] or [v̠] in rapid speech.
  • /ɡ/ often becomes [ɣ] intervocalically. It becomes [ŋ] medially in older speakers, with some exceptions.
  • /ɽ/ is postalveolar medially. It is typically realized as an affricate [d̠ɹ̝̆] initially and after /ɴ/. It may be postalveolar [l̠] in any position. Sometimes it may be approximant [ɹ].
  • Phonemic /tˢ/ is normally realized as a cluster [ts].
  • Some speakers realize /n/ as alveolar before /u/.
  • /ɴ/, the moraic nasal, has variable realization. Word-finally, it is usually a uvular nasal consonant, or a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before a vowel, approximant, /s/, or /h/, it is typically a close to close-mid nasal vowel. Before other consonants, it takes on the same place of articulation.
  • /z/ is typically [dz] initially and after /ɴ/.
  • /h/ is realized as [ɸ] before /u/.
  • /hh/ is intervocallically realized as [xx]. It is intervocallically realized as [ɸɸ] before /u/.
  • /w/ has little to no rounding, except after /o/, and has no spreading. [ɰ].

Palatalization

All consonants are strongly palatalized before /i/ or /j/, and the latter is absorbed into the consonant.

  • /Ci, Cj/ typically becomes [Cʲi, Cʲ].
  • /tˢ/ is palatalized to [tɕ].
  • /n/ is palatalized to [ɲ̟].
  • /s, z/ are palatalized to [ɕ, ʑ].
  • /z/ initially is palatalized to [dʑ].
  • /h/ is palatalized to [ç], and /hh/ is palatalized to [çç].

Vowels

Phonemic vowels in Tokyo dialect.
Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a
  • /u/ resembles [ɯ]. It is compressed, unrounded, without spreading: narrowly [ü̜̞] or [ɯ̹̞̈]. It may be [ɨ] among younger speakers.
  • /i, u/ are devoiced [i̥, u̥] between voiceless consonants. Preceding fricatives may entirely replace them.
  • /su/ is often realized as [s]

Tone

Japanese is a pitch-accent language. The first mora of a word is either high or low pitch, and the second mora is the opposite pitch. High pitch is represented with an acute accent: /á/. A high mora within a word will make preceding morae in that word high-pitched.

Bibliography

  • Okada, Hideo. “Japanese.” In Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Retrieved from "https://miwiki.moe/en/w/index.php?title=Japanese_Phonology&oldid=129"