Vemkha language
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| Vemkha | |
|---|---|
| Vəmɣə ɣuɣs, Vəŋx kuɣs, Wamx kuɣs | |
| Pronunciation | [vəmɣə], [wamx], [vəŋx] |
| Region | Kasiiralq |
| Ethnicity | 6,430 Vemkha |
| Native speakers | c. 6,400 (2020 census) |
| Language family | Language isolate or one of Sahar's primary language families |
| Early forms: | Proto-Vemkha
|
| Dialects | Vemgha
Vamkh
Vengkh
|
| CWS code | VMKH |
 Approximate distribution of Vemkha speakers | |
Vemkha (Vemkha: Vəmɣa [vəmɣa ɣuɣs], Wamx [wamx kuɣs] or Vəŋx [vəŋx kuɣs]) is a language isolate or small language family spoken by the Vemkha people of Kasiiralq.
Languages
Classification
The classification of Vemkha has been highly controversial. It has not been conclusively proven to be related to any other language family, despite numerous attempts by linguists. Most attempts have focused on geographically proximate families, such as Tulipi-Lakup, Maakpauean, Yucho, East Mirarian or Shaelic. Other proposals have focused on more distant connections, such as the Amaian languages of eastern Vaniu, the Maithic languages of Central Miraria and even the Darkinic languages of northern Soltenna.
History
Phonology
Consonants
| Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n̪ | n | ɲ | ŋ | |||
| Stop | plain | p | t̪ | t | c | k | q | |
| aspirated | pʰ | t̪ʰ | tʰ | cʰ | kʰ | qʰ | ||
| voiced | (b) | (d̪) | (d) | (ɟ) | (ɡ) | (ɢ) | ||
| Fricative | voiceless | f | θ | s ~ ʃ ~ ɕ | x | χ | h | |
| voiced | v | ð | z ~ ʒ ~ ʑ | ɣ | ʁ | |||
| Approximant | l̪ | l | j | w | ||||
| Trill | voiceless | r̥ | ||||||
| voiced | r | |||||||