Vrkhazhi (YŠKK YT-VṚḴẔKM Yaškik Yat-Vṛḵaẕīkam) is a Northern Hašahkaṃ language of the Athimošiye language family. The earliest form of this language, Ancient Vrkhazhi was spoken around 10 000 years ago.
Phonology
Vowels
Normal Vowel Phonemes
|
|
Front
|
Central
|
Back
|
| Close
|
i
|
ɨ
|
u
|
| Close-mid
|
e
|
|
o
|
| Mid
|
|
ə
|
|
| Open-mid
|
ɛ
|
|
ɔ
|
| Open
|
a
|
Long Vowel Phonemes
|
|
Front
|
Back
|
| Close
|
iː
|
uː
|
| Close-mid
|
eː
|
oː
|
| Open
|
aː
|
Orthography of Vowel Phonemes
| IPA
|
Letter
|
Example
|
| Monopthongs
|
| a
|
a
|
bra,father, cot, bad
|
| ɛ
|
e
|
bet
|
| e
|
ē
|
bay, face
|
| ɔ
|
o
|
or, for, cot
|
| o
|
ō
|
road
|
| ə
|
ë
|
under
|
| u
|
ū
|
zoo
|
| ɨ
|
i
|
roses
|
| i
|
ī
|
bee
|
Followed by an R...
| IPA
|
letters
|
Example
|
| iər
|
īr
|
ear, fear
|
| eər
|
ēr
|
air, fair
|
| ɔər
|
or
|
for, pour
|
Consonants
Consonant Phonemes
|
|
Bilabial
|
Alveolar
|
(Alveolo)-
Palatal
|
Velar
|
Uvular
|
Glottal
|
| Nasal
|
Normal
|
m [m]
|
n [n]
|
|
|
|
|
| Pre-aspirated
|
|
hn [ʰn]
|
|
|
|
|
| Stop
|
Normal
|
p [p] b [b]
|
t [t] d [d]
|
|
k [k] g [g]
|
q [q]
|
ʾ [ʔ]
|
| Pre-aspirated
|
hp [ʰp]
|
ht [ʰt]
|
|
hk [ʰk]
|
hq [ʰq]
|
|
| Emphatic
|
ṗ [pʶ] ḅ [bʶ]
|
ṭ [tʶ] ḍ [dʶ]
|
|
|
|
|
| Affricate
|
|
ḏ [ʦ]
|
č [ʧ~ʨ] j [ʤ~ʥ]
|
|
|
|
| Fricative
|
f [ɸ] v [β]
|
s [s] z [z]
|
š [ʃ~ɕ] ẕ [ʒ~ʑ]
|
ḵ [x] ğ [ɣ]
|
ḫ [χ]
|
h [h]
|
| Approximant
|
|
r [ɹ~ɾ]
|
y [j]
|
w [w]
|
|
|
| Trill
|
|
rr [r]
|
|
|
ṟ [ʀ]
|
|
| Lateral Approximant
|
|
l [l]
|
|
|
|
|
| Lateral Fricative
|
|
ḻ [ɬ~ɬʲ]
|
|
|
|
|
Orthography of Consonant Phonemes
| Letter
|
Phoneme
|
Example (in English)
|
| ʾ
|
ʔ
|
uh-oh
|
| Ḵ ḵ
|
x
|
Scottish loch
|
| V v
|
β
|
vet
|
| H h
|
h
|
hall
|
| D d
|
d
|
dog
|
| Ḏ ḏ
|
ʦ
|
beds or bets
|
| B b
|
b
|
ball
|
| S s
|
s
|
sun
|
| Ẕ ẕ
|
ʒ
|
pleasure
|
| Y y
|
j
|
yes
|
| K k
|
k
|
kick
|
| G g
|
g
|
game
|
| L l
|
l
|
lose
|
| M m
|
m
|
mall
|
| N n
|
n
|
no
|
| Ğ ğ
|
ɣ
|
like /x/ but voiced
|
| P p
|
p
|
ball
|
| J j
|
ʤ
|
judge
|
| R r
|
ɹ~ɾ
|
run
|
| Rr rr
|
r
|
trilled /ɹ/
|
| F f
|
ɸ
|
fun
|
| Š š
|
ʃ
|
shun
|
| W w
|
w
|
water
|
| T t
|
t
|
tall
|
| Č č
|
ʧ
|
cheese
|
| Z z
|
z
|
zoo
|
| Ḻ ḻ
|
ɬ
|
no English equivalent
|
| Ḫ ḫ
|
χ
|
no English equivalent
|
| Q q
|
q
|
no English equivalent
|
| Ṟ ṟ
|
ʀ
|
French trois
|
| Ṛ ṛ
|
r̩~ɹ̩
|
ladder
|
