KABARDIAN 
(Russia, Turkey; Northwest Caucasian, Circassian)		 For more information about metathesis in this language, click on the following links:
Summary:
A palatal glide and a following vowel switch order after a non-syllabic segment. 
Examples
Conditions
Motivation
Additional info
Comments
References
Examples:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)
/mE-ya/          --> /m-ya/          --> [me:y] wild apple-one of
'wild apple tree'
/da-ya/            --> /d-ya/           --> [de:y] nut-one of
'nut tree'
Conditions:
a. Vowel deletion before a glide onset conditions metathesis.

   C   V   G   (G)   V   -->   1  Ø  3  4  5          G = [-round]
   1    2    3     4     5

   /mE-ya/   -->   /m-ya/  -->   [me:y]       wild apple-one of    'wild apple tree'
Motivation:
No information currently available.
Additional information:
a. Vowel-coloring by coda: A vowel agrees with a following coda with respect to [back], [high], [round], [low], and [ATR] features.
 
Fronting /SEd/              --> [S3d]  'donkey'
Backing /baq/               --> [bAqh]  'cow-shed'
Raising /zaS/               --> [z3S]  '(to) be bored, tired'
Rounding /d3Vw/           --> [doVw] 'thief'
Rounding and Raising /t'ak'w/           --> [t'ok'w] 'small, few, a little'
Comments:
Special Symbols:
E    =  mid central vowel ('schwa')
S    =  palato-alveolar fricative
3    =  front mid lax vowel ('epsilon')
A   =  low back unrounded vowel
qh  =  aspirated voiceless uvular stop
Vw =  labialized voiced uvular fricative
t'    =  glottal ejective alveolar stop
k'w =  labialized glottal ejective velar stop

Last updated: 8/2/2001
References:
  • Colarusso, John. 1992. A Grammar of the Kabardian Language. University of Calgary Press: Calgary, Alberta.
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