Vertical, monovocalic and other impossible vowel systems: a review of the articulation of the Kabardian vowels.
The North West Caucasian language Kabardian has a minimal vowel system, the analysis of which has engendered significant controversy. Phonetically, Kabardian is interesting for the extensive assimilation of its few vowel phonemes to the surrounding consonants. Two published descriptions of these assimilations by J. C. Catford ("The Kabardian Language," Maitre Phonetique, 3rd series, 1942, 77, 15-1
