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{{WIP}}
{{Infobox|name=Élbica
{{Infobox|name=Helvica
|pronounce='ɛlbika
|pronounce=/"ElvIk@/
|tu=[[Ill Bethisad]]
|tu=[[Ill Bethisad]]
|species=Human
|species=Human
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|wo=SVO
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Sectori|Sectori]]
|creator=[[User:Sectori|Sectori]]
|date=May 2006}}
|date=July, 2009}}
Elbic is the language of the Principality of Elba, an island off the coast of Tuscany. It is a Central and Southern Italian language, related to Neapolitan and Tuscan Italian. It has two sets of changes to initial consonants, similar to the mutations found in the Celtic consonants: the geminate mutation (also found in [[Wikipedia:Neapolitan|Neapolitan]]), and the gorgic mutation ([[Wikipedia:Tuscan gorgia|Tuscan Italian]]).
''Nota bene: Elbic has undergone some changes since this page was last updated, especially to nominal morphology but also limited changes to verbal morphology. I'm not sure if/when this page will be up-to-date.''
 
Elbic is the language of the Principality of Elba, an island off the coast of Tuscany. It is a Central and Southern Italian language, although it has been relatively isolated, related to Neapolitan and Tuscan Italian.
 
==Phonology==
Elbic phonology is fairly ordinary for a Romance language.


==Phonotactics/Orthography/Stress==
The Elbic alphabet contains 37 distinct letters. There are 15 vowel letters representing ten sounds. Elbic has the following vowels:
===Vowels===
===Vowels===
<br/>
Elbic has a straightforward seven-vowel system inherited from Vulgar Latin. It also has three diphthongs, two falling and one rising: /jɛ/, /wɔ/, and /ai/.
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">


Line 31: Line 33:
| ||colspan=2| Front ||colspan=2| Near-front ||colspan=2| Central ||colspan=2| Near-back ||colspan=2| Back
| ||colspan=2| Front ||colspan=2| Near-front ||colspan=2| Central ||colspan=2| Near-back ||colspan=2| Back
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High || {{IPA|i}} || || || || || || || || || {{IPA|u}}
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High || i || || || || || || || || || u
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-high || || || {{IPA|ɪ}} || || || || || {{IPA|ʊ}} || ||  
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-high || || || || || || || || || ||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High-mid || || || {{IPA|e}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|o}}
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High-mid || || || ê || || || || || || || ô
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mid || || || || || {{IPA|ə}}
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mid || || || e || || || || || || || o
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low-mid || || || {{IPA|ɛ}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|ɔ}}
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low-mid || || || || || || || || || ||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-low || || ||
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-low || || ||
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low || || || || || {{IPA|a}}
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low || || || || || a
|}
|}
</div>
Orthographically, it should be noted that '''e''' and '''o''' occasionally represent /e/ and /o/; as a general rule, only the first vowel in a word that would receive a circumflex does. The diphthong /jɛ/ is represented orthographically as '''ië''', the diphthong /wɔ/ as '''uo''', and the diphthong /ai/ as '''ai'''.
===Consonants===
Elbic has either 22 or 24 consonants, depending on whether the semivowels /w/ and /j/ are treated as allophonic realizations of /i/ and /u/ or as consonants in their own right.


</div>
Orthographically, these are represented by:
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Front ||colspan=2| Near-front ||colspan=2| Central ||colspan=2| Near-back ||colspan=2| Back
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Labiod. ||colspan=2| Dental ||colspan=2| Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Labiovelar
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || m || || || || || || n || || || || gn || ||
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || p || b || || || t || d || || || || || || || c(h) || g(h) || qu || gu
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative ||  ||  || f || v ||  ||  || s || || x || g(i) || || ||  ||  ||  ||
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || || ç || z || || || c(i) ||  || || ||  ||
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || ||(u)|| || || || || || || || || ||(i)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Trill || || || || || || || || || r
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Lateral Approximant || || || || ||  || || || l || || || || lh
|}
</div>
 
Orthographically, '''ch''' and '''gh''' are used for /k/ and /g/ before front vowels, '''c''' and '''g''' before back vowels. '''c''' and '''g''' are used for /tʃ/ and /ʒ/ before front vowels, '''ci''' and '''gi''' before back vowels. All consonants can be geminated, in which case they are written twice, with the following exceptions:
* geminated '''lh''' is written '''llh'''
* geminated '''ç''' is written '''tç'''
* geminated '''qu''' is written '''cqu'''
* geminated '''gn''' is written '''ggn'''
 
Written Elbic utilizes four diacritics:
* the circumflex is used to mark the vowels /e/ and /o/ (written '''ê''' and '''ô''')
* the diaeresis is used to mark the diphthong /jɛ/ (written '''ië''')
* the acute accent is used to mark irregular stress on a non-final syllable
* the grave accent is used to mark irregular stress on a final syllable
 
Note that an acute or grave takes precedence over the diaeresis (e.g. '''Miéxxicu''' ''Mexico'').
 
