Ālen: Difference between revisions
(New page: == Phonology == '''Consonants''' Stops: /p b t d k g/ <p b t d k g> Fricatives: /f s x/ <f s h> Liquids: /l 4/ <l r> '''Vowels''' Short oral: /a e i o u/ <a e i o u> Long oral: /a: e: i: ...) |
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== Phonology == | == Phonology == | ||
'''Consonants''' | '''Consonants'''<br> | ||
Stops: /p b t d k g/ | Stops: /p b t d k g/ <p b t d k g><br> | ||
Fricatives: /f s x/ | Fricatives: /f s x/ <f s h><br> | ||
Liquids: /l 4/ | Liquids: /l 4/ <l r><br> | ||
'''Vowels''' | '''Vowels'''<br> | ||
Short oral: /a e i o u/ <a e i o u> | Short oral: /a e i o u/ <a e i o u><br> | ||
Long oral: /a: e: i: o: u:/ <ā ē ī ō ū> | Long oral: /a: e: i: o: u:/ <ā ē ī ō ū><br> | ||
Short nasal: /a~ e~ i~ o~ u~/ <an en in on un> | Short nasal: /a~ e~ i~ o~ u~/ <an en in on un><br> | ||
Long nasal: /a:~ e:~ i:~ o:~ u:~/ <ān ēn īn ōn ūn> | Long nasal: /a:~ e:~ i:~ o:~ u:~/ <ān ēn īn ōn ūn> | ||
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After a nasal vowel, /b d l g/ are realized as [m n n N] and written <m n n ng>. /la:~la/ is pronounced [la:~na] and spelled '''lāna'''. | After a nasal vowel, /b d l g/ are realized as [m n n N] and written <m n n ng>. /la:~la/ is pronounced [la:~na] and spelled '''lāna'''. | ||
Nouns | '''Nouns'''<br> | ||
There are two genders — ''animate'' and ''inanimate''. They keep fairly close to natural gender, but there are exceptions: "house" is animate, "nephew" is inanimate, and so on. | There are two genders — ''animate'' and ''inanimate''. They keep fairly close to natural gender, but there are exceptions: "house" is animate, "nephew" is inanimate, and so on. | ||
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The construct state forms of common gender nouns are formed by suffixing -en, -in or -on, or by nasalizing an internal vowel (usually the second-to-last). | The construct state forms of common gender nouns are formed by suffixing -en, -in or -on, or by nasalizing an internal vowel (usually the second-to-last). | ||
dasū "boy" arrow dasūon "boy of" | :dasū "boy" arrow dasūon "boy of" | ||
eli "house" arrow eni "house of" | :eli "house" arrow eni "house of" | ||
karri "aunt" arrow karrīn "aunt of" | :karri "aunt" arrow karrīn "aunt of" | ||
The construct state forms of neuter nouns are formed by suffixing -el, -il or -ul, or by geminating an internal consonant (usually the initial of the last syllable). | The construct state forms of neuter nouns are formed by suffixing -el, -il or -ul, or by geminating an internal consonant (usually the initial of the last syllable). | ||
bis "mouse" arrow bisel "mouse of" | :bis "mouse" arrow bisel "mouse of" | ||
hēlu "hair" arrow hēluil "hair of" | :hēlu "hair" arrow hēluil "hair of" | ||
kurifa "branch" arrow kuriffa "branch of" | :kurifa "branch" arrow kuriffa "branch of" | ||
There are a fair number of irregular nouns in which other changes to the stem go along with these endings. | There are a fair number of irregular nouns in which other changes to the stem go along with these endings. | ||
gauru "dog" arrow guron "dog of" | :gauru "dog" arrow guron "dog of" | ||
sēsu "wheat" arrow suessu "wheat of" | :sēsu "wheat" arrow suessu "wheat of" | ||
When an unmarked noun follows a noun in the construct state, the relationship between them is one of alienable posession. | When an unmarked noun follows a noun in the construct state, the relationship between them is one of alienable posession. | ||
guron Iona "John's dog" | :guron Iona "John's dog" | ||
eni ame "my house" | :eni ame "my house" | ||
For inalienable posession the posessor is put in the partitive case, marked with the preposition ō. | For inalienable posession the posessor is put in the partitive case, marked with the preposition ō. | ||
karrīn ō Iona "John's aunt" | :karrīn ō Iona "John's aunt" | ||
eni ō ame "my family, my household" | :eni ō ame "my family, my household" | ||
The partitive is also used to describe the material something is made of or the group it is drawn from. | The partitive is also used to describe the material something is made of or the group it is drawn from. | ||
piuhta ō sēsu "wheat bread" | :piuhta ō sēsu "wheat bread" | ||
enim ō dasū "one of the boys" | :enim ō dasū "one of the boys" | ||
The benefactive and malefactive cases, marked with ni and den respectively, can be used to describe the purpose of a noun. | The benefactive and malefactive cases, marked with ni and den respectively, can be used to describe the purpose of a noun. | ||
fakal ni sēgē "seed corn" [i.e. "corn for the field"] | :fakal ni sēgē "seed corn" [i.e. "corn for the field"] | ||
