Original Prompt Provided by Jessie Peterson
Quothalinguist – Exploring language since ’89
Day Thirty-Six
Goal: Write a section on phonotactics for modern forms.
Consonants for Protolanguage 4
| Bilabial | Labio-Dental | Dental | Alveolar | Post-Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | |
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |||||
| Plosive | p’ | t’ | c | k’ | ʔ | ||||
| Affricate | t͡s’ | t͡ɕ’ | |||||||
| Sibilant Fricative | s | ɕ | |||||||
| Non-Sibilant Fricative | f | θ | h | ||||||
| Lateral Fricative | ɬ | ||||||||
| Approximant | j | w | |||||||
| Tap or Flap | ɾ | ||||||||
| Trill | r | ||||||||
| Lateral Approximant | l |
Vowels for Protolanguage 4
| Front | Central | Back | |
| Close | i | u | |
| Close-Mid | e | o | |
| Open-Mid | ɛ | ||
| Open | ä |
Phonotactics
In its modern form, this protolanguage will have a syllable structure of (C)(C)V(C)(C). Consonants can optionally fill in the onset, and coda consonants have been allowed through sound changes.
Consonant clusters have been introduced, because of sound changes, and can currently appear in either the onset or the coda.
Prosody
On multisyllabic units, this protolanguage has its primary word-level stress fixed on the second syllable. Stressed vowels may tend to have slightly lengthened duration and more intensity.
A secondary word-level stress, or beyond when applicable, will fall after any [ɾ]voiced dental/alveolar tap, [r]voiced dental/alveolar trill, [ʔ]glottal plosive, or any non-pulmonic ejective consonant sounds; [p’], [t’], and [k’].
Phonology, Phonotactics, Prosody
- Consonant Phonemes: Twenty-two
- Vowel Phonemes: Six
- Syllable Structure: (C)(C)V(C)(C)
- Consonant Clusters: Yes
- Diphthongs: None
- Vowel Clusters: Multisyllabic
- Primary Stress: Second Syllable
- Secondary Stress (and beyond): Follows [ɾ, r, ʔ, p’, t’, k’, ts’, tɕ’]
- Tone: None
Day Thirty-Seven
Goal: Explore Romanization strategies.
Consonant Romanization for Protolanguage 4
| Bilabial | Labio-Dental | Dental | Alveolar | Post-Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | |
| Nasal | m (m) | n (n) | ɲ (ny) | ŋ (ng) | |||||
| Plosive | p’ (p’) | t’ (t’) | c (ky) | k’ (k’) | ʔ ( ‘ ) | ||||
| Affricate | t͡s’ (ts’) | t͡ɕ’ (ch’) | |||||||
| Sibilant Fricative | s (s) | ɕ (cy) | |||||||
| Non-Sibilant Fricative | f (f) | θ (th) | h (h) | ||||||
| Lateral Fricative | ɬ (x) | ||||||||
| Approximant | j (j) | w (w) | |||||||
| Tap or Flap | ɾ (d) | ||||||||
| Trill | r (r) | ||||||||
| Lateral Approximant | l (l) |
Vowel Romanization for Protolanguage 4
| Front | Central | Back | |
| Close | i (i) | u (u) | |
| Close-Mid | e (ae) | o (o) | |
| Open-Mid | ɛ (e) | ||
| Open | ä (a) |
Day Thirty-Eight
Goal: Start your official dictionary.
