Proto-Antarctican: Difference between revisions
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====Diphthongs==== | ====Diphthongs==== | ||
Proto-Antarctican also had 8 short diphthongs /ei ai oi ui iu eu au ou/ and 6 long diphthongs /eːi aːi oːi eːu aːu oː/. | Proto-Antarctican also had 8 short diphthongs /ei ai oi ui iu eu au ou/ and 6 long diphthongs /eːi aːi oːi eːu aːu oːu/. | ||
====Nasal Vowels==== | ====Nasal Vowels==== | ||
All monophthongs and diphthongs in Proto-Antarctican had an phonemic contrast between oral vowels and nasal vowels. | All monophthongs and diphthongs in Proto-Antarctican had an phonemic contrast between oral vowels and nasal vowels. These are marked with a tilde e.g. /tẽc/ - weather. | ||
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Stress in Proto-Antarctican was predictable, falling on the first heavy syllable of a word (one followed by a geminated consonant or a pre-stopped nasal, or one containing a long vowel, a diphthong, a nasal vowel or a coda consonant). If a word contained no heavy syllables, then stress would fall on the second syllable. | Stress in Proto-Antarctican was predictable, falling on the first heavy syllable of a word (one followed by a geminated consonant or a pre-stopped nasal, or one containing a long vowel, a diphthong, a nasal vowel or a coda consonant). If a word contained no heavy syllables, then stress would fall on the second syllable. | ||
==Grammar== | |||
===Nouns=== | |||
Proto-Antarctican originally borrowed its noun morphology open slather from Japanese. It used postpositions to mark nominative case /ga/, accusative case /wo/ (a spelling pronunciation), topicalisation /wa/, comitative case /mo/, genitive case /no/, and dative case /nʲi/ etc. It did have one extra case, an alienable possessive case marked with the postposition /wei/ (/no/ was used exclusively for inalienable possession). | |||
The language also had pronominal possessive particles, borrowed from English and Spanish, though these were marked for clusivity due to influence from Austronesian languages: | |||
* /mi/ 1st person exclusive | |||
* /jau/ 1st person inclusive | |||
* /te/ 2nd person | |||
* /su/ 3rd person | |||
However, major changes occurred to the case system. Firstly, /no/ and /wei/ stopped being interpreted as postpositions attaching to the possessor noun, and instead became prepositions attaching to the possessed noun, occupying the same syntactic "slot" as pronominal possessive prefixes. | |||
In addition, the topic particle /wa/ was lost everywhere. Henceforth, topicalisation was indicated solely by word order. The only exception was where it was reinterpreted as a possessive particle indicating that the noun was possessed by the topic. The particle /su/ was interpreted as indicating the noun was possessed by something other than the topic. | |||
The accusative particle /wo/ was also lost, except when it was needed to distinguish direct from indirect objects. | |||
Now, Proto-Antarctican was still a nominative-accusative language, but one that only marked the nominative. In intransitive sentences, this was redundant, and the postposition /ga/ was dropped. Now it only marked the subject of an intransitive sentence, and was hence an ergative case marker. | |||
At this point, the language now used prepositions more than postpositions, which triggered a massive change in the syntax to become head-initial. | |||
Eventually, the prepositions fused to the noun as prefixes. The ergative postposition /ga/ fused to the noun as a suffix. If the noun ended in a vowel, an epenthetic /u/ was inserted e.g. /bukː/ - book, absolutive -> /bukkuga/ - book, ergative. If the noun ended in a palatalised consonant, an epenthetic /i/ was inserted instead e.g. /tẽc/ - weather, absolutive -> /tẽciga/. And if the noun ended in /t/ or /d/, /o/ was inserted instead e.g. /ʔoiʎãd/ - island, absolutive -> /ʔoiʎãdoga/ - island, ergative. | |||
