Editing Zulu language (section)

===Phonotactics===

Zulu syllables are canonically (N)C(w)V{{Clarify|reason=context gives examples where initial syllable consists of only V, cf. umpetshisi and impoko|date=August 2020}}, and words must always end in a vowel. Consonant clusters consist of any consonant, optionally preceded by a [[homorganic]] nasal consonant (so-called "prenasalisation", described in more detail below) and optionally followed by the consonant {{IPA|/w/}}.

In addition, syllabic {{IPA|/m̩/}} occurs as a reduction of former {{IPA|/mu/}}, and acts like a true syllable: it can be syllabic even when not word-initial, and can also carry distinctive tones like a full syllable. It does not necessarily have to be homorganic with the following consonant, although the difference between homorganic nonsyllabic {{IPA|/mC/}} and syllabic {{IPA|/m̩C/}} is distinctive, e.g. ''umpetshisi'' {{IPA|/um̩pétʃiːsi/}} "peach tree" (5 syllables) versus ''impoko'' {{IPA|/ímpoːɠo/}} "grass flower" (3 syllables). Moreover, sequences of syllabic ''m'' and homorganic ''m'' can occur, e.g. ''ummbila'' {{IPA|/úm̩mbíːla/}} "maize" (4 syllables).

Recent loanwords from languages such as English may violate these constraints, by including additional consonant clusters that are not native to Zulu, such as in ''igremu'' {{IPA|/iːgreːmu/}} "[[gram]]". There may be some variation between speakers as to whether clusters are broken up by an [[epenthetic vowel]] or not, e.g. ''ikhompiyutha'' {{IPA|/iːkʰompijuːtʰa/}} or ''ikhompyutha'' {{IPA|/iːkʰompjuːtʰa/}} "computer".