Azkali

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Azkali (Azkali, Azkali Patua /as.kali/, [æs̻.'kali pa.tu.'a]) is a language spoken throughout much of the continents of Ukilen and Brausia, as well as across much of the rest of the world. It was the official and majority language of the Azkali State during its existance. It also is an official language in Baphia, aswell as being a large minority language throughout much of Sunteria, Jkawi, Loremesia, and Alloti. A majority of the speakers of the Azkali language reside outside of Azkali, primarily due to immigration following the 1980 plague outbreak. Most of these "international Azkali speakers" reside in Alloti.

Azkali is a language isolate, with no relationship to any other language (aside from the dialect or sister-language of Ezkaudi) having been concretely proven. It is one of, if not the only surviving language isolate in Ukilen. The current most substantiated theory on the origin of the Azkali peoples is that the progenitors of the Azkali peoples resided in northeastern Baphia. Other theories claim a multitude of homelands, from northern Sunteria to the northernmost islands of Loremesia.

Azkali is the native language of approximately 64.76% of Azkali. A majority of Azkali speakers reside outside of the territory of Azkali.

History

The origins of the Azkali language are disputed. The leading theory is that Azkali originated in southwest Baphia, and that speakers of Proto-Azkali migrated south into the Azkali peninsula. The date of this hypothesized migration is unclear - however, most estimates place it as being ca. 6000-7000 years ago.

The oldest example of the Azkali language being written is from around 3000 BCE, in an ancient form of what is believed to be the Azkali alphabet. If true, this would make the Azkali alphabet one of the oldest extant writing systems in the world.

Proto Azkali (6000-7000 BCE)

Early Azkali (500 BCE)

Classical Azkali (500 AD)

Medieval Azkali (1000 AD)

Contemporary Azkali (1800 AD)

Pre-Plague Azkali (1900-1980 AD)

Modern Azkali (2005 AD-)

Standard Azkali (2016 AD)

Phonology

Vowels

The following two tables show the vowel phonemes of the four standard Azkali dialects. These two charts do not fully represent the amount of diversity in the Azkali language; they only show the most prominent dialects. Generally, Azkali vowels are not differentiated by length.

Domestic dialects

Vowel phonemes of domestic Azkali dialects
Chekearoa Dialect Front Back Otzeipao Dialect Front Back
Close i u Close i u
Close-Mid e ɤ Close-Mid o
Open-Mid ɛ ɔ Open-Mid
Open a Open æ ɑː
Vowel phonemes of international Azkali dialects
Sunterian Azkali Front Back Allotian Azkali Front Back
Close i ʊ Close i u
Close-Mid e ɤ̞ Close-Mid e
Open-Mid ɛ Open-Mid ɔ
Open æ Open a

In addition, all of these vowel phonemes can be lengthened, either for stress, emphasis, or distinctive reasons. The latter is extremely rare, however; this is usually written as a doubling of the letter of the vowel (i.e /e:/ is written as <ee>) or the addition of an acute on the vowel letter (i.e /e:/ is written as <é>).

In addition, domestic Azkali dialects contain the close front rounded vowel, /y/. This vowel phoneme is used rarely, only in several place names, nouns, and suffixes (one common suffix containing /y/ being hü-, meaning "bad" or "wrong).

The Standard Azkali dialect bases it's vowel phonemes on the Chekearoa dialect of Azkali.

Allophony

Mutated vowels

As a result of mutation, vowels often shift their pronunciation. The chart below shows their mutated forms:

Ordinary Mutated
i ʊ
u ɔ
e ɐ
ɤ ɑ
ɛ ʏ
ɔ ɛ
a[1]

Consonants

Table of consonant phonemes in Standard Azkali
Bilabial Alveolar Dental Palatal Velar Glottal
Lamino-dental Apico-alveolar Lateral
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive p t c k
Affricates t̪s̻ t̺s̺ ɕ ɡʟ̝
Fricative Voiceless f ɬ θ h
Voiced v ð
Approximant w ɹ̠ʷ l j
Tap ɾ

Generally, Azkali dialects are uniform in their consonant phonemes - though there are of course some minor differences in pronunciation between them.

Uniquely, Azkali has a distinction between laminal and apical articulation in it's affricates and fricatives. With [s̻], the laminal alveolar voiceless fricative, friction occurs on the blade of the tongue; this is how most Ukilen and Brausian languages pronounce /s/. With [s̺], the apical alveolar voiceless fricative, friction occurs on the crest of the tongue. They are written like <z> and <s> respectively. In addition, either of these two can be voiced, being written as <zz> and <ss> respectively. These four alveolar fricatives have been historically resistant to phonological evolution, with only a few dialects pronouncing them distinctly.

Unusually for Ukilen and Brausian languages, Azkali contains no trill phoneme. There is evidence showing that Medieval Azkali might have contained [r] as a phoneme; likewise, no significant dialect of Azkali has evolved to have [r] as a phoneme.

