Page 121 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

b) Triphthongs
Similar to diphthongs, Bhojpuri has some triphthongs, i.e., articulation of three

vowels together and so close that they are difficult to separate from one another: अइआ

/ʌiɑ/, अउआ /ʌuɑ/, अइओ /ʌio/, अउओ /ʌuo/, इआइ /iɑi/ and so on as shown in बइआ /bʌiɑ/

'girl or lady younger than the orator', बउआ /bʌuɑ/ 'boy or man younger than the orator,
गइओ /ɡʌio/ 'the cow too', रउओ /rʌuo/ 'you too (H)', -दआई /diɑi/ 'give (FUT).

4.3 Distinctive features

The consonant and vowel phonemes in Bhojpuri exhibit different distinctive
features on the basis of the phonetics of the language on both the acoustic and
articulatory parameters. The value of the distinctive features of consonants and

vowels are presented on binary basis, i.e., presence (+) vs. absence (–).
4.3.1 Distinctive features of the consonants

Chomsky and Halle (1968:298-329) presents different distinctive features of
the phonemes possible in languages of the world. Table 4.6 presents summary of the
distinctive features of the Bhojpuri consonants under this model as follows:

Table 4.6: Distinctive features of the consonants in Bhojpuri

Syllabic Sonorant Vocalic Consonantal Coronal Anterior High Low Back Rounded Nasal Lateral Continuant Delayed release Voiced Strident Aspirate Breathy

प p – – – + – + – – – – – – – – – – – –
फ pʰ – – – + – + – – – – – – – – – – + –
ब b – – – + – + – – – – – – – – + – – –
भ b̤ – – – + – + – – – – – – – – + – + +
त t – – – + + + – – – – – – – – – – – –
थ tʰ – – – + + + – – – – – – – – – – + –
द d – – – + + + – – – – – – – – + – – –
ध d ̤ – – – + + + – – – – – – – – + – + +
ट ʈ – – – + + – + – – – – – – – – – – –
ठ ʈʰ – – – + + – + – – – – – – – – – + –
ड ɖ – – – + + – + – – – – – – – + – – –
̈
ढ ɖ – – – + + – + – – – – – – – + – + +
क k – – – + – – + – + – – – – – – – – –
ख kʰ – – – + – – + – + – – – – – – – + –
ग ɡ – – – + – – + – + – – – – – + – – –
घ ɡ ̈ – – – + – – + – + – – – – – + – + +

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