3.1.2 Syllables
In Semai every syllable has an obligatory nucleus and onset, and an optional coda. The nucleus is usually a vowel; however, there are some nasals that are syllabic as well in the minor syllable.
m̩.pɔɔc ‘salt’
n̩.tooy ‘big’
ɲ̩.cees ‘shallow’
ŋ̩.kuuʔ ‘thunder’
The onset and coda are consonants. The two basic syllable types are CV and CVC. The syllable type CV is found only in the minor syllable.
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For example, CV
bɑ.hɑ.yɑʔ ‘crocodile’
tɑ.wɑɑk ‘butterfly’
kə.rɨɨk ‘to shiver’
All major syllables, and some minor syllables, have the syllable type CVC. For example, CVC
pɔɔc ‘to wait’
bə.lɨk ‘blunt’
kəl.ʔũũp ‘brain’
3.1.3 Basic inventory: consonants
When viewed as a whole, the Semai language can be said to have twenty-three consonants. Table 2. Consonant phonemes in Semai
Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Glottal Plosive, voiceless
p t
c k
ʔ
Plosive, voiced b
d ɟ
ɡ
Preploded nasal
a b
m
d
n
ɟ
ɲ
ɡ
ŋ
Nasal m
n ɲ
ŋ
Trill or flap r
Lateral approximant
l
Fricative, voiceless s
h
Central approximant
w y
a
The preploded nasals are found only at the end of major syllables. There is good evidence to support the notion that preploded nasals occur only after oral nonnasal vowels.
Assuming this proves to be the case, then preploded nasals would represent allophones of simple nasals at the end of major syllables, rather than contrastive phonemes. However,
phonemic preploded nasals are, in fact, found in some related languages—for example, Kensiw Bishop 1996 and Temiar Benjamin 1976a.
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The Gopeng dialect, however, has lost glottal stops after long vowels in the major syllable, resulting in CV syllable types in those words. This loss of the glottal stop is further noted in section 3.4.
3.1.4 Basic inventory: vowels
When viewed as a whole, the Semai language can be said to have thirty vowels. Semai has both short and long vowels. The long vowels are not dramatically elongated. Indeed, it may be more accurate to
portray the long vowels as the more “normal” and the short vowels as extra short. Overall, there are roughly twice as many words with long vowels as opposed to short in the major syllable.
Table 3. Oral vowels
Oral, long Front
Central Back
Close ii
ɨɨ uu
Close-mid ee
oo
Open-mid ɛɛ
ɔɔ
Open ɑɑ
Oral, short Front
Central Back
Close i
ɨ u
Close-mid e
o
Open-mid ɛ
ə ɔ
Open ɑ
Table 4. Nasal vowels
Nasal, long Front
Central Back
Close ĩĩ
ɨ̃ɨ̃ ũũ
Mid ɛ̃ɛ̃
ɔ̃ɔ̃
Open ɑ̃ɑ̃
Nasal, short Front
Central Back
Close ĩ
ɨ̃ ũ
Mid ɛ̃
ə̃ ɔ̃
Open ɑ̃
3.1.5 Deviations from basic inventory: the preploded nasals