ABSTRACT
Transcriptions are sometimes simplified, especially by normalizing verb-stem vocalism as e.g. "CCgC"; the schwa in mainstream dialects often corresponds to a fuller vowel {i au} in northern M dialects, and is better transcribed a in M oasis dialects and in part of the Atlantic strip (especially rural dialects around Az-Jd and Sa). However, specifically northern or oasis-type transcriptions (rather than normalizations) are used where the lexical item is not recorded in a mainstream dialect. Sets of phonological variants of a single lexical item, reflecting standard interdialectal phonological relationships, are treated as units in this chapter and not all variant forms are listed. For example, most stems shown here with q or 9 actually have dialectal q - 9 - ? - ? alternations (§3.1.l3); 9 often has a dialectal counterpart t (§3.3.2); most J dialects (and a few M dialects) systematically merge s with ,.; and z with i (§3.1.4); there is considerable variation in the distribution of rounding features reflecting CA short *li (§3.6.3); and some dialects preserve diphthongs that have been monophthongized in mainstream dialects (§3.6.4). Unpredictable phonological variants are either given briefly here or are deferred for fuller treatment to chapter 6.
