Folksprak word formation guidelines

Work in progress. Still to do the vowels and evolution of Graeco-Latin and Romance internationalisms.

Proto-Germanic To Folksprak: Typical Consonant Changes

PG *b > b [b] at the beginning of a syllable. PG *baunō > boen [bøːn]. PG *brōþēr > broder [ˈbroːdər]

PG *ƀ > v [v] at the end of a syllable: PG *weƀaną > wéve [ʋeːvə]. Can be bb [b] if the PG consonant was geminated or *ƀj. PG *reƀja- > ribb [rɪb]

PG *w > w [ʋ] at the beginning of a syllable. PG *wīdaz > wid [ʋiːd]

PG *w > w [w] or [ʊ] at the end of a syllable. Inter-vocally is [w], at the end of a word makes a [ʊ] diphthong with the stem vowel. PG grǣwaz > graw [graʊ], PG *snaiwaz > snéw [sneːʊ]

PG *sk > sh [ʃ] in almost all cases. PG *skamō > sham [ʃaːm]. PG *fiskaz > fish [fɪʃ]

PG *h > h [h] at the beginning of a syllable. PG *handuz > hand [hand]

PG *h > h [x] at the end of syllable. This is the commonest evolution. PG *nahts > naht [naxt], PG *hauhaz > hoeh [høːx]

PG *h > j [j] or [ɪ] at the end of syllable, sometimes evolves to j. Inter-vocally is [j], at the end of a word becomes [ɪ] and combines as a diphthong with the stem vowel. PG *þleuhan > flyje [ˈflyːjə], PG *slahaną > slaje [ˈslaːjə], PG *tehun > tejn [teɪn]

PG *hw > w [ʋ] at the beginning of a syllable. *hwar > war [ʋaːr]

PG *hw > j [j] or [ɪ] at the end of a syllable. Inter-vocally is [j], at the end of a word becomes [ɪ] and combines as a diphthong with the stem vowel. PG *sehwaną > seje [ˈseːjə], PG *taihwō > tej [teɪ]

PG *hr > r [r] at the beginning of a syllable: PG *hringaz > ring [rɪŋ]. At the end of a syllable is -jr [-ɪr] and combines as a diphthong with the stem vowel: PG *tahrą > tajr [taɪr]

PG *hl > l [l]. PG *hlahjaną > lahe [ˈlaːxə]. At the end of a syllable is -jl [-ɪl] and combines as a diphthong with the stem vowel: PG *hanhilō > hejl [heɪl]

PG *g > g [g] at the beginning of a syllable. This is also the most common evolution in other positions of the syllable – but see below. PG *geƀaną > géve [ˈgeːve]. PG *dagaz > dag [daːg]

PG *g+*j > gg [g]. PG *brugjō > brygg [brʏg]

PG *g > j [j] or [ɪ] at the end of a syllable. This only happens when the majority of the source languages have lost the *g, but it’s still retained by a minority or retained in some cognate words. Inter-vocally is [j], at the end of a word makes a +[ɪ] diphthong with the stem vowel. PG *seglam > sejl [seɪl], PG *magaþiz > majd [maid]

PG *þ > t [t] at the beginning of a syllable. PG *þrǣduz > trad [traːd]. PG *þankōną > tanke [ˈtaŋkə]

PG *þ > d [d] at the end of a syllable. PG *baþą > bad [baːd]. PG *erþō > érd [ɛrd]

PG *þ > d [d] sometimes at the beginning of syllable. This is mostly in pronouns, articles, and some particles/adverbs. This is when *þ evolves to d [d] in Scandinavian languages and to voiced th [ð] in English. Whether the cognate is voiced in English and/or Scandinavian is the deciding factor here. PG *þauh > doh [doːh]. PG *þū > du [duː].

PG *f > f [f] at the start of syllables. PG *fadēr > fader [ˈfaːdər]

PG *f > v [v] at the end of syllables. PG *hōfaz > hov [hoːv]. If it is geminated or *f+*j, then becomes ff [f].

Proto-Germanic To Folksprak: Typical Vowel Changes

PG *ī > i [iː]. PG *rīdaną > ride [ˈriːdə], PG *hwītaz > wit [ʋiːt]