How to design a non-European phonology

Ars Lande · Post by **Ars Lande** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:32 pm

Simbri:
1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar] +1
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction] +0.5
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series) +1
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series]. +1
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps) +1
6. Nasals at multiple POAs +1
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs] 0
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions] +1
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number] (three fricative POAs, three stop POAs, one affricative POA. 0
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops] +1
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40] +1
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one] (no rhotic consonants) +1
13. No lateral obstruants +1
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA] +1
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs] +0.5
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern) +1
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation] +1
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing +1
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series] +1
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more] +1
21. Three or more diphthongs +1
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels] +1
23. One front rounded vowel. 0
24. Two or more front rounded vowels 0
25. No vowel harmony +1
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities] (vowels distinguished by height, frontness, roundedness, length, breathiness, creakiness, rhoticity +1
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees] +1
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress] +1
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages] +1
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed +1
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic) +1
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal) +1
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop) +1
35. CVCC syllables allowed 0
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF] (no final consonant clusters, so 0)
37. CLV syllables allowed +1
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA] 0
39. CCCV syllables allowed 0
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates) SSV allowed 0
41. CCNV syllables not allowed +1
42. SNV syllables not allowed +1
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants) 0
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel] +1
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes +1
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants) +1
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates] +1
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ [half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal]+1
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries +1
50. No more than two series of fricatives +1
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony 0
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all +1
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found] 0
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found] +1
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA 0

40/55:

72%

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal +5
S2. No tone system with more than two tones +5
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides] 0
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental) 0
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants +5
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless +5
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction] +2.5
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops] 0
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal] 0

22,5/45 = 50%

Herr Dunkel · Post by **Herr Dunkel** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:10 pm

Uh, you're supposed to add them up and stuff...
See how 45+55=100?

Vuvuzela · Post by **Vuvuzela** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:11 pm

I know PMvGb is going to score highly, because it has a pretty European-y Phonology. Here we go:
True
Half point
False

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs] (Half mark if we count the allophonic Glottal stop)
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions] Voicing distinction on stops only.
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities] Sort of ATR.
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
]30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)[/color]
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF][/color]
]37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA. No FFV syllables
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46.N/A
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
]49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries[/color]
]50. No more than two series of fricatives[/color]
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
]52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all[/color]
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
]54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found][/color]
]55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA[/color]

S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]
82

clawgrip · Post by **clawgrip** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:38 pm

I don't understand #6: Nasals at multiple POAs.

Is this actually suggesting that outside of Europe it's more common to have only on POA for nasals?

Some research reveals:

Australian languages often have 5 or more
Nilo-Saharan languages generally have 4
Bantu languages often have 4
Dravidian languages have at least 3 or 4
Southeast Asian languages usually have 3 or 4
Chinese languages usually have 3 or 4
Korean has 3
Mayan languages have 3
Uto-Aztecan languages often have 3
Aymaran languages have 3 (I believe)
Eskimo-Aleut languages have around 3
Altaic languages may have 2 or 3
Semitic languages generally have 2
Khoisan languages generally have 2
Quechuan languages have 2
Japanese has 2 phonemic

I got tired of searching at this point.

Imralu · Post by **Imralu** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:45 am

Here it is for Ahu, which I basically wanted to sound European without being recognisable. (The grammar is very un-European.)

absence of phonemic opposition velar/uvular
phonemic voicing oppositions (/p/ vs. /b/ etc.) as the only distinctions between sounds with the same POA and MOA
initial consonant clusters of the type "stop+sonorant" allowed
no initial velar nasal
a wide variety of allowable clusters that, except for those that contain a sibilant and a stop, all adhere to the sonority hierarchy
only pulmonic consonants
no phonation or secondary articulation contrasts on vowels (WTF is secondary articulation on a vowel?)
at least three degrees of vowel height (minimum inventory i e a o u)
lack of lateral fricatives and affricates
two series of coronals
lack of a tone or register system
at least two of each of the following type of consonant: fricative, nasal, liquid, semivowel (no phonemic semivowels)

