Emeigu: Difference between revisions

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Emeigu is a largely isolating nominative-dechticaetiative language spoken in Emeijan.
Emeigu (Emeigu: The language of Eigu) is an isolating-fusional ergative-dechticaetiative language.  
 


== Phonology ==
== Phonology ==
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===Phoneme Inventory===
===Phoneme Inventory===


Emeigu distinguishes the following vowels and consonants:
Emeigu distinguishes the following consonants:


{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
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|-
|-
|'''Plosive/Affricate'''
|'''Plosive/Affricate'''
|'''p''' /p/ '''hp''' /ʰp/  '''b''' /b/
|'''p''' /p/  '''b''' /b/
|'''t''' /t/  '''ht''' /ʰt/ '''d''' /d/
|'''t''' /t/  '''d''' /d/
|
|
|'''j''' /ɟ/
|'''č''' /ʨ/
|'''k''' /k/ '''hk''' /ʰk/ '''g''' /g/
|'''k''' /k/ '''g''' /g/
|
|
|-
|-
|'''Fricative'''
|'''Fricative'''
|'''f''' /ɸ/ '''v''' /β/
|'''th''' /θ/
|'''s''' /s/
|'''sh''' /ɕ/
|
|
|'''h''' /ɦ/
|
|'''s''' /s/
|'''š''' /ɕ/
|
|'''h''' /h/
|-
|-
|'''Nasal'''
|'''Nasal'''
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|
|
|'''n''' /n/
|'''n''' /n/
|
|'''ny''' /ɲ/
|
|'''ng''' /ŋ/
|
|
|-
|-
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There are five vowel phonemes, /i e a o u/, represented by '''i e a o u''', as well as five diphthongs, all falling: /ai au ei eu ou/, '''ai au ei eu ou'''.  
There are five vowel phonemes, /i e a o u/, represented by '''i e a o u''', as well as five diphthongs, all falling: /ai au ei eu oi ou/, '''ai au ei eu ou'''. In native words, /o u/ only occur in closed syllables.  


Orthographically, the diphthongs are distinguished from two discrete vowel nuclei with an apostrophe, e.g. '''tai''' /tai/ '''ta'i''' /ta.i/.
Orthographically, the diphthongs are distinguished from two discrete vowel nuclei with an apostrophe, e.g. '''tai''' /tai/ '''ta'i''' /ta.i/. /ng/ is distinguished from /ŋ/ the same way.


===Syllable Structure===
===Syllable Structure===


Emeigu has a simple (C)(r)V(r s h n m t th) syllable structure, with the following caveats:
Emeigu has a simple (C)V(m n t s) syllable structure, with the caveat that coda '''s''' only occurs after /a/.
 
-Word-internal coda /s/ does not occur before voiced plosives.
 
-Coda /th/ does not occur in a syllable with /th/ in the onset, having dissimilated to /t/ at an earlier stage in the language.
 
-Word-internal coda /t/ does not occur before another plosive.
 
-Diphthongs do not occur in syllables with a coda consonant.
 
-Onset /nr lr yr wr vr pr/ do not occur.  


===Allophony===
===Allophony===


-/n/ assimilates to the point of articulation of any following consonant.
-/n/ assimilates to the point of articulation of any following consonant /ankas/ [ɐŋ'kas]


-Unstressed vowels, and stressed vowels in closed syllables, tend to be realised as lax [ɪ ɛ ɐ ɔ ʊ], except after a palatal, where /a/ tends to be realised as [æ]
-Unstressed vowels, and stressed vowels in closed syllables, tend to be realised as lax [ɪ ɛ ɐ ɔ ʊ], except after a palatal, where /a/ tends to be realised as [æ].


- The palatal stop /ɟ/ tends to be realised as an affricate [ɟʝ] or [dʑ].


==Verbal Morphology==


==Morphology==
Emeigu verbs are conjugated for voice, mood, tense and transitivity.


