Mao language (India)


Mao, also known as Sopvoma, is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Angami–Pochuri linguistic sub-branch. It is spoken primarily in Senapati district, northwestern Manipur and in Nagaland, India. It is similar to Angami.

Phonology

Consonants

  • /t͡ʃʰ/ and /w/ only rarely occur, and with /t͡ʃʰ/ only occurring in word-initial position.
  • The pre-aspirated voiceless /Ê°rÌ¥/, may have a word-initial allophone of, rarely occurs phonemically.
  • only occurs marginally from loanwords.
  • /t̪, pÍ¡f/ in word-initial position may be heard as in free variation, rarely as phonemic.
  • /h/ may have an allophone of word-initially, word medially in free variation. rarely occurs as a phoneme.
  • /m/ before a central vowel /ɨ/ can have an allophone of a labiodental.
  • /n/ before high vowel sounds can have an allophone of a palatalized.

    Vowels

  • only occurs inter-morphemically.
  • /ɨ/ can be heard as rounded in free variation.
  • In word-initial position, /i, u/ can be lowered to .
  • /e, o/ can be lowered to in word-final position.