Biñimbok

Biñimbok is a language created by Mil and used for several conlang relays.

Its main feature is very small and unusual phonology.

Phonology

Consonants

/b/ = [b ~ m]

/k/ = [k ~ h ~ t ~ s]

/ʔ/ = [ʔ]

/n/ = [n ~ d ~ ɾ]

/ŋ/ = [ŋ ~ ɡ]

• /b/ becomes [b] sylable initially and [m] syllable-finally
• /k/ becomes [k] by default, [h] intervocalically, [t] before /i/ and [s] intervocalically before /i/
• /ʔ/ is always [ʔ], it is, however, unwritten between vowels, written ‹’› after a consonant and ‹q› syllable-finally
• /n/ becomes [n] by default, [d] after /b n ŋ/ and [ɾ] ‹r› intervocalically
• /ŋ/ becomes [ŋ] ‹ñ by default and [ɡ] ‹g› after /b n ŋ/

Please note that the orthography is phonetic rather than phonemic.

Vowels

/a/

/e/

/i/

/o/

Vowels do not exhibit allophony.

Morphology

Morphophonology:

• (i) When two vowels meet, the previous closest consonant is introduced.
• (ii) If an affix contains the symbol A, it means that the word's closest vowel is echoed.

General notes:

• (iii) The plural is marked with reduplication.
• (iv) The suffixaufnahme is present.
• (v) The genitive marks ergative as well.

Morphemes

Grammatical morphemes

• ’Ak- — and (coordinative prefix);
• ban- — (aorist aspect);
• bo- — (inchoative aspect; causative of intransitives);
• i- — (genitive case);
• ke- — (perfective aspect);
• ñab- — (subordinative prefix);

Verbs

• ’abak — fight against;
• ’anga — come to, go towards;
• ’anti — be alone;
• ’ektik — think about, recall;
• ’okbi — be with, assist;
• ’omke — make, set;
• ’onke — be cautious;
• ’ori — give birth;
• añtiham — be fast;
• aqñariq — talk, tell about;
• baño — be contrary;
• beñge — meet, come across;
• besiq — be big;
• imgen — be (the same as);
• iñak — be dry;
• iñdi — be one;
• kanbehe — open;
• keha — see;
• koñ — swim;
• korem — intend to, want;
• naq’aoq — hate;
• nebik — give up;
• nereqniñ — follow, move along;
• nia — resemble, be similar, be alike;
• nooñ — go past, go through;
• ñak — be free;
• ñakbo — have (as an attribute);
• ñañ’ek — protect, guard;
• ñaqke — destroy;
• ñekben — write down;
• ñiñik — escape;
• ñiñin — be wet;
• ñoha — be located at;
• ñonkori — be necessary;
• ñoño — be brave;
• okkañ — wander;

Nouns

• ’añdin — sand;
• ’arin — fear;
• ’eñda — curve;
• ’ihemdiq — flower;
• ’ok — that (demonstrative);
• ’oñgeñ — plant;
• ’oqña — sea;
• bak’oq — fish;
• beñe — gate;
• biñdaq — tree;
• biroq — you (second person);
• bokba — mountain;
• kekneña — shore;
• keqnañ — sun;
• kosik — bird;
• nanbe — thorn;
• naq’e — place;
• naqkonti — journey;
• nebi — I (first person);
• neboq — story;
• nehoñ — land;
• nen’oq’ok — value;
• neqna — way, road;
• nik — man;
• ñabo — nothing, not (object in negative clauses);
• ñiñam — shelter;
• ñiqñe — rose;
• ñirañ — (3rd person);

CBB IV text

Bangoha iriknik iioqña añdin ñamgiñin.

Barokkañ niknik irebirebi ñam’anga nehoñ ñambesiq ñabiñak ñamgoha iañdin.

Ohokkañ niknik iñirañgirañ ñam’anga nehoñ ñamgiñin.

Barimgen ioñgeñ’oñgeñ iioqña biñdaqbiñdaq iñirañgirañ.

Isimgen ibak’oqbak’oq kosikkosik iñirañgirañ.

Ohokkañ nik ioqña ñabiñakbo nen’oq’ok.

Barimgen iok bokba iañdin ñam’ori ñabañtiham.

Baraqñariq irik iioqña iñabaanti keqnañ ñabiñdi.