===Stress===
To place the stress of a word, follow these rules in the order they are presented here.
 
* When determining the stress of a word, always initially place it on the final syllable.
* If the final sound is a vowel, stress moves back one syllable.
* If anywhere in the word there is a vowel with an acute or grave, move the stress to the accented vowel.
* In monosyllabic words, the vowel is generally treated as if it were unstressed.
 
Thus, '''Miéxxicu''', the Elbic name for Mexico, is /'mjɛʃ:iku/, '''Êlba''', the Elbic name for Elba, is /'elba/, the definite article '''la''' is /la/, and '''nu napoletannu''' ''a Neapolitan'' is /nu napolɛ'tan:u/.
 
==Nominal morphology==
Nouns in Elbic belong to one of two genders, masculine or feminine. The vast majority of nouns end in a vowel, and all nouns form their plurals by suffixing '''s''':
 
* '''duomnu''' (lord) —> '''duomnus'''
* '''acqua''' (water) —> '''acquas'''
* '''princêppi''' (prince) —> '''princêppis
* '''parti''' (part, section) —> '''partis'''
* '''mannu''' (hand) —> '''mannus'''
* '''zi''' (day) —> '''zis'''
 
Generally speaking, nouns that end in '''u''' are masculine and nouns that end in '''a''' are feminine (although this is not always so: '''mannu''' is feminine, for example). Nouns ending in other vowels might belong to either gender, although there are some observable patterns. For example,
 
* nouns ending in '''ionni''' ('''stazionni''' "station", e.g.) are feminine
* nouns ending in '''atti''' ('''universitatti''' "university", e.g.) are feminine
* nouns ending in '''orri''' ('''amorri''' "love", e.g.) are masculine
 
===Articles===
Elbic has two types of articles, definite and indefinite, each of which has five forms. The forms of the definite article are as follows:
 
{|
! || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || lu || la || l'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || lus || las || *
|}
 
Plural nouns that begin with a vowel use the normal plural forms. For example, '''lu duomnu''' (the lord), '''las mannus''' (the hands), '''l'universitatti''' (the university), '''lus amorris''' (the loves).
 
The forms of the indefinite article are as follows:
 
{|
! || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || nu || na || n'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || nus || nas || *
|}
 
Plural nouns that begin with a vowel use the normal plural forms. The plural indefinite article is equivalent to English "some" or French "des". The definite article contracts with the prepositions '''a''' (at, to, towards), '''da''' (from, of), '''in''' (in, at, on), and '''su''' (around, on).
 
====Contraction with ''a''====
{|
! ''a'' || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || allu || alla || all'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || allus || allas || *
|}
 
====Contraction with ''da''====
{|
! ''da'' || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || dallu || dalla || dall'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || dallus || dallas || *
|}
 
====Contraction with ''in''====
{|
! ''in'' || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || gnellu || gnella || gnell'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || gnellus || gnellas || *
|}
 
====Contraction with ''su''====
{|
! ''a'' || Masc. || Fem. || Before vowel
|-
| '''Sing.''' || sullu || sulla || sull'
|-
| '''Plur.''' || sullus || sullas || *
|}
 
==Pronominal morphology==
Elbic pronouns, like nouns, distinguish two numbers and between two and five cases. In the third person, there is a masculine-feminine distinction, as well. The cases shown by the pronouns are the following: for the first and second person pronouns, nominative, genitive, and oblique-reflexive cases are distinguished. For the impersonal pronoun '''si''', the nominative and the oblique-reflexive are identical. For the third person pronouns, nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and reflexive are distinguished, and there exist special disjunctive forms, as well.
 
===First person===
The first person pronoun declines as follows:
{|
! || Sing. || Plur.
|-
| '''Nom.''' || giu || nus
|-
| '''Gen.''' || miu || nuostru
|-
| '''O.-R.''' || mi || nui
|}
 
===Second person===
The second person pronoun declines as follows:
{|
! || Sing. || Plur.
|-
| '''Nom.''' || tu || vus
|-
| '''Gen.''' || tiu || vuostru
|-
| '''O.-R.''' || ti || vui
|}
 
===Third person===
The third person pronoun declines as follows:
{|
| || Masc. || || Fem.
|-
! || Sing. || Plur. || Sing. || Plur.
|-
| '''Nom.''' || ell || ells || ella || ellas
|-
| '''Gen.''' || siu || lôrru || siu || larru
|-
| '''Dat.''' || lhi || lhis || lhi || lhis
|-
| '''Acc.''' || lu/l' || lus || la/l' || las
|-
| '''Ref.''' || si || si || si || si
|-
| '''Disj.''' || ellu || ellus || ella || ellas
|}
 
==Verbal morphology==
Elbic verbs can be classified into five groups; four of them are distinguished by their infinitive endings while the fifth comprises irregular verbs.
 