Allophony

Rhotics

Main article: Azkali rhotic-switching

In Azkali, the two rhotic phonemes, /ɾ/ and /ɹ̠ʷ/ - representing the letters <r> and <rr> respectively - often switch pronunciation. This is most evident in the Turruist register, in which the pronunciations of <r> and <rr> are virtually impossible to pronounce via spelling alone. This also occurs in Colloquial Azkali dialects, albeit to a much lesser extent. This switching is triggered oftentimes via nearby words and grammatical particles.

Syllable structure

Generally, Azkali syllables are (C)(C)V(C). Very few consonants can cluster with each other, even when crossing syllable boundaries. The table below shows what consonants can cluster with each other.

Consonant clusters in Azkali
t̪s̻ t̺s̺ n t
ns̻
ns̺
t s̻t s̺t z̻t z̺t
k s̻k s̺k z̻k z̺k t̪s̻k t̺s̺k
ɕ ɕt

Oftentimes, schwa (/ə/) is inserted between consonant clusters in certain dialects. However, most domestic Azkali dialects (aswell as Standard Azkali) do not do this.

Orthography

Azkali alphabet

The most common way of writing Azkali in the modern age is the Azkali alphabet. Before the plague, Ukilen logographs and the Azkali alphabet were used alongside each other. However, due to the effects of the plague, the Azkali alphabet was used nearly exclusively by the Warlord Generation, with Ukilen logographs largely falling out in standard use.

Ukilen logographs

Ukilen logographs

Astseredontia

In the past, Oikan Astseredontia was commonly used to write Azkali. Nowadays, it has been superseded by the Azkali alphabet or Ukilen logographs.

Grammar

Consonant and Vowel Mutation

Consonant and vowel mutation occurs in specific grammatical and phonological scenarios in Azkali. There are three main types of mutation, all occurring in different scenarios: White Mutation (Kenaikois), Gray Mutation (Kesunokois), and Purple Mutation. (Poihekois) Mutation is not usually reflected in the spelling of the word of which is mutated.

White Mutation

White Mutation (Kenaikois) can be described as a form of lenition. Plosives mutate into affricates or fricatives. White Mutation occurs in the following grammatical or phonological scenarios:

  • After possessive pronouns
  • After the numerals three, four, and eight (iriu, madhet, and ashti respectively)
  • Conditional verbs
  • The conjunction "if" (moik)

The table below shows what each consonant then mutates into:

White mutations
Plain Mutated
p
t ts
c
k kx
t̪s̻
t̺s̺
f h
ɬ
θ
h Ø

Only the first sound of the mutated word is pronounced differently as a result of mutation. Sounds that are not on this chart do not face mutation.

Pronouns

T-V Distinction

While Standard Azkali does not feature a true T-V distinction, there is a growing trend of using new invented pronouns to distinguish familiarity or respect. This started in the late 60's and early 70's in Otzeipao, following the establishment of the Azkali State. Nowadays, this phenomenon has spread to most cities within Azkali. These pronouns usually change between region, city, or neighborhood - however, generally, they follow the forms listed in the following chart. Respective pronouns use the standard pronouns.

Familiar pronouns
2nd 3rd
Nominative juli luikui
Accusative julen luikien
Dative juliet luitu
Ablative jukiz luiz
Possessive jeuk luikiz
Privative jukez luimez

The 3rd person familiar pronouns do not usually distinguish between gender.

Demonstrative pronouns

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns differentiate between all 6 cases and the singular and plural numbers. Notably, paucal numbers are expressed the same as plural numbers for pronouns: the origin of this rule is unknown. The personal pronouns feature some irregularity in case and number compared to other nouns.

Singular Plural
1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
Male Female Epicene
Nominative go tu mai kut hakel gok tuk keilek
Accusative goen tuen mein kun haken gon tunen kein
Dative goet tuet mait kuit haket gonet tuneut keiket
Ablative gokoz tukoz maikoz kuhoz hakez goinoz tuenoz kaikoz
Possessive goek tuek maik kuek hakeik gonek tunek keike
Privative goz tukoz maiz kuiz hakaiz gonoz tuneuz kakaiz

Determiners

The two main demonstrative determiners are nazkuriz and kauli - their plural forms being nazkeuk and kaulek.

Singular Plural
Proximal nazkuriz nazkeuk
Distal kauli kaulek

Nouns

Noun Case

In Azkali, nouns are marked for any of 6 noun cases. Generally, they follow these forms (using the word Eche - house as an example). In the past, Azkali used many more cases, but nowadays (except in the Turruist Azkali register) only these main 6 are used.

Name Word Case Result Meaning
Nominative eche Ø eche house
Accusative eche -n echen house
Posessive eche -k echek house's
Dative eche -t echet to the house
Privative eche -z echez not the house's
Ablative eche -koz echekoz from the house
Nominative Case
Accusative Case
Dative Case
Ablative Case
Possessive Case
Privative Case
Extended Cases

See Main article: Turruist Azkali grammar

In Turruist Azkali, there are approximately 27 cases that nouns decline for. The following chart is a non-exhaustive list of the case forms used in Turruist Azkali (there are several more cases that are either rarely used, or dialectal - e.g. between different temples).

