Southern Popoloca language

Southern Popoloca is an indigenous language of Puebla state, Mexico. There are two principal varieties, sometimes counted as distinct languages:

• San Juan Atzingo Popoloca ( Atzingo, San Juan)
• Metzontla Popoloca ( Los Reyes Metzontla Popoloca) which are about 75% mutually intelligible.

Phonology

Consonants

• Consonants preceding /h/ are then heard as aspirated [CÊ°]; when preceding /ʔ/, they are heard as ejectives [Cʼ].

Marginal affricates include /k͡f, s͡t/.

• /ʃ/ is heard as retroflex [ʂ] when before vowels /a, ã, u, Å©/.
• /f/ is heard only from loanwords.
• /j/ may be realized as a nasal [ɲ] when in the position of nasal vowels.
• Stop consonants when preceding /ʔ/ are heard as ejectives [Cʼ].

Vowels

• /o, õ/ when heard in diphthongs, and after consonants /t, k, ʔ, t͡ʃ, t͡ʂ, ʂ, nÌ¥/ is heard as [u, Å©].
• Nasalization is indicated by after the vowel.

Tones

Mezontla Popoloca has 3 tonemes.

References