Future Poswa: Difference between revisions

From FrathWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
Line 4: Line 4:
Future Poswa will change very slowly, as the conservatism that characterized Poswa for its entire history as an independent language remained firm even with the pressure of the Moonshine-speaking overclass.  On the other hand, the Poswobs adopted many words from Moonshine.
Future Poswa will change very slowly, as the conservatism that characterized Poswa for its entire history as an independent language remained firm even with the pressure of the Moonshine-speaking overclass.  On the other hand, the Poswobs adopted many words from Moonshine.


'''Labialized consonants''' are retained, but there is no longer a perfectly symmetrical setup with one labialized consonant for each plain consonant.  Instead, all<sup>?</sup> labialized consonants in most positions become rounded bilabials, such that, for example, Poswa ''swi'' "I slept" becomes Future Poswa '''fʷi'''.  In word-final position, and in perhaps some other positions, the consonants are delabialized instead of becoming rounded bilabials.
'''Labialized consonants''' are retained, but there is no longer a perfectly symmetrical setup with one labialized consonant for each plain consonant.  Instead, all<sup>?</sup> labialized consonants in most positions become rounded bilabials, such that, for example, Poswa ''swi'' "I slept" becomes Future Poswa '''fʷi'''.  In word-final position, and in perhaps some other positions, the consonants are delabialized instead of becoming rounded bilabials.  Thus Poswa /tʷatʷ/ "lots of water" becomes Future Poswa '''pat'''.


'''Clusters''' are reduced somewhat, by changing them into single consonants in a process similar to what Moonshine had done thousands of years earlier.  For example, pr > pf > ṗ > f.  (The ṗ is a labiodental stop.)
'''Clusters''' are reduced somewhat, by changing them into single consonants in a process similar to what Moonshine had done thousands of years earlier.  For example, pr > pf > ṗ > f.  (The ṗ is a labiodental stop.)


'''New vowels''' are created from the diphthongs /ae/, /ia/, /ie/, /io/, and /iu/.  These are spelled ''ä ä ë ö ü''; that is, Poswa's /ae/ and /ia/ diphthongs merge.  /ë/ probably merges with /e/ shortly after the shift.
'''New vowels''' are created from the diphthongs /ae/, /ia/, /ie/, /io/, and /iu/.  These are spelled ''ä ä ë ö ü''; that is, Poswa's /ae/ and /ia/ diphthongs merge.  /ë/ probably merges with /e/ shortly after the shift.

Revision as of 23:21, 12 September 2016

Future Poswa is a hypothetical projection of the Poswa language about 4000 years into the future, after its speakers had been overwhelmed by immigration from the Moonshine Empire. (I have also worked out sound changes for Future Moonshine, but Moonshine does not have enough vocabulary or grammar worked out yet for me to make any meaningful sentences in it.)

Sound changes

Future Poswa will change very slowly, as the conservatism that characterized Poswa for its entire history as an independent language remained firm even with the pressure of the Moonshine-speaking overclass. On the other hand, the Poswobs adopted many words from Moonshine.

Labialized consonants are retained, but there is no longer a perfectly symmetrical setup with one labialized consonant for each plain consonant. Instead, all? labialized consonants in most positions become rounded bilabials, such that, for example, Poswa swi "I slept" becomes Future Poswa fʷi. In word-final position, and in perhaps some other positions, the consonants are delabialized instead of becoming rounded bilabials. Thus Poswa /tʷatʷ/ "lots of water" becomes Future Poswa pat.

Clusters are reduced somewhat, by changing them into single consonants in a process similar to what Moonshine had done thousands of years earlier. For example, pr > pf > ṗ > f. (The ṗ is a labiodental stop.)

New vowels are created from the diphthongs /ae/, /ia/, /ie/, /io/, and /iu/. These are spelled ä ä ë ö ü; that is, Poswa's /ae/ and /ia/ diphthongs merge. /ë/ probably merges with /e/ shortly after the shift.