The Phonological Processes in The Anaang Language

Abstract

This study examines the phonology of Anaang, and the environment of assimilation, palatization, labialization, and nasalization together with their structures. The data for this work were drawn from Anaang speakers who are indigenes and resident in Anaang speaking community for not less than 20 years. The area of study was stratified based on dialectal variations and the population of study was randomly selected. The research relies on Articulatory Model by Browman & Goldstein (1990) as a theoretical framework. This theory lays claim on the fact that phonological structure is an interaction of acoustic, articulatory and psychological organization. It is inherently multidimensional because it can explain a number of phonological phenomena, mostly those that involve overlapping articulatory gestures. Anaang is a Lower Cross language spoken in North-Western part of Akwa Ibom State. In Anaang, labialization occurs in a restricted phonological environment. This study reveals that the syllable structure has influence on the labialization in that, structures with open syllable are more labialized than those with closed syllables.