Fordata (Vai Fordata, Vai Tnebar) is an Austronesian language spoken in the Tanimbar Islands of the Moluccas. It is closely related to Kei, and more distantly to Yamdena, both also spoken in the Tanimbar Islands.

Phonology

Consonants

LabialDental/ AlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Nasalmnŋ ⟨ng⟩
Plosivevoicelesskʔ ⟨'⟩
voicedbd
Fricativevoicelessfsh
voicedv
Laterall
Trillr
Semivowelwj ⟨y⟩
  • Glottal sounds /hʔ/ only occur intervocalically.
  • /v/ can often be heard as [w] among younger speakers.
  • /r/ can also be heard in free variation with a flap sound [ɾ].

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closeiu
Mideo
Opena
  • Sounds /ie/ have lax sounds of [ɪ ɛ]
  • /a/ can have an allophone of [ə] when before a consonant, or in word-final position.

External links