Nime
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Native spelling: "NiMei" (/nime/).
Phonology
Consonants
| Labial | Dental | Palatal | Velar |
|---|---|---|---|
| p | t | c/ʧ "ch" | k "c"/"qu" |
| b | d | ɟ/ʤ "dj" | ɡ "g"/"gu" |
| m | n | ɲ "gn" | ŋ "ng" |
| v | s | ʒ "j" | |
| w "u"/"w" | j "i"/"y" |
Vowels
| Front | Center | Back | Front nasal | Center nasal | Back nasal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | ɨ "ue" | u | ĩ "in" | ɨ̃ "uen" | ũ "un" |
| e "ei" | ə "oe" | o "ou" | |||
| ɛ "eh" | ɔ "oh" | ɛ̃ "en" | ə̃ "oen" | ɔ̃ "on" | |
| a | ã "an" |
Tones
| Level | Falling | Raising |
|---|---|---|
| 55 "SA" | 53 "SAa" | |
| 33 "Sa" | 32 "Saa" | 35 "SaA" |
| 22 "sa" | 23 "saA" | |
| 11 "saa" |
Phonotactics
[C][j,w]V[V][T] (toneless syllables are given tone 33)
Spelling conventions
- "y" and "w" are used when they start a syllable or in otherwise ambiguous cases such as /nwɛ̃/ "Nwen" (vs /nɨ̃/ "Nuen") or /gwi/ "Gwi" (vs /gi/ "Gui"). Otherwise, "i" and "u" are used.
- The appostrophe is used to break syllables in otherwise ambiguous cases such as /tãgi/ "tan'gi" vs /taŋi/ "tangi".
- Initial /a,i,u/ with middle tones (33,35,32) are prefixed with 'H', giving "Ha,Haa,HaA,Hi,Hii,HiI,Hu,Huu,HuU".
- Falling, raising and very low tones must be spelled with the first vowel doubled: "SUuen", "Suuen", "SuUEN", "suUEN", "suuen".
Grammar
- SVO.
- noun group order: preposition - noun - argument - adjective - possessor - relative clause.
- No case.
- Verb agreement: with subject and complement.
- Alignment: nominative/accusative.