* First conjugation infinitives end in '''arri''', e.g. '''parlarri''' ''speak''
* Second conjugation infinitives end in '''erri''', e.g. '''vêderri''' ''see''
* Third conjugation infinitives end in '''ri''', e.g. '''priëndri''' ''take''
* Fourth conjugation infinitives end in '''irri''', e.g. '''finirri''' ''finish''
* Irregular verbs' infinitives look like infinitives for one of the other four conjugations
 
There are two important notes about verb conjugation. Some finite endings cause palatalization of the preceding consonant:
 
{|
! Normal || Palatalized
|-
| c || x
|-
| ch || c
|-
| g || gi
|-
| gh || g
|-
| t || ç
|-
| d || z
|-
| l || lh
|-
| n || gn
|}
 
Additionally, any verbs, most notably verbs of the third conjugation, whose final stem vowel is short '''e''' or '''o''' will diphthongize when that vowel is stressed to '''ië''' or '''uo'''. Thus, the stem of the third conjugation verb '''priëndri''' is actually *'''prend''', but because the stress falls on the stem vowel, it has diphthongized even in the infinitive.
 
All verbs are conjugated by removing the infinitive ending and adding various suffixes. The conjugation patterns for regular verbs, as well as for the irregular verbs '''esserri''' ''be'' and '''averri''' ''have''. Additionally, it should be noted that many verbs, especially of the second and third conjugations, have irregular preterite stems. For example, '''vêderri''' ''see'' has the preterite stem '''vid''' (e.g. '''vidì''' ''I saw''). The irregular preterite stem is used in both the indicative and the subjunctive.
 
===First conjugation===
The conjugation of first conjugation verbs in '''arri''' is shown below.
 
====Finite forms====
The finite forms of the first conjugation are as follows:
 
{| border=1
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
|-
| 1 sg.  || u || ai || abba || arò || i || assi || —
|-
| 2 sg.  || as || asti || abbas || aràs || is || assis || a
|-
| 3 sg.  || a || ò || abba || arà || i || assi || —
|-
| 1 pl.  || ammu || ammu || ábbamu || aremmu || immu || ássimu || immu
|-
| 2 pl.  || atti || astis || ábbati || aretti || itti || ássiti || atti
|-
| 3 pl. || an || arrun || abban || aràn || in || assin || —
|}
 
====Non-finite forms====
The non-finite forms of the first conjugation are as follows:
 
{| border=1
| Infinitive || '''arri'''
|-
| Past part. || '''attu'''
|-
| Present part. || '''anti'''
|}
 
====Sample conjugation====
The finite conjugation of the verb '''cantarri''' ''sing'':
 
{| border=1
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
|-
| 1 sg.  || cantu || cantai || cantabba || cantarò || canti || cantassi || —
|-
| 2 sg.  || cantas || cantasti || cantabbas || cantaràs || cantis || cantassis || canta
|-
| 3 sg.  || canta || cantò || cantabba || cantarà || canti || cantassi || —
|-
| 1 pl.  || cantammu || cantammu || cantábbamu || cantaremmu || cantimmu || cantássimu || cantimmu
|-
| 2 pl.  || cantatti || cantastis || cantábbati || cantaretti || cantitti || cantássiti || cantatti
|-
| 3 pl. || cantan || cantarrun || cantabban || cantaràn || cantin || cantassin || —
|}
 
And the non-finite forms:
 
{| border=1
| Infinitive || '''cantarri'''
|-
| Past part. || '''cantattu'''
|-
| Present part. || '''cantanti'''
|}
 
===Second conjugation===
The conjugation of second conjugation verbs in '''erri''' is shown below:
 
====Finite forms====
The finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:
 
{| border=1
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
|-
| 1 sg.  || *u || ì || ebba || erò || *a || essi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High || í || || || || || || || || || ú
| 2 sg.  || es || isti || ebbas || eràs || *as || essis || i
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-high || || || ì || || || || || ù || ||
| 3 sg.  || i || ò || ebba || erà || *a || essi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High-mid || || || é || || || || || || || ó
| 1 pl.  || emmu || immu || ébbamu || eremmu || *ammu || éssimu || *ammu
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mid || || || || || à
| 2 pl.  || etti || istis || ébbati || eretti || *atti || éssiti || etti
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low-mid || || || è || || || || || || || ò
| 3 pl. || *un || *errun || ebban || eràn || *an || essin || —
|}
 
====Non-finite forms====
The non-finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:
 
{| border=1
| Infinitive || '''erri'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-low || || ||
| Past part. || '''ittu'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low || || || || || á
| Present part. || '''enti'''
|}
|}


