Phonological Features of the Kashmiri Language: A Comprehensive and Detailed Exploration

Abstract

Kashmiri, which belongs to the Dardic sub-group within the Indo-Aryan language family, is primarily spoken as a mother tongue by most of the people in the Kashmir Valley. It is also spoken by a small number of individuals in various regions across India and Pakistan. Kashmiri possesses several distinct phonological and morphological features that distinguish it from other Indo-Aryan languages. To offer a comprehensive overview of its phonological structure, this paper carefully details the vowel and consonant phonemes of Kashmiri. Nasalization, a phonemic feature in Kashmiri, plays a significant role in its phonetic arrangement. The paper seeks to explain various phonological phenomena such as nasalization, vowel length, syllabic structure, stress patterns, intonation, palatalization, and homophony through relevant examples. Additionally, this study aims to compile, analyze, and present a broad catalogue of Kashmiri words, providing numerous examples to enhance the understanding of these phonological aspects.