Linguifex

Mergian: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
Mangohouse (talk | contribs)
26 edits
Mangohouse (talk | contribs)
26 edits
 
(6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 70: Line 70:


===Phoneme Inventory===
===Phoneme Inventory===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Consonant inventory
|-
!
! Labial
! Dental
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar
|-
! Nasal
| m
| colspan="2" | n
| (ɲ)
| ŋ
|-
! Plosive
| p b
| colspan="2" | t d
|
| k g
|-
! Fricative
| f v
| θ ð
| s z
| (ç)
| x~ɣ*
|-
! Affricate
|
| colspan="2" | ts dz
|
|
|-
! Trill
|
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Approximant
|
|
|
| j
| w
|-
! Lat. Approx.
|
|
| l
|
|
|}
The palatals given in brackets are allophones of how palatalized /n/ and /x~ɣ/.
Although originally separate sounds, /x/ and /ɣ/ have merged and are now interchangeable.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Vowel inventory
|-
!
! Front
! Central
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
|
| u
|-
! Near Close
| ɪ
|
| ʊ
|-
! Close Mid
|
| ɘ
| o*
|-
! Open Mid
| ɛ*
|
| ɔ
|-
! Open
| colspan="3" | a
|} 
The starred vowels have long forms.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Diphthongs
|-
!
! a
! ɛ
! o
|-
! ɪ
| aɪ
| ɛɪ
|
|-
! ʊ
| aʊ
| ɛʊ
| oʊ
|}
The ʊ-series of diphthongs are allophones of /aw/ and /ɛw/. If /oɪ/ is created for some reason, it is pronounced as [ɛɪ].


===Allophony===
===Allophony===
Line 113: Line 228:


===Orthography===
===Orthography===
The Mergian language is written in two scripts. They are the Latin script (''Latnei'') and clerical script (''Gresjei''). The latter is reserved for religious purposes, but sees usage in rural regions too. The Latin script was introduced by [[w: Johannes_Gutenberg|Johannes Gutenberg]] with the advent of the [[w: Printing_press|printing press]]. At first, the Latin script was adopted and simply replicated the clerical script by appearance (i.e. Latin letters replaced letters that they looked like, not ones that they sounded like). This usage of the script caused widespread confusion among Mergians and non-Mergians alike, since completely unrelated letters merged. After the December Revolution in 1916, the new government sought to reform writing. The reforms refit the Latin script to fit Mergian speech, rather than to fit clerical script characters.
The alphabet is given below
{| class="wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Mergian Alphabet
|-
! Gothic
|𐌰
|𐌱
|𐌲
|𐌳
|𐌴
|𐌵
|𐌶
|𐌷
|𐌸
|𐌹
|𐌺
|𐌻
|𐌼
|𐌽
|𐌾
|𐌿
|𐍀
|𐍂
|𐍃
|𐍄
|𐍅
|𐍆
|𐍇
|𐍈
|𐍉
|
|-
! Pre-1916
|A a
|B b
|C c
|D d
|E e
|U u
|Z z
|H h
|Y y
|I i
|R r
|⅄ ʎ
|M m
|N n
|G g
|∩ n
|∩ n
|R r
|S s
|T t
|Y y
|F f
|X x
|O o
|O o
|D d
|-
! Modern
|A a
|B b
|G g
|D d
|E e
| -
|Z z
|H h
|Þ þ
|I i
|K k
|L l
|M m
|N n
|J j
|U u
|P p
|R r
|S s
|T t
|Ŭ ŭ
|F f
|X x*
|V v
|O o
|Đ ð
|-
! Pronounced
| /a/
| /b/
| /x~ɣ/
| /d/
| /ɛ/, /ɘ/
| -
| /z/
| /h/, /ː/
| /θ/
| /ɪ/, /i/
| /k/
| /l/
| /m/
| /n/
| /j/
| /ʊ/, /u/
| /p/
| /r/
| /s/
| /t/
| /w/
| /f/
| /x/
| /v/
| /ɔ/, /o/
| /ð/
|}
* Vowels with multiple entries use the same letter to write distinct sounds. There are a set of rules determining when to use which pronounciation.
* <H h> is pronounced /h/ word-initially and lengthens the preceding vowel anywhere else
* <Ŭ ŭ> is called ''gamorzjets u'' ("short u") and it is used to transcribe clerical script. In modern text, this character is not used and instead is replaced by <U u>
* <X x> is seen in one word in modern text, ''Xristo'' ("Christ"), and any words containing it.


