[ǃ]→[g]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 2/5

Click Loss Velarization Simplification Bantu Khoe

Alveolar click to Voiced velar plosive

The shift from the alveolar click [ǃ] to a velar stop like [g] (or [k]) is a primary path of 'click loss' in African languages. Because clicks require both an anterior (alveolar) closure and a posterior (velar) closure, the loss of the complex suction mechanism often results in the speaker defaulting to the rear velar articulation.

Phonetic Effects

Click Loss, Velarization, Simplification

Language Examples

Tswana vs. Zulu Bantu

uku-qumbuka [ǃ] (Zulu)→go-kumoga [k/g] (Tswana)— Proposed cognates: Zulu retains the alveolar click, while click-less Tswana shows a plain velar. Status as cognates is unverified; used illustratively.

Shua Khoe

*!khara (Proto-Khoe)→ga / ka— Internal Khoe click loss: the velar accompaniment of the click is retained while the anterior click closure is abandoned.

Related Transformations

Reverse

More Bantu Shifts

[d] → [n] — Nasal Assimilation [j] → [ʑ] — Fortition [k] → [g] — Voicing [k] → [ɣ] — Lenition [n] → [ŋ] — Assimilation

Sources & References

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