73% Euroclone

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps) (does [k q s ʃ xʷ χ χʷ] mean this counts as true?)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number] (do I count /h/ as a fricative or a voiceless segment of a vowel?)
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops] (13 stops and 13 non-stops [distinct glottalized liquids and semivowels count? Do affricates count?])
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40] (34 if glottalized consonants count?)
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one] (/l lˀ/ and no rhotics count?)
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs (diphthongs are not phonemic)
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress] (fixed initial stress except after infixes that are inserted before the stressed vowel)
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries (Rare but present!)
50. No more than two series of fricatives (WTF DO YOU MEAN BY "SERIES"??I have /f v s z ʃ ʒ h/. Is that a labiodental series, an alveolar series and a postalveolar series, or is that a voiced series and a voiceless series?) (Not answered!)
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

71.2% Euroclone

Jerian · Post by **Jerian** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:50 pm

very helpful, thanks!

brandrinn · Post by **brandrinn** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:52 am

Have we decided yet which European language would score the lowest by this test? By my count Finnish only gets 58% Euroclone, mostly because there are so many questions about voicing, vowel harmony, complex syllables, and having lots of fricatives/affricates.

Pinetree · Post by **Pinetree** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:21 am

Testing my new phonology

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar] 1
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction] 1
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series) 0
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series]. 0
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps) 1
6. Nasals at multiple POAs 1
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs] 1
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions] 1
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number] .5
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops] 1
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40] .5
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one] .5
13. No lateral obstruants 0
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA] 1
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs] 1
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern) 1
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation] 0
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing 0
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series] 1
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more] .5
21. Three or more diphthongs 1
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels] 0
23. One front rounded vowel. 0
24. Two or more front rounded vowels 0
25. No vowel harmony 0
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities] 1
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees] .5
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress] 0
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages] 1
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed 1
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic) 1
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal) 1
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop) 1
35. CVCC syllables allowed 0
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF] 0
37. CLV syllables allowed 1
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA. 0
39. CCCV syllables allowed 1
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates) 1
41. CCNV syllables not allowed 1
42. SNV syllables not allowed 1
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants) 1
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel] 1
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes 1
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants) 1
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates] .5
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal) 1
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries 0
50. No more than two series of fricatives 0
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony 0
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all 1
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found] 1
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found] 1
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA 1

35%

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal 5
S2. No tone system with more than two tones 5
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides] 2.5
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental) 5
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants 5
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless 0
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction] 5
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops] 5
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal] 2.5

35%

EDIT: Recounted Total 70%.

Hmm. I'd've expected more, seeing how my (mostly unresearched) inspirations were Finnish and Czech. e: It's a little more Euro than it counted before.

~~NOTE: I may have miscounted somewhere. I'll check again later.~~

sucaeyl · Post by **sucaeyl** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:44 am

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants But there's no laterals at all!
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

28% SAE

Chagen · Post by **Chagen** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:10 pm

Let's see how new Pazmat deals with this:

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]

20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

-----------

SO, Pazmat is 70.5% SAE, never mind that it distinguishes voiceless and voices epiglottal fricatives and [wæskt eɖʐafɛʜʑɑ n̩ ku qadʑ afɛʜʑɑ] is a perfectly normal sentence in the lang. I think this test is a TINY bit biased.

Nortaneous · Post by **Nortaneous** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:02 pm

Looks Caucasian. Not that far off.

Chagen · Post by **Chagen** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:38 pm

Which kind of Caucasian, wikipedia gives three whole language families.

sucaeyl · Post by **sucaeyl** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:02 pm

Chagen wrote:Which kind of Caucasian, wikipedia gives three whole language families.

Well, I believe the Caucasus is a sprachbund, leading to genetically unrelated languages to inherit similar phonological (and other) characteristics. Take Armenian, an Indo-European language with an ejective series. I think this is due to its inclusion within the Caucasian sprachbund.

If Nortaneous had a specific family in mind, however, then don't pay any attention to the above.

Nortaneous · Post by **Nortaneous** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:51 pm

Doesn't matter that much, since most of them look similar, but I was thinking specifically of Chechen.