===Verbs=== | |||
====Pronominal Objects==== | |||
These were originally marked by prefixes (a feature borrowed from Spanish). However, early in the development of Proto-Antarctican, they underwent metathesis to become infixes (which came immediately before the first vowel). There were two separate forms of the infix, one for words beginning with a palatalised consonant, and another for words beginning with a non-palatalised consonant. The consonants inside the infix must agree with the initial consonant in palatalisation: | |||
*1st Person Exclusive: /imʲ/ ~ /em/ (from Spanish "mi") | |||
*1st Person Inclusive: /asʲ/ ~ /as/ (from English "as") | |||
*2nd Person: /əːsʲ/ ~ /əːs/ (from Spanish "vos") | |||
*Reflexive: /iʎ/ ~ /eɫ/ (from Spanish "él" which underwent semantic shift) | |||
*3rd Person Singular: /utʲ/ ~ /ut/ (from English "it", extended to cover both animate and inanimate objects). | |||
*3rd Person Plural: /amʲ/ ~ /am/ (from English "them"). | |||
However, with the development of ergativity, the 3rd person pronominal infixes shifted in meaning to mark antipassive voice. The plural pronoun came to mean that the action happened multiple times, eventually turning into a portmanteau morpheme marking both antipassive voice and imperfective aspect. Similarly, the singular pronoun came to mark both antipassive voice and perfective aspect. | |||
====Pronominal Subjects==== | |||
Subject pronouns also fused as affixes on the verb. However, since most of them were borrowed from English, which fused tense marking onto pronouns via contractions with an auxiliary verb (e.g. marking both 1st person singular subject and future tense by "I'll"), they also marked tense. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! !! Past !! Present !! Future | |||
|- | |||
| 1PS Exclusive || ʔoi || ʔomʲi || ʔou | |||
|- | |||
| 1PS Inclusive || ci || we || wu | |||
|- | |||
| 2PS || nʲĩ || jo || ju | |||
|- | |||
| 3PS || zai || ze || zau | |||
|- | |||
| Who / What || wo || heu || ɫu | |||
|} | |||
Apart from this, tense and aspect were not marked on Proto-Antarctican verbs. | |||
====Verbalisation==== | |||
To change a noun into a verb, the typical suffix was /z/ e.g. | |||
/sʲəː/ - show | |||
/sʲəːz/ - to perform | |||
If the verb root already ended in a consonant, one of two things happened: | |||
*If the consonant was a non-geminated voiced obstruent, the suffix was changed to /zu/ e.g. /doʎaːg/ - something being dragged -> /doʎaːgzu/ - to drag | |||
*Otherwise, the suffix was changed to /iz/ after a palatalised consonant, and /uz/ otherwise e.g. /damas/ - a scam -> /damasuz/ - to scam or /sakːʲ/ - past event -> /sakːʲiz/ - to have already occurred some time ago. | |||
Any noun could be verbalised to a verb meaning "to be ..." or "to become ..." by simply applying either this transformation e.g. | |||
/zuɥa/ - boat | |||
/zuɥaz/ - to be a boat | |||
====Adverbs==== | |||
Nouns could also be changed into adverbs. This was originally done by suffixing them with /i/. However this underwent metathesis with the final vowel, and ended up as simple palatalisation of the final consonant if it was non-palatalised, and as an infix /iʔ/ if the last consonant of the word was already palatalised e.g. | |||
/jĩtoɫəː/ - introduction | |||
/jĩtoʎəː/ - as an introduction | |||
/ʔumupo/ - seat | |||
/ʔumupʲo/ - sitting down (used as an adverb) | |||
/sʲəː/ - show | |||
/sʲiʔəː/ - showing off (used as an adverb) | |||
==Adaptations of Words from Present-Day Languages== | ==Adaptations of Words from Present-Day Languages== | ||
