Béu : Chapter 1: Difference between revisions

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==..... The sounds of '''béu'''==
{{Deletion|Staigard|Well I have moved all the data somewhere else}}


The full range of sounds heard in '''béu''' are given below according to the conventions of the I.P.A. (International Phonetic Alphabet)


{| cellspacing=5
db-g7
! || align=center| labial || align=center| labiodental || align=center| alveolar || align=center| postalveolar || align=center| palatal || align=center| velar || align=center| glottal
|-
| '''stops''' || align=right| p b || || align=center| t d || || || align=right | k  g || align=center| ʔ
|-
| '''fricatives''' || align=center|  || align=center| f  v  || align=center| s  z || align=center| ʃ  ʒ || align=centre |  || align= right |  || align=center| h
|-
| '''affricates''' || align=center|  || align=center|  || align=center|  || align=center| tʃ    dʒ || align=center|  || || align=center|
|-
| '''nasals''' || align=center| m || || align=center| n || align=center| || || align=right| ŋ
|-
| '''liquids''' || || align=center| || align=center| r l
|-
| '''glides''' || align=center| w || ||  ||  || align=center| y
|}
 
 
tʃ  dʒ  are the initial sounds of "Charlie" and "Jimmy" respectively.  From now on they will be represented by  '''c''' and '''j'''.
 
ʔ  represents a glottal stop (the sound a cockney would make when he drops the "tt" in bottle). In '''béu''' this is a normal consonant ... just as real as "b" or "g" in English.
 
'''v''' is an allophone of '''f''' when inside a word and between two vowels.
 
'''z''' is an allophone of '''s''' when inside a word and between two voiced<sup>*</sup> sounds.
 
'''ʃ''' is also an allophone of '''s''' when before the front vowel '''i''' or before the consonant '''y'''.  '''ʃ''' is found in English and is usually represented by "sh" (as in "shell")
 
'''ʒ''' is an allophone of '''s''' when the above two conditions apply at the same time. '''ʒ''' turns up in English in one or two words. It is the middle consonant in the word "pleasure".
 
'''ŋ''' is an allophone of '''n''' when followed by '''k''' or '''g'''. '''ŋ''' is found in English and is usually represented by "ng" (as in "sing").
 
'''l'''  is a clear lateral in all environments.
 
'''r'''  is an approximant in all environments.
 
'''p''', '''t''' and '''k''' are never aspirated. And on the other hand '''b''', '''d''' and '''g''' are more voiced than in English (i.e. the voice onset time is a lot earlier)
 
<sup>*</sup> Actually all the phonemes are voiced, apart from '''p''', '''t''', '''k''', '''s''', '''h''' and '''ʔ'''.
 
The '''béu''' phoneme inventory is shown below.
 
{| cellspacing=5
! || align=center| labial || align=center| labiodental || align=center| alveolar || align=center| postalveolar || align=center| palatal || align=center| velar || align=center| glottal
|-
| '''stops''' || align=center| p b || || align=center| t d || align=center| || || align=center| k g || align=center| ʔ
|-
| '''fricatives''' || align=center|  || align=center| f  || align=center| s  || align=center|  || align=center|  || || align=center| h
|-
| '''affricates''' || align=center|  || align=center|  || align=center|  || align=center| tʃ  dʒ || align=center|  || || align=center|
|-
| '''nasals''' || align=center| m || || align=center| n || align=center| || || align=center|
|-
| '''liquids''' || || align=center| || align=center| r l
|-
| '''glides''' || align=center| w || ||  ||  || align=center| y
|}
 
 
The basic vowels are '''a, e, i, o''' and '''u'''. Also the diphthongs '''ai, au, oi, eu, ia''' and '''ua''' are used. Note that while the sounds '''ia''' and '''ua''' are possible sound combinations in English, they each are realised as two syllables. In '''béu''' the two components are more intertwined ... the flow into each other more. And they each represent only one syllable.
 
