Grayis

Grayis
Grayis
Pronunciation	[/ˈgrä.jɪs/]
Created by	BenJamin P. Johnson, additionally creator of: Brooding Dlatci Grayis Maltcégj Northeadish Valthungian
Date	2018
Setting	Planet Oyrigin
Language family	language isolate Grayis
Language codes
ISO 639-3	none

Grayis is an a priori language created by BenJamin P. Johnson for Infinite Mind Pictures, Inc. to serve as the language of the Grayis Kin, one of six alien races who feature in the board game and upcoming screenplay Pilots of Gallaxia.

Phonology

Vowels

Grayis vowels have phonemic length, and phonetic differences based on stress. Where unstressed vowels have a different phonetic realization, it appears on the right of the tilde in square brackets.

Short Vowels:				Long Vowels:
	Front	Central	Back		Front	Central	Back
High	i [i ~ i]		u [u ~ ʊ]	High	ī [iː]		ū [uː]
Mid				Mid	ai [ai̯ ~ e̞ː]		au [au̯ ~ o̞ː]
Low		a [ä]		Low		ā [äː]

Consonants

	Labial	Coronal	Dorsal	Glottal
Plosive	p · b [p]·[b]	t · d [t]·[d]	k · g [k]·[g]
Affricate		ch · j [ʧ]·[ʤ]
Fricative		s · [s]·	kh · [x]·	h · [h]·
Approximant	· w ·[w]		· y ·[j]
Tap or Trill		· r ·[r~ɾ]
Lateral		· l ·[l]
Nasal	· m ·[m]	· n ·[n]

Phonotactics

• /h/ cannot follow another consonant or occur intervocalically.
• /s/ can only occur word-finally.
• Words cannot end with /g/ or any consonant cluster.
• Vowels (except for diphthongs) must be separated by a consonant.
• Word-initial consonant clusters are limited to [plosive]+[liquid] (i.e. {ptkbdg} + {lr}), but not /tl/ or /dl/.
  • Intervocalic clusters may be:
  • Geminate plosives or sonorants: /pp/, /tt/, /kk/, /bb/, /dd/, /ll/, /rr/, /mm/, /nn/; but not /gg/.
  • Any [plosive]+[liquid] combination: /pl/, /pl/, /tl/, /tr/, /kl/, /kr/, /bl/, /br/, /dl/, /dr/, /gl/, /gr/
  • Any [plosive]+/w/: /pw/, /tw/, /kw/, /bw/, /dw/, /gw/
  • Any [nasal]+[unvoiced plosive] or [affricate]: /mp/, /nt/, /nk/, /nʧ/, /nʤ/
  • Also: /ngw/, /hk/, /hw/, /hj/
• Like short vowels may contract (including with like short vowels which are part of a diphthong), e.g. raiwai+itta+aichī (‘those six men’) > raiwai’tt’aichī. Determiners, adjectives, pronouns, and adverbs are the most likely to lose vowels to contraction, while nouns and verbs do not usually experience any elision.

List of Valid Onsets

Onsets are not required. The following onsets may occur (including clusters): b–, br–, br–, ch–, d–, dr–, g–, gl–, gr–, h–, j–, k–, kh–, kl–, kr–, l–, m–, n–, p–, pl–, pr–, r–, t–, tr–, w–, y–

List of Valid Nuclei

Any vowel may act as a nucleus.

List of Valid (Intersyllabic) Consonant Clusters, Including Geminates

An intersyllabic consonant is required, though it need not be a cluster. Any single consonant may occur between syllables except for ‹h› and ‹s›. The following intersyllabic consonant clusters may occur: –bb–, –bl–, –br–, –bw–, –dd–, –dl–, –dr–, –dw–, –gl–, –gr–, –gw–, –hk–, –hw–, –hy–, –kk–, –kl–, –kr–, –kw–, –ll–, –mm–, –mp–, –nch–, –ngw–, –nj–, –nk–, –nn–, –ny–, –pl–, –pp–, –pr–, –pw–, –rr–, –tl–, –tr–, –tt–, –tw–

List of Valid Codas

A coda is not required. No clusters may occur as a coda, but any single consonant may appear as a coda except for ‹g›: –b, –ch, –d, –dj, –h, –k, –l, –m, –n, –p, –r, –s, –t

