Acoustic and Aerodynamic Data on Somali Chizigula Stops

Somali Chizigula (G311; xma; also Mushungulu) is an endangered language spoken in Somalia and by Somali-Bantu refugees abroad. The Somali-Bantu are descendants of Tanzanian Kizigua (G31; ziw) speakers who have been estranged from their homeland since the 18th century. Little is known of the Somali variety, and literature on the Tanzanian variety is mostly limited to its tonology. This chapter reports acoustic and aerodynamic data collected to accurately describe stops in Somali Chizigula. Findings include a contrast between voiced aspirated plosives and implosives, as well as the complete devoicing of the nasal portion of the voiceless prenasalized stop. However, aerodynamic data confirm nasal airflow during the nasal, leading to our assessment of the current state of prenasalized stops in the language as not having undergone effacement, as in other Bantu languages.