</div>
====Sample conjugation====
There are a set of unaccented vowels <a e i o u>. These, when stressed, are pronounced as the acute vowels, when unstressed as the grave vowels.
The finite conjugation of '''vêderri''' ''see'':
===Consonants===
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">


{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
{| border=1
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
|-
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Labiod. ||colspan=2| Dental ||colspan=2| Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
| 1 sg.  || vêzu || vidì || vêdebba || vêderò || vêza || videssi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || || || || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || ||
| 2 sg.  || vêdes || vidisti || vêdebbas || vêderàs || vêzas || videssis || vêdi
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || || || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
| 3 sg.  || vêdi || vidò || vêdebba || vêderà || vêza || videssi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || {{IPA|ɸ}} || {{IPA|β}} || || || {{IPA|θ}} || {{IPA|ð}} || {{IPA|s}} || || {{IPA|ʃ}} || || || || {{IPA|x}} || {{IPA|ɣ}} ||
| 1 pl.  || vêdemmu || vidimmu || vêdébbamu || vêderemmu || vêzammu || vidéssimu || vêzammu
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || || || {{IPA|dz}} || || || {{IPA|t∫}} || {{IPA|dʒ}} || || {{IPA|kw}}||({{IPA|ks}})||
| 2 pl.  || vêdetti || vidistis || vêdébbati || vêderetti || vêzatti || vidéssiti || vêdetti
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || ||({{IPA|w}})|| || || || || || || || || ||({{IPA|j}})
| 3 pl. || vêzun || vizerrun || vêdebban || vêderàn || vêzan || videssin || —
|}
 
And the non-finite forms; note the irregular past participle:
 
{| border=1
| Infinitive || '''vêderri'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Trill || || || || || || || || {{IPA|r}}
| Past part. || '''vistu'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Lateral Approximant || || || || || || || || {{IPA|l}}
| Present part. || '''vêdenti'''
|}
|}


</div>
===Third conjugation===
These are represented orthographically by the characters following. However, there are some important notes. /dz/ when adjacent to an unvoiced consonant or initially is [ts]. Double consonants <nn ss>, etc. are pronounced /nn ss/, etc. /t∫/ is [k] before <a o u> in all variations. /dʒ/ is [g] before <a o u> in all variations. There is also an orthographically represented <h>. <h> is non-phonemic, but rather represents /ˈ/, a movement of stress. <h> always precedes a vowel, and moves the stress of the word to that vowel. /kw/ is /k/ before <e i> in all variations. < i u> in diphthongs are pronounced /j w/. /ɲ ʎ/ before <a o u> in all variations are /gn gl/. /∫/ in non-Elbic words (i.e. lone words) is /ks/.
The conjugation of third conjugation verbs in '''ri'''.
<br/>
 
<div style="text-align: center;">
====Finite forms====
The finite forms of the third conjugation are as follows:


{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
{| border=1
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
|-
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Labiod. ||colspan=2| Dental ||colspan=2| Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
| 1 sg.  || u || ì || *ebba || rò || a || essi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || m || || || || || || n || || || || gn || ||
| 2 sg.  || is || isti || *ebbas || ràs || as || essis || i
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || p || b || || || t || d || || || || || || || ch || gh
| 3 sg.  || i || ò || *ebba || rà || a || essi || —
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || hp || hb || || || ht || hd || s || || x || || || || hc || hg ||
| 1 pl.  || emmu || immu || *ébbamu || remmu || ammu || éssimu || ammu
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || || || z || || || c || g || || qu || (x) ||
| 2 pl.  || etti || istis || *ébbati || retti || atti || éssiti || etti
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || ||(u)|| || || || || || || || || ||(i)
| 3 pl. || un || *errun || *ebban || ràn || an || essin || —
|}
 
====Non-finite forms====
The non-finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:
 
{| border=1
| Infinitive || '''ri'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Trill || || || || || || || || r
| Past part. || '''ittu'''
|-
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Lateral Approximant || || || || || || || || l
| Present part. || *'''enti'''
|}
|}


</div>
====Sample conjugation====
===Stress===
The finite conjugation of '''piërdri''' ''lose'' (stem '''perd'''):
To place the stress of a word, follow these rules in the order they are presented here.


