Kalkoti language

Kalkoti
Pronunciation [kʰælkoːʈ]
Native to Pakistan
Region Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Native speakers
6,000  (2006)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 xka
Glottolog kalk1245[2]

Kalkoti is a Dardic language of the Shina group spoken in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[1] It is surrounded by languages predominantly in the Kohistani group.

Phonology

The following tables outline the phonology of Kalkoti.[3]

Vowels

FrontBack
Close ɪ~i(ː)ʊ~u(ː)
Mid
Open ə~æ(ː)~aːɑ(ː)~ɒ(ː)

Short vowels are slightly centralized; nasalization of vowels may be phonemic.[3]

Consonants

Labial Dental Retroflex Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Nasal m n ɳ (?) ŋ (?)
Plosive voiceless p t ʈ k q ʔ (?)
aspirated ʈʰ (?)
voiced b d ɖ ɡ
Affricate voiceless ts
aspirated tʂʰ (?) tʃʰ
voiced
Fricative voiceless (f) s ʂ ʃ x
voiced z ɣ
Lateral l
Flap ɾ ɽ (?)
Approximant ʋ j

The phonemes /q, ʦ, x, z, ɣ, ɽ/ have likely been introduced by loanwords. The voiceless aspirate series is secure, and, unlike the neighboring Palula language, Kalkoti does not have a breathy voiced series. The phonemic status of /ʔ/ is unclear and is likely tied to tone in Kalkoti.

Tone

Kalkoti's system of tone likely was similar to Shina's two tone system; however, under pressure from its Kohistani neighbors it may now have a more complex tone inventory.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Kalkoti at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Kalkoti". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Henrik, Liljegren (2013), "Notes on Kalkoti: A Shina Language with Strong Kohistani Influences", Linguistic Discovery Vol. 11, Issue 1 (Dartmoth University): 134–144