Page 92 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

पढ़ल /pʌɽ ̊ ʌl/ 'to read' गढ़ /ɡʌɽ ̊ / 'ceyfort'

ओड़ाई /oɽɑi/ 'defence' ओड़ /oɽ/ 'defend (IMP)'
ओढ़ाई /oɽ̊ ɑi/ 'covering' ओढ़ /oɽ̊ / 'cover (IMP)'

ओड़नी /oɽni/ 'a musical instrument' पड़ /pʌɽ/ 'lie down (IMP)'

ओढ़नी /oɽ ̊ ni/ 'shawl' पढ़ /pʌɽ ̊ / 'read (IMP)'

i) Laterals

There are two laterals in Bhojpuri: ल /l/ and @ /l ̥ /. Among them ल /l/ is a
voiced alveolar unaspirated modal lateral and @ /l̥ / is its aspirate sonorant counterpart.

The former lateral is available as same as in Bhojpuri in Maithili (Yadav 1996:24),

Chitoniya Tharu (Paudyal 2013:61), Awadhi (Saksena 1937[1971]:24), Hindi (Koul
2008:19) and Nepali (Adhikari 2014:11). But the latter is only available in Awadhi
(Saksena 1937/1971:24) as breathy counterpart of the former one. They exhibit

phonological contrast in Bhojpuri, as shown in (9).

(9) Minimal pairs of ल /l/ and @ /l ̥ /
Word-initial Inter-vocalic Word-final
कुला /kulɑ/ 'gargling' काल /kɑl/ 'time, death'

कु@ा /kul ̥ ɑ/ 'hip' का@ /kɑl ̥ / 'yesterday

आला /ɑlɑ/ 'stethoscope' मेल /mel/ 'unity, company'

आ@ा /ɑl̥ ɑ/ 'a hero in Bhojpuri folklore' मे@ /mel̥ / 'tread'

चेलवा /celʌwɑ/ 'the disciple'
चे@वा /cel ̥ʌwɑ/ 'a fish'

j) Approximants or Glides
There are two approximants of glides in Bhojpuri: व /w/ and य /y/. Both are

exhibited the same in Maithili (Yadav 1996:26), Chitoniya Tharu (Paudyal 2013:61),
Awadhi (Saksena 1937/1971:24), Hindi (Koul 2008:19) and Nepali (Adhikari

2014:11). Among them, व /w/ is a voiced bilabial unaspirated glide and य /y/ is a

voiced palatal unaspirated glide. Both exhibit phonological contrast, as shown in (10).
(10) Minimal pairs of व /w/ and य /y/

Word-initial Inter-vocalic Word-final
मावा /mɑwɑ/ 'puss, moisture in soil' गाव /ɡɑw/ 'sing (IMP)

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