Editing Awjila language (section)

==Phonology==

Awjila has several interesting [[phonological]] features that set it apart from most other varieties of [[Berber languages|Berber]]. A few notable distinctions are listed below: (Van Putten)

# Retention of [[Proto-Berber]] {{IPAslink|β}} as the {{IPAslink|v}} rather than being lost as in most other modern varieties.<ref name = "consonants">{{cite journal |first=Marijn |last=van Putten |title=Some Notes on the Historical Consonantism of Awjila |journal=Folia Orientalia |volume=51 |year=2014 |pages=257–274 |url=https://journals.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/99260/edition/85567/content}}</ref>
# Loss of the [[pharyngealized]] [[voiced]] [[dental consonant|dental]] [[stop consonant|stop]] and entirely replaced it with the [[voiceless]] variant. Example: Awjila ''avəṭ'' vs. Tachelhit: ''iḍ'' meaning night.<ref name = "consonants" />
# Retention of [[velar stop]] {{IPAslink|k}} where most Berber varieties have replaced it with palatal approximant {{IPAslink|j}}. Example: Awjila: ''təkəmmušt'' vs. Tachelhit: ''taymmust'' meaning bundle<ref name = "consonants" />
# [[Palatalization (sound change)|Palatalization]] of {{IPAslink|s}} and {{IPAslink|z}} to {{IPAslink|ʃ}} (written as š) and {{IPAslink|ʒ}} (written as ž) <ref name = "consonants" />
# Dominance of the {{IPAslink|i}} [[vowel]] and seeming shift from the {{IPAslink|a}} vowel of other varieties to i<ref>{{cite journal |last=van Putten |first=Marijn |title=Some Notes on the Development of Awjila Berber Vowels |journal=Nordic Journal of African Studies |volume=22 |issue=4 |year=2013 |pages=236–255 |doi=10.53228/njas.v22i4.156}}</ref>