Emeigu has very little nominal or verbal morphology, being a largely isolating language. It does have a richer derivational morphology and word compounding system, however
===The Verbal Noun===


The verbal noun is the citation form of the verb. It is formed by '''-ni''', '''-ini''' after a consonant: '''kimini''' ''eat'', '''nauni''' ''say'', '''namani''' ''bite''. The only verbal inflection which may occur before the verbal noun is for voice, e.g. '''namuni''' ''bite something'', '''kimasini''' ''eat oneself''.


===Plurality===
===Voice===


Emeigu has a plural morpheme, '''-u''' ('''-yu''' after /i u/). However, when plurality is marked by a number or a word such as '''jana''' ''many'', the noun is always left unmarked.
Tanemantin verbs are marked for one of three voices: Default, Antipassive, and Reflexive.  


The default is the unmarked voice: '''kim-''', '''nau-''', '''nama-'''.


===Derivational Morphology===
The antipassive is marked by '''-u''' after plain stem, which displaces any final '''a''' or '''e'''. After monosyllabic stems ending in a vowel and after '''i o e''', it is '''-yu''': '''kimu-''', '''nauyu-''', '''namu-'''.


Emeigu uses a mix of compounding and derivational affixes to derive new words. Some derivational affixes are not stand alone morphemes, for example:
The reflexive is marked by '''-(a)s''' after the stem: '''kimas-''', '''naus-''' '''namas-'''.  


The prefix '''en-''' produces an inaminate agent or tool from a verb or adjective:
===Mood===
'''maru''' ''to pierce'' - '''emmaru''' ''thorn''  '''jau''' ''black'' - '''enjau''' ''ink''


Similarly, '''ye(t)-''' means 'one who does X':
Emeigu verbs
'''tirni''' ''to dance'' - '''yetirni''' ''dancer''  '''amteth''' ''to know'' - '''yetamteth''' ''savant, scholar''


Abstractions are made with '''ka-''':
[[Category: Conlangs]]
'''yat''' ''farmer'' - '''kayat''' '' civilisation''

Latest revision as of 10:03, 17 July 2011

Emeigu (Emeigu: The language of Eigu) is an isolating-fusional ergative-dechticaetiative language.

Phonology

Phoneme Inventory

Emeigu distinguishes the following consonants:

Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/Affricate p /p/ b /b/ t /t/ d /d/ č /ʨ/ k /k/ g /g/
Fricative s /s/ š /ɕ/ h /h/
Nasal m /m/ n /n/ ny /ɲ/ ng /ŋ/
Liquid w /w/ r /ɾ/ l /l/ y /j/


There are five vowel phonemes, /i e a o u/, represented by i e a o u, as well as five diphthongs, all falling: /ai au ei eu oi ou/, ai au ei eu ou. In native words, /o u/ only occur in closed syllables.

Orthographically, the diphthongs are distinguished from two discrete vowel nuclei with an apostrophe, e.g. tai /tai/ ta'i /ta.i/. /ng/ is distinguished from /ŋ/ the same way.

Syllable Structure

Emeigu has a simple (C)V(m n t s) syllable structure, with the caveat that coda s only occurs after /a/.

Allophony

-/n/ assimilates to the point of articulation of any following consonant /ankas/ [ɐŋ'kas]

-Unstressed vowels, and stressed vowels in closed syllables, tend to be realised as lax [ɪ ɛ ɐ ɔ ʊ], except after a palatal, where /a/ tends to be realised as [æ].


Verbal Morphology

Emeigu verbs are conjugated for voice, mood, tense and transitivity.

The Verbal Noun

The verbal noun is the citation form of the verb. It is formed by -ni, -ini after a consonant: kimini eat, nauni say, namani bite. The only verbal inflection which may occur before the verbal noun is for voice, e.g. namuni bite something, kimasini eat oneself.

Voice

Tanemantin verbs are marked for one of three voices: Default, Antipassive, and Reflexive.

The default is the unmarked voice: kim-, nau-, nama-.

The antipassive is marked by -u after plain stem, which displaces any final a or e. After monosyllabic stems ending in a vowel and after i o e, it is -yu: kimu-, nauyu-, namu-.

The reflexive is marked by -(a)s after the stem: kimas-, naus- namas-.

Mood

Emeigu verbs