Subumpamese languages

The Subumpamese languages are the languages spoken in the eleven states of Subumpam. They split off from the parent language, called Tapilula, around 600 AD and continued to be spoken until the defeat of Subumpam in the Vegetable War of 2668 AD.

Early history

Initial phonology

Proto-Subumpamese split off from the Gold branch of the Tapilula family around the year 600 AD. At this time, the only other Gold speakers were those living in Paba; those who settled Nama spoke different languages. Proto-Subumpamese had already gone through all of the vowel changes that characterized the Gold language of the year 1900. Therefore, the vowel inventories of Gold and proto-Subumpamese are identical and in nearly all words they will agree with each other, despite the 1300-year gap between their maturation dates.

However, proto-Subumpamese branched off from Gold before the deletion of all word-initial vowels, and therefore there are some words that were one syllable longer in proto-Subumpamese than in Gold. This also means that proto-Subumpamese retained the Tapilula noun classifier system, which in the Gold branch was wrecked by the deletion of initial vowels. Subumpamese also lacks the labialized consonants that were created by this shift, although it preserves the unusual labialized alveolars that came down from Tapilula.

Note that the vowel changes above are responsible for the growth of closed syllables, and that proto-Subumpamese therefore has closed syllables wherever Gold also has them.

The only consonant changes that occurred between Tapilula and proto-Subumpamese are the palatalization of /k/ (not /ḳ/) before /i/, and the shift of /f/ (not /hʷ/) to /þ/ (often spelled ṣ). All of the other changes that came to characterize the Gold language occurred after the split.

Therefore the consonant phonology of proto-Subumpamese was:

/p b m þ t d n l tʷ dʷ nʷ č j k ḳ ŋ h g hʷ gʷ/

Of note is that /gʷ/ was very frequently pronounced [w] but patterned as if it were a labiovelar. The only ejective in the language is ḳ.

Early divisions

All Subumpamese languages shared the change of short /i/ > /yi/ unconditionally, thus palatalizing all consonants before every short /i/. This sound change was independent of tone. All Subumpamese languages can also be said to share the unconditional sound change of /ḳ/ > /q/, but in many cases, the pronunciation varied allophonically and it merely followed the same patterns of development. This sound change created clusters of /kq/ and /qk/, which both changed to /qq/ in all languages.

Vuʒi

After these first few changes, the Vuʒi language split off from the rest. This language marked the westernmost limit of the Zenith people during the entire period of Subumpam's existence. At the time of the split, Vuʒi did not have an /s/.

Changes related to palatalization and labialization

After the loss of Vuʒi, the remaining Subumpamese peoples continued to speak a single common language. The next sound change was the fronting of all velar consonants before the sound /y/ (including /yi). Note that this did not occur before long /ī/ because the long /ī/ had never triggered palatalization in the first place. Coronals were not affected by this change.

Next, all long /ū/ changed to /wū/, thus labializing any consonants that occurred before it.

Then, the four diphthongs /ai au əi əu/ changed unconditionally to /ē ō ī ū/.

The next change shifted the labial sounds /hʷ gʷ/ to /f v/ unconditionally. Thus, at this point, around 1100 AD, Subumpamese did not have a /w/ despite having labialized consonants. This soon changed because the lateral approximant /l/ came to be pronounced /w/ in all positions. (NOTE: This was probably timed to line up with Pabappa, but now it cannot.)

Then, all long vowels in closed syllables became short and low-toned.

East-West split

At this point the Subumpamese people began to work more closely together and form multinational alliances instead of each nation considering itself independent. However, each nation tended to pair with nations to its north or south, and take less influence from nations to their east or west. This was due to the river systems in Subumpam, which flowed down from a mountain range in the far north of Subumpam. Thus the next division within the Subumpamese language family was a three-way split between Western, Central, and Eastern Subumpam. The Eastern branch split off from the other two slightly earlier than the other two split from each other, but for simplicity the split can be analyzed as simultaneous.

In Western Subumpamese territory, there came to be four languages, one for each of the four states at the western end of the Subumpamese Union. These were Mania, Yuez, Yuenan, and a second language that was spoken in Vuʒi.

In Central Subumpamese, there was only a single language. This was spoken in the capital territory of Subumpam, whose name is Bipabum. It was the most politically powerful of all of the Subumpamese languages and was the language often called simply "Subumpamese" by diplomats traveling overseas.

In Eastern Subumpamese, there were four languages, again one for each nation. These were Nī, Vuʒinī, Puripup, and Pipaippis. These languages were strongly influenced by Pabappa. Note that the Subumpamese states of Punsam and Pombi did not have their own languages because they were originally part of Paba and their peoples' native language was Pabappa.

Phonology of Common Subumpamese

The phonology of the three major proto-languages was little changed from that of proto-Subumpamese. There was still no phonemic /s/. Every consonant had a labialized form, but most of these had an unusual distribution, occurring exclusively before [u] in a heavy syllable. Ignoring the labialized forms, the consonant inventory of Common Subumpamese was:

/p b m f v w þ t d n č š ž ñ j k q ŋ h g/

And the vowel inventory was

/a e i o u ə/

However, although tone was still phonemic, the [e] and [o] vowels occurred mostly on the long high tone, that is, /ē/ and /ō/.

Changes unique to Central Subumpamese

The starting consonant inventory was:

/p b m f v w þ t d n č š ž ñ j k q ŋ h g/

The labialized coronals tʷ dʷ nʷ became the velars kʷ ġʷ ŋʷ. There was no non-labialized voiced stop /ġ/.

