| Retroflex click type | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 𝼊 ψ | |||
| Encoding | |||
| Entity(decimal) | 𝼊ψ | ||
| Unicode(hex) | U+1DF0A U+03C8 | ||
| |||
| Tenuis retroflex click (velar) | |
|---|---|
| k𝼊 kψ | |
| ᵏ𝼊 ᵏψ | |
| 𝼊 ψ |
| Voiced retroflex click (velar) | |
|---|---|
| ɡ𝼊 ɡψ | |
| ᶢ𝼊 ᶢψ | |
| 𝼊̬ ψ̬ |
| Retroflex nasal click (velar) | |
|---|---|
| ŋ𝼊 ŋψ | |
| ᵑ𝼊 ᵑψ | |
| 𝼊̃ ψ̃ |
| Tenuis retroflex click (uvular) | |
|---|---|
| q𝼊 qψ | |
| 𐞥𝼊 𐞥ψ |
| Voiced retroflex click (uvular) | |
|---|---|
| ɢ𝼊 ɢψ | |
| 𐞒𝼊 𐞒ψ |
| Retroflex nasal click (uvular) | |
|---|---|
| ɴ𝼊 ɴψ | |
| ᶰ𝼊 ᶰψ |
Theretroflex clicks are a family ofclick consonants known only from theCentral ǃKung language or dialect ofNamibia.[1] They aresub-apical retroflex and should not be confused with the more widespreadpostalveolar clicks, which have also been called "retroflex" (for example in Unicode) due to their concave tongue shape and sometimes apical-retroflex articulation.
The 'implicit' symbol in theInternational Phonetic Alphabet that represents the forward articulation of these sounds is ⟨𝼊⟩.[2][3] However, usage is rare. In the literature, retroflex clicks are typically written with thead hoc digraph ⟨‼⟩, the convention since Doke identified them as retroflex in 1925. (Doke's proposed symbol, ⟨ψ⟩,[4] did not catch on, though it has IPA support for historical transcription, nor did Vedder's and Anders'⟨⦀⟩.[5] For a while Amanda Miller, who noted a lateral fricated release (as had Vedder), transcribed them ⟨ǃ𐞷⟩.[6])
Retroflex clicks are extraordinarily rare. True retroflex clicks occur in at least some dialects of Central ǃKung. They are reconstructed for theProto-Kxʼa language and tentatively forProto-Khoe–Kwadi.[7]A nasal retroflex click is reported fromDamin.
Basic retroflex clicks in three common transcription conventions are:
| Trans. I | Trans. II | Trans. III | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| (velar) | |||
| ⟨k͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨ᵏ𝼊⟩ | ⟨𝼊⟩ | tenuis retroflex click |
| ⟨k͜𝼊ʰ⟩ | ⟨ᵏ𝼊ʰ⟩ | ⟨𝼊ʰ⟩ | aspirated retroflex click |
| ⟨ɡ͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨ᶢ𝼊⟩ | ⟨𝼊̬⟩ | voiced retroflex click |
| ⟨ŋ͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨ᵑ𝼊⟩ | ⟨𝼊̬̃⟩ | retroflex nasal click |
| ⟨ŋ̊͜𝼊ʰʰ⟩ | ⟨ᵑ̥𝼊ʰʰ⟩ | ⟨𝼊̃ʰʰ⟩ | aspirated retroflex nasal click |
| ⟨ŋ͜𝼊ˀ⟩ | ⟨ᵑ𝼊ˀ⟩ | ⟨𝼊̃ˀ⟩ | glottalized retroflex nasal click |
| (uvular) | |||
| ⟨q͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨𐞥𝼊⟩ | tenuis retroflex click | |
| ⟨q͜𝼊ʰ⟩ | ⟨𐞥𝼊ʰ⟩ | aspirated retroflex click | |
| ⟨ɢ͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨𐞒𝼊⟩ | voiced retroflex click | |
| ⟨ɴ͜𝼊⟩ | ⟨ᶰ𝼊⟩ | retroflex nasal click | |
| ⟨ɴ̥͜𝼊ʰʰ⟩ | ⟨ᶰ̥𝼊ʰʰ⟩ | aspirated retroflex nasal click | |
| ⟨ɴ͜𝼊ˀ⟩ | ⟨ᶰ𝼊ˀ⟩ | glottalized retroflex nasal click | |
Features of postalveolar clicks:
As with other click articulations, retroflex clicks may be produced with variousmanners. An example is the voiced retroflex click in theGrootfontein ǃKung (Central Juu) word for 'water',[ᶢ𝼊𐞷ú] (g‼ú).
Damin is the only other language known to have had such a sound, though only the nasal click occurred. It occurred as both a single and a doubled consonant, which was articulated twice. It wasapico-domal, and no comparison was ever done with the Central Juu articulation.
A retroflex series claimed forEkoka ǃKung turns out to bedomed palatal clicks.