Lexicon Coins Key
modern form [IPA with stress] *proto-form (lexical category) English translation
Lexicon in Alphabetical English for Protolanguage 4.3
a
aham [a.’ham] *afamɛ (n.) thunder
[a.’ham] *afamɛ (v.i.) to thunder
aho [a.’ho] *aho (v.i.) to live
ane [a.’nɛ] *anɛ (v.i.) to lose
at’a [a.’t’a] *at’a (v.i.) to shake
awax [a.’waɬ] *awaɬo (n.) plant
ch’
ch’i [‘t͡ɕ’i] *ot͡ɕ’iʔi (v.i.) to guess
ch’nyo [‘t͡ɕ’ɲo] *t͡ɕ’uɲu (v.t.) to blend
ch’o [‘t͡ɕ’o] *t͡ɕ’o’o (n.) duck
cy
cyae [‘ɕe] * ɕi (v.t.) to see
cykyo [‘ɕco] *ɕocu (n.) mouth
[‘ɕco] *ɕocu (v.t.) to mouth
cymo [‘ɕmo] *ɕomo (n.) butterfly
cyo [‘ɕo] *ɕoʔu (v.i.) to swell
cyp’ae [‘ɕp’e] *ɕɛp’I (n.) passionflower
cyre [‘ɕrɛ] *ɕorɛ (n.) bee
cyts’ach’a [ɕt͡sʼa.’t͡ɕ’a] *ɕit͡sʼat͡ɕ’a (v.t.) to care
d
da [‘ɾa] *ɾa (n.) nose
dats’o [ɾa.’t͡sʼo] *ɾat͡sʼo (n.) foot
de [‘ɾɛ] *ɾɛ (n.) sun
djae [‘ɾje] *ɾoja (n.) wagtail
dk’e [‘ɾk’ɛ] *ɾuk’ɛ’u (n.) flow
dnu [‘ɾnu] *ɾɛnuʔu (v.t.) to grasp
do [‘ɾo] *oɾo (n.) blood
[‘ɾo] *ɾu (v.t.) to lick
dse [‘ɾsɛ] *ɾɛsɛ (n.) lake
[‘ɾsɛ] *ɾɛsɛ (v.t.) to lake
dwa [‘ɾwa] *ɾɛwa (v.t.) to bear
e
es [‘ɛs] *ɛsi (v.i.) to rest
h
ha [‘ha] *ha (n.) hail
ha’a [ha.’ʔa] *haʔa (v.i.) to run
hae [‘he] *hi (n.) coastline
hha [‘hha] *hofa (n.) lapwing
hnyae [‘hɲe] *hoɲi (v.i.) to stand
ho [‘ho] *ho (n.) hair
[‘ho] *hiʔu (v.t.) to cut
[‘ho] *ho (v.t.) to wash
hro [‘hro] *hiro (n.) fungus
ht’ucy [‘ht’uɕ] *hit’uɕɛ (n.) hurricane
j
ja [‘ja] *jiʔa (v.i.) to roll
jae [‘je] *uja (n.) fig
[‘je] *jɛ (v.i.) to flow
jdiky [‘jɾic] *joɾici (n.) gull
ji [‘ji] *ji (n.) fish
jk’o [‘jk’o] *jɛk’o (n.) smoketree
jkyae [‘jce] *juci (n.) raven
jngo [‘jŋo] *jaŋu (v.t.) to separate
jnya [‘jɲa] *jiɲa (n.) rat
jthe [‘jθɛ] *juθɛ (n.) squirrel
jt’o [‘jt’o] *jɛt’o (v.i.) to play
ju [‘ju] *ju (v.i.) to rise
k’
k’a [‘k’a] *k’a (n.) rock
[‘k’a] *ik’a (v.t.) to carry
k’a’onga [k’a.’ʔo.ŋa] *k’aʔoŋa (n.) armadillo
k’no [‘k’no] *k’uno (n.) twister
k’o [‘k’o] *k’o (v.i.) to fly
[‘k’o] *k’u (v.t.) to know
[‘k’o] *uk’u (v.i.) to climb
k’rae [‘k’re] *k’ɛri (n.) deadnettle
k’t’a [‘k’t’a] *k’ot’a (v.t.) to sharpen
k’us [‘k’us] *k’usi (v.i.) to be cold
ky
kya [‘ca] *ca (v.t.) to hear
kyae [‘ce] *ci (n.) arm
kydacya [cɾa.’ɕa] *coɾaɕa (n.) hedgehog
kyk’o [‘ck’o] *cɛk’o (n.) canyon
kykyo [‘cco] *cɛco (n.) cavern
kynyo [‘cɲo] *cɛɲo (n.) dragonfly
kyo [‘co] *co (n.) cloud
[‘co] *cu (n.) mountain
[‘co] *cu (n.) vine
[‘co] *cu (v.i.) to mountain