* When determining the stress of a word, always initially place it on the final syllable.
{| border=1
* If the final phoneme is a vowel, stress moves back one syllable.
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
* If the final syllable ends in a nasal or an approximant, move the stress back one syllable.
|-
* If anywhere in the word there is an <h> preceding a vowel, move the stress to the h-vowel.
| 1 sg.  || piërdu || perdì || perzebba || perdrò || piërda || perdessi || —
* In monosyllabic words, the vowel is always treated as if it were stressed.
|-
| 2 sg. || piërdis || perdisti || perzebbas || perdràs || piërdas || perdessis || piërdi
|-
| 3 sg. || piërdi || perdò || perzebba || perdrà || piërda || perdessi || —
|-
| 1 pl. || perdemmu || perdimmu || perzébbamu || perdremmu || perdammu || perdéssimu || perdammu
|-
| 2 pl. || perdetti || perdistis || perzébbati || perdretti || perdatti || perdéssiti || perdetti
|-
| 3 pl. || piërdun || perzerrun || perzebban || perdràn || piërdan || perdessin || —
|}


Thus, Mhexicó, the Elbic name for Mexico, is /mˈɛksɪko/, and Helva, the Elbic name for Elba, is /ˈɛlvə/. No Nápolitanno, or "a Neapolitan", is /no napɔlɪtˈannɔ/.
And the non-finite forms:


==Nominal Morphology==
{| border=1
Phew. That's over. Good. Now we can get onto the interesting bit. Nouns in Elbic belong to one of three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. There are also two numbers: singular and plural. All Elbic nouns end in vowels. The changes applied to vowels to go from singular to plural are as follows:
| Infinitive || '''piërdri'''
|-
| Past part. || '''perdittu'''
|-
| Present part. || '''perzenti'''
|}


* -o>-i (in cases where the noun ends in -io, the i becomes -ì); '''gatto'''>'''gatti'''
===Fourth conjugation===
* -a>-e; '''cossina'''>'''cossine'''
The conjugation of fourth conjugation verbs in '''irri'''.
* -u>-e; '''frasu'''>'''frase'''
* -e>-i; '''traduzione'''>'''traduzioni'''
* -i>-e (very few nouns end in -i); '''spaghetti'''>'''spaghette'''


The singular endings can tell you a significant amount about the gender of a noun. Here are some basic guidelines.
====Finite forms====
The finite forms of the fourth conjugation are as follows:


* Most nouns ending in -o are masculine; '''lo gatto'''
{| border=1
* Most nouns ending in -a are feminine; '''la ccossina'''
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
* Most nouns ending in -u are neuter; '''lu ffrasu'''
|-
* All nouns ending in -zione are feminine; '''la ttraduzione'''
| 1 sg.  || *u || ì || *ebba || irò || *a || essi || —
* All nouns ending in -ismo are neuter; '''lu ffaxismo'''
|-
* Nouns ending in -e or -i can be of any gender, and so you just have to memorize them; '''lo cambiatte''', '''lu mmomenti'''
| 2 sg.  || is || isti || *ebbas || iràs || *as || essis || i
|-
| 3 sg.  || i || ò || *ebba || irà || *a || essi || —
|-
| 1 pl.  || immu || immu || *ébbamu || iremmu || *ammu || éssimu || *ammu
|-
| 2 pl.  || itti || istis || *ébbati || iretti || *atti || éssiti || itti
|-
| 3 pl. || *un || *errun || *ebban || iràn || *an || essin || —
|}


===Articles===
====Non-finite forms====
Along with nouns must come articles. Elbic has six definite articles and four indefinite articles. The definite articles are equivalent to English "the" and precede the noun they modify. There are both singular and plural definite articles. The indefinite articles are equivalent to English "a/an" and precede the noun they modify. There are only singular indefinite articles. The definite articles are as follows.
The non-finite forms of the fourth conjugation are as follows:


* '''lo''': masculine singular; '''lo gatto'''
{| border=1
* '''la''': feminine singular; '''la ccossina'''
| Infinitive || '''irri'''
* '''lu''': neuter singular; '''lu ffrasu'''
|-
* '''l''': singular (substitutes for '''lo''', '''la''', or '''lu''' before a vowel); '''l'arbollo'''
| Past part. || '''ittu'''
* '''li''': masculine plural; li gatti
|-
* '''le''': feminine and neuter plural; '''le ffrase'''
| Present part. || *'''enti'''
|}


The indefinite articles are as follows.
====Sample conjugation====
The finite conjugation of '''finirri''' ''finish'':


* '''no''': masculine singular; '''no gatto'''
{| border=1
* '''na''': feminine singular: '''na ccossina'''
! || Present Indicative || Preterite Indicative || Imperfect Indicative || Future Indicative || Present Subjunctive || Preterite Subjunctive || Imperative
* '''nu''': neuter singular; '''nu ffrasu'''
|-
* '''n'''': singular (substitutes for no, na, or nu before a vowel); '''n'arbollo'''
| 1 sg.  || fignu || finì || fignebba || finirò || figna || finessi || —
|-
| 2 sg.  || finis || finisti || fignebbas || finiràs || fignas || finessis || fini
|-
| 3 sg.  || fini || finò || fignebba || finirà || figna || finessi || —
|-
| 1 pl.  || finimmu || finimmu || fignébbamu || finiremmu || fignammu || finéssimu || fignammu
|-
| 2 pl.  || finitti || finistis || fignébbati || finiretti || fignatti || finéssiti || finitti
|-
| 3 pl. || fignun || fignerrun || fignebban || finiràn || fignan || finessin || —
|}


===Geminate Mutation===
And the non-finite forms:
You may have noticed that some of the nouns changed when articles were placed in front of them. This is the geminate mutation, one of the more unique features of Elbic, shared with Neapolitan. The geminate mutation is a doubling of the initial consonant of a word. It is triggered by the feminine and neuter articles. Any word following these articles will experience the doubling. However, only certain consonants are doubled. Here is the list. It includes the gorgic mutation for future reference as well.