'''béu''' likes to stress the  the first syllable in a word. However if the first syllable is light and the second syllable heavy, then the second syllable will receive the stress. A heavy syllable either starts with a consonant cluster (there are no syllable final clusters by the way), has a diphthong or is closed with '''n''', '''s''' or '''l'''. Every syllable that isn't heavy is light.
 
'''béu''' differentiates between words using tone. All single syllable words have either a high tone (for example '''pás''' = "I") or a low tone (for example '''pà''' = me). All multi-syllable words lack tone (or can be said to have neutral tone). If a single syllable word, receives an affix making it into a multi-syllable word, its tone will become neutralised. If a word count was done on a typical '''béu''' text, it would be found that around 17% of words have a high tone, 33% have a low tone and 50% have the neutral tone.
 
Don't let the tones put you off learning '''béu'''. The chances are vanishingly small that you will cause a misunderstanding by pronouncing one of the short words wrong. And even if you speak the language and put absolutely no effort into getting the tones right ... no problem, it will just mark you out as a non-native speaker ... but who isn't  :-)
 
In the '''béu''' writing system a small dot is placed to the right of the word if it has a high tone. If single syllable words are come across that do not have a dot .... well then you know that they must be low tone.
 
------
 
LINGUISTIC JARGON ... "allophone", "voiced sound" and "diphthong" are linguistic jargon. You don't have to worry if you don't understand what they mean.
 
==..... Some interjections==
 
All languages have a small set of interjections. Usually they party fall outside the normal sound system rules. '''béu''' is no exception.
 
'''iʃʃ''' ... an exclamation expressing sympathy (neutral tone)
 
'''xaa''' ... an exclamation of disgust (it starts of as a neutral tone, falls quickly then sort of lingers at a low level)...(the "'''x'''" represents the last sound in "loch")
 
'''aido''' ... an exclamation of frustration (rapidly rising tone on the "'''ai'''", a short break, then the "'''do'''" is a lowish level tone)
 
'''oho''' ... an exclamation of awe ("'''o'''" is a normal high tone, "'''ho'''" starts quite high and rises to the normal high tone level)
 
And we have two more words that are included here. They are not normally considered interjections, but as they have distinctive tone contours (when uttered in isolation), they are included here.
 
'''aiwa''' ... "yes"  first syllable rises from just below neutral to just over neutral. The second syllable rises with a florish.
 
'''aiya''' ... "no"  first syllable rises from just below neutral to just over neutral. The second syllable falls, flattening out towards the end.
 
==..... Consonant clusters==
 
===Word initial===
 
The following consonants and consonant clusters can begin a word;-
 
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''ʔ''' 
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''m'''
  |align=center| '''my'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''y'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''j'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''jw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''f'''
  |align=center| '''fy'''
  |align=center| '''fl'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''b'''
  |align=center| '''by'''
  |align=center| '''bl'''
  |align=center| '''bw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''g'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''gl'''
  |align=center| '''gw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''d'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''dw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''l'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''c'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''cw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''s/ʃ'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''sl'''
  |align=center| '''sw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''k'''
  |align=center| '''ky'''
  |align=center| '''kl'''
  |align=center| '''kw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''p'''
  |align=center| '''py'''
  |align=center| '''pl'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''t'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''tw'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''w'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''n'''
  |align=center| '''ny'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''h'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |}
 
 
===Word medial===
 
The following consonants and consonant clusters can be found in the middle of a word;-
 
