Songulda language

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Songulda
Songulda
Spoken in:
Conworld:
Total speakers:
Genealogical classification:
Songulda
Basic word order:
Morphological type: agglutinative
Morphosyntactic alignment: ergative
Writing system:
Created by:
Qwynegold


Phonology and phonotactics


Consonants
Bilabial Labiod. Dental Alveolar Post-alv. Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasals m n ŋ
Plosives p b t d k g
Fricatives s ʃ ʒ x h
Affricates ts tʃ dʒ
Approximants ʋ j
Trill r
Lateral Approximant l


Vowels
Front Near-front Central Near-back Back
High i y ɨ u
Near-high
High-mid
Mid e ø o
Low-mid
Near-low
Low ɑ

All the vowels and the consonants /p t k m n s x h l/ can have phonemic length.

Vowel harmony

Songulda has progressive vowel harmony, with vowels belonging to one of the three groups front, back or neutral.

Front Back Neutral
y u i
ø̽ o̽ e̽
ɨ ɑ

If a word root has only neutral vowels in it, then affixes belonging to the front group will be used with it.

Syllable structure

The syllable structure for non-final syllables is (O)V(ː)((C)D(ː)), and for final syllables (O)V(ː)((C)D). For both syllable types, V can be any vowel. For non-final syllables O can be any consonant except /p/ or/ŋ/, and for final syllables any consonant except /ŋ/. The C and D have certain constraints. For non-final syllables, the coda can be any of the following consonants or clusters:

m
n nd ns nʒ nx nh nts ndʒ
p
b
t
d
k
g
s st sk
ʃ
ʒ
x
h
tʃ
dʒ
ʋ ʋd ʋs
j jt jd jk jm jn jr js jx jts jdʒ jl
r rt rd rk rm rs rx rts rj
l lt ld lk lm ls lʒ lx lts ldʒ lj

For final syllables, the coda can be any of the following consonants or clusters:

m mp mt mts mtʃ
n nt nd ns nʒ nts ndʒ
ŋk
b
t
d
g gt gd gs
s sp st sk
ʒ
x
h
tʃ
dʒ
ʋ ʋt ʋd ʋs
j jt jd jk jm jn jr js jx jts jdʒ jl
r rt rd rk rm rts rj rx
l lp lt ld lk lm ls lʃ lʒ lx lts ltʃ ldʒ lj

A list of phonemes that can actually appear next to each other in a word, regardless of whether they are in the same syllable or not is here (long consonants are counted here as sequences of two consonants):

1st phoneme 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph. 2nd ph.
p p t s j l
b d n x dʒ j
t t k m r h ts tʃ ʋ j l
d b g m n r s ʃ x h ʋ j l
k t k s j l
g d m s ʒ x dʒ ʋ j l
m p b t d m n r s ʃ ʒ x h ts tʃ dʒ j l
n t d n s ʃ ʒ x h ts tʃ dʒ ʋ j
ŋ k g m ŋ r l
r p b t d k g m r s ʃ x h ts tʃ dʒ ʋ j
s p b t d k g m n r s x dʒ ʋ j l
ʃ p t k m ʋ j l
ʒ b d g
x b d g m x dʒ ʋ j l
h p b t d k g m n r s x h ts tʃ dʒ ʋ j l
tʃ p k m ʃ j
dʒ b g n ʒ
ʋ d g r ʒ x dʒ l
j p b t d k g m n r s ʃ ʒ x h ts tʃ dʒ ʋ l
l p b t d k g m n s ʃ ʒ x h ts tʃ dʒ ʋ j l

Other phonotactic rules are:

  • Whenever a word has a voiced stop, no unvoiced stops can follow after it in the whole word, unless it is the last phoneme in a coda cluster, and there is no voiced version of the cluster.
  • A syllable with a cluster or affricate in coda position can not have a long vowel, unless the onset is missing.
  • There are no diphtongs.

Writing

The romanized version of Songulda, which will be used from here on, is as follows:

Romanization and pronunciation

A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, Ĭ ĭ, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y

Letter Pronunciation
A a ɑ
B b b
CH ch tʃ
D d d
DZ dz dʒ
E e e̽
F f f
G g g
H h h
I i i
Ĭ ĭ ɨ
J j ʒ
K k k
KH kh x
L l l
M m m
N n n
NG ng ŋ
O o o̽
Ö ö ø̽
P p p
R r r
S s s
SH sh ʃ
T t t
TS ts ts
U u u
Ü ü y
V v ʋ
Y y j


Grammars

Songulda is an ergative, agglutinative language.


