Telefax

Telefax A

Consonants

pʰ	t(ʰ)		kʰ
p		ts ~ ʧ	k
	ɬ	s ~ ʃ	x	h
ɓ	ɗ		ɠ
m	n
w	l	j

• [tʰ h l] occur only initially.
• [t n ɗ ɠ x] occur only medially.
• Occurring alternation pairs: t~tʰ; n~h, n~l; ɓ~pʰ; ɗ~∅, ɗ~l, ɗ~tʰ; ɠ~j, ɠ~w, ɠ~m, ɠ~kʰ; x~h
  • old strata: n~h, conditionally ɓ~p, ɗ~t, ɠ~k
  • step 1: remaining initial ɗ ɠ → ð ɣ or n ŋ (modulo vowel nasality)
  • step 2: ŋ → m / _{õ ũ}, → ∅ / _{ĩ ẽ ã}, → ɣ or nasality elsewhere (might imply the existence of m~w)
  • step 3: ð → ∅, ɣ → j/w, n x → l h / #_, l → ɾ → ɗ / V_V
• [ʧ ʃ] may be used before a front vowel.

Vowels

i	ĩ		u	ũ
e	ẽ	ə	o	õ
	a   ã

Difthongs consist of /ə a/+/j w/ (oral only).

/ə/ harmonizes with /a/, with the latter dominating.

Syllable structure (F)CV, with valid 2nd cluster members including voiceless stops, implosivs & /m/.

Telefax B

Consonants

pʰ	tʰ	ʧʰ	kʰ
p	t	ʧ	k
	tɬ		x
ɓ	ɗ
m	n		ŋ
w	ɾ	j

Step 2 abov doesn't take place, insted *ɠ → ɣ or ŋ in all positions. Not sure where /s/ has gone. Into aspiration maybe?

More freedom with clusters here I think — but still not much. Need to include /tw tɬw kw/. Geminates: /pː tː ʧː kː/, possibly /mː nː ŋː/.

Vowels

i	ĩ	u	ũ
e	ẽ	o	õ
æ		ɑ	ã

[ə] occurs in unstressed syllables, contrasting chiefly with [i u] and occasionally [e].

Difthongs: /æi ɑu ju jũ jʌ jʌ̃/