Stress

Stress is determined by mora weight of the rime. No syllable can have more than 3 morae in the rime (VVC). When determining stress, the following order takes precedence:

VːC > VVC > Vː > VV > VC > V

(E.g. āt > aut > ā > au > at > a)

If syllabic weights are equal, the left-most of the equal syllables is stressed. E.g. tā́kkum ‘wide’ /ˈtaːk.kʊm/, grawukkái ‘worm’ /gra.wukˈkai/, irúntutim ‘cold weather’ /iˈrun.tu.tim/. When stress deviates from this pattern it is indicated by an acute diacritic. (Examples above are not normally accented, but acute is used for illustrative purposes.)

Orthography

For the most part, orthography does not differ from the phonology. Where it does, it is indicated below.

/

p

b

t

d

k

g

ʧ

ʤ

s

x

h

w

j

r

l

m

n

i

iː

ai̯

ä

äː

au̯

u

uː

/

‹

ch

j

kh

y

ī

ai

a

ā

au

ū

›

Grammatical Orders and Alignments

Typology

The typology of Grayis is predominantly SOV (subject-object-verb), but may be better described as simply verb-final. The positions of subject and object may shift depending on topicality or markedness.

Morphosyntactic Alignment

Grayis has what may be considered tripartite alignment, which means that nouns are differentiated for subject, object, and agentive roles; these roles are all marked with particles which may be considered adpositions.

Other Orders

The Grayis language is predominantly head-final, and this is reflected in many of its more granular alignments.

Noun Phrases

In noun phrases, only adpositions precede the noun. Demonstratives, numerals, adjectives, genitive constructions, and relative clauses all follow the noun, in that specific order (preposition – NOUN – determiner/demonstrative – numeral – adjective (phrase) – genitive (phrase) – relative clause). For example, the noun phrase “with those six tall men from town who stole my ferret” would be assembled in the order:

nu raiwai’tt’aichī mīkkidj barruh au kī fairrit ā chā’u jik makwat.

nu	raiwai	itta	aichī	mīkkidj	barruh au	kī	fairrit ā	chā au	jik makwat
cmt	man.pl	this	six	tall	town gen	rel.erg	ferret obj	1sg.gen	pst.pft steal
with	men	those	six	tall	from-town	who	ferret	my	stole

‘with those six men from town who stole my ferret’

Adjective Phrases

In adjective phrases, (adverbial) measurements of degree (very, less, too, &c.) follow the adjective.

murāgi utta mūri katla

murāgi	utta	mūri	katla
dog	that	good	very

‘that very good dog’

Verb Phrases

As mentioned in Typology, Grayis is a verb-final language, and as such, adverbs always immediately precede the verb. In the case of negation, negatives come between the verb and other adverbs. TAM particles, if present, always directly precede the verb after negatives.

yun ī chā ā nijūkit dī jai jik akkā.

yun ī	chā ā	nijūkit dī	jai	jik akkā
3sg erg	1sg obj	intentional adv	neg	pst.pft push
he	me	intentionally	not	pushed

‘he didn’t push me on purpose’

Numbers

The Grayis number system is nonal (base-9), but has reflexes of an ancient system based on multiples of 3, which can be observed in the etymology of the basic numbers.

Grayis	Decimal	Meaning
rī	1	(1)
ai	2	(2)
chil	3	(3)
chirri	4	(3+1)
kilai	5	(3+2)
aichī	6	(2×3)
chalayī	7	(4×2-1?)
nauri	8	(9-1)
nā	9	(9) (=10 in nonal)
chillīkka	27	(=30 in nonal: 33, ‘great three’)

Further numbers are formed by compounding using the word ha ‘and’.