  {|  
{| border=1
  ! Initial Consonant || Geminate Form || Gorgic Form
| Infinitive || '''finirri'''
  |-
|-
  | t  || tt  || ht
| Past part. || '''finittu'''
  |-
|-
  | d  || dd  || hd
| Present part. || '''fignenti'''
  |-
|}
  | c  || cc  || hc
  |-
  | g  || gg  || hg
  |-
  | p  || pp  || hp
  |-
  | b  || bb  || hb
  |-
  | ch  || cch  || hch
  |-
  | gh  || ggh  || hgh
  |-
  | n  || nn  || n
  |-
  | m  || mm  || m
  |-
  | l  || ll  || l
  |-
  | r  || rr  || r
  |}


[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]][[Category:Conlangs]][[Category:Ill Bethisad]][[Category:Indo-European conlangs]][[Category:Romance conlangs]]
[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]]
[[Category:Ill Bethisad]]
[[Category:Romance conlangs]]
[[Category:Elbic]]
[[Category: Conlangs]]

Latest revision as of 16:37, 30 October 2012


Élbica
Pronounced: 'ɛlbika
Timeline and Universe: Ill Bethisad
Species: Human
Spoken: Elba
Total speakers: 30,000
Writing system: Latin
Genealogy: Indo-European

 Italic
  Romance
   South-Central Romance
    Central-Southern Italian

     Elbic
Typology
Morphological type: Inflecting
Morphosyntactic alignment: Nominative-Accusative
Basic word order: SVO
Credits
Creator: Sectori
Created: July, 2009

Nota bene: Elbic has undergone some changes since this page was last updated, especially to nominal morphology but also limited changes to verbal morphology. I'm not sure if/when this page will be up-to-date.

Elbic is the language of the Principality of Elba, an island off the coast of Tuscany. It is a Central and Southern Italian language, although it has been relatively isolated, related to Neapolitan and Tuscan Italian.

Phonology

Elbic phonology is fairly ordinary for a Romance language.

Vowels

Elbic has a straightforward seven-vowel system inherited from Vulgar Latin. It also has three diphthongs, two falling and one rising: /jɛ/, /wɔ/, and /ai/.

Vowels
Front Near-front Central Near-back Back
High i u
Near-high
High-mid ê ô
Mid e o
Low-mid
Near-low
Low a

Orthographically, it should be noted that e and o occasionally represent /e/ and /o/; as a general rule, only the first vowel in a word that would receive a circumflex does. The diphthong /jɛ/ is represented orthographically as ië, the diphthong /wɔ/ as uo, and the diphthong /ai/ as ai.

Consonants

Elbic has either 22 or 24 consonants, depending on whether the semivowels /w/ and /j/ are treated as allophonic realizations of /i/ and /u/ or as consonants in their own right.

Consonants
Bilabial Labiod. Dental Alveolar Post-alv. Palatal Velar Labiovelar
Nasal m n gn
Plosive p b t d c(h) g(h) qu gu
Fricative f v s x g(i)
Affricate ç z c(i)
Approximants (u) (i)
Trill r
Lateral Approximant l lh

Orthographically, ch and gh are used for /k/ and /g/ before front vowels, c and g before back vowels. c and g are used for /tʃ/ and /ʒ/ before front vowels, ci and gi before back vowels. All consonants can be geminated, in which case they are written twice, with the following exceptions:

  • geminated lh is written llh
  • geminated ç is written tç
  • geminated qu is written cqu
  • geminated gn is written ggn

Written Elbic utilizes four diacritics:

  • the circumflex is used to mark the vowels /e/ and /o/ (written ê and ô)
  • the diaeresis is used to mark the diphthong /jɛ/ (written ië)
  • the acute accent is used to mark irregular stress on a non-final syllable
  • the grave accent is used to mark irregular stress on a final syllable

Note that an acute or grave takes precedence over the diaeresis (e.g. Miéxxicu Mexico).

Stress

To place the stress of a word, follow these rules in the order they are presented here.

  • When determining the stress of a word, always initially place it on the final syllable.
  • If the final sound is a vowel, stress moves back one syllable.
  • If anywhere in the word there is a vowel with an acute or grave, move the stress to the accented vowel.
  • In monosyllabic words, the vowel is generally treated as if it were unstressed.

