Consonants in Changana/Tsonga

Abstract

The article contains a first systematic description of the consonant phonemes in Changana/Tsonga, based mainly on standard grammars and dictionaries (Baumbach 1987, Cuénod 1967, Ribeiro 1965, Sitoe 1996). The number of distinctive phonemes is extremely high, around 125. The systems of stops and affricates are shown to be very complex. Several sounds are quite unusual or unique, in particular the prenasalised voiced aspirated stops and affricates. Phonological and orthographic differences between the standard forms in South Africa and in Mozambique are discussed.