FIRST, A BIT OF THE CONWORLD AND CONCULTURE THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO KNOW
The conworld, to which I have yet to give a name, is populated entirely by anthropomorphic characters.
Proto-Wideriver is named after, obviously, Wideriver (I use English calques if I know the literal meaning I want, but there is a native name), which flows west to east and is my conworld's longest navigable river (edited to add: an impressive 46° in longitude long, according to G.Projector!), for much of its length capable of supporting two-way traffic even in modern times. It's supposed to be spoken over a wide enough area to break off into seven branches (Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, Central, Coastal, and Watershed), each with a few daughterlangs of their own. So I need space for ~30 daughterlangs, which I'm probably going to give my protolang speakers through conquest. The language area is bounded by a coastline to the south and east, by a mountain range to the west, and by forest to the north. The conculture gets most of its food through agriculture but they do eat fish if they're close enough to the coast and/or Wideriver.
Now, on to adapting my mini-grammar to forum post format...
PHONOLOGY
/p pʰ b t tʰ d k kʰ ɡ ʔ/
/m n ŋ/
/s h/
/l r j w/
/a aː i iː u uː/
Anything with "Proto-" in my conculture is not supposed to be a written language, so it has not been taken to the Romanization Challenge Thread. When I feel the family is better-developed, I'll do it to the daughterlangs that are supposed to be written.
PHONOTACTICS
CV(C/ː). C is any consonant and V is any of /a i u/. /ij uw/ can't occur syllable-finally (they become /iː uː/ if they would) and /h/ can't follow an aspirated consonant (it is deleted if it would).
It's not supposed to be known for sure where the stress was in any word, and in any case stress is not phonemic.
OTHER DETAILS
Proto-Wideriver is a strongly right-branching VSO language with pronoun dropping. It has time-manner-place order in adpositional phrases. It uses no prepositions, but commonly uses postpositions. I currently have nothing else for the grammar.
COMMON AFFIXES
Where two are given, the first is used if allowed by the phonotactics; otherwise, the second is used.
-a/-ʔa: genitive
-hi/-i: partitive
-k/-ka: nominalizer
-suː: in-, un-
-san: plural marker (optionally)
-n/-in: ordinalizer
-ŋa: inchoative
-si: cessative
-raw: causative
sar: perfect marker (comes between the verb being modified and the subject)
The lexicon is here. I will add to it as we come up with more words, but I want to build up words from existing stock as much as possible.
THINGS I'D RATHER HANG ON TO
All of these lists are subject to additions/deletions/other changes as I get comments.
Words I'd rather loan:
- Words related to wintry weather. Snow is supposed to be exotic to most of their modern-day descendants (especially if their native language is not in the Northern branch) in much the same way that having warm, sunny weather all the time is exotic to most Americans.
- Mathematical concepts other than addition and subtraction that I don't have yet. I have another proto-conculture that I want to use as a source of some of this, and that proto-conculture is supposed to be advanced enough to be capable of astronomy (as much of it as can be done with the naked eye, anyway).
- The word I have for fox is supposed to eventually gain sexual connotations and then become a vulgar term for "prostitute" a lot of the time. The southern and coastal branches are supposed to have language contact with the language family from which they're getting the replacement words (which, if you're curious, are Ozy and Millie references).
- Impolite terms for the genitalia.
- Articles.
- Words for any technology that is not known to have existed ca. 5000 B.C. (give or take a couple centuries on either side).
- Words for zero (despite my wish not to have it distinct from the word for none) and numbers higher than ten.
In all of these, the first listed change is supposed to convert the verb system from relatively isolating to inflecting. I like the sound changes themselves, but occasionally what is supposed to be the same sound change is split across more than one line—if you can think of a way to optimize the file (that is known to work with the SCA²), speak up.
