Yuanga (Yuaga), or Nua, is a New Caledonian language spoken in the north of the island.
Phonology
Consonants LabialDental/AlveolarRetroflexPalatalVelarGlottalplainlab.plainpal.StopvoicelessaspiratedprenasalFricativeplainaspiratedNasalvoicedaspiratedApproximantvoicedaspirated()
[lʰ] is probably not a distinct phoneme, although it is perhaps perceived and heard among a few speakers. Stops /p, pʷ, t̪, tʲ/ may have voiced realizations [b, bʷ, d̪, dʲ] when in intervocalic position. /ʈ/ may be heard as voiced [ɖ] or a flapped [ɾ] in intervocalic position. /k/ in intervocalic position may be realized as a stop [ɡ] or fricated as either [ɣ] or [x]. /vʰ/ may also be heard as voiceless [fʰ] in free variation. /θ, x/ may be voiced as [ð, ɣ] in intervocalic position.
Vowels FrontCentralBackHigh High-mid Low-mid Low
/e/ may be heard as [ɪ] when following palatalized stops. /o/ may be heard as [ʊ] in free variation following consonants other than labio-velar stops. /ɔ/ is more closed as [ɔ̝] when following labio-velar stops and labio-velar nasals.
References