 
{| border=1
  |-
  |align=center| '''lʔ ''' 
  |align=center| '''lm'''
  |align=center| '''ly'''
  |align=center| '''lj'''
  |align=center| '''lf''' 
  |align=center| '''lb'''
  |align=center| '''lg'''
  |align=center| '''ld'''
  |align=center| ''' '''
  |align=center| '''lc''' 
  |align=center| '''lz'''/'''lʒ
  |align=center| '''lk''' 
  |align=center| '''lp'''
  |align=center| '''lt''' 
  |align=center| '''lw'''
  |align=center| '''ln'''
  |align=center| '''lh '''
  |- 
  |align=center| '''ʔ''' 
  |align=center| '''m'''
  |align=center| '''y'''
  |align=center| '''j'''
  |align=center| '''v''' 
  |align=center| '''b'''
  |align=center| '''g'''
  |align=center| '''d'''
  |align=center| '''l'''
  |align=center| '''c''' 
  |align=center| '''z'''/'''ʒ'''
  |align=center| '''k''' 
  |align=center| '''p'''
  |align=center| '''t''' 
  |align=center| '''w'''
  |align=center| '''n'''
  |align=center| '''h'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''nʔ ''' 
  |align=center| ''' '''
  |align=center| '''ny'''
  |align=center| '''nj'''
  |align=center| '''nf''' 
  |align=center| '''mb'''
  |align=center| '''ŋg'''
  |align=center| '''nd'''
  |align=center| '''  '''
  |align=center| '''nc''' 
  |align=center| '''nz'''/'''nʒ'''
  |align=center| '''ŋk''' 
  |align=center| '''mp'''
  |align=center| '''nt''' 
  |align=center| '''mw'''
  |align=center| ''' '''
  |align=center| '''nh'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''sʔ ''' 
  |align=center| '''zm'''
  |align=center| '''ʒy'''
  |align=center| ''' '''
  |align=center| '''  ''' 
  |align=center| '''zb'''
  |align=center| '''zg'''
  |align=center| '''zd'''
  |align=center| '''zl'''
  |align=center| ''' ''' 
  |align=center| ''' '''
  |align=center| '''sk''' 
  |align=center| '''sp'''
  |align=center| '''st''' 
  |align=center| '''zw'''
  |align=center| '''zn'''
  |align=center| '''sh'''
  |}
 
 
Actually this is not the full story. You have to conflate the above table with the word-initial-table to get the total number of medial consonant clusters. For example in the first table we see that '''cw-''' is allowed. So looking at the above table we see that '''-lc-''', '''-c-''' and '''-nc-''' are given. So by conflating the two we get '''-lcw-''', '''-cw-''' and '''-ncw-''' also. So there is actually another 72 medial consonant clusters allowed as well as the 60 given in the table.
 
So there are 37 initial consonants/consonant-clusters and a possible 132 medial consonants/consonant-clusters.
 
===Word final===
 
 
 
The consonants '''n''' and '''s''' can occur word finally.
 
==..... Plurals and duals==
 
In '''béu''' the basic noun is undefined as to number. For example the plain noun '''nambo''' mean "house" or it could mean "houses" . To unequivocally refer to just one house, the word '''aja''' "one" must be included. i.e. '''aja nambo''' = "house". To unequivocally refer to more than one house you would use '''namboi'''.
 
The normal way for single-syllable nouns to show plurality is to put the word '''nò''' in front of the noun.
 
'''nò''' means number (well it does when it is not qualifying another noun)
 
The normal way for multi-syllable nouns to show plurality is to change the final vowel of the word.
 
Most nouns end in one of the vowels '''a  i  u  e''' or '''o'''.
 
To show plurality, these are changed to '''ai  ia  ua    eu''' and '''oi''' respectively.
 
------
 
There are a few nouns (mostly body parts) that have a dual form as well as a plural form. All the word that can take a dual end in '''a'''.
 
The dual form is made by changing the '''a''' to '''au'''.
 