Nouns

There are several cases in Songulda, which are represented here, even though they are also used on pronouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs:

Case Affix Examples
Absolutive No marking
Ergative -s (if word ends with vowel, g, n, v, y or l), -us/-üs (in other cases)
Partitive -v (if the word ends with a vowel), -ov/-öv (if the word ends with a consonant)
Genitive -l (if word ends with vowel or y), -ul/-ül (in other cases)
Inessive -ga/-gĭ (if word ends with vowel), -uga/-ügĭ (if word ends with consonant
Illative -ees (if the word ends with a vowel, it is deleted)
Elative -ulm/-ülm (if word ends with a high or rounded vowel; that vowel is deleted), -olm (in other cases; if the the word ends with a vowel, it is deleted)
Perlative -mas/-mĭs (if the word ends with vowel), -umas/-ümĭs (if the word ends with a consonant)
Lative -mmeen (if the word ends with vowel; the vowel is lengthened), -ummeen/-ümmeen (if the word ends with a consonant; unless the word ends with a cluster, the last consonant is lengthened if possible) Comitative -haan/-hĭĭn (if the word ends with vowel), -aan/-ĭĭn (if the word ends with a consonant)
Translative -nnu/-nnü (if the word ends with vowel), -nu/-nü (if the word ends with a consonant)
Distributive -chintsu/-chintsü
Instrumental -mi
Benefactive -eva/-evĭ (if the word ends with a consonant or short e), -veva/-vevĭ (in other cases)
Abessive -ngur/-ngür (if the word ends with vowel), -nongur/-nöngür (if the word ends with a consonant)
Desirative -si
Vocative ne-

The inessive case is also used for expressing adessive meanings. Similarily, the illative case can function as an allative case, and the elative as ablative.

The lative case, when used without any locative case, is used for expressing that something is moving to the speaker. The lative may be used together with illative, elative and translative. When used with illative it means that something is moving closer towards something else. Together with elative it means that something is moving further away. With translative it means that something is becoming more like something else.

The perlative case can have the same meaning as prolative case; that is, that something moves through, across, along or by the way of something.

The abessive case has the meaning of "without <noun>". It can be also used for deriving a caritive adjective from a noun, like the English suffix -less.

The desirative case is used for indicating that an object or an action is desirable, or something that should be done for one's own benefit.

The order in which the cases and the plural number are affixed to the word stem is this (when several options are on the same line, it means that only one of them can be used in the same word):

  1. Vocative
  2. Ergative/Absolutive/Partitive
  3. Comitative
  4. Inessive/Illative/Elative/Perlative/Translative
  5. Distributive/Lative
  6. Instrumental
  7. Benefactive
  8. Abessive
  9. Desirative
  10. Plural
  11. Genitive
Number Affix Examples
Singular No marking
Plural -r (if word ends with vowel or y), -er (in other cases)

Number is used together with adjectives as well.

Person/number Affix Examples
1st person singular -m (if word ends with vowel), -um/-üm (if word ends with consonant)
1st person plural -o/-ö (if word ends with s), -zo (if word ends with d (making the affricate <dz>), -so/-sö (in other cases)
2nd person singular -t (if word ends with l, s, d or vowel; long vowels in last syllable are shortened, last d is deleted), -tĭ (if word ends with t)
2nd person plural -to/-tö (final d is deleted)
3rd person singular -ta (if word ends with back vowel), -t (if word ends with üü), -üt (if word ends with ü or üs), -üsüt (if word ends with üüs; the üüs is deleted), -ülüt (if word ends with ült; the ült is deleted), -ata (in other cases)
3rd person plural -to (if word ends with back vowel), -tö (if word has ü in it), -ato (in other cases)

The above person and number suffixes are used for marking to whom something belongs to. They are not used to get with the -r suffix which is only used for simple plural without person.

Verbs

Stems of all verbs in Songulda end with either -ü, -ba, -da, -ga or -khu. Verbs agree with nouns in person/number and case. Person and number is fusioned into one suffix, which are these (when there are two affix forms separated by a / it means that the left one is used together with back vowel words, and the right one with front vowel words):

Verbs agree in person, number and case (see the chapter Nouns) according to the subject of the sentence. It is obligatory for all verbs except for those that have any of the following forms: passive voice, imperative mood, subjunctive mood. Together with the inifinitive it is never used. In some forms, person/number can be dropped, which makes the verb impersonal. This is especially common with the passive voice, producing impersonal passive voice.

