ABSTRACT
As in other parts of the grammar, Bantu segmental phonology can be characterized as a theme and variations: despite the large number of languages and great geographic expanse that they cover, the most noteworthy properties concerning Bantu syllable structure, consonant/vowel inventories, and phonological processes are robustly attested throughout the Bantu area. However, these shared features, although striking, mask a wide range of differences which are equally, if not more, important in understanding Bantu phonology in general. It is helpful in this regard to consider both the phonological system inherited from Proto-Bantu (PB), as well as the innovations, often areally diffused, which characterize present-day Bantu subgroups and individual languages.
