Phonology
Consonants
|
|
Bilabial
|
Alveolar
|
Palatal
|
Velar
|
Labio-velar
|
Uvular
|
| Nasal
|
m
|
n
|
ɲ
|
ŋ
|
|
(ɴ)
|
| Tenuis plosive
|
p
|
t
|
c
|
k
|
|
q
|
| Voiced plosive
|
b
|
d
|
ɟ
|
g
|
|
ɢ
|
| Ejective plosive
|
pʼ
|
tʼ
|
cʼ
|
kʼ
|
|
qʼ
|
| Implosive
|
ɓ
|
ɗ
|
ʄ
|
ɠ
|
|
ʛ
|
| Fricative
|
|
s
|
|
|
|
|
| Trill
|
|
r
|
|
|
|
(ʀ)
|
| Approximant
|
|
l
|
j
|
|
w
|
|
Spelling
- /p t c k q/ p t c k q
- /pʰ tʰ cʰ kʰ qʰ/ ph th ch kh qh
- /pʼ tʼ cʼ kʼ qʼ/ p̕ t̕ c̕ k̕ q̕
- /b d ɟ g ɢ/ b d j g ġ
- /bʰ dʰ ɟʰ gʰ ɢʰ/ bh dh jh gh ġh
- /ɓ ɗ ʄ ɠ ʛ/ b̕ d̕ j̕ g̕ ġ̕
- /s/ s
- /m n ɲ ŋ~ɴ/ m n ṇ ŋ
- /r~ʀ l/ r l
- /j w/ y w
Vowels
|
|
Front
|
Central
|
Back
|
| Unrounded
|
Rounded
|
| Close
|
iː
|
|
|
uː
|
| Near-Close
|
|
ɪ
|
ʊ
|
|
| Mid-Close
|
eː
|
ɘ
|
ɵ
|
oː
|
| Mid-Open
|
ɛː
|
ɜ
|
ɞ
|
ɔː
|
| Open
|
|
ä äː
|
|
|
Spelling
- /iː uː/ í ú
- /eː oː/ é ó
- /ɛː ɔː/ ê ô
- /äː/ a
- /ɪ ʊ/ i u
- /ɘ ɵ/ e o
- /ɜ ɞ/ è ò
- /ä/ a
Phonotactics
(C)(C)V(ː)(R/s)(C)
Accent
- Acute accent on initial syllable.
Grammar
Nouns
- nominative-accusative alignment with marked nominative
- 3A secundative alignment (S/A = Nominative, D = Pegative, P/R = Accusative, T = Instrumental)
- 8 cases (suffixal): Nominative, Pegative, Accusative, Instrumental, Genitive, Ablative, Allative, Benefactive
- noun class system (suffixal): Animate, Inanimate
- number combined with noun class: singular, paucal, plural
- definiteness (articles): Gnomic, Indefinite, Definite proper, Definite distant
- nominal tense (suffixal): past, present, future
Definiteness + [Root + Root extension(s) + (Noun class + Number) + Case + Nominal tense]
Noun class and number
|
|
Animate
|
Inanimate
|
| Singular
|
-ar- / -r-
|
banura
|
man
|
-
|
tkacʼa
|
stone
|
| Paucal
|
-akʼ- / -kʼ-
|
banuakʼa
|
few men
|
-akʼ- / -kʼ-
|
tkacʼakʼa
|
few stones
|
| Plural
|
-it- / -t-
|
banuita
|
men
|
-es- / -s-
|
tkacʼesa
|
stones
|
Declension
| Nominative
|
-a
|
wolqhara
|
wolf
|
| Pegative
|
-e
|
wolqhare
|
| Accusative
|
-
|
wolqhar
|
| Instrumental
|
-ní
|
wolqharní
|
by/with wolf
|
| Genitive
|
-yò
|
wolqharyò
|
of wolf
|
| Ablative
|
-tʼo
|
wolqhartʼo
|
from wolf
|
| Allative
|
-ôs
|
wolqharôs
|
to wolf
|
| Benefactive
|
-dʼa
|
wolqhardʼa
|
for wolf
|
Nominal tense
| Past
|
-li
|
kʼámarali
|
ex-wife
|
| Present
|
-
|
kʼámara
|
wife
|
| Future
|
-sú
|
kʼámarasú
|
future wife
|
Definiteness
| Gnomic
|
-
|
banu
|
man
|
| Indefinite
|
ês
|
ês banu
|
a man
|
| Definite proper
|
da
|
da banu
|
the man
|
| Definite distant
|
qhá
|
qhá banu
|
yonder man
|
Verbs
- aspects (suffixal): Perfective-Imperfective + Frequentative, Momentane
- voices (infixal): Active, Reflexive vs Causative
- three subjective and objective persons (suffixal)
- three moods (cliticized): Indicative, Conditional, Subjunctive
- negative verb
(Root + Voice) + Root extension(s) + Aspect + Subject + Object + Mood
Aspect
|
|
Main form
|
Frequentative
|
Momentane
|
| Imperfective
|
-
|
swél-
|
to shine
|
-né-
|
swélné-
|
to glisten
|
-
|
| Perfective
|
-ri-
|
swélri-
|
to lighten
|
-yu-
|
swélyu-
|
to glisten (as fully executed, ended series)
|
-tò-
|
swéltò-
|
to glint (as momentaneous event)
|
Adjectives
- adjectives are replaced by stative verbs and describing nouns.
- degrees of intensify are instead degrees of comparison.
Pronouns
- clusivity in 1. person
- obviative
Adpositions
Syntax