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*Japanese short /i/ or /u/ (but not /ju/) were deleted at the end of a word, as long as they were not preceded by a consonant cluster e.g. Japanese /sakki/ - some time ago -> P.A. /sakːʲ/, Japanese /mazu/ - firstly -> P.A. /maz/. | *Japanese short /i/ or /u/ (but not /ju/) were deleted at the end of a word, as long as they were not preceded by a consonant cluster e.g. Japanese /sakki/ - some time ago -> P.A. /sakːʲ/, Japanese /mazu/ - firstly -> P.A. /maz/. | ||
*Japanese /ɯ/ became /u/. | *Japanese /ɯ/ became /u/. | ||
*Japanese /tts/ became /tːos/, or /tos/ after a long vowel or diphthong. | *Japanese /tts/ became /tːos/, or /tos/ after a long vowel or diphthong. | ||
*Japanese /r/ became /ɫ/, except before /i/ when it became /ʎ/. | *Japanese /r/ became /ɫ/, except before /i/ when it became /ʎ/. | ||
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*Japanese word final /iru/, /eru/, /oru/ and /uru/ became /iu/, /eu/, /ou/ and /uː/ respectively e.g. Japanese /kanjiru/ - to feel -> P.A. /kãdʲiu/, Japanese /nagareru/ - to flow -> P.A. /nagaɫeu/, Japanese /shiboru/ - to squeeze -> P.A. /sʲibou/, Japanese /tsuru/ - to hang -> P.A. /tsuː/. | *Japanese word final /iru/, /eru/, /oru/ and /uru/ became /iu/, /eu/, /ou/ and /uː/ respectively e.g. Japanese /kanjiru/ - to feel -> P.A. /kãdʲiu/, Japanese /nagareru/ - to flow -> P.A. /nagaɫeu/, Japanese /shiboru/ - to squeeze -> P.A. /sʲibou/, Japanese /tsuru/ - to hang -> P.A. /tsuː/. | ||
*If the preceding sound change would create a tripthong, it was broken up into two syllables by inserting a semivowel (/w/ if the first vowel was back, and /j/ otherwise) e.g. Japanese /kazoeru/ -> to count -> P.A. /kazoweu/, Japanese /naoru/ - to get better -> P.A. /najou/. | *If the preceding sound change would create a tripthong, it was broken up into two syllables by inserting a semivowel (/w/ if the first vowel was back, and /j/ otherwise) e.g. Japanese /kazoeru/ -> to count -> P.A. /kazoweu/, Japanese /naoru/ - to get better -> P.A. /najou/. | ||
===Spanish=== | ===Spanish=== | ||
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*Spanish ñ became /nʲ/ e.g. Spanish mañana - morning -> P.A. /manʲana/. | *Spanish ñ became /nʲ/ e.g. Spanish mañana - morning -> P.A. /manʲana/. | ||
*Obstruents immediately after a stressed vowel were geminated where possible e.g. Spanish cabeza - head -> P.A. /kabesːa/. | *Obstruents immediately after a stressed vowel were geminated where possible e.g. Spanish cabeza - head -> P.A. /kabesːa/. | ||
*If Spanish r is not before a vowel, it is deleted with lengthening of the preceding vowel e.g. Spanish pensar - to think -> P.A. / | *If Spanish r is not before a vowel, it is deleted with lengthening of the preceding vowel e.g. Spanish pensar - to think -> P.A. /pẽsaː/ - to be lost in deep thought. | ||
*If Spanish r is word initial, or doubled, then it changed to /z/ e.g. Spanish tierra - land -> P.A. /teza/ - landscape. | *If Spanish r is word initial, or doubled, then it changed to /z/ e.g. Spanish tierra - land -> P.A. /teza/ - landscape. | ||
*Otherwise, Spanish r merged into l. | *Otherwise, Spanish r merged into l. | ||
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*Burmese /ɔ/ centralised to schwa e.g. Burmese thittaw: - forest -> P.A. /sʲitːəːz/. | *Burmese /ɔ/ centralised to schwa e.g. Burmese thittaw: - forest -> P.A. /sʲitːəːz/. | ||
*If a Burmese minor syllable both begins with an obstruent and is followed by an obstruent, the vowel in the minor syllable is deleted (as long as it would not violate Proto-Antarctican phonotactics), causing a consonant cluster e.g. Burmese thei na pati. - general -> P.A. /seinaptʲiːt/ | *If a Burmese minor syllable both begins with an obstruent and is followed by an obstruent, the vowel in the minor syllable is deleted (as long as it would not violate Proto-Antarctican phonotactics), causing a consonant cluster e.g. Burmese thei na pati. - general -> P.A. /seinaptʲiːt/ | ||