Rin · Post by **Rin** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:06 am

SCORE|POSSIBLE::STATEMENT
1|1 :: Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
1|1 :: Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
0|1 :: Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
1|1 :: At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
1|1 :: At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
0.5|1 :: Nasals at multiple POAs
1|1 :: No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
1|1 :: Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
0.5|1 :: Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
1|1 :: More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
0.5|1 :: Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
1|1 :: One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
1|1 :: No lateral obstruants
1|1 :: One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
0|1 :: 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
1|1 :: No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
0|1 :: No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
1|1 :: Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
1|1 :: No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
0.5|1 :: 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
1|1 :: Three or more diphthongs
1|1 :: No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
0|1 :: One front rounded vowel.
0|1 :: Two or more front rounded vowels
1|1 :: No vowel harmony
1|1 :: Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
0.5|1 :: More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
0|1 :: Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
1|1 :: No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
0|1 :: Syllables without onset consonants allowed
1|1 :: CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
1|1 :: CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
0|1 :: CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
0|1 :: CVCC syllables allowed
0|1 :: CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
1|1 :: CLV syllables allowed
0|1 :: FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid[but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
0|1 :: CCCV syllables allowed
0|1 :: SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
1|1 :: CCNV syllables not allowed
1|1 :: SNV syllables not allowed
1|1 :: Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
1|1 :: All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
0|1 :: (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
1|1 :: If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
1|1 :: No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
1|1 :: No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
1|1 :: No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
1|1 :: No more than two series of fricatives
0|1 :: 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
0.5|1 :: No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all [I gave it a half mark since I have allophonic velar nasals, but not phonemic ones; the statement does say AT ALL.]
0|1 :: Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
1|1 :: Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
1|1 :: More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA
35|54
65%

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
5|5 :: No initial velar nasal
5|5 :: No tone system with more than two tones
2.5|5 :: Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
0|5 :: At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
5|5 :: No non-pulmonic consonants
5|5 :: No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
5|5 :: Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
2.5|5 :: Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
0|5 :: Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]
30|45
67%

65|99
66%

finlay · Post by **finlay** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:07 am

You should have a score out of 100, not 99, so that you don't need to bother calculating the percentage separately.

Ser · Post by **Ser** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:16 pm

Ohhhh... Look at what I found:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/597ek7unoq5hv ... survey.ods

That's a file including a table with my analyses of Salvadoran Spanish, Parisian French, Quebec City French, Standard PRC Mandarin and HK Cantonese.

I got the following results:
Salvadoran Spanish: 72-78%
Parisian French: 86.5-88.5%
Quebec City French: 82-87.5%
PRC Standard Mandarin: 45.5-51.5%
HK Cantonese: 57-61.5%

Results of other natlangs that have been posted in this thread:
English (Salmoneus): 93%
Swedish (Chuma): 85%
Proto-Indo-European (cedh): 69%
Mandarin: (Ollock): 62%
Ojibwe (Risla): 64%
Haida (Tropylium): 30%

clawgrip · Post by **clawgrip** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:13 pm

Japanese ends up with 67.5%.

Since we've brought up this thread again, does anyone care to comment on this:

clawgrip wrote:I don't understand #6: Nasals at multiple POAs.

Is this actually suggesting that outside of Europe it's more common to have only one POA for nasals?

Some research reveals:

Australian languages often have 5 or more
Nilo-Saharan languages generally have 4
Bantu languages often have 4
Dravidian languages have at least 3 or 4
Southeast Asian languages usually have 3 or 4
Chinese languages usually have 3 or 4
Korean has 3
Mayan languages have 3
Uto-Aztecan languages often have 3
Aymaran languages have 3 (I believe)
Eskimo-Aleut languages have around 3
Altaic languages may have 2 or 3
Semitic languages generally have 2
Khoisan languages generally have 2
Quechuan languages have 2
Japanese has 2 phonemic

I got tired of searching at this point.

Ser · Post by **Ser** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:36 pm

Yeah, the survey is not perfect (I don't think Salmoneus even intended to be ideal, but more like a draft), and is itself probably a bit tailored towards English, French, Spanish, Italian, German (increasing their percentage in particular), Mandarin, Thai, Lakota (lowering theirs in particular)...in other words, the languages he mentioned in his post, being the ones whose phonologies he might be most familiar with:

Salmoneus wrote:Anybody know enough to work it out for French, Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, Russian, etc? Or Mandarin, Thai, Lakota, Salish (any of them), Hawai'ian, Xhosa, etc?

It's no surprise his analysis English has got the highest percentage of IE-ness so far.

Nortaneous · Post by **Nortaneous** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:17 am

Yeah, it's a stupid question. Would be better to say three or four nasals with restricted distribution for some or all of the ones that aren't /n/; that'd get every language in Europe except maybe Albanian.

Rui · Post by **Rui** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:13 am

Nortaneous wrote:Yeah, it's a stupid question. Would be better to say three or four nasals with restricted distribution for some or all of the ones that aren't /n/; that'd get every language in Europe except maybe Albanian.

