Yi (Nosu)
The “tense” register of Tibeto-Burman languages
such as Yi (Nosu), often called “laryngealized,” can be interpreted
as larynx raising in conjunction with the engagement of the
aryepiglottic sphincter. This could be regarded as an example
of exploiting the larynx-raising and laryngeal sphinctering
components that usually accompany pharyngealization, in a
context that is not otherwise characterized by a particular
manner of pharyngeal articulation. This effect applies to
five pairs of vowels, some of which reduce to consonantal
sonorant quality, for example, "lax" [i] contrasts
with "tense" [ ]
and "lax" [ ]
contrasts with "tense" [ ].
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