[‘co] *ocu (v.t.) to clothe
kysim [‘csim] *cisimo (n.) primrose
kyxo [‘cɬo] *cɛɬu (n.) bird
l
la [‘la] *ola (v.i.) to dream
[‘la] *la (v.t.) to swallow
lae [‘le] *li (v.i.) to turn
la’up’ [la.’ʔup’] *laʔup’i (v.i.) to whine
ldo [‘lɾo] *lɛɾo (v.i.) to burn
le [‘lɛ] *ilɛ (n.) hill
lt’inyk’ [‘lt’iɲk’] *lɛt’iɲok’ɛ (v.i.) to expire
m
ma [‘ma] *uma (v.t.) to lack
[‘ma] *ma (v.i.) to sit
maduj [ma.’ɾuj] *maɾoja (n.) spider
mae [‘me] *ɛmi (n.) nightshade
manyu [ma.’ɲu] *maɲuʔɛ (v.t.) to fight
mat’o [ma.’t’o] *mat’u (v.i.) to walk
mcyae [‘mɕe] *mɛɕi (v.t.) to build
mcyo [‘mɕo] *mɛɕu (n.) beetle
mdo [‘mɾo] *miɾo (n.) turkey
me [‘mɛ] *mɛ (n.) wren
[‘mɛ] *mɛ (v.t.) to place
mo [‘mo] *mu (n.) wildfire
[‘mo] *mu (v.t.) to pinch
[‘mo] *mo (v.t.) to do
mtha [‘mθa] *muθa (v.i.) to call
muh [‘muh] *umuhi (n.) lightning
[‘muh] *umuhi (v.i.) to lightning
muts’ [‘mut͡sʼ] *mu’ut͡sʼɛ (n.) pelican
n
na [‘na] *na (n.) dog
nae [‘ne] *ni (n.) thrush
namo [na.’mo] *namu (v.i.) to sweat
ncyo [‘nɕo] *nɛɕo (v.t.) to weave
nhekya [nhɛ.’ca] *nufɛca (n.) raccoon
nkyo [‘nco] *noco (n.) head
nmo [‘nmo] *numu (n.) shell
nngae [‘nŋe] *noŋi (v.i.) to bleed
no [‘no] *nuʔo (v.t.) to cover
[‘no] *nu (v.t.) to meet
np’a [‘np’a] *nip’a (v.t.) to eat
nt’ae [‘nt’e] *nɛt’I (v.t.) to comb
nwan [‘nwan] *nowano (n.) koala
ng
nga [‘ŋa] *uŋa (v.t.) to rub
ngae [‘ŋe] *ŋi (n.) tree
[‘ŋe] *ŋi (n.) monkey
[‘ŋe] *ŋi (v.i.) to tree
ngalap’ [ŋa.’lap’] *ŋalap’ɛ (v.t.) to split
ngatho [ŋa.’θo] *ŋaθu (v.t.) to open
ngch’o [‘ŋt͡ɕ’o] *ŋut͡ɕ’o (n.) ear
ngcyo [‘ŋco] *ŋucu (v.t.) to scatter
nge [‘ŋɛ] *ŋɛ (n.) hand
[‘ŋɛ] *ɛŋɛ (n.) egg
ngju [‘ŋju] *ŋajo (n.) heat
ngna [‘ŋna] *ŋina (n.) wind
ngo [‘ŋo] *ŋu (n.) leg
[‘ŋo] *uŋo (n.) kite
[‘ŋo] *ŋu (n.) turtle
[‘ŋo] *ŋu (v.i.) to turtle
[‘ŋo] *ŋo (v.t.) to take
[‘ŋo] *oŋu (v.t.) to boil
ny
nyana [ɲa.’na] *ɲana (v.t.) to hold
nyawae [ɲa.’we] *ɲawi (n.) bone
o
od [‘oɾ] *woɾi (n.) frog
p’
p’a’a [p’a.’ʔa] *p’aʔa (v.t.) to bite
p’ae [‘p’e] *p’i (n.) dove
p’ama [p’a.’ma] *p’iʔama (n.) animal
p’cyo [‘p’ɕo] *p’ɛɕu (v.t.) to sweep
[‘p’ɕo] *p’iɕo (v.i.) to ask
p’e [‘p’ɛ] *up’ɛ (v.t.) to strike
[‘p’ɛ] *p’ɛ (v.i.) to come
p’ha [‘p’ha] *p’ɛha (v.t.) to put
p’jut’a [p’ju.’t’a] *p’ijot’a (n.) bird-of-paradise
p’k’o [‘p’k’o] *p’ik’u (n.) star
p’ts’e [‘p’t͡sʼɛ] *p’ot͡sʼɛ (n.) skin
p’ts’ucy [‘p’t͡sʼuɕ] *p’ut͡sʼuɕo (n.) lizard
p’ul [‘p’ul] *p’uli (v.i.) to cough
r
ra [‘ra] *ra (n.) river