Na (Teens)	Dec.	Non.	Ayinnā (20)	Dec.	Non.	Tens	Dec.	Non.	Multiples	Dec.	Non.
narī	10	11	ayinnā ha rī	19	21	na-	9	10	nā	32	10
nanai	11	12	ayinnā ha ai	20	22	ayinnā	18	20	duhkā	34	100
nachil	12	13	ayinnā ha chil	21	23	chillīkka	27	30	kaigu	36	1,000
nachirri	13	14	ayinnā ha chirri	22	24	chirrinnā	36	40	nakaigu	38	10,000
nakilai	14	15	ayinnā ha kilai	23	25	kilinnā	45	50	duhkakkaigu	310	100,000
nalaichī	15	16	ayinnā ha aichī	24	26	aichinnā	54	60	īlim	312	1,000,000
nachalayī	16	17	ayinnā ha chalayī	25	27	chalainā	63	70	jumai	314	1,000,000,000
nanāli	17	18	ayinnā ha nauri	26	28	naurinnā	72	80
ayinnā	18	20	chillīkka	27	30	duhkā	81	100

Pronouns

Grayis personal pronouns are divided into five categories which may be considered registers of formality, though rather than describing hierarchical relationships, they are determined by the familial and educational relationships between the speakers.

Equal	Family	Stranger / Neutral	Teacher / Parent	Student / Child
The Equal register is used with friends, acquaint-ances, coworkers, and others you interact with regularly who do not fall into any of the other categories. This is the “default” formality re-gister in Grayis.	The Family register is similar to the Equal re-gister, except that it denotes that the listener is a member of the speaker’s family.	The Stranger register is used with anyone whom the speaker does not know personally.	The Teacher register is used when addressing teachers, parents, men-tors, sometimes grand-parents.	The Student register is used when addressing students, the speaker’s own children or grand-children, or anyone who is being taught, trained, or mentored by the speaker.
chal	cham	chā1	char	chāh2	first person singular, ‘I’
kit		kāl	kālli	chit3	second person singular ‘you’
yun	yumi	yun	yunum	yunīllah	third person singular animate ‘he / she’4
wih					third person singular inanimate ‘it’
kichal	kicham	(chā ha kāl)5	chakrālli6	jachīt	first person dual inclusive ‘you and I, we’7
jāla	jahla	jal	jālinum	jahla	first person plural, ‘we’
gīs	gīt	gillā	gailinūh	gīt	second person plural, ‘you (all)’
yaum			yaunūh8	yaunīllah9	third person plural animate, ‘they’
waih					third person plural inanimate, ‘they, those things’10

¹ Etymological reference to chātturharri ‘second brother’, indicates friendship.
² Etymological reference to laichāh, the yellow shadow from the red sun, indicates compliance.
³ Etymological reference to chitir, the red shadow from the yellow sun, indicates truculence.
⁴ There is no gender distinction in the third person pronouns, though there is a distinction between animate (“he/she”) and inanimate (“it”).
⁵ There is not a single pronoun to represent this idea; instead it is rendered simply as “I and you”.
⁶ Metathesis of char+kālli, because /rk/ is not a legal intrasyllabic sequence.
⁷ The first person dual inclusive pronoun (“you and I”) is optional; there is not a plural inclusive, and all other first person non-singular roles are assumed by the first person plural, whether inclusive or exclusive.
⁸ “They who are my parents/mentors/teachers.”
⁹ “They who are my children/students.”
¹⁰ As with the third person singular, there is an animacy distinction in the third person plural (both rendered as ‘they’ in English).

Phrase Book

What is your name?

Turuh kitú julkāt?

[tu'ruh ki'tu ʤul'kaːt]

Swadesh List

For those of you who like this sort of thing!

