Voiceless retroflex implosive
ᶑ̥
𝼉
ʈʼ↓

A voiceless retroflex implosive is an extremely rare consonantal sound, used in very few spoken languages. There is no official symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound, but ᶑ̊ or ʈʼ↓ may be used, or the old convention 𝼉 (ƭ̢).

Features

Features of the voiceless retroflex implosive:

Occurrence

A rare and evidently unstable sound, [ᶑ̥] has been described in Oromo of Ethiopia,[1] and Ngiti of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2]

Language Word IPA Meaning Notes
Oromo[1] haadha [hɑːᶑ̥ɐ] 'mother' [ᶑ̥] is mostly likely voiced [ᶑ], and may weaken into /ɽ/ in intervocalic positions.[3] See Oromo language.
Ngiti[4] [example needed] Contrasts /ɓ ᶑ ʄ ɓ̥ ᶑ̥ ʄ̥/.

References

  1. ^ a b Dissassa (1980) Some aspects of Oromo phonology, p. 10–11
  2. ^ Kutsch Lojenga, Constance (1994). Ngiti: a Central-Sudanic language of Zaire (PhD). Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag. p. 31.
  3. ^ Lloret (1997), p. 500
  4. ^ Kutsch Lojenga, Constance (1994). Ngiti: a Central-Sudanic language of Zaire (PhD). Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag.

Works cited