Pazeh phonology

Pazeh has 17 consonants, 4 vowels, and 4 diphthongs (-ay, -aw, -uy, -iw).


 * 1) and  do not actually share the same place of articulation;  is alveolar or prealveolar and  (as well as ) is interdental.  Other coronal consonants tend to be prealveolar or post-dental.
 * 2) The distribution for the glottal stop is allophonic, appearing only between like vowels, before initial vowels, and after final vowels. It is also largely absent in normal speech
 * 3) is spirantized intervocalically
 * 4) is actually an alveolar/prealveolar affricate  and only occurs as a syllable onset.
 * 5) varies between glottal and pharyngeal realizations  and is sometimes difficult to distinguish from

Although Pazeh contrasts voiced and voiceless obstruents, this contrast is neutralized in final position for labial and velar stops, where only and  occur respectively ( is also devoiced but a contrast is maintained). and are also neutralized to the latter. Voiceless stops are unreleased in final position.

Mid vowels ( and ) are allophones of close vowels ( and respectively).
 * Both lower when adjacent to.
 * lowers before .  and  are in free variation before
 * Reduplicated morphemes carry the phonetic vowel even when the reduplicated vowel is not in the phonological context for lowering.
 * → ('keep clapping').

is somewhat advanced and raised when adjacent to. Prevocally, high vowels are semivocalized. Most coronal consonants block this, although it still occurs after. Semivowels also appear post-vocally.