Tamenahte

Tamenahte (Tamenahte: Nawē Tamenahte) is one of the most widely-spoken of the Ke:tic languages. It is a fairly isolating, ergative-dative language.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial: /p m ɸ w/ <p m f w>

Dental/Alveloar: /t n θ s r/ <t n th s r l>

Palatal: /c j/ <c y>

Velar: /k ŋ/ <k ŋ>

Glottal: /h/ <h>

Vowels

/i e a u i: e: a: u:/ <i e a u ī ē ā ū>

Syllable Structure

Tamenahte syllables follow a (C)V(C) structure - the vowel nucleus is the only compulsory element. Medially, the following consonant clusters occur:

/pt pk pn ps kt kp kn ks ts mp nt nc nk ns sp st sc sk sm sm hp ht hc hk rw ry/

Word-fianlly, only /m n t θ/ occur.

Stress

Stress in Tamenahte is non-phonemic, always falling on the penultimate syllable.