Thus, Miéxxicu, the Elbic name for Mexico, is /'mjɛʃ:iku/, Êlba, the Elbic name for Elba, is /'elba/, the definite article la is /la/, and nu napoletannu a Neapolitan is /nu napolɛ'tan:u/.

Nominal morphology

Nouns in Elbic belong to one of two genders, masculine or feminine. The vast majority of nouns end in a vowel, and all nouns form their plurals by suffixing s:

  • duomnu (lord) —> duomnus
  • acqua (water) —> acquas
  • princêppi (prince) —> princêppis
  • parti (part, section) —> partis
  • mannu (hand) —> mannus
  • zi (day) —> zis

Generally speaking, nouns that end in u are masculine and nouns that end in a are feminine (although this is not always so: mannu is feminine, for example). Nouns ending in other vowels might belong to either gender, although there are some observable patterns. For example,

  • nouns ending in ionni (stazionni "station", e.g.) are feminine
  • nouns ending in atti (universitatti "university", e.g.) are feminine
  • nouns ending in orri (amorri "love", e.g.) are masculine

Articles

Elbic has two types of articles, definite and indefinite, each of which has five forms. The forms of the definite article are as follows:

Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. lu la l'
Plur. lus las *

Plural nouns that begin with a vowel use the normal plural forms. For example, lu duomnu (the lord), las mannus (the hands), l'universitatti (the university), lus amorris (the loves).

The forms of the indefinite article are as follows:

Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. nu na n'
Plur. nus nas *

Plural nouns that begin with a vowel use the normal plural forms. The plural indefinite article is equivalent to English "some" or French "des". The definite article contracts with the prepositions a (at, to, towards), da (from, of), in (in, at, on), and su (around, on).

Contraction with a

a Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. allu alla all'
Plur. allus allas *

Contraction with da

da Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. dallu dalla dall'
Plur. dallus dallas *

Contraction with in

in Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. gnellu gnella gnell'
Plur. gnellus gnellas *

Contraction with su

a Masc. Fem. Before vowel
Sing. sullu sulla sull'
Plur. sullus sullas *

Pronominal morphology

Elbic pronouns, like nouns, distinguish two numbers and between two and five cases. In the third person, there is a masculine-feminine distinction, as well. The cases shown by the pronouns are the following: for the first and second person pronouns, nominative, genitive, and oblique-reflexive cases are distinguished. For the impersonal pronoun si, the nominative and the oblique-reflexive are identical. For the third person pronouns, nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and reflexive are distinguished, and there exist special disjunctive forms, as well.

First person

The first person pronoun declines as follows:

Sing. Plur.
Nom. giu nus
Gen. miu nuostru
O.-R. mi nui

Second person

The second person pronoun declines as follows:

Sing. Plur.
Nom. tu vus
Gen. tiu vuostru
O.-R. ti vui

Third person

The third person pronoun declines as follows:

Masc. Fem.
Sing. Plur. Sing. Plur.
Nom. ell ells ella ellas
Gen. siu lôrru siu larru
Dat. lhi lhis lhi lhis
Acc. lu/l' lus la/l' las
Ref. si si si si
Disj. ellu ellus ella ellas

Verbal morphology

Elbic verbs can be classified into five groups; four of them are distinguished by their infinitive endings while the fifth comprises irregular verbs.

  • First conjugation infinitives end in arri, e.g. parlarri speak
  • Second conjugation infinitives end in erri, e.g. vêderri see
  • Third conjugation infinitives end in ri, e.g. priëndri take
  • Fourth conjugation infinitives end in irri, e.g. finirri finish
  • Irregular verbs' infinitives look like infinitives for one of the other four conjugations

There are two important notes about verb conjugation. Some finite endings cause palatalization of the preceding consonant:

Normal Palatalized
c x
ch c
g gi
gh g
t ç
d z
l lh
n gn

Additionally, any verbs, most notably verbs of the third conjugation, whose final stem vowel is short e or o will diphthongize when that vowel is stressed to ië or uo. Thus, the stem of the third conjugation verb priëndri is actually *prend, but because the stress falls on the stem vowel, it has diphthongized even in the infinitive.

All verbs are conjugated by removing the infinitive ending and adding various suffixes. The conjugation patterns for regular verbs, as well as for the irregular verbs esserri be and averri have. Additionally, it should be noted that many verbs, especially of the second and third conjugations, have irregular preterite stems. For example, vêderri see has the preterite stem vid (e.g. vidì I saw). The irregular preterite stem is used in both the indicative and the subjunctive.

First conjugation

The conjugation of first conjugation verbs in arri is shown below.