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''wá'''
  |align=center| eye or eyes
  |align=center| '''wáu'''
  |align=center| a pair of eyes
  |align=center| '''nò wá'''
  |align=center| eyes
  |-
  |align=center| '''elza'''
  |align=center| ear or ears
  |align=center| '''elzau'''
  |align=center| a pair of ears
  |align=center| '''elzai'''
  |align=center| ears
  |-
  |align=center| '''duva'''
  |align=center| arm/hand
  |align=center| '''duvau'''
  |align=center| a pair of arms/hands
  |align=center| '''duvai'''
  |align=center| arms/hands
  |-
  |align=center| '''poma'''
  |align=center| leg/foot
  |align=center| '''pomau'''
  |align=center| a pair of legs/feet
  |align=center| '''pomai'''
  |align=center| legs/feet
  |-
  |align=center| '''gluma'''
  |align=center| breast or breasts
  |align=center| '''glumau'''
  |align=center| a nice pair
  |align=center| '''glumai'''
  |align=center| breasts
  |-
  |align=center| '''jwuba'''
  |align=center| buttock or buttocks
  |align=center| '''jwubau'''
  |align=center| an arse
  |align=center| '''jwubai'''
  |align=center| buttocks
  |-
  |align=center| '''ploka'''
  |align=center| cheek or cheeks
  |align=center| '''plokau'''
  |align=center| cheeks
  |align=center| '''plokai'''
  |align=center| cheeks
  |-
  |align=center| '''olna'''
  |align=center| shoulder or shoulders
  |align=center| '''olnau'''
  |align=center| a pair of shoulders
  |align=center| '''olnai'''
  |align=center| sholders
  |-
  |align=center| '''kloga'''
  |align=center| shoes or shoe
  |align=center| '''klogau'''
  |align=center| a pair of shoes
  |align=center| '''klogai'''
  |align=center| shoes
  |}
 
 
Actually when we translate, for example,  "shoulders" from English into '''béu''', nearly always the word we want is '''olnau'''. '''olnai''' is hardly ever come across.
------
 
A very small number of nouns end in '''ai''' or '''au'''. For plurality they add '''a''' (that is another syllable, '''a''' is added to the word). For example ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''nandau'''
  |align=center| word
  |align=center| '''nandaua'''
  |align=center| words
  |-
  |align=center| '''moltai'''
  |align=center| doctor
  |align=center| '''moltaia'''
  |align=center| doctors
  |}
 
------
 
1 multi-syllable word is irregular ;-
 
'''glabu''' means "a person" and has the regular plural form '''glabua''', however it also has a dual form ;-
 
'''glabau''' = a couple (not necessary married but the word gives a very strong connotation that the couple are intimate/having sexual relations)
 
------
 
3 single-syllable words have irregular plurals. These are ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''glà'''
  |align=center| woman
  |align=center| '''gala'''
  |align=center| women
  |-
  |align=center| '''báu'''
  |align=center| man
  |align=center| '''bawa'''
  |align=center| men
  |-
  |align=center| '''nò'''
  |align=center| number
  |align=center| '''nòi'''
  |align=center| numbers
  |}
 
==..... Thread Writing==
 
'''béu''' has 17 consonants.
 
For some of these the form differs slightly, depending upon whether the letter is at word initial, word medial or word final.
 
The three forms are shown below.
 
[[Image:TW_60.png]]
 
[[Image:TW_76.png]]
 
[[Image:TW_62.png]]
 
'''béu''' has 5 vowels and 6 diphthongs.
 
The form of these doesn't change with their position.
 
These are shown below.
 
[[Image:TW_46.png]]
 
To give you better idea of what thread writing looks like, I have listed below the 12 colours of '''béu'''.
 
 
[[Image:TW_65.png]]
 
[[Image:TW_66.png]]
 
Nice, eh? Sort of organic.
 