ōanillē den kuotta "rat poison" [i.e. "poison against rats"] | :ōanillē den kuotta "rat poison" [i.e. "poison against rats"] | ||
They can also be used for indirect objects, as we'll see later. | They can also be used for indirect objects, as we'll see later. | ||
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The locative, allative and ablative cases — marked with the prepositions a, ēn and ko — are used to describe locations, sources and destinations of movement. | The locative, allative and ablative cases — marked with the prepositions a, ēn and ko — are used to describe locations, sources and destinations of movement. | ||
a eli "at the house" | :a eli "at the house" | ||
ēn eli "to the house" | :ēn eli "to the house" | ||
ko eli "from the house" | :ko eli "from the house" | ||
Construct state nouns in these cases are used to form more complex descriptions of position or motion. | Construct state nouns in these cases are used to form more complex descriptions of position or motion. | ||
sogu "top" arrow a sogūl "on top of" | :sogu "top" arrow a sogūl "on top of" | ||
tieka "teeth" arrow ēn tiekka "into the middle of" | :tieka "teeth" arrow ēn tiekka "into the middle of" | ||
Some commonly used combinations have contracted into one word. | Some commonly used combinations have contracted into one word. | ||
omā "deep" arrow ko omāl arrow kōmāl "up out of" | :omā "deep" arrow ko omāl arrow kōmāl "up out of" | ||
lase "eye" arrow ēn lasse arrow ēnasse "straight at" | :lase "eye" arrow ēn lasse arrow ēnasse "straight at" | ||
eli "house" arrow a eni arrow anni "at the house of, chez" | :eli "house" arrow a eni arrow anni "at the house of, chez" | ||
[[Category:Conlangs]] |
Revision as of 15:50, 13 February 2008
Phonology
Consonants
Stops: /p b t d k g/ <p b t d k g>
Fricatives: /f s x/ <f s h>
Liquids: /l 4/ <l r>
Vowels
Short oral: /a e i o u/ <a e i o u>
Long oral: /a: e: i: o: u:/ <ā ē ī ō ū>
Short nasal: /a~ e~ i~ o~ u~/ <an en in on un>
Long nasal: /a:~ e:~ i:~ o:~ u:~/ <ān ēn īn ōn ūn>
Syllables are (C)V(C).
After a nasal vowel, /b d l g/ are realized as [m n n N] and written <m n n ng>. /la:~la/ is pronounced [la:~na] and spelled lāna.
Nouns
There are two genders — animate and inanimate. They keep fairly close to natural gender, but there are exceptions: "house" is animate, "nephew" is inanimate, and so on.
A noun that is modified (by another noun, an adjective, a relative clause, etc) is said to be in construct state. An unmodified noun is in absolute state.
The construct state forms of common gender nouns are formed by suffixing -en, -in or -on, or by nasalizing an internal vowel (usually the second-to-last).
- dasū "boy" arrow dasūon "boy of"
- eli "house" arrow eni "house of"
- karri "aunt" arrow karrīn "aunt of"
The construct state forms of neuter nouns are formed by suffixing -el, -il or -ul, or by geminating an internal consonant (usually the initial of the last syllable).
- bis "mouse" arrow bisel "mouse of"
- hēlu "hair" arrow hēluil "hair of"
- kurifa "branch" arrow kuriffa "branch of"
There are a fair number of irregular nouns in which other changes to the stem go along with these endings.
- gauru "dog" arrow guron "dog of"
- sēsu "wheat" arrow suessu "wheat of"
When an unmarked noun follows a noun in the construct state, the relationship between them is one of alienable posession.
- guron Iona "John's dog"
- eni ame "my house"
For inalienable posession the posessor is put in the partitive case, marked with the preposition ō.
- karrīn ō Iona "John's aunt"
- eni ō ame "my family, my household"
The partitive is also used to describe the material something is made of or the group it is drawn from.
- piuhta ō sēsu "wheat bread"
- enim ō dasū "one of the boys"
The benefactive and malefactive cases, marked with ni and den respectively, can be used to describe the purpose of a noun.
- fakal ni sēgē "seed corn" [i.e. "corn for the field"]
- ōanillē den kuotta "rat poison" [i.e. "poison against rats"]
They can also be used for indirect objects, as we'll see later.
The locative, allative and ablative cases — marked with the prepositions a, ēn and ko — are used to describe locations, sources and destinations of movement.
- a eli "at the house"
- ēn eli "to the house"
- ko eli "from the house"
Construct state nouns in these cases are used to form more complex descriptions of position or motion.
- sogu "top" arrow a sogūl "on top of"
- tieka "teeth" arrow ēn tiekka "into the middle of"
Some commonly used combinations have contracted into one word.
- omā "deep" arrow ko omāl arrow kōmāl "up out of"
- lase "eye" arrow ēn lasse arrow ēnasse "straight at"
- eli "house" arrow a eni arrow anni "at the house of, chez"