Editing Shoshoni language (section)

==Phonology==

===Vowels===
Shoshoni has a typical [[Numic]] [[vowel]] inventory of five vowels. In addition, there is the common [[diphthong]] {{IPA|/ai/}}, which functions as a simple vowel and varies rather freely with {{IPA|[e]}}; however, certain [[morphemes]] always contain {{IPA|[ai]}} and others always contain {{IPA|[e]}}. All vowels occur as short or long, but {{IPA|[aiː]}}/{{IPA|[eː]}} is rare.<ref name=":3" />{{Rp|3}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | 
! rowspan="2" | [[Front vowel|Front]]
! colspan="2" | [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! {{small|unrounded}}
! {{small|rounded}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Close vowel|High]]
! {{small|[[Vowel length|short]]}}
| {{IPAlink|i}}
| {{IPAlink|ɨ}}
| {{IPAlink|u}}
|-
! {{small|[[Vowel length|long]]}}
| {{IPAlink|iː}}
| {{IPAlink|ɨː}}
| {{IPAlink|uː}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
! {{small|short}}
| {{IPA|ai}}
| 
| {{IPAlink|o}}
|-
! {{small|long}}
| {{IPA|aiː}}
| 
| {{IPAlink|oː}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Open vowel|Low]]
! {{small|short}}
| 
| {{IPAlink|a}}
| 
|-
! {{small|long}}
| 
| {{IPAlink|aː}}
| 
|}

===Consonants===
Shoshoni has a typical [[Numic]] [[consonant]] inventory.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" | [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! rowspan="2" | [[Coronal consonant|Coronal]]
! rowspan="2" | [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! colspan="2" | [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! rowspan="2" | [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! <small>plain</small>
! <small>[[Labialization|{{abbr|lab.|labialized}}]]</small>
|-
! [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPAlink|m}} || {{IPAlink|n}} || || || ||
|-
! [[Stop consonant|Stop]]
| {{IPAlink|p}} || {{IPAlink|t}} || || {{IPAlink|k}} || {{IPAlink|kʷ}} || {{IPAlink|ʔ}}
|-
! [[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
| || {{IPAlink|t͡s}} || || || ||
|-
! [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
| || {{IPAlink|s}} || || || || {{IPAlink|h}}
|-
! [[Semivowel]]
| || || {{IPAlink|j}} || || {{IPAlink|w}} ||
|}

=== Syllable structure ===
Shoshoni syllables are of the form (C)V(V)(C). For instance: ''nɨkka'' "dance" (CVC CV), ''ɨkkoi'' "sleep" (VC CVV), and ''paa'' "water" (CVV). Shoshoni does not allow onset clusters.

Typical Shoshoni roots are of the form CV(V)CV(V).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Survey of Shoshone Grammar with Reference to Eastern Shoshone|last=Shaul|first=David Leedom|publisher=National Science Foundation|year=2012|pages=13}}</ref> Examples include ''kasa'' "wing" and ''papi'' "older brother."

=== Stress ===
[[Stress (linguistics)|Stress]] in Shoshoni is regular but not distinctive. Primary stress usually falls on the first [[syllable]] (more specifically, the first [[Mora (linguistics)|mora]]) of a word; however, primary stress tends to fall on the second syllable if that syllable is long.<ref name=":3" />{{Rp|11}} For instance, ''natsattamahkantɨn'' [ˈnazattamaxandɨ] "tied up" bears primary stress on the first syllable; however, ''kottoohkwa'' {{IPA|[kotˈtoːxˌwa]}} "made a fire" bears primary stress on the second syllable, with long vowel {{IPA|[oː]}}, instead of the first syllable with short vowel {{IPA|[o]}}.

As in other Numic languages, stress in Shoshoni is distributed based on mora-counting. Short Shoshoni vowels have one mora, while [[Vowel length|long vowels]] and vowel clusters ending in {{IPA|[a]}} have two morae. Following the primary stress, every other mora receives secondary stress. If stress falls on the second mora in a long vowel, the stress is transferred to the first mora in the long vowel and mora counting continues from there. For example, ''natsattamahkantɨn'' "tied up" bears the stress pattern {{IPA|[ˈnazatˌtamaˌxandɨ]}}, with stress falling on every other mora.

With some dialectical variation, mora counting resets at the border between stems in compound words. Final syllables need not be stressed and may undergo optional final vowel devoicing.<ref name=":3" />{{Rp|11}}

=== Phonological processes ===
Given here are a few examples of regular, well-documented phonological rules in Shoshoni:<ref name=":3" />{{Rp|3–9}}

* Short, unclustered, unstressed vowels, when part of final syllables and followed by {{IPA|/h/}}, are [[Voice (phonetics)|devoiced]]. These same vowels, when preceded by {{IPA|/h/}}, are usually devoiced. These processes represent Shoshoni "organic devoicing." For instance, ''tɨkkahkwan'' → {{IPA|[tɨkkḁxwa]}} "ate up".
* Final vowels may be devoiced optionally, representing Shoshoni "inorganic devoicing." If the final vowel is devoiced, the long or short consonant preceding it is also devoiced. Thus, ''kammu'' → {{IPA|[kamm̥u̥]}} "jackrabbit".
* Stops, affricates, and nasals are voiced and [[Lenition|lenited]] between vowels. The stops and affricate become voiced fricatives; the nasals become [[Nasalization|nasalized]] glides. Thus ''papi'' → {{IPA|[paβi]}} "brother", ''tatsa'' → {{IPA|[taza ~ tad͡za]}} "summer," and ''imaa'' → {{IPA|[iw̃aː]}} "tomorrow".
* Stops, affricates, and nasals are lenited, but remain unvoiced, when they are preceded by underlying {{IPA|/h/}}. This {{IPA|/h/}} is deleted in the surface form. Thus, ''paikkahkwa'' → {{IPA|[pekkḁxwa]}} "killed".
* Stops, affricates, and nasals are voiced when part of an intervocalic nasal cluster. Thus, ''pampi'' → {{IPA|[pambi]}} "head" and ''wantsi'' → {{IPA|[wand͡zi]}} "antelope".