==..... Numbers==
 
'''béu''' uses base 12.
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| one
  |align=center| '''aja'''
  |align=center| 10<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ajau'''
  |align=center| 100<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ajai'''
  |-
  |align=center| two
  |align=center|  '''auva'''
  |align=center| 20<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''uvau'''
  |align=center| 200<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''uvai'''
  |-
  |align=center| three
  |align=center| '''aiba'''
  |align=center| 30<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ibau'''
  |align=center| 300<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ibai'''
  |-
  |align=center| four
  |align=center| '''uga'''
  |align=center| 40<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ugau'''
  |align=center| 400<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''agai'''
  |-
  |align=center| five
  |align=center| '''ida'''
  |align=center| 50<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''idau'''
  |align=center| 500<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''idai'''
  |-
  |align=center| six
  |align=center| '''ela'''
  |align=center| 60<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ulau'''
  |align=center| 600<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ulai'''
  |-
  |align=center| seven
  |align=center|  '''oica'''
  |align=center| 70<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''icau'''
  |align=center| 700<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''icai'''
  |-
  |align=center| eight
  |align=center| '''eza'''
  |align=center| 80<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ezau'''
  |align=center| 800<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ezai'''
  |-
  |align=center| nine
  |align=center| '''oka'''
  |align=center| 90<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''okau'''
  |align=center| 900<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''okai'''
  |-
  |align=center| ten
  |align=center| '''iapa'''
  |align=center| 120 i.e.(10x12)
  |align=center| '''apau'''
  |align=center| 10x12x12
  |align=center| '''apai'''
  |-
  |align=center| eleven
  |align=center| '''uata'''
  |align=center| 11x12
  |align=center| '''atau'''
  |align=center| 11x12x12
  |align=center| '''atai'''
  |}
 
 
You will noticed that 12 numbers over eleven have been shortened. For example the "regular" form for 20 would be  '''auvau''', but this is actually '''uvau'''.
 
Also the number 6, '''ela''' has been shortened. This would have been '''eula''' if everything was perfectly regular.
 
In the above table, 10 is actually, of course 12 : 90 is (9x12)+0 => 108 etc. etc.
 
The numbers in the above table combine, to express every number from 1 -> 1727 in one word. For example ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| 543<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''idaigauba'''
  |-
  |align=center| 503<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''idaiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| 640<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ulaigau'''
  |-
  |align=center| 72<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center|  '''icauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| 6<sub>12</sub>
  |align=center| '''ela'''
  |}
 
The above explains about the pronunciation of the numbers. But how are they written.
 
In fact the numbers are NEVER written out in full. See below for the characters corresponding to the five numbers above.
 
[[Image:TW_72.png]]
 
It can be seen that all the vowels are dropped and there is a horizontal line inserted in the top left of the character. The symbol for '''h''' is used for inserting zeroes (although never pronounced).
 
If you had a leading zero you would use the word  '''jù''' which is usually placed before nouns and means "space/empty/zero/no". 007 would be '''jù jù oica''' (three words)
 
To deal with a telephone number, you would lump the numbers in threes (any leading zero by itself though) and outspeak the numbers. If you were left with a single digit (say 4) it would be pronounced '''agai'''. If you were to pronounce it '''uga''', it would of course mean 004. Also you would probably add the particle '''dó''' at the end. This means "exactly" (or it can mean the speaker has finished outspeaking the number)
 
===Ordinal numbers===
 
To get an ordinal number you just attach '''n-''' to the front of the cardinal number. So we have ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| first
  |align=center| '''naja'''
  |-
  |align=center| second
  |align=center| '''nauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| third
  |align=center| '''naiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| fourth
  |align=center|  '''nida'''
  |-
  |align=center| etc.
  |align=center| etc.
  |}
 
May be this form originally came from an amalgamation of '''nò''' plus the number.
 
These forms are adjectives 100% and are always written out in full.
 
===Fractional numbers===
 
To get an fractional number you just attach '''d-''' to the front of the cardinal number. So we have ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| a unit
  |align=center| '''daja'''
  |-
  |align=center| a half
  |align=center| '''dauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| a third
  |align=center| '''daiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| a quarter
  |align=center|  '''dida'''
  |-
  |align=center| etc.
  |align=center| etc.
  |}
 
May be this form originally came from an amalgamation of ??? plus the number.
 
These are fully numbers. They are written in the same way as numbers, except the have a squiggle above them. The squiggle looks like an "8" on its side that hasn't fully closed.
 
And so ends chapter 1 ...
 
==..... Index==
 
{{Béu Index}}

Latest revision as of 00:24, 4 December 2015

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