I'm getting that you're trying to make it into something with the restictions most IE langs have on /N/, but that's covered in S1...

(for example, what restrictions do various IE langs have on /m/? I can't really think of any other than that a following consonant should be at the same POA. Do non-IE langs not have this? I honestly don't know, but I think Bantu languages can have /mt/, for example? The only non-IE lang I'm really familiar with is Mandarin, which is kind of a mess to describe in terms of phonology)

Salmoneus · Post by **Salmoneus** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:04 am

OK people, in my defence, three points:

1. This wasn't a well-considered, thoroughly researched piece of scholarly analysis. This was a simple set of questions thrown up in five minutes off the top of my head relying on instinct and vague memory.

2. I was thinking, iirc, of SAE, not IE - so yes, geared toward western european major languages.

3. clawgrip misunderstands the point. To measure how SAE something is, you don't need to find things where SAE usually does one thing and other languages usually do another. Having more than one nasal is very common in almost all language families. However, my understanding was that it was EVEN MORE common in SAE. I'm not saying 'non-SAE languages don't have multiple nasals', I'm saying 'SAE languages don't not have multiple nasals'. It's not that if you have multiple nasals you must be european - it's that if you don't have multiple nasals, you probably aren't european. [Though see point 1 above... feel free to point out the obvious SAE languages with only one nasal]

clawgrip · Post by **clawgrip** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:19 am

Makes sense. I recognize the different viewpoints regarding the nasals and also the fact that you just threw it together quickly, and I appreciate that you put the effort into making this list.

Matrix · Post by **Matrix** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:28 am

Alright, let's put some of my languages through this test...

RED = FALSE
BLUE = HALF-POINT
GREEN = TRUE

We'll start with Hurga ker Maja:

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series) (I don't know what this means.)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps) (gave myself a half-point because it depends on whether or not non-phonemics count)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs] (Maja has 8 phonemic POAs; 9 if you count non-phonemic)
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress] (two- and three-syllable words always have initial stress, but four-or-more-syllable words always have stress on the third syllable)
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates] (Maja has five POAs for stops if you count affricates and the non-phonemic voiced uvular stop)
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental) (gave myself half because this is only true if you count non-phonemics)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

Maja is:
84%
European-like.

I certainly expected something high, considering it was my first conlang.

Now, let's try another one!

How about... Nahakhontl:

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

Nahakhontl is:
81%
European-like.

Welp.

Let's try Ta-lrm-zrq'-k'r!

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

Ta-lrm-zrq'-k'r is
58.5%
European-like.

Okay, another!

Ancient:

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar]
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

Ancient is
48.5%
European-like.
(I bet it's mostly the complete lack of fricatives

)

Alright, one more before I finally start getting ready for bed:

this one conlang here that i still have yet to name; you know, the one with the clicks:

1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar [half mark for only one stop-POA behind velar, or for prominent allophonic stops behind velar] (mostly because there are no stops at all

)
2. Phonemic voicing [half mark if voicing is only part of the distinction]
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed) [half mark if voicing is one feature distinguishing the series].
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs [half mark if only one MOA at all POAs]
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted) [half mark for some other distinction between fricatives at same POA, or for more than one gap, or voicing can be distinctive in some circumstances but isn't the only distinction - but no more than one of these exceptions]
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops [half mark if they distinguish the same number]
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops) [half mark if this is true counting nasals as non-stops]
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes [half mark if between 15 and 40]
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics [half mark if more than one]
13. No lateral obstruants
14. One phonemic rhotic [half mark if more than one, or if there is a phonemic lateral not distinguished from a rhotic at the same POA]
15. 5-7 POAs [half mark if at least 4 POAs]
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels [half mark if no high back unrounded vowels]
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc) [half mark for nasal vowels not occuring at all vowel qualities]
27. More than three degrees of vowel height [half mark for three degrees]
28. Phonemic stress [half mark for fixed initial stress]
29. No phonemic tone [half mark for pitch-accent or two-tone languages]
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF [half mark if CVCCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCCF]
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel [half mark if all content-words include at least one vowel]
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted) [half mark for five, or counting affricates]
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
54. Words can end in any vowel [half mark if 1-2 exceptions found]
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides [2.5 marks if this is true but some Cs must be glides]
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction [2.5 marks if it is only one aspect of a distinction]
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops [2.5 marks if fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides together outnumber (nasals + stops), OR if the fricatives+affricates EQUALS non-nasal stops]
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants [2.5 marks if equal]

unnamed language is
38.5%
European-like.