Then, Central Subumpamese shifted the postalveolar consonants č š ž ñ forward to become the alveolars c s z n. Thus phonemic /s/ was created. Note, however, that these consonants occurred primarily before the vowel [i], and thus had a limited distribution.

Next, the voiced stop d changed unconditionally to /r/. This change was blocked after a nasal, but the spelling changed as if the shift had occurred, since there were no minimal pairs.

Next, all syllable-final /ʕ/ changed to /g/.

Then, voiceless stops and fricatives became voiced after a low tone or a long falling vowel. Thus word-final /z/ was created, since the previous long tones like īs had become ĭs and now ĭz.

Then, [e] and [o] became short in all positions.

Then, all labialized consonants became labialized labials, and these quickly became plain labials.

Next, all of the velar consonants shifted to postalveolars: /k ġ h g ŋ/ became /č ǯ š ž ñ/ The uvular stop /q/ was not affected by this shift; it had become [k] by this time, but was distinguished by behavior.

Syllable-final /ž/ (which had been created by the last shift) now changed to [j], which was considered an allophone of /i/. Likewise, syllable-final /č/ (which had also been created by the last shift) changed to /t/ except in a few words in internal position where it remained before another postalveolar.

The sequences /ei ou/ became /ē ō/ unconditionally.

Tones were eliminated.

Syllable-final /u/ shifted unconditionally to /m/.

NOTE, Classical Core Subumpamese appears to be called "Proto-European" on gold6.html and its maturation date is given as 3200 AD. Since this was for a form of the language that was originally intended to be a daughter of Gold rather than a sister of it, the proper maturation date will be moved back to 1900 AD. All of the sound changes given on gold6.html will be carried over from Proto-European to Classical Core Subumpamese with absolutely no changes, since the vowel system of Gold and proto-Subumpamese are already identical, and all of the consonant changes were of a type that can be applied equally well to both languages. Also, since this sound change list is for Classical Core Subumpamese and there will be many other Subumpamese languages, all of the others will branch off at various points.

Changes unique to Eastern Subumpamese

Proto-Eastern Subumpamese made early use of mergers and reduced the size of its phonology. Its starting consonant inventory was:

/p b m f v w þ t d n č š ž ñ j k q ŋ h g/

And any of these could be labialized.

The labialized coronals tʷ dʷ nʷ became the velars kʷ ġʷ ŋʷ. There was no non-labialized voiced stop /ġ/.

The next change after this one was the unconditional palatalization of all velars (not /q/). This also happened in Central Subumpamese, but with a different environment. To compensate for the loss of velars, /q/ was moved up to become /k/. Labialization blocked this shift.

These postalveolars were then moved further forward to become true alveolars. Thus, /č š ž ñ/ became c s z n. Note that, in almost all cases, this was actually a two-stage chain shift of /k h g ŋ/ to c s z n.

The voiceless velar stop k (the former /q/) now shifted to /š/ unconditionally.

The vowel /u/ shifts to /ə/ unconditionally, except if after a labialized consonant. Thus primordial /ū/ is distinct from primordial /u/.

Labialization was lost on all consonants.

High tones develop into syllable-final /ʔ/, which interacts with the next consonant when there is one. Then, tones are eliminated.

Some Eastern Subumpamese lang(s) develops phonemic aspiration, and in many ways resembles Pabappa, as it was spoken near Pabappa.

Many loans from Pabappa and Andanese.

Daughter languages of Eastern Subumpamese

Proto-Eastern Subumpamese had no /l/ or /r/ sounds. Its starting phonology was, for consonants:

/p b m f v w þ t d n c s z š j k ġ ŋ/

Thus the inherited /þ/ persisted without a corresponding stop, as did /š/. However, affricates did occur over syllable boundaries.

The vowel setup was

/a e i o u ə/

With the schwa being more common than in most related languages.

Vuʒinī

This language develops vowel hiatus early on and keeps the hiatus rather than forming new diphthongs.

1. /ŋ/ > /0/
2. /z/ > /l/

Puripup

1. /b d ġ/ > /ʋ r g/
2. /ŋ/ > /ġ/
3. /ʔp ʔt ʔk/ > /ṗ ṭ ḳ/
4. /mp nt nk/ > /b d ġ/
5. /ə/ > /0/
6. All voiceless stops become seen as fundamentally aspirated now.

Nī

1. /þ/ > /h/
2. /z/ > /l/ unconditionally, therefore restoring /l/.
3. /p t k/ > /pʰ tʰ kʰ/
4. /b d ġ/ > /p t k/
5. /v/ > /b/
6. All schwas deleted.
7. Grassman's Law.

CHanges unique to Western Subumpamese

The initial phonology here was

/p b m f v w þ t d n č š ž ñ j k q ŋ h g/

for consonants and /a e i o u ə/ for vowels. The language lacked /s/ and also did not have /l/ or /r/. Syllables could end in a nasal or one of /þ k q/. The reflex of the high tone added a final [ʔ] to an open syllable, and it is treated here as if it were a separate phoneme for convenience. (Note: /þ/ might be an error; it was for sure /h/ at an earlier date.)

1. /k q/ > /p/ before a coronal consonant.
2. Voiceless stops are deaspirated.
3. /č š ž ñ/ > /c s z n/
4. /pt/ > /ps/
5. /ʔp ʔt ʔk ʔq/ > /pp tt kk qq/
6. /ʔf ʔv ʔþ ʔc ʔs ʔz ʔh ʔg/ > /pf pf ṭ c c c kʰ kʰ/
7. /pf ṭ c/ > /pʰ þ s/