Jebero (Chebero, Xebero, Xihuila) is a moribund Amazonian language spoken by the Jebero people of Jeberos, Peru. It is spoken by only a small number of older adults and belongs to the Cahuapanan family together with Chayahuita.
Phonology
Vowels
varies between close front unrounded , near-close front unrounded and close-mid front unrounded . varies between near-close near-front rounded and close-mid back weakly rounded , with the latter realization being the most usual. varies between mid near-front unrounded and close-mid central unrounded . is shorter than the other vowels, particularly between voiceless consonants. The sequence is sometimes realized as a syllabic . varies between open central unrounded and near-open retracted front . The vowel chart in puts in the near-open central position . In closed syllables, is realized as open-mid central unrounded .
Consonants
are bilabial, whereas is labialized velar. is an affricate, rather than a plosive. It has nevertheless been placed in the table in that manner to save space. are laminal denti-alveolar . In the syllable coda, is realized with a wider contact, maximally dentoalveolo-velar . After , the denti-alveolar contact is often not made, which makes sound more like a velar nasal . may sometimes sound as if it were a lateral consonant, but it is never realized as lateral. are dentoalveolo-palatal . is sometimes realized as a weak fricative . occurs only in the affirmative interjection . is realized as a flap in the syllable onset and as a trill in the syllable coda. is a glottalized flap . Intervocalically, it is realized as a sequence .