==Morphology==
==Morphology==
Line 410: Line 649:


If a geminate consonant cluster forms due to a prefix, then it should be turned degeminated.  
If a geminate consonant cluster forms due to a prefix, then it should be turned degeminated.  
Prefixes are able to stack, and this is most common seen in perfective verbs which already have a directional or aspectual prefix. If two vowels meet between prefixes, then the second one should be deleted. An example is ''atzjigen'' ("to contact") becoming its perfective form, ''gatzjigen''.  
Prefixes are able to stack, and this is most common seen in perfective verbs which already have a directional or aspectual prefix. If two vowels meet between prefixes, then the second one should be deleted. An example is ''atzjigen'' ("to contact") becoming its perfective form, ''gatzjigen''.
 
Some words take a prefix to make a distinction between multiple meanings, that are normally be distinguished by context, when context cannot provide enough information. This kind of prefix is called the supplemental prefix. Consider an example with the word ''lesjen'' which can mean "to learn" or "to teach". By context alone, you can infer what the speaker means to say, like in the sentences ''Dzijtskalo njuð sijnddekse lesjen'' "The teacher likes to teach/learn grammar" and ''Sibni hade sinddekse lesjen'' "The student hates to teach/learn grammar". However, in a sentence like ''E an Franrig lesjen fravoor'' "He moved to France to teach/learn", it is not immediately evident. For this reason, a less common used form like ''dulesjen'' "teach" or ''inlesjen'' "learn" is used. As evident by the example, normally ''du-'' will mark a causative or dative sense while ''in-'' will mark a passive sense.


==== Tense, aspect and mood ====
==== Tense, aspect and mood ====
Line 607: Line 848:
! 1s
! 1s
| -e
| -e
| -Ø
| -
| -au
| -au
| -jau
| -jau
Line 613: Line 854:
|-
|-
! 2s
! 2s
| -s
| -ea
| -t
| -t
| -ai
| -ai
| -ee
| -ji
| -Ø
| -Ø
|-
|-
! 3s  
! 3s  
| -t
| -
| -t
| -t
| -ai
| -ai
| -i
| -ji
|
|
|-
|-
Line 629: Line 870:
| -em
| -em
| -em
| -em
| -me
| -aime
| -me
| -me
| -em
| -em
|-
|-
! 2p
! 2p
| -eþ
| -ats
| -eþ
| -uts
| -þe
| -jits
| -þe
| -aits
| -iþ
| -iþ
|-
|-
Line 643: Line 884:
| -en
| -en
| -en
| -en
| -ne
| -aine
| -ne
| -ne
|
|
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Mediopassive
! colspan="4" | Mediopassive
| colspan="4" | -ðe
| colspan="4" | -te
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Participle
! colspan="4" | Participle
Line 659: Line 900:
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" | Example with <br/> ''singen'' 'to sing' !! colspan="2" | Indicative !! colspan="2" | Subjunctive !! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Imperative
! rowspan="2" | Example with <br/> ''bijden'' 'to bite' !! colspan="2" | Indicative !! colspan="2" | Subjunctive !! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Imperative
|-
|-
! Present !! Past !! Present !! Past  
! Present !! Past !! Present !! Past  
|-
|-
! 1s
! 1s
| ''singe''
| ''bijde''
| ''sang''
| ''beð''
| ''singau''
| ''bijdau''
| ''sangjau''
| ''bijdzjau''
||   
||   
|-
|-
! 2s
! 2s
| ''sings''
| ''bijdea''
| ''sangt''
| ''best''
| ''singai''
| ''bijdai''
| ''sangee''
| ''bijdzji''
|| ''sing!''
|| ''bið!''
|-
|-
! 3s  
! 3s  
| ''singt''
| ''bið''
| ''sangt''
| ''best''
| ''singai''
| ''bijdai''
| ''sangi''
| ''bijdzji''
||
||
|-
|-
! 1p
! 1p
| ''singem''
| ''bijdem''
| ''sangem''
| ''bedem''
| ''singaim''
| ''bijdaime''
| ''sangme''
| ''baidme''
|| ''singme''
|| ''bijdme''
|-
|-
! 2p
! 2p
| ''singeþ''
| ''bijdats''
| ''sangeþ''
| ''beduts''
| ''singþe''
| ''bijdits''
| ''sangþe''
| ''badaits''
|| ''singiþ''
|| ''bijdiþ''
|-
|-
! 3p
! 3p
| ''singen''
| ''bijden''
| ''sangen''
| ''beden''
| ''singne''
| ''bijdaine''
| ''sangne''
| ''bedne''
||  
||  
|-
|-
Line 708: Line 949:
|-
|-
! Mediopassive
! Mediopassive
| colspan="3" | singðe
| colspan="3" | bijste
| colspan="3" | sangðe
| colspan="3" | beste
|-
|-
! Participle
! Participle
| colspan="3" | singens
| colspan="3" | bijdens
| colspan="3" | sangens
| colspan="3" | bedens
|-
|-
! Infintive
! Infintive
| colspan="6" | singen
| colspan="6" | beden
|}
|}
* Note: A regular sound change shifts /tt/ into [st], and word-final /t/ into [ð].