Pazmivaniye · Post by **Pazmivaniye** » Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:35 am

"Phonemic Palethian," these days just a regional accent:
1. Absence of any phonemic POA for stops further back than velar
2. Phonemic voicing
3. Two and only two parallel series of phonemes at each POA at which at least one stop is present (glottal, if present, excluded from the series) (a series still counts if it is missing only one phoneme from the expected series)
4. At least two series distinguished by voicing alone (i.e. at each POA where one of the series occurs, the other occurs and the only difference is voicing) (up to one POA where this is not true allowed)
5. At least two series with identical POA arrays (i.e. at least two series not showing any gaps)
6. Nasals at multiple POAs
7. No single MOA (stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids) found at all POAs
8. Voicing distinction on all fricatives (one gap permitted)
9. Fricatives distinguish more POAs than (non-nasal) stops
10. More non-stops than stops (not counting nasals as either stops or non-stops)
11. Between 20 and 30 consonant phonemes
12. One phonemic lateral, distinguished from rhotics
13. No lateral obstruents
14. One phonemic rhotic
15. 5-7 POAs
16. No systematic double-articulation (i.e. double-articulation limited to a few 'random' phonemes, not a cohesive pattern)
17. No systematic secondary articulation at more than one POA [half mark if there is systematic palatal secondary articulation]
18. Absence of any phonemic phonation distinction other than voicing
19. No clicks, ejectives, or ingressive consonants of any kind [half mark if one of these categories occurs not as a series]
20. 7 or more vowel qualities [half mark for 5 or more]
21. Three or more diphthongs
22. No non-low back unrounded vowels
23. One front rounded vowel.
24. Two or more front rounded vowels
25. No vowel harmony
26. Vowels distinguished solely by height, frontness, roundedness and length. (i.e. no voice distinctions, rhotic vowels, ATR, nasal vowels, etc)
27. More than three degrees of vowel height
28. Phonemic stress
29. No phonemic tone
30. Syllables without onset consonants allowed
31. CVL syllables allowed (L = lateral or rhotic)
32. CVN syllables allowed (N = nasal)
34. CVS syllables allowed (S = stop)
35. CVCC syllables allowed
36. CVCCC syllables not allowed other than CVCCF
37. CLV syllables allowed
38. FCV syllables allowed (F = fricative), where C is not a glide or a liquid. [but only half mark if C cannot be a member of a particular series (eg nasal, voiced, ejective, fricative etc) or POA.
39. CCCV syllables allowed
40. SSV or CSSV or SSCV syllables not allowed (not including geminates)
41. CCNV syllables not allowed
42. SNV syllables not allowed
43. Syllabic consonants only in word-final (not including compounds!) position (includes no syllabic consonants)
44. All words must include at least one vowel
45. (At least some) affricates treated as phonemes
46. If an MOA exists or an MOA/phonation combination, it exists at a coronal POA (not including approximants)
47. No more than four POAs for stops (affricates not counted)
48. No initial nasal other than /m/ or /n/ (half mark if other initial nasals but not initial velar or uvular nasal)
49. No phonemic distinction of consonant length, or gemination, except across morpheme boundaries
50. No more than two series of fricatives
51. 9 or more vowel qualities AND no vowel harmony
52. No velar (or uvular, etc) nasals at all
53. Words can end in any consonant
54. Words can end in any vowel
55. More phonemes at a single coronal POA than at any other single POA

The following special questions are each worth 5 marks (in addition to any they may have gained in the above):
S1. No initial velar nasal
S2. No tone system with more than two tones
S3. Syllables of both CCV and CVC form appear (not necessarily for all C), where all Cs can be non-glides
S4. At least 10 vowels in total (including length, quality, and syllable-specific tone, not including anything suprasegmental)
S5. No non-pulmonic consonants
S6. No phonation disticntions other than voiced/voiceless
S7. Phonemic voice distinction
S8. Fricatives and affricates, added together, outnumber plain non-nasal stops
S9. Ignoring stops and nasals: more fricatives than non-fricative consonants

65.5! I was expecting higher, but I guess the (C)V (V=vowel or diphthong) syllable structure threw things.

zompist bboard

How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology

Re: How to design a non-European phonology