*Burmese initial aspirated consonants become clusters of consonant + /x/ if non-palatalised e.g. Burmese hpoun - dust -> P.A. /pxoː | *Burmese initial aspirated consonants become clusters of consonant + /x/ if non-palatalised e.g. Burmese hpoun - dust -> P.A. /pxoːũ/, Burmese hsabin - hair (of the human head) -> P.A. /sxabʲĩ/. If they are palatalised, they become clusters with /ç/ instead e.g. Burmese hpyaun - straight -> P.A. /pʲçãːu/, Burmese yanhpyit - to fight -> P.A. /jãpʲçitː/ - battle. | ||
*Burmese /l/ becomes /ɫ/, unless before /i/ or /j/, when it becomes /ʎ/. | *Burmese /l/ becomes /ɫ/, unless before /i/ or /j/, when it becomes /ʎ/. | ||
*The alveo-palatal series of consonants become palatal e.g. Burmese yaukkya - man -> P.A. /jaucaː/ (remember Proto-Antarctican does not like geminated consonants after diphthongs). | *The alveo-palatal series of consonants become palatal e.g. Burmese yaukkya - man -> P.A. /jaucaː/ (remember Proto-Antarctican does not like geminated consonants after diphthongs). | ||
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===Taiwanese=== | ===Taiwanese=== | ||
More of the refugees who came to Antarctica were from Taiwan rather than the mainland. Therefore, Taiwanese has influenced Proto-Antarctican far more than Mandarin. Aspirated consonants generally behaved like those from Burmese. Syllable final stops were pronounced voiced in words with tone 4, and voiceless in words with tone 8. Vowels in words with tones 1, 2, 5 and 6 were pronounced long, otherwise they were short. Taiwanese unaspirated /t/ and voiced /d/ became /ts/ and /z/ before /u/. | |||
==Evolution into Antarctican== | ==Evolution into Antarctican== | ||
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*Similarly, the glottal stop put tense voice on the vowel and raised the pitch e.g. /webːoʔ/ (the final /s/ had debuccalised to a glottal stop) - eggs -> /webːóʔ/. | *Similarly, the glottal stop put tense voice on the vowel and raised the pitch e.g. /webːoʔ/ (the final /s/ had debuccalised to a glottal stop) - eggs -> /webːóʔ/. | ||
*In some cases, this tense voice spread through consonants and affect multiple vowels. Consonants that permitted this spreading were voiced sonorants and voiceless stops (other than the glottal stop) e.g. /ʔameɫaiʔ/ - hunt (the final /k/ had debuccalised to a glottal stop) -> /ʔáméɫáiʔ/. | *In some cases, this tense voice spread through consonants and affect multiple vowels. Consonants that permitted this spreading were voiced sonorants and voiceless stops (other than the glottal stop) e.g. /ʔameɫaiʔ/ - hunt (the final /k/ had debuccalised to a glottal stop) -> /ʔáméɫáiʔ/. | ||
*If the tense voice would "spread" through an initial consonant, then that word acquired floating phonation e.g. / | *If the tense voice would "spread" through an initial consonant, then that word acquired floating phonation e.g. /tẽʔ/ - weather (the final /c/ had debuccalised to a glottal stop) -> /'té~ʔ/. | ||
*Word initial clusters beginning with glottal stops also created floating phonation e.g. /'ʔcidáʔ/ - drawers (from /çcidasʲ/). | *Word initial clusters beginning with glottal stops also created floating phonation e.g. /'ʔcidáʔ/ - drawers (from /çcidasʲ/). | ||
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The velarised alveolar lateral /ɫ/ lost its laterality and became uvular /ʁ/. The palatal lateral /ʎ/ became alveolar /l/ (which still has /ʎ/ as an allophone before high vowels). | The velarised alveolar lateral /ɫ/ lost its laterality and became uvular /ʁ/. The palatal lateral /ʎ/ became alveolar /l/ (which still has /ʎ/ as an allophone before high vowels). | ||
