Proto-Piti
Proto-Piti is the proto-language of the Piti language family. Every other language of this family stems directly or indirectly from Proto-Piti language.
Proto-Piti is spoken in the prehistoric period and gives rise to four separate branches:
- Kī́rtako languages.
- Figo languages.
- Biwdiwgu languages.
- Jeʂtəra languages.
It is only a spoken language and has no script of any kind.
Typological structure
Proto-Piti is a morphologically agglutinative language, with an additional but strongly marked introflexive feature, realized in verbal roots.
The basic word order is essentially SOV (Subject-Object-Verb).
pʰuːḱali muːke liːloṕ(æt́) (the) person sees (the) cow
There are however some traces hinting to SOV order not being original, but a subsequent development from a previous underlying VSO order. The most convincing trace is the previous cliticization of postposed personal pronouns roots to verbal roots. However, the system appears to switch firmly to SOV before the dissolution of language unity and the diaspora of Piti peoples.
The entire system is set according to typological parameters of the modifier-head (or head-final) type:
- object - verb
- noun - postposition
- adjective - noun
- relative clause - noun
Phonology
- Main article: Proto-Piti phonology
Morphology
- Main article: Proto-Piti morphology
Syntax
- Main article: Proto-Piti syntax
Vocabulary
- Main article: Proto-Piti vocabulary