Name Word Case Result Meaning
Nuclear Cases
Nominative eche Ø eche house
Accusative eche -k echek house
Posessive eche -ko echeko house's
Dative eche -tol echetol to the house
Privative eche -zk echezk not the house's
Locative Cases
Adessive eche -retl echeretl near the house
Antessive eche -otl echeotl before the house
Apudessive eche -okotl echeokotl adjacent to the house
Inessive eche -tutl echetutl inside the house
Intrative eche -motl echemotl between the houses
Pergressive eche -atzlhi echeatzlhi in the vicinity of the house
Superessive eche -katl echekatl below the house
Motion Cases
Ablative eche -moshte echemoshte away from the house
Delative eche -tas echetas from the top of the house
Egressive eche -hashti echehashti beginning from the house
Elative eche -kopol echekopol moving out of the house
Initiative eche -ashti echeashti starting from the house
Lative eche -atzat echeatzat into the house
Sublative eche -kazte echekazte onto under the house
Superlative eche -morri echemorri onto ontop of the house
Perlative eche -tarinz echetarinz through the house
Other Cases
Instrumental eche -kunge echekunge (using) with the house
Oblique eche -noul echenoul concering the house
Aversive eche -ajoti echeajoti fearing the house
Sociative eche -amoz echeamoz together with the house
Abessive eche -tuhirinz echetuhirinz lacking the house
Essive eche -l echel as the house

Number

There are three grammatical numbers in Azkali. They are the singular, paucal, and plural. Uniquely, pronouns only decline for the singular and plural numbers; paucal groups take the plural marker. The singular number is not marked. The paucal number is marked with -(a)tz. The plural number, meanwhile, is usually marked with -(e)k. All markers are placed at the end of the noun, with all other markings in the noun being placed before the number marking.

The paucal and plural numbers take slightly different forms based on what, if any case precedes them. The table below lists their forms:

Paucal Plural
Nominative -etz -ek
Accusative -ak
Possessive -otz
Dative -utz
Privative -eutz -ek
Ablative -autz -auk

Articles

There are two main articles in Azkali that are used, being the definite and indefinite articles respectively.

Verbs

Copula

Isan/Etz

There are two verb forms meaning to be, isan and etz. Generally, etz is used for both the far past and past tenses, whilst isan is used for the non past (and future) tense(s). Despite the distinction of tense, both can be used in contexts of which do not match up with their tense.

Nuance
Constructions requiring is
Constructions requiring etz
Exceptions

Conjugation

Syntax

Word Order

The word order of Azkali in a given sentence varies by context and dialect. A given Azkali sentence usually follows a Subject-Verb-Object word order. However, the word order is much freer than in other Ukilen languages. The role of the noun is mostly determined by its position within the sentence - e.g. the most salient topic within the sentence is shifted to the front, and visa versa.

Dialects

In Azkali

Otzeipao Dialect

Chekearoa Dialect

Southern Dialect

Northern Dialect

Interior Dialect

Abroad

Allotian Azkali

Baphian Azkali

Turku Azkali

Loremesian Azkali

Sunterian Azkali

Vocabulary

Approximately 58.6% percent of Azkali's vocabulary comes from unknown sources: the remaining 42.4% are foreign. From that, approximately 20% are from Oikan. 6% comes from Alhi, 6% comes from Loremesian, 5% comes from Baphian, and the remaining estimated 5.4% come from Paleo-Azkali languages.

Basic phrases

Registers

Main article: Azkali registers

In Azkali, there are three 'registers' of speech that are commonly used. They are Colloquial Azkali, Turruist Azkali, and G'torrugh.

Colloquial Azkali

Colloquial Azkali is the unstandardized main dialect of Azkali used by all speakers.

Turruist Azkali

G'torrugh

Main article: G'torrugh

G'torrugh is a register of Azkali that is rarely discussed, much less taught or understood. The origins of this register are not known; however, it is at the very youngest 500 years old. Nowadays, the register is only used by people living within or around the town of Harakoniaz, in Southeastern Azkali, and in very specific contexts. These contexts usually are also entangled with religious events and activities, but are also used when discussing art. Generally, G'torrugh is used when expressing precise and difficult-to-explain concepts, and more novelly, new or invented concepts.

The G'torrugh register is difficult to learn for most Azkali speakers; a large amount of the colloquial register's vocabulary is replaced with words that are considered old, traditional, or out-of-style. In addition, there are several phonemes in G'torrugh that are not present in both Turruist and Colloquial Azkali - such as the glottal stop /ʔ/ and /g/.

Relation to other languages

Azkali is a language isolate, having seemingly no relation to other languages. A sister language or dialect, Ezkaudi, was spoken from around 1000 AD up until 1950: the last