Finite forms

The finite forms of the first conjugation are as follows:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. u ai abba arò i assi —
2 sg. as asti abbas aràs is assis a
3 sg. a ò abba arà i assi —
1 pl. ammu ammu ábbamu aremmu immu ássimu immu
2 pl. atti astis ábbati aretti itti ássiti atti
3 pl. an arrun abban aràn in assin —

Non-finite forms

The non-finite forms of the first conjugation are as follows:

Infinitive arri
Past part. attu
Present part. anti

Sample conjugation

The finite conjugation of the verb cantarri sing:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. cantu cantai cantabba cantarò canti cantassi —
2 sg. cantas cantasti cantabbas cantaràs cantis cantassis canta
3 sg. canta cantò cantabba cantarà canti cantassi —
1 pl. cantammu cantammu cantábbamu cantaremmu cantimmu cantássimu cantimmu
2 pl. cantatti cantastis cantábbati cantaretti cantitti cantássiti cantatti
3 pl. cantan cantarrun cantabban cantaràn cantin cantassin —

And the non-finite forms:

Infinitive cantarri
Past part. cantattu
Present part. cantanti

Second conjugation

The conjugation of second conjugation verbs in erri is shown below:

Finite forms

The finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. *u ì ebba erò *a essi —
2 sg. es isti ebbas eràs *as essis i
3 sg. i ò ebba erà *a essi —
1 pl. emmu immu ébbamu eremmu *ammu éssimu *ammu
2 pl. etti istis ébbati eretti *atti éssiti etti
3 pl. *un *errun ebban eràn *an essin —

Non-finite forms

The non-finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:

Infinitive erri
Past part. ittu
Present part. enti

Sample conjugation

The finite conjugation of vêderri see:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. vêzu vidì vêdebba vêderò vêza videssi —
2 sg. vêdes vidisti vêdebbas vêderàs vêzas videssis vêdi
3 sg. vêdi vidò vêdebba vêderà vêza videssi —
1 pl. vêdemmu vidimmu vêdébbamu vêderemmu vêzammu vidéssimu vêzammu
2 pl. vêdetti vidistis vêdébbati vêderetti vêzatti vidéssiti vêdetti
3 pl. vêzun vizerrun vêdebban vêderàn vêzan videssin —

And the non-finite forms; note the irregular past participle:

Infinitive vêderri
Past part. vistu
Present part. vêdenti

Third conjugation

The conjugation of third conjugation verbs in ri.

Finite forms

The finite forms of the third conjugation are as follows:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. u ì *ebba rò a essi —
2 sg. is isti *ebbas ràs as essis i
3 sg. i ò *ebba rà a essi —
1 pl. emmu immu *ébbamu remmu ammu éssimu ammu
2 pl. etti istis *ébbati retti atti éssiti etti
3 pl. un *errun *ebban ràn an essin —

Non-finite forms

The non-finite forms of the second conjugation are as follows:

Infinitive ri
Past part. ittu
Present part. *enti

Sample conjugation

The finite conjugation of piërdri lose (stem perd):

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. piërdu perdì perzebba perdrò piërda perdessi —
2 sg. piërdis perdisti perzebbas perdràs piërdas perdessis piërdi
3 sg. piërdi perdò perzebba perdrà piërda perdessi —
1 pl. perdemmu perdimmu perzébbamu perdremmu perdammu perdéssimu perdammu
2 pl. perdetti perdistis perzébbati perdretti perdatti perdéssiti perdetti
3 pl. piërdun perzerrun perzebban perdràn piërdan perdessin —

And the non-finite forms:

Infinitive piërdri
Past part. perdittu
Present part. perzenti

Fourth conjugation

The conjugation of fourth conjugation verbs in irri.

Finite forms

The finite forms of the fourth conjugation are as follows:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. *u ì *ebba irò *a essi —
2 sg. is isti *ebbas iràs *as essis i
3 sg. i ò *ebba irà *a essi —
1 pl. immu immu *ébbamu iremmu *ammu éssimu *ammu
2 pl. itti istis *ébbati iretti *atti éssiti itti
3 pl. *un *errun *ebban iràn *an essin —

Non-finite forms

The non-finite forms of the fourth conjugation are as follows:

Infinitive irri
Past part. ittu
Present part. *enti

Sample conjugation

The finite conjugation of finirri finish:

Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Present Subjunctive Preterite Subjunctive Imperative
1 sg. fignu finì fignebba finirò figna finessi —
2 sg. finis finisti fignebbas finiràs fignas finessis fini
3 sg. fini finò fignebba finirà figna finessi —
1 pl. finimmu finimmu fignébbamu finiremmu fignammu finéssimu fignammu
2 pl. finitti finistis fignébbati finiretti fignatti finéssiti finitti
3 pl. fignun fignerrun fignebban finiràn fignan finessin —

And the non-finite forms:

Infinitive finirri
Past part. finittu
Present part. fignenti
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