Bustax

A well-kno'n ancient literary language, demonstrably related to Tsonboran. The Bustaxian invasions of Levant begin around -3.7ka. The oldest inscriptions in the language date from -3.5ka. The Bustaxian Empire reaches its maximum extent (from central Persia and Afghanistan to Anatolia and Greece - not Caucasus, tho) around -3.2ka before decay sets in. The ruling dynasty takes refuge in northern Anatolia, and a separate Bustaxian state survives until trampled under the Altaic' expansion circa -1.4ka. Bustaxian continues to be used as a liturgical language.

Sound changes from Proto-West Persian':

to Proto-Bustaxoid

• Coda m → n, with typical POA assimilation also finally kicking in.
• Many clusters simplify to agree in voicing and/or MOA.
  • P1F2 → F1F2
  • PL → BL
  • NP → N̥P
  • NF → N̥F
• Dorsal fronting: plain velars become palatals, while uvulars become plain velars.
  • The contrast is neutralized (to velars) in several environments, including (…)
  • Labiovelars and ʀ are preserved.
  • Palatal/coronal incompatibility: first member of a cluster yields to produce a geminate of the 2nd (except jd jt dj → rd rt ɟ(ː)).
    • Also in case this comes up, θt, tθ → tː
• Fricativ simplification: ɸ β θ ð ɬ ɮ → f v s z x j
  • Initially ɣ h → ɡ ∅, elsewhere both → ɦ
• t d alveolarize before velars (but not after) and adjacent to r, s
• Cluster simplification continues: nw nj → nm nː, N̥P N̥F → Pː ːF

• Coda j → ʝ → ... → ʃ/ʒ

to Old Bustax

• Voiced fricativs devoice in most positions
• The alveolar allophones of t d affricate (cf. Northern Tsonboid A
• Sibilant + velar → postalveolar: tk [tsk] dɡ [dzg] sx (ʒg) → tʃ dʒ ʃ (ʒ)
  • /k/ remains in sk → ʃk
• Loss of ɦ leads to tonogenesis