Editing Rapa language (section)

== Phonology of Old Rapa ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Consonant phonemes of Old Rapa{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}
!
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]
![[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottalic consonant|Glottal]]
|-
![[Plosive]]
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
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|{{IPA link|k}}
|{{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
![[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|
|{{IPA link|n}}
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}
|
|-
![[Fricative]]
|{{IPA link|v}}
|
|
|
|
|-
![[Flap consonant#Tap vs. flap|Tap/Flap]]
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɾ}}
|
|
|}

Vowels are noted as /{{IPA link|i}}, {{IPA link|e}}, {{IPA link|ɑ}}, {{IPA link|o}}, {{IPA link|u}}/.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

Similar to other languages that fall within the Eastern Polynesian language family, the consonant [[phoneme]] inventory of Old Rapa is relatively small. Consisting of only nine distinct consonants, Old Rapa is constructed of eight voiceless phonemes and one voiced phoneme.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

Of the nine phonemes, four are a result of a [[Stop (linguistics)|stop]] – {{IPA|/p/}}, {{IPA|/t/}}, {{IPA|/k/}}, and {{IPA|/ʔ/}}. While {{IPA|/p/}} is constantly [[Bilabial consonant|bilabial]] and {{IPA|/t/}} is [[Denti-alveolar consonant|dento-alveolar]], the place where {{IPA|/k/}} is articulated can range anywhere from pre-velar to [[Uvular consonant|uvular]].{{sfn|Walworth|2015}} When spoken, the place of articulation of {{IPA|/k/}} depends on the succeeding vowel segment. Walworth uses the following examples to demonstrate these differing occurrences:{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}
* Before a high-fronted {{IPA|[i]}}: in the word {{Transliteration|ray|kite}} 'know', {{IPA|/k/}} is pre-velar
* Before a mid-fronted {{IPA|[e]}}: in the word {{Transliteration|ray|kete}} 'basket', {{IPA|/k/}} is velar
* Before a low-back {{IPA|[ɑ]}}: in the word {{Transliteration|ray|karakua}} 'parent', {{IPA|/k/}} is distinguishably more backed
* Before a mid-back {{IPA|[o]}}: in the word {{Transliteration|ray|komo}} 'sleep', {{IPA|/k/}} is uvular
The alveolar and post-alveolar stops, while distinguishable in the linguistic study of Old Rapa, are often misinterpreted as the phoneme /k/ to native speakers. This observation was noted multiple times in Walworth's conversations with native speakers; for example, the difference between {{Transliteration|ray|Tākate}} and {{Transliteration|ray|Kākake}} was not perceived by the native speaker.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

In the study of velar stops, there are instances in which [[lenition]], the weakened articulation of a consonant, occurs.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}} In the first case, the velar stop {{IPA|/k/}} transitions more into a velar fricative when placed in the unstressed syllables. In Walworth's example in the word {{Transliteration|ray|kōta'e}} 'water', the {{IPA|/k/}} phoneme is pronounced as {{IPA|[k]}}; however, in the word {{Transliteration|ray|eipoko}} 'head', the {{IPA|/k/}} is pronounced as {{IPA|[x]}}. The second case is very similar to the first, but on a phrase level. In this sense, when placed in a word that is not stressed, [[lenition]] occurs.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

When referring to the Rapa usage of the phoneme {{IPA|/ɾ/}}, there is a distinct difference between the alveolar tap and a trill. When pronounced in words where it is located at the beginning of the stressed syllable, the alveolar tap becomes better defined as a trill. The usage of this phoneme and its variants is evident in Walworth's examples:{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

Examples where a trill is perceived:
* {{IPA|/rapa/|lang=ray}} 'name of island' > {{IPA|[ˈra.pa]|lang=ray}}
* {{IPA|/roki/|lang=ray}} 'taro-bed' > {{IPA|[ˈro.xi]|lang=ray}}
* {{IPA|/raːkau/|lang=ray}} 'plant-life' > {{IPA|[ˈraː.xao]|lang=ray}}
Examples where a tap is retained:
* {{IPA|/karakua/|lang=ray}} 'parent' > {{IPA|[ka.ɾa.ˈku.a]|lang=ray}}
* {{IPA|/ʔare/|lang=ray}} 'house' > {{IPA|[ˈʔa.ɾe]|lang=ray}}
* {{IPA|/taratika/|lang=ray}} 'ridge' > {{IPA|[ta.ɾa.ˈti.xa]|lang=ray}}

While currently indeterminable, it is plausible that in Old Rapa the {{IPA|/ɾ/}} phoneme existed closer resembling the lateral approximate {{IPA|/l/}}.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}} In an article published by John Stokes in 1955, what is now taken to be the {{IPA|/ɾ/}} phoneme was approximated to be a mix between "a clear l as in English and soft r." However, Walworth states that even in the oldest of her consultants, there was no recollection of the {{IPA|/l/}} phoneme.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}

When observing the usage of the labiodental fricative {{IPA|/v/}}, the shift period away from Old Rapa becomes more evident.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}} In the older generations of native speakers, this phoneme is articulated more like that of the labiodental approximant {{IPA|[ʋ]}}.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}} The usage of the labiodental fricative is almost always used by the newer generations of native speakers, whereas the approximant is almost never used. This change is directly attributed to the Tahitian influence of the labiodental fricative.{{sfn|Walworth|2015}}