	Grayis	English		Grayis	English		Grayis	English
001	chal	I	070	tidīntipi	feather	139	raichillā	to count
002	kit	you	071	tunu	hair (on head)	140	dimi	to say
003	yun, wih	he, she, it	072	upam	head (anatomy)	141	tūranā	to sing
004	jāla, kichal	we	073	grigi	ear	142	ayattan	to play
005	gīs	you	074	ruyu	eye	143	achar	to float
006	waih, yaum	they	075	unna	nose	144	tratūm	to flow
007	itta	this	076	chabah	mouth	145	aitu	to freeze
008	utta	that	077	rakkas	tooth	146	arib	to swell
009	iddu	here	078	mannī	tongue	147	krīmuttād, lūpupaus	sun
010	uddu	there	079	ūgīttī	fingernail	148	ailā	moon
011	julkās	who	080	tugi	foot	149	ikī	star
012	julkāt	what	081	wuch	leg	150	wīch	water
013	julkād	where	082	īju	knee	151	chukutta	rain
014	julkīn	when	083	tāga	hand	152	plīnum	river
015	julkīl	how	084	krillu	wing	153	ūkkai	lake
016	jai	not	085	rudduk	belly, abdomen	154	chamai	sea
017	nakī	all	086	īmus	guts, entrails, intestines	155	tauki	salt
018	mikidj	many	087	ūta	neck	156	brūk	stone
019	limā	some	088	chīlāk	back	157	ikak	sand
020	munnu	few	089	durudj	breast	158	mauddulā	dust
021	iyūr	other	090	trāchai	heart	159	runar	earth, soil, dirt
022	rī	one	091	willunān	liver	160	gakwai	cloud
023	ai	two	092	tudī	to drink	161	trāki	fog, mist
024	chil	three	093	idwam	to eat	162	iyatur	sky
025	chirri	four	094	kanna	to bite	163	gribinta	wind
026	kilai	five	095	drūbat	to suck	164	innirri	snow
027	mīkkidj	big, large	096	aikīch	to spit	165	khihchis	ice
028	luklai	long	097	#N/A	#N/A	166	īrra	smoke (not steam)
029	tākkum	wide, broad	098	wahyāh	blow	167	pakwā	fire
030	ruchi	thick	099	ahman	to breathe	168	mūnak	ash, ashes
031	tattūmu	heavy	100	khalāh	to laugh	169	pakku	burn
032	ina	small, little	101	ijun	to see	170	radal	path, road, trail
033	īnaik	short	102	ihka	to hear	171	maunis	mountain
034	bīru	narrow	103	nibahkai	to know	172	khūn	red
035	mīrrichi	thin	104	arūn	to think	173	ruchī	green
036	kanā	woman	105	naram	to smell	174	grāla	yellow
037	raiwai	man (adult male)	106	akkai	to fear	175	yilūr	white
038	lān	person	107	jīttā	to sleep	176	iyūb	black
039	mikit	child	108	akūra	to live	177	līna	night
040	īmmikanā	wife	109	igī	to die	178	gintā	day
041	īmmiraiwai	husband	110	ichak	to kill	179	jannik	year
042	ummā	mother	111	pikat	to fight	180	trabākutim	hot (of weather)
043	tuma	father	112	hantijus	to hunt	181	iruntutim	cold
044	mīka	animal	113	igach	to hit	182	tanū	full
045	plati	fish	114	chappa	to cut	183	chupi	new
046	ugīttī	bird	115	chappai	to split	184	trayi	old
047	murāgi	dog	116	tahkah	to stab, to pierce	185	mūri	good
048	īh	louse	117	kitlig	to scratch	186	kaita	bad
049	katas	snake	118	tantaichīyun	to dig	187	ipis	rotten
050	grawukkai	worm	119	itān	to swim	188	khaukku	dirty
051	tānū	tree	120	puyat	to fly	189	wāchīn	straight
052	tiradūntāt	forest, woods	121	trala	to walk	190	ūyu	round
053	griyuch	stick	122	tānu	come	191	traigu	sharp (of a knife)
054	rūna	fruit	123	dārai	to lie	192	mudub	dull (of a knife)
055	īrit	seed	124	sittan	to sit	193	ās	smooth
056	kadūn	leaf	125	āmīd	to stand	194	ichīs	wet
057	bāru	root	126	duru	to turn	195	krās	dry
058	rīkkud	bark (of tree)	127	akīt	to fall	196	braidim	correct, right
059	tina	flower	128	gaillāk	to give	197	pichit	near
060	dunidj	grass	129	grauntā	to hold	198	nunta	far
061	īkaittā	rope	130	būjih	to squeeze	199	dijaiwi	right, right-hand
062	grinin	skin	131	brijar	to rub	200	kurauwi	left, left-hand
063	juchī	flesh, meat	132	ganauri	to wash	201	uk	at
064	khūlunna	blood	133	maunti	to wipe	202	ji	in
065	pūkkīch	bone	134	attis	to pull	203	nu	with
066	tuya	grease, fat	135	akkā	to push	204	ha, ku	and
067	addi	egg	136	wiyīr	to throw	205	lā	if
068	kurunat	horn	137	dalūh	to tie, bind	206	udj	because
069	tikkilai	tail	138	gribbun	to sew	207	turuh	name