Lachian

Vowel harmony
Lachian has vowel harmony, vowels can be classified into two groups:


 * the weak group /i, e, æ/ (front vowels)
 * the strong group /u, o, ɑ/ (back vowels).

All vowels on suffixes must harmonize to their weak or strong counterparts. For example, the vowel in the inferential suffix appears as /i/ when following a weak vowel, but it appears as /u/ when it follows all other vowels e.g.


 * -/tsʼiq/ or -/tsʼuq/ - inferential marker
 * /ken.tsʼiq/ - must have drawn
 * /poɬqʼ.tsʼuq/ - must have discovered

Similarly, the vowel in the comitative-instrumental suffix appears as /e/ when following a weak vowel, otherwise it appears as /o/.


 * -/mej/ or -/moj/ - instrumental-comitative marker
 * /pæki.mej/ - with the tree
 * /nopu.moj/ - with the flower