Rounding contrast activation in Ngbúgù: licensing and sub-segmental interactions

International audience The Ngbúgù language (Banda group, Ubangi family; Central African Republic) exhibits a contextual contrast between rounded and un-rounded vowels; the two contrasts /o/ vs /ɤ/ and /u/ vs /ɯ/ only apply in seven contexts: k_, g_, kʁ_, gʁ_, ʁ_, ʔʁ_ and ŋgʁ_. Given the scarce distribution of this contrast, we suggest it is activated in these contexts, rather than neutralized elsewhere. Relying on the frame-works of Element Theory (Kaye et al. 1985, 1990, Backley 2011), Government Phonology (Kaye 1990, Kaye et al. 1990, Charette 1990, 1991), and Feature Geometry (Clements 1985, Sagey 1986, Clements and Hume 1995) suited for elements (Harris and Lindsey 1995, Ulfs-bjorninn 2021), we provide a representational analysis in which the |U| element is responsible for this activation.