The order according to which the affixes are tacked on to the verb is this:

  1. (Conditional mood)
  2. (Causative voice)
  3. stem
  4. (Past tense)
  5. (Stative tense)
  6. (Perfect aspect)
  7. (Continuous aspect)
  8. (Imperative mood)
  9. (Defective aspect)
  10. (Intentional aspect)
  11. Person/number
  12. (Passive voice)
  13. (Subjunctive mood)
  14. (Generic aspect)
  15. (Infinitive)
  16. (Conditional mood)
  17. (Reportative aspect)
  18. (Cases - see the chapter Nouns for the order of the cases)

Voice

Voice Affix Examples
Active No marking
Passive -nu/-nü (if word ends with consonant), -nnu/-nnü (if word ends with vowel)
Causative ban-/bĭn-

Tense

Tense Affix Examples
Past -lt (if word ends with ü), -l (if word ends with a), -ld (if word ends with u)
Present No marking
Stative -ga (if the word ends with khu), -iga (if the word ends with a, l or khuld; the previous a is deleted), -yü (if the word ends with ü or ült)

Songulda has no future tense, instead the present tense is used. It is understood from context which tense is actually meant. For example, if someone says "I go to the store", but doesn't move at all from the spot, it is understood to have been meaning "in the future". Using words like "then", "later" and "after" in a sentence also indicate that something will take place in the future.

The stative tense is used to indicate a change of state. The word for marry for example, would mean that someone is married if used with this aspect. Without the state aspect, the word would mean that someone is at the wedding ceremony right now.

Aspect

Aspect Affix Examples
Continuous -üs (if word ends with ü or ült), -as (if word ends with a), -us (if word ends with u or khuld), lengthening of the last vowel (if the word ends with al)
Perfect -ü (if word ends with ü or ült), -ga (if word ends with ba or dal), -ba (if word ends with da or bal), -da (if word ends with ga or gal), -hukhu (if the word ends with khu; the first khu is deleted), -a (if the word ends with khuld)
Defective -eba/-ebü (if word ends with a vowel, it is deleted)
Intentional -eru/-erü (if word ends with vowel, it is deleted)
Generic -ngeen (if word ends with vowel), -een (if word ends with a consonant; that consonant is lengthened if possible)
Reportative -haka/-hĭkĭ

The defective aspect is always used with the present tense form of the verb, even though it actually carries the meaning of past tense.

Mood

Aspect Affix Examples
Conditional Circumfixing i- (if word begins with a consonant) or in- (if word begins with a vowel) and -ki.
Imperative -nnuy/-nnüy (if word ends with vowel), -innuy/-innüy (if word end with consonant)
Subjunctive -ogo/-ögö (if word ends with vowel, it is deleted)

The imperative form can be used when talking to a non-living object, for example, out of frustration one can shout "get open already!" to a jar that is hard to open. When used like this, person/number is usually dropped.

Derivation

Derivation Affix Examples
Infinitive -saa/-sĭĭ

Adjectives

Stems of all adjectives end with either -a, -gd, -nt, -rk, -ro, -s or -yC (C stands for any consonant).

Comparison Affix Examples
Positive No marking
Comparative -yd (if word ends with a or ro), -el (if word ends with gd or yC), -d (if word ends with nt or rk; the last t or k is deleted), -t (if word ends with s)
Superlative -ydz (if word ends with a or ro), -dzi (if word ends with gd or rk; the last d or k is deleted), -dz (if word ends with nt; the last t is deleted), -j (if word ends with s or yC, where C is a consonant that cannot be followed by neither sh or j; the s or C is deleted), -je (if word ends with yC and C is a consonant that can be followed by j), -she (if word ends with yC and C is a consonant that can be followed by sh but not j)

Vocabulary

Pronouns

1st person 2nd person 3rd person Interrogative No one Everyone
Singular um tĭ ata kabu ya kim
Plural uso to ato kabu kim

Numerals

1. yom
2. mul
3. den
4. sam
5. loovi
6. sok
7. shingk
8. langk
9. vihil
10. sham
100. chen
1000. tsun

Larger numbers are formed in the same way as in English, i.e. 27 for example is mul (two) × sham (ten) + shingk (seven) = mulshamshingk (twenty seven). All the numerals have been borrowed from Xǔngpìng so there are quite a few irregular ones.

11. mil
13. shek
17. chun
19. gog
23. mulshek
29. mulgog
31. demmil
37. denchun
41. sammil
43. samshek
47. samchun
53. vilooshek
59. viloogog
61. sokmil
67. sokchun
71. shingkmil
73. shingkshek
79. shinggog
83. langkshek
97. vihilchun
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