racyada [ra.’ɕa.ɾa] *raɕaɾa (v.i.) to follow
rae [‘re] *roʔi (n.) rain
[‘re] *ri (n.) lantana
[‘re] *ri (n.) louse
[‘re] *roʔi (v.i.) to rain
rana [ra.’na] *ruʔana (n.) flooding
rch’o [‘rt͡ɕ’o] *rot͡ɕ’u (v.t.) to winnow
re [‘rɛ] *orɛ (n.) wattle
[‘rɛ] *rɛ (v.t.) to praise
rho [‘rho] *rohu (n.) hollow
rjae [‘rje] *rɛjaʔi (v.i.) to copulate
rmo [‘rmo] *rɛmu (n.) grass
rts’e [‘rt͡sʼɛ] *rit͡sʼɛ (v.t.) to test
s
sae [‘se] *si (n.) eye
smae [‘sme] *sɛmi (v.i.) to wind
smo [‘smo] *sumu (v.i.) to swim
swae [‘swe] *sowi (v.t.) to pour
t’
t’a [‘t’a] *t’a (v.i.) to go
t’ae [‘t’e] *t’uʔi (n.) fog
[‘t’e] *t’i (v.t.) to dig
t’a’e [t’a.’ʔɛ] *t’aʔɛ (v.t.) to give
t’cyae [‘t’ɕe] *t’ɛɕi (n.) highland
t’e [‘t’ɛ] *t’ɛ (v.t.) to join
t’jae [‘t’je] *t’aja (n.) dolphin
[‘t’je] *t’ijɛ (v.t.) to drive
t’ma [‘t’ma] *t’omaʔi (v.t.) to enjoy
t’nyo [‘t’ɲo] *t’oɲu (n.) land
t’o [‘t’o] *t’o (v.i.) to look
t’se [‘t’sɛ] *t’usɛ (v.i.) to torment
t’xo [‘t’ɬo] *t’iɬu (v.t.) to peel
th
tha [‘θa] *θa (n.) moon
thacyo [θa.’ɕo] *θaɕo (v.t.) to resemble
thde [‘θɾɛ] *θoɾɛ (v.t.) to pound
the [‘θɛ] *θɛ (n.) woods
[‘θɛ] *θɛ (v.i.) to bathe
thnga [‘θŋa] *θoŋa (n.) blanketflower
thngo [‘θŋo] *θiŋu (v.i.) to say
tho [‘θo] *θu (n.) flower
[‘θo] *θu (v.i.) to flower
ththo [‘θθo] *θiθu (v.t.) to twist
ts’
ts’a [‘t͡sʼa] *t͡sʼa (n.) snake
ts’ae [‘t͡sʼe] *t͡sʼi (v.i.) to be
ts’amo [t͡sʼa.’mo] *t͡sʼamo (n.) fleabane
ts’ap’a [t͡sʼa.’p’a] * t͡sʼap’a (v.t.) to have
ts’o [‘t͡sʼo] *t͡sʼo’o (v.i.) to urinate
[‘t͡sʼo] *it͡sʼu (v.i.) to grow
[‘t͡sʼo] *it͡sʼo (v.i.) to fall
ts’t’a [‘t͡sʼt’a] *t͡sʼit’a (n.) bat
ts’xo [‘t͡sʼɬo] *t͡sʼiɬu (v.t.) to fear
u
ul [‘ul] *uli (v.i.) to die
w
wa’ae [wa.’ʔe] *waʔi (v.t.) to drink
wae [‘we] *wi (n.) sea
[‘we] *wi (v.i.) to sea
wanye [wa.’ɲɛ] *waɲɛ (n.) hare
we [‘wɛ] *wɛ (v.t.) to bend
[‘wɛ] *wɛ (v.t.) to watch
x
xa’e [ɬaʔɛ] *ɬaʔɛ (n.) frost
xalo [ɬa.’lo] *ɬalo (v.i.) to shine
xana [ɬa.’na] *ɬana (v.t.) to stream
xat’ae [ɬa.’t’e] *ɬat’i (v.t.) to sacrifice
xcye [‘ɬɕɛ] *ɬoɕɛ (v.i.) to move
xin [‘ɬin] *ɬini (v.i.) to scratch
xnyae [‘ɬɲe] *ɬɛɲi (n.) heron
xo [‘ɬo] *ɬo (n.) breast
[‘ɬo] *ɬuʔo (n.) possum
xts’ae [‘ɬt͡sʼe] *ɬot͡sʼi (n.) sky
[‘ɬt͡sʼe] *ɬot͡sʼi (v.i.) to sky
xts’o [‘ɬt͡sʼo] *ɬot͡sʼo (n.) bug
xwo [‘ɬwo] *ɬiwu (v.t.) to taste
Day Thirty-Nine
Goal: Explore options for word order & syntactic alignment.
Exploring Morphosyntactic Alignment for Protolanguage 4.3
