Editing Shilha language (section)

==== Semivowels ====
The semivowels {{IPA|/w/}} and {{IPA|/j/}} have vocalic allophones {{IPA|[u]}} and {{IPA|[i]}} between consonants (C_C) and between consonant and pause (C_# and #_C). Similarly, the high vowels {{IPA|/u/}} and {{IPA|/i/}} can have consonantal allophones {{IPA|[w]}} and {{IPA|[j]}} in order to avoid a hiatus. In most dialects,<ref>The speech of the Ighchan, and possibly other Shilha variants, often retains the original semivowels (Galand 1988, 2.9), and this can also be seen in premodern manuscript texts (van den Boogert 1997:249).</ref> the semivowels are thus in complementary distribution with the high vowels, with the semivowels occurring as onset or coda, and the high vowels as nucleus in a syllable. This surface distribution of the semivowels and the high vowels has tended to obscure their status as four distinct phonemes, with some linguists denying phonemic status to /w/ and /j/.<ref>Applegate (1958), Dell and Elmedlaoui (1985, 2002), Ridouane (2008).</ref>

Positing four distinct phonemes is necessitated by the fact that semivowels and high vowels can occur in sequence, in lexically determined order, for example {{Lang|shi-latn|tazdwit}} "bee", {{Lang|shi-latn|tahruyt}} "ewe" (not *{{Lang|shi-latn|tazduyt}}, *{{Lang|shi-latn|tahrwit}}). In addition, semivowels {{IPA|/w/}} and {{IPA|/j/}}, like other consonants, occur long, as in {{Lang|shi-latn|afawwu}} "wrap", {{Lang|shi-latn|tayyu}} "camel's hump".<ref>This issue is discussed in connection with other languages by Dixon (2010:284).</ref> The assumption of four phonemes also results in a more efficient description of morphology.<ref>Van den Boogert (1997:247–8), with examples.</ref>

In the examples below, {{Lang|shi-latn|w}} and {{Lang|shi-latn|y}} are transcribed phonemically in some citation forms, but always phonetically in context, for example {{Lang|shi-latn|ysti-}} "the daughters of", {{Lang|shi-latn|dars snat istis}} "he has two daughters".