The weak verb conjugation is slightly more varied based off the thematic vowel of the verb. The thematic vowel divides verb conjugation into four declensions. The thematic vowel is always indicated by the infinitive. They are as follows:
The weak verb conjugation is slightly more varied based off the thematic vowel of the verb. The thematic vowel divides verb conjugation into four declensions. The thematic vowel is always indicated by the infinitive. They are as follows:
Line 739: Line 981:
! 1s
! 1s
| -je
| -je
| -ðje
| -ða
| -jau
| -jau
| -ðjau
| -ðjau
|  
|  
| -ou
| rowspan="3" | -ou
| -oðe
| -oðe
| -jou
| -jou
Line 750: Line 992:
|-
|-
! 2s
! 2s
| -j
| -ea
| -t
| -ðei
| -ai
| -jea
| -ee
| -ðea
| -Ø
| -ji
|-
|-
! 3s  
! 3s  
| -t
| -ji
| -t
| -ða
| -ai
| -ea
| -i
| -ði
|
|
|-
|-
! 1p
! 1p
| -em
| -jem
| -em
| -ðem
| -me
| -jma
| -me
| -ðma
| -em
| -jem
|
| -om
 
|-
|-
! 2p
! 2p
| -eþ
| -jats
| -eþ
| -ðuts
| -þe
| -jets
| -þe
| -ðits
| -iþ
| -jiþ
|
| -outs
|-
|-
! 3p
! 3p
| -en
| -jen
| -en
| -ðen
| -ne
| -jna
| -ne
| -ðna
| -on
|
|
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Mediopassive
! colspan="4" | Present Mediopassive
| colspan="4" | -ðe
| colspan="3" | -ta
|-
! colspan="4" | Past Mediopassive
| colspan="3" | -tva <!--note for self: the -va ending is from the word va "was" -->
|-
! colspan="4" | Present Participle
| colspan="3" | -jends
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Participle
! colspan="4" | Past Participle
| colspan="4" | -ends
| colspan="3" | -ets
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Infinitive
! colspan="4" | Infinitive
| colspan="4" | -en
| colspan="3" | -jen
|}
 
 
|}
|}


Retrieved from "https://duo.linguifex.com/wiki/Mergian"