Antarctican also acquired lateral obstruents /tɬ/, /dɮ/, /ɬ/ from the palatalised alveolar consonants /tʲ/, /dʲ/ and /sʲ/ respectively. This was via an intermediate sound change to /t&# | Antarctican also acquired lateral obstruents /tɬ/, /dɮ/, /ɬ/ from the palatalised alveolar consonants /tʲ/, /dʲ/ and /sʲ/ respectively. This was via an intermediate sound change to clusters of /tʎ/, /dʎ/ and /ʎ/ The voiced palatalised fricative /zʲ/ was lost, merging into /dʲ/, which then became /dʎ/ and finally /dɮ/. | ||
====Loss of Voicing Contrasts==== | ====Loss of Voicing Contrasts==== | ||
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| Japanese || zubon || pants || zbõ || ʱboɴ || pants | | Japanese || zubon || pants || zbõ || ʱboɴ || pants | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Japanese || sakki || some time ago || | | Japanese || sakki || some time ago || sacː || saˤ || some time ago | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Japanese || mazu || firstly || maz || ʱmɜʱ || firstly | | Japanese || mazu || firstly || maz || ʱmɜʱ || firstly | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| Japanese || kanjiru || to feel || kãdʲiu || kaɴdɮuː || to feel | | Japanese || kanjiru || to feel || kãdʲiu || kaɴdɮuː || to feel | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Japanese || kazoeru || to count || kazoweu || kazoweu || to count | | Japanese || kazoeru || to count || kazoweu || kazoweu || to count | ||
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| Spanish || mañana || morning || manʲana || maɲana || morning | | Spanish || mañana || morning || manʲana || maɲana || morning | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Spanish || cabeza || head || kabesːa || kapɛsa || head | | Spanish || cabeza || head || kabesːa || kapɛˤsa || head | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Spanish || pensar || to think || | | Spanish || pensar || to think || pẽsaː || pɘɴsaː || lost in deep thought | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Spanish || tierra || land || teza || teza || landscape | | Spanish || tierra || land || teza || teza || landscape | ||
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| Spanish || lima || Lima (in Peru) || ʎima || lima || Lima (in Peru) | | Spanish || lima || Lima (in Peru) || ʎima || lima || Lima (in Peru) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Spanish || palo || stick || paɫo || paʁ | | Spanish || palo || stick || paɫo || paʁu || stick | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Spanish || derecha || right (as in not left) || deɫetːʲa || tɛˤʁɛˤtɬe || right (as in not left) | | Spanish || derecha || right (as in not left) || deɫetːʲa || tɛˤʁɛˤtɬe || right (as in not left) | ||
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| Burmese || tei na pati. || general || seinaptʲiːt || sɛiˤnaˤtʼɬɘiˤ || general | | Burmese || tei na pati. || general || seinaptʲiːt || sɛiˤnaˤtʼɬɘiˤ || general | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Burmese || hpoun || dust || pxoː | | Burmese || hpoun || dust || pxoːũ || pɛχoːuɴ || dust | ||
|- | |- | ||
|| Burmese || hsabin || hair (on the head) || sxabʲ | || Burmese || hsabin || hair (on the head) || sxabʲĩ || saxabʲiɴ || hair (on the head) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Burmese || hypaun || straight || pʲçãːu || pʲɘçaːuɴ || straight | | Burmese || hypaun || straight || pʲçãːu || pʲɘçaːuɴ || straight | ||
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|} | |} | ||
[[Category:Languages]][[Category: | [[Category:Languages]][[Category:Languages]][[Category:Proto-languages|A]][[Category:Antarctican]] | ||