Proto Angwaje Language

Consonants
Anguaje has 17 consonant phonemes. The phoneme /d/ is realized as [n] between vowels and word-finally. Next to rounded vowels, /ŋ h j/ are all realized as being rounded [ŋʷ hʷ ]. /r r̥/ are realized as retroflex fricatives ([ʂ ʐ]) next to /i ɨ/ and in fortifying environments (word-initially and stressed onset). A chart of consonant phonemes:

Vowels
Angwaje has 5 vowel phonemes and 1 marginal phoneme (in parenthesis): /i ɨ u e (ɔ) ɑ/. The phoneme /ɑ/ frequently will raise and round to [ɔ] next to rounded consonants, next to labials, and also sometimes sporadically (usually when stressed). This sporadic rounding makes /ɔ/ a marginal phoneme. A chart of vowel phonemes:

Syllable Structure and Clusters
Angwaje’s syllable structure is CVRC, where C is all consonants, R is any of /m ŋ l r r̥ j/, and V is all vowels. Word-initially, an additional s- is permitted (eg: the syllable starn is legal only word initially). Angwaje has rather strict consonant cluster restrictions. The following table shows which clusters are legal (white squares are legal, gray squares are not):