Reyesano

[aka Maropa, San Borjano,]

Classification: Pano-Tacanan

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critically endangered

resource

General notes on Maropa segmental and prosodic phonology, with remarks on the affricate series

This paper discusses the properties of the segmental and suprasegmental phonology of Maropa, an almost extinct Takanan language of Bolivian Amazon. The main processes of vowels and consonants are described to provide with rules on how segments interact in this language. Also, a description on syllable structure and stress assignment unveils that their characteristics are related to prosodic, morphophonological and syntactic domains. Likewise, this document deals with the explanation of the origin of two of the four affricate sounds in Maropa which are present due to historical dissimilation and assimilation according to comparisons with sister languages. I argue that these sounds evolved from the other two pre-existing affricates, and that their diachronic development generated phonological contrast among phonemes.

Gabriel A. Gallinate

Bolivia

Jan. 1, 2020

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