The options of morphosyntactic alignment have been narrowed down to three candidates. The first candidate is the most common as well as the most obvious, that being nominative-accusative alignment. The second candidate is a split ergative alignment. The third candidate currently seems the most likely, that being a tripartite alignment.
Exploring Word Order for Protolanguage 4.3
The options for word order have been narrowed down to three candidates, which depend on the morphosyntactic alignment. If the protolanguage follows a nominative-accusative or split ergative alignment, then either an SVO or SOV word order will be the most likely. If the protolanguage follows a tripartite alignment, free word order would be applicable, perhaps with circumstantially preferred word orders in different grammatical contexts.
Day Forty
Goal: Select word order & syntactic alignment.
Choosing Morphosyntactic Alignment for Protolanguage 4.3
The morphosyntactic alignment will be tripartite alignment. The three arguments are ‘agent’ (A), ‘patient’ (O), and ‘subject’ (S). The agent is the traditional transitive subject and can most closely be represented with an ergative case. The patient is the traditional transitive object and can most closely be represented with an accusative case. The subject is the traditional intransitive subject and can be most closely represented with an intransitive case.
Choosing Word Order for Protolanguage 4.3
The protolanguage follows a tripartite alignment and maintains a free word order. Circumstantially preferred word orders in different grammatical contexts will be further explored as more of the protolanguage’s grammar concepts are determined.
Day Forty-One
Goal: Decide on a more synthetic or analytic approach.
Choosing Synthetic or Analytic Approach for Protolanguage 4.3
The protolanguage’s morphological unit structure will lean toward the direction of synthetic. The idea of an agglutinative language will be further explored as more of the protolanguage’s grammar concepts are determined.
Day Forty-Two
Goal: Start a basic introduction to your conlang’s grammar.
Grammar for Protolanguage 4.3
The protolanguage has free word order with tripartite alignment and is more synthetic in its structure.
- Word Order: Free Word Order
- Syntactic Alignment: Tripartite Alignment
- Morphological Structure: Synthetic Preferred
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