Pashto consonants: System and phonotactics

This paper aims to clarify the data on the Pashto consonant system and realization patterns for the Ghilji dialect drawing some parallels with English and Russian based on previous research and the author’s own experience as a Pashto speaker. The focus is on controversies concerning the number of consonants in the system, the dialect variance of Pashto consonant patterns in words, the specifics of some distinctive and integral features, distribution rules for single consonants and consonant groups. The scientific novelty lies in the following: this is the first attempt to view the Ghilji dialect consonant inventory through the lens of N. S. Trubetzkoy’s system of oppositions and to offer solutions for challenging phonological issues separating (i) common Pashto phenomena, (ii) Ghilji specifics compared to other dialects and the standard, (iii) non-adapted borrowings. As a result, it was found that the number of Ghilji consonant phonemes amounts to 28 compared to 29 standard Pashto consonant phonemes. The phoneme /h/ was classified as glottal, not pharyngeal, the phoneme /w/ (/в/, /β/) was classified as sonorant, not voiced fricative. The study showed almost unlimited distribution of single consonants and a large variety of two- and three-consonant groups.