Vowels

This chapter examines the vowel system of the Taiwanese Southern Min (TSM) language, which is notable for its extensive array of nasal vowels. Each oral vowel in TSM typically has a corresponding nasal vowel, and these pairs are considered distinct phonemes. The vowel inventory of TSM includes unmarked rounded back vowels and unrounded front vowels; however, it lacks a central vowel. The back vowels [o] and [ɤ] display regional variation: [o] is a northern accent, while [ɤ] is southern. A glide is introduced before a vowel to generate a rising diphthong. This process occurs irrespective of the vowel’s height. Analogous to the behavior of vowels, these rising diphthongs can also be succeeded by a consonant coda within the language’s syllabic structure. Conversely, falling diphthongs cannot be succeeded by a consonant coda. Vowel length in TSM is predictable: vowels in open syllables are long, those in closed syllables ending with a nasal consonant are short, and vowels in checked syllables are extra short. Additionally, TSM features two syllabic nasal consonants, [ŋ̩] and [m̩]. These have evolved both synchronically and diachronically from the consonantalization of nasal vowels and the vocalization of consonant onsets.