Language/Amharic/Pronunciation/Phonology:-Vowel-Change

Phonology > Vowel Change in Amharic

When y yä is added to a noun (pronoun) that begins with a vowel, the sound may change. Look at this change in the following examples:

1. የ yä + እኔ ïne = የኔ yäne

2. የ yä + አንተ antä =ያንተ yantä

3. የ yä + እሱ ïssu = የሱ yässu

4. የ yä + እ ሷ ïssua =የሷ yässua

5. የ yä + እሳቸውïssačäw = የሳቸው yässačäw

6. የ yä + አሜሪካamerika =የአሜሪካ yamerika

Vowels are dropped according to the “hierarchy” of vowels, listed from “strongest” (always replaces) to “weakest” (is always replaced):

ኣ a, ኤe, ኢi, ኦo, ኡu, አ ä, እ ï

So for example, the “ä” sound in “የ yä” may replace the beginning “ï” sound of pronouns like ïssu, ïsswa, ïnnantä, etc. Similarly, if the noun or pronoun begins with an “a”, as in antä or anči, the a may replace the ä.

The assimilation of vowels indicated above occurs in fluent speech. In slow speech or reading the vowels can be pronounced separately, i.e as in the written form.

Source

https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Amharic/Amharic%20Peace%20Corps%20Language%20Manual-2015.pdf

Other Lessons

• Alphabet and Pronunciation