Analysis

AOR-be.loc GEN-man-man GEN-GEN-sea sand SUB-be.wet

AOR-wander man-man GEN-1SG-1SG SUB-come.to land SUB-be.big SUB-be.dry SUB-be.loc GEN-sand

and-wander man-man GEN-3SG-3SG SUB-come.to land SUB-be.wet

AOR-be.same GEN-plant-plant GEN-GEN-sea tree-tree GEN-3SG-3SG

and-be.same GEN-fish-fish bird-bird GEN-3SG-3SG

and-wander man GEN-sea SUB-have value

AOR-be.same GEN-DEM mountain GEN-sand SUB-give.birth SUB-be.fast

AOR-talk GEN-man GEN-GEN-sea GEN-SUB-be.alone sun SUB-be.one

Translation

All land of the sea men is in the wet sand.

Our people wander to the big sandy dry land,

but their people wander to the wet land.

The seaweeds make up their forest,

the fish are their birds.

And then a valuable sea man wanders.

That is a mountain of sand,

the mountain was quickly born.

The sea man talks about the one sun alone.

CR 21 text

Banbeñge ibiroq bak’oq ñamkoñ ñamgoha oqña.

Ban’aña ibiroq ñamgonkori kekneña, ekkeha naq’e iñamdaq’aoq.

Bandebik ibiroq ok, boñak biroq.

Bañonkori ñamgaqke ok.

Ban’okbi ibak’oqbak’oq biroq ñamdereqniñ ok neqna.

Ban’omke ibiroq ñiñam, ñam’okbi bak’oqbak’oq,

okkoñ biroq ñam’aña eñda ireqna.

Bankeha ibiroq beñe ñamgoha ok.

Bañañ’ek ibiroq bak’oqbak’oq ñamgoha neqna ñam’aña kekneña.

Bandooñ ibiroq beñe ñam’onke.

Bankanbehe ibiroq beñe, akñaqke ibiroq ñabo ibeñe,

okkorem ibiroq ñamgaqke ñabo iraq’e iiñamdaq’aoq.

Bañekben ibiroq neboq ñabaqñariq naqkonti, ek’ektik ibiroq:

"Keñiñik irebi naq’e iñamdaq’aoq, ñam’abak irebi ok,

okkorem irebi ñamgekben neboq ñabaqñariq ok.

Keñoha iñabo iiarin nebi, oknooñ irebi beñe, akñaqke naq’e iñamdaq’aoq.

Banbaño, ñamdia irebi ihemdiq iñiqñe ñamgoha iñabo iiranberanbe,

bañoño nebi ñam’abak."

Analysis

AOR-meet GEN-2SG fish SUB-swim SUB-be.loc sea.

AOR-come.to GEN-2SG SUB-be.necessary shore, AND-see GEN-2SG place GEN-SUB-hate.

AOR-give.up GEN-2SG DEM, INC-be.free 2SG.

AOR-be.necessary SUB-destroy DEM.

AOR-be.with GEN-fish-fish 2SG SUB-follow DEM way.

AOR-make GEN-2SG shelter, SUB-be.with fish-fish,

AND-swim 2SG SUB-come.to curve GEN-way.

AOR-see GEN-2SG gate SUB-be.loc DEM.

AOR-protect GEN-2SG fish-fish SUB-be.loc way SUB-come.to shore.

AOR-go.by GEN-2SG gate SUB-be.cautious.

AOR-open GEN-2SG gate, AND-destroy GEN-2SG nothing GEN-gate,

AND-intend.to GEN-2SG SUB-destroy nothing GEN-place GEN-GEN-SUB-hate.

AOR-write GEN-2SG story SUB-talk journey, AND-think GEN-2SG:

"PFV-escape GEN-1SG place GEN-SUB-hate, SUB-fight GEN-1SG DEM,

AND-intend.to GEN-1SG SUB-write story SUB-talk DEM.

PFV-be.loc GEN-nothing GEN-GEN-fear 1SG, AND-go.by GEN-1SG gate, AND-destroy place GEN-SUB-hate.

AOR-be.contrary, SUB-resemble GEN-1SG flower GEN-rose SUB-be.loc GEN-nothing GEN-GEN-thorn-thorn,

AOR-be.brave 1SG SUB-fight."

Translation

You once meet a fish that swims in the water.

You must go towards the shoreline, you unfortunately discover the hateful place.

You surrender to the hateful place and make yourself free.

Someone must destroy it.

Fish help you along the road.

You set a safe place with fish.

And swim until you are at the road curve.

You discover a gate there.

You guard the fish at the road towards the shoreline.

You go through the gate and you are cautious.

You turn the gate.

You open the gate, you don't destroy the gate in order to not destroy the hateful place.

You write about the journey, thinking:

"When I fighted against the hateful place, I escaped from there,

in order to write a story about it.

I didn't have fear, I went through the gate, I destroyed the hateful place.

Even though I truly resemble a rose flower without thorns,

my bravery helps me in my battle."