Proto-WR to Proto-Northern WR:
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V=aeiouāēīōū
U=aeiou
Ū=āēīōū
Y=eiēīj
W=ouōūw
C=kĥgŋtŧdnpφbmʔhslrjwfv
S=ktp
Σ=ĥŧφ
Z=gdb
N=ŋnm
K=kgŋ
T=tdn
P=pbm
aː|ā
eː|ē
iː|ī
oː|ō
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
ɡ|g
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
//_
i/e/_CC
i/e/_C#
u/o/_CC
u/o/_C#
ao/au/_
ae/ai/_
ʔ//_
h//_
Σ/S/_
aa/ā/_
ii/ī/_
ji/ī/_/V_
j//_i
ī/ji/V_
uu/ū/_
wu/ū/_/V_
w//_u
ū/wu/V_
Ū/U/U_
aj/ē/_/_V
ai/ē/_
aw/ō/_/_V
au/ō/_
i/e/_CC
i/e/_C#
u/o/_CC
u/o/_C#
ao/au/_
ae/ai/_
S//_S
U//VC_#
w/v/V_V
w/v/V_C/_C#
w/v/V_#
w/v/#_
K/T/_T
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
Z/S/_S
v/f/_S
Ū/U/_
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V=aeiouāīū
U=aiu
Ū=āīū
Y=eiīj
W=ouūw
C=kĥxgğɣŋtŧθdðnpφfbvmʔhszlrjwʃʧʒʤ
S=ktps
Σ=ĥŧφ
Θ=xθfʃʧ
Z=gdbz
Δ=ɣðvʒʤ
N=ŋnm
K=kĥxgğŋ
T=tŧθdðn
P=pφfbvm
aː|ā
eː|ē
iː|ī
oː|ō
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
ɡ|g
ɣ|ğ
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
t͡ʃ|ʧ
d͡ʒ|ʤ
//_
j/i/_/_Y
w/u/_/_W
i/j/V_V
i/j/_V
u/w/V_V
u/w/_V
ΣS/\\/_
Sh/Σ/_
Σ/Θ/_
Z/Δ/V_V
Z//_²
S/Z/V_V
S//_²
w/v/_/C_
u/v/V_#
j/ʒ/_/C_
i/ʒ/V_#
tj/ʧ/_
dj/ʤ/_
sj/ʃ/_
zj/ʤ/_
Ū/U/_
ai/e/_
au/o/_
l//_w
l/u/V_/V_V
uu/u/_
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V=aeiouāēīōū
U=aeiou
Ū=āēīōū
Y=eiēījȷ
W=ouōūwʍ
C=kĥgŋtŧdnpφbmʔhslrjȷwʍħ
S=ktp
Σ=ĥŧφ
Z=gdb
N=ŋnm
K=kĥgŋ
T=tŧdn
P=pφbm
aː|ā
eː|ē
iː|ī
oː|ō
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
ɡ|g
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
j̊|ȷ
//_
ay/ē/_/_V
aw/ō/_/_V
iw/jū/_/_V
u/o/_CC
u/o/_C#
i/e/_CC
i/e/_C#
Sʔ/S²/_
Σʔ/SΣ/_
Zʔ/Z²/_
ʔS/S²/_
ʔΣ/SΣ/_
ʔZ/Z²/_
ʔ/ȷ/_Y
j/ȷ/S_
j/ȷ/Σ_
j/ȷ/s_
j/ȷ/h_
ʔ/ʍ/_W
w/ʍ/S_
w/ʍ/Σ_
w/ʍ/s_
w/ʍ/h_
ʔ/ː/U_
ʔ//Ū_
ʔ/ħ/_
Sh/Σ/_
ΣS/\\/_
Z/S/_#
K/T/_T
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
Σ/S/Σ…_
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V=aiuāīū
U=aiu
Ū=āīū
Y=iīj
W=uūw
C=kĥɡŋcćɟɲtŧdnpφbmhslrjwvʧqʤnjʃ
S=kctp
Σ=ĥćŧφ
Z=ɡɟdb
N=ŋɲnm
K=kĥɡŋ
Ḱ=cćɟɲ
T=tŧdn
Q=ʧqʤnj
P=pφbm
L=lr
aː|ā
iː|ī
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
cʰ|ć
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
t͡ʃ|ʧ
t͡ʃʰ|q
d͡ʒ|ʤ
n͡ʒ̃|nj
//_
K/T/_T
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
ΣS/\\/_
Sh/Σ/_
ŋ/n/_V/V_V
ʔ//_
aa/ā/_
ii/ī/_
ji/ī/_
uu/ū/_
wu/ū/_
j/i/V_/V_V
l/u/V_/V_V
w/u/V_/V_V
w/v/_
i/j/C_V
u/w/C_V/L_
i//C_jV
u//C_wV
Kj/Ḱ/_
K/Ḱ/_Y
Tj/Q/_
T/Q/_Y
sj/ʃ/_
s/ʃ/_Y
Sʃ/ʧ/_
Σʃ/q/_
Zʃ/ʤ/_
Nʃ/nj/_
N//_nj
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V=aeiouāēīōū
U=aeiou
Ū=āēīōū
Y=eiēīj
W=ouōūw
C=kĥgŋtŧdnpφbmʔhsʂzʐlrjwʦʨdzʥɕʑčžvf
S=ktp
Σ=ĥŧφ
Z=gdb
N=ŋnm
K=kgŋ
T=tdn
P=pbm
Ś=sʂɕʦčʨ
Ź=zʐʑdzžʥ
aː|ā
eː|ē
iː|ī
oː|ō
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
ɡ|g
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
t͡s|ʦ
ʈ͡ʂ|č
t͡ɕ|ʨ
d͡z|ʣ
ɖ͡ʐ|ž
d͡ʑ|ʥ
sar /ʂ/_
//_
aa/ā/_
ii/ī/_
uu/ū/_
i//C_j
u//C_w
ji/ī/_
j//_ī
wu/ū/_
w//_ū
Ū/U/U_
Ū/U/_U
w/u/_
j/i/_
U//VC_CV
K/T/_T
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
ʔ//C_
Sh/Σ/_
ΣS/\\/_
Σs/\\/_
rs/ʂ/_
sr/ʂ/_
ts/ʦ/_
tʂ/č/_
ti/ʨ/_V
si/ɕ/_V
r//ʂ_
r//_ʂ
t/ʨ/_i
s/ɕ/_i
S/Z/V_V
Ś/Ź/V_V
S/Z/_Z
Ś/Ź/_Z
S/Z/_Ź
Ś/Ź/_Ź
Z/S/_S
Ź/Ś/_S
Z/S/_Ś
Ź/Ś/_Ś
S//_²
S//_Σ
Źd/\\/_
dz/dz/_
dʑ/ž/_
dʑ/ʥ/_
i/ʑ/V_#
u/v/V_#
i/ʑ/V_V
u/v/V_V
i/ɕ/V_Σ/_ΣC
u/f/V_Σ/_ΣC
i/ɕ/V_S/_SC
u/f/V_S/_SC
i/ɕ/V_ʔ/_ʔC
u/f/V_ʔ/_ʔC
i/j/V_C#
u/w/V_C#
i/ʑ/V_C/_CC
i/ʑ/V_dŹ
i/ɕ/V_tŚ
u/v/V_C/_CC
u/v/V_dŹ
u/f/V_tŚ
j/i/_
w/u/_
s//ɕ_
s//_ɕ
ʂ//ɕ_
ʂ//_ɕ
z//ʑ_
z//_ʑ
ʐ//ʑ_
ʐ//_ʑ
dz/z/Z_/d_
ž/ʐ/Z_/d_
ʥ/ʑ/Z_/d_
d//ɡ_Ź
d//b_Ź
ʦ/s/S_/t_
̌č/ʂ/S_/t_
ʨ/ɕ/S_/t_
t//k_Ź
t//p_Ź
Code: Select all
V=aeiouāēīōū
U=aeiou
Ū=āēīōū
Y=eiēīj
W=ouōūw
C=kĥxgğɣŋtŧθdðnpφfbvmʔhszlrjw
S=ktps
Σ=ĥŧφ
Θ=xθf
Z=gdbz
Δ=ɣðv
N=ŋnm
K=kĥxgğŋ
T=tŧθdðn
P=pφfbvm
aː|ā
eː|ē
iː|ī
oː|ō
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
ɡ|g
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
//_
iw/ju/_
ŋ/n/_V/V_V
K/T/_T
K/T/_s
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
P/T/_s
Sh/Σ/_
ΣS/\\/_
Σs/\\/_
aj/e/_/_V
aw/o/_/_V
ʔ//_
aa/ā/_
ai/ē/_
ie/ē/_
ii/ī/_
au/ō/_
uo/ō/_
uu/ū/_
e/j/C_V
o/w/C_V
U//VC_CV
U//S_rV
U//Σ_rV
U//Z_rV
S/Z/Z_
K/T/_T
K/T/_s
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
P/T/_s
Σ/Θ/_
Θ/Δ/V_V
S//_Θ
S/Z/V_V
Z//_²
S//_²
N//_²
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V=aiuāēīōū
U=aeiou
Ū=āēīōū
Y=iīj
W=uūw
C=kĥɡŋcćɟɲtŧdnpφbmhslrjwfvʧqʤʃʒʔ
S=kctp
Ṣ=kctpfsʃʧ
Σ=ĥćŧφ
Z=ɡɟdb
Ẓ=ɡɟdbvzʒʤ
N=ŋɲnm
K=kĥɡŋ
Ḱ=cćɟɲ
T=tŧdn
Q=ʧqʤn
P=pφbm
L=lr
aː|ā
iː|ī
uː|ū
kʰ|ĥ
cʰ|ć
tʰ|ŧ
pʰ|φ
t͡ʃ|ʧ
t͡ʃʰ|q
d͡ʒ|ʤ
//_
K/T/_T
K/P/_P
T/K/_K
T/P/_P
P/K/_K
P/T/_T
ΣS/\\/_
Sh/Σ/_
ŋ/n/_V/V_V
aa/ā/_
ii/ī/_
uu/ū/_
j/ʒ/_/_C
j/i/_
w/v/_/_C
w/u/_
i/j/C_V
u/w/C_V/L_
i//C_jV
u//C_wV
Kj/Ḱ/_
K/Ḱ/_Y
Tj/Q/_
T/Q/_Y
sj/ʃ/_
s/ʃ/_Y
Sʃ/ʧ/_
Σʃ/q/_
Zʃ/ʤ/_
Ẓ/Ṣ/_#
Ẓ/Ṣ/_Ṣ
Ẓ/Ṣ/_Σ
Σ/S/_#
Σ/S/_Ṣ
Ṣ/Ẓ/_Ẓ
Σ/Z/_Ẓ
I will entertain any questions/suggestions about any of the above—I need help, after all.