Editing Santa language (section)

===Vowels===
Dongxiang has 7 vowels.{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=37}} Unlike other neighboring Mongolic languages, it has limited [[vowel harmony]] and no distinctions of [[vowel length]].{{sfnp|Field|1997|pp=155–6}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+
! rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |Front
! colspan="2" |Central
! colspan="2" |Back
|-
!{{Small|plain}}
!{{Small|[[rhotacism|rhotacised]]}}
!{{Small|unrounded}}
!{{Small|rounded}}
|-
!Close
|{{IPA link|i}}
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɯ}}
|{{IPA link|u}}
|-
!Mid
|
|{{IPA link|ə}}
|{{IPA link|ɚ}}
|
|{{IPA link|o}}
|-
!Open
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɑ}}
|
|}

* {{IPA|/i/}}, which is usually a close front vowel, has a backened allophone {{IPAblink|ɨ}} after retroflex consonants, and a slightly opened one {{IPAblink|ɪ}} after alveolar affricates and fricatives. Compare {{lang|sce|chi}} {{IPA|[t͡ʂʰɨ]}} (you [2nd sing.]) with {{lang|sce|misi}} {{IPA|[miˈsɪ]}} (to fly).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=52}}
* Close vowels are devoiced when in an unstressed initial syllable and between voiceless consonants, for example: {{lang|sce|chighin}} {{IPA|[t͡ʂʰɨ̥ˈqə̃ŋ]}} (ear), {{lang|sce|sidara}} {{IPA|[sɪ̥tɑˈrɑ]}} (to catch fire) and {{lang|sce|khidun}} {{IPA|[q͡χʰɯ̥ˈtũŋ]}} (hard). This is not the case though before a voiced consonant, especially if it is of native Mongolic origin, as evidenced with {{lang|sce|chila}} {{IPA|[t͡ʂʰɨˈlɑ]}} (to be exhausted) and {{lang|sce|suma}} {{IPA|[suˈmɑ]}} (arrow).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=45}}
** In Chinese loans, devoicing is optional, i.e. {{lang|sce|chugui}} (cupboard; from {{lang|zh|櫥櫃}} {{lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|chúguì}}) can be pronounced either {{IPA|[t͡ʂʰ'''u̥'''ˈku̯ə̝i̯]}} or {{IPA|[t͡ʂʰ'''u'''ˈku̯ə̝i̯]}}.{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=45}}
** The mid-central vowel {{IPA|/ə/}} has also been recorded voiceless in the aforementioned environment: {{lang|sce|pese}} {{IPA|[pʰə̥ˈsɛ]}} (again).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=45}}
** Devoicing of {{IPA|/i/}} can also occur regardless of the following sound and in non-initial syllables, under the condition it occurs after {{IPA|/s/}}: {{lang|sce|basi}} {{IPA|[ˈpɑsɪ̥]}} (tiger) or {{lang|sce|kewosila}} {{IPA|[kʰəˌwɑsɪ̥ˈlɑ]}} (children). Interestingly, it is not often the case, as in {{lang|sce|bositu}} {{IPA|[pʷosɪˈtʰu]}} (pregnant).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=45}}
* {{IPA|/ɚ/}} is always a syllabified as its own, as in {{lang|sce|ershi}} {{IPA|[ɚ.ʂɨ]}} (twenty), with the exception of one Arabic loanword with glottal {{IPA|/h/}} as the onset: {{lang|sce|ruhher}} {{IPA|[ʐu.hɚ]}} (spirit; from {{lang|ar|رُوح}} {{lang|ar-Latn|rūḥ}}).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=53}}
* {{IPA|/o/}} is often pronounced with a considerable degree of labialization {{IPA|[ʷo]}}, however this can be inconsistent, even in the same utterance; cf. {{lang|sce|olien}} {{IPA|[ʷoˈli̯ɛ̃n]}} (cloud) vs. {{lang|sce|onghono}} {{IPA|[õɴqõˈno]}} (to shout).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=53}}
* When stressed, {{IPA|/ə/}} is typically realized as mid-front {{IPAblink|ɛ}}: {{lang|sce|enzhegve}} {{IPA|[ə̃nt͡ʂəˈʁɛ]}} (donkey). Before {{IPA|/ŋ/}}, {{IPAblink|ɤ}} is used instead: {{lang|sce|amen}} {{IPA|[ɑˈmɤ̃ŋ]}} (rice). Otherwise in unstressed syllables it is mid-central {{IPA|[ə]}}.{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=53}}
* {{IPA|[ɑ]}} is typically an open back vowel, e.g. {{lang|sce|apa}} {{IPA|[ɑˈpʰɑ]}} (barley), but before alveolar nasals it is fronted to {{IPAblink|æ}}; an example is {{lang|sce|dan}} {{IPA|[tæ̃n]}} (carrying pole with loads). Before velar nasals, as in {{lang|sce|dan}} {{IPA|[tɑ̃ŋ]}} ([political] party), the back form is used.{{sfnp|Field|1997|pp=43, 54}}

====Glides====
Although true diphthongal sequences (i.e. complex vowel combinations) do not exist in Santa, combinations with the vowels {{IPA|/u, ə, ɑ/}} and the [[Semivowel|glides]] {{IPA|/j, w/}} do.{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=54}} The glides are phonetically realized as non-syllabic vowels {{IPA|[i̯, u̯]}} and the vowels have the following phonetic realizations below, regardless of any previous allophonic rules as mentioned above.{{sfnp|Field|1997|pp=55–57}}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Glide/vowel combinations{{sfnp|Field|1997|pp=54–57}}
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |Vowel + Glide
! rowspan="2" |Glide + Vowel
! colspan="2" |Additional
|-
!{{IPA|/j/}}
!{{IPA|/w/}}
|-
! rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/u/}}
!{{IPA|/j/}}
|—
|{{IPA|/ju/}}
|—
|—
|-
!{{IPA|/w/}}
|—
|—
|—
|—
|-
! rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ə/}}
!{{IPA|/j/}}
|{{IPA|/əj/}}
|{{IPA|/jə/}}
|—
|—
|-
!{{IPA|/w/}}
|{{IPA|/əw/}}
|—
|{{IPA|/wəj/}}
|—
|-
! rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɑ/}}
!{{IPA|/j/}}
|{{IPA|/ɑj/}}
|{{IPA|/jɑ/}}
|—
|{{IPA|/jɑw/}}
|-
!{{IPA|/w/}}
|{{IPA|/ɑw/}}
|{{IPA|/wɑ/}}
|{{IPA|/wɑj/}}
|—
|}

Distinct phonetic vowel realizations (note that vowels in other environments take the [[Cardinal vowels|cardinal]] form):
* {{IPA|/ə/}}:
** Before {{IPA|/j/}}, the vowel is [[Relative articulation|raised]] to {{IPA|[ə̝]}}, e.g. {{lang|sce|khighei}} {{IPA|[q͡χʰɯ̥ˈqə̝i̯]}} (pig), falling somewhere in between {{IPA|[ə]}} and {{IPA|[i]}}.{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=55}}
*** If also after {{IPA|/w/}}, the vowel is optionally dropped, as in {{lang|sce|ghuilu}} {{IPA|[qu̯(ə̝)i̯ˈlu]}} (to become).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=56}}
** After {{IPA|/j/}}, it is pronounced like stressed {{IPA|[ɛ]}}; for instance {{lang|sce|nie}} {{IPA|[ni̯ɛ]}} (one) or {{lang|sce|bierei}} {{IPA|[pi̯ɛˈri]}} (wife).{{sfnp|Field|1997|pp=53, 55}}
** Before {{IPA|/w/}}, backness is often applied so that it varies between {{IPA|[ə~ɤ]}}: {{lang|sce|hotou}} {{IPA|[xʷoˈtəu̯~xʷoˈtɤu̯]}} (maggot).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=55}}
* {{IPA|/ɑ/}}:
** Before {{IPA|/j/}}, it may be raised, varying from {{IPA|[ɑ~ɛ]}}, see {{lang|sce|bai}} {{IPA|[pɑi̯~pɛi̯]}} (to stop), {{lang|sce|kuaisun}} {{IPA|[kʰu̯ɑi̯ˈsũŋ~kʰu̯ɛi̯ˈsũŋ]}} (navel).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=55}}
** Before {{IPA|/w/}}, the vowel is often raised and backed, ranging from {{IPA|[ɑ~o]}} in {{lang|sce|nao}} {{IPA|[nɑu̯~nou̯]}} (to hit the mark), {{lang|sce|oqiao}} {{IPA|[ʷoˈt͡ɕʰi̯ɑu̯~ʷoˈt͡ɕʰi̯ou̯]}} (old).{{sfnp|Field|1997|p=55, 56}}