Elements of the Migueleño Chiquitano morphophonology

Abstract

In this paper, I describe several morphophonological processes and a morphophonological constratint attested in the variety of Chiquitano (Macro-Jê family) spoken in San Miguel de Velasco (Santa Cruz, Bolivia), based on original fieldwork data obtained from five native speakers. I present a detailed description of the long-distance nasalization of continuant consonants and high vowels; the affrication of |t k| in certain environments; the progressive palatalization of |p β̞ m t k x|; the minimality constraints which apply to nominal stems; five types of vowel harmony which affect specific affixes or clitics; the process of raising of |o| to /u/ preceding a syllable which contains /a/; the process of lowering of |i| to /ɛ/ before /s ts/; the morphophonological elision of high vowels. Some of these processes are shared by other varieties of Chiquitano, whereas others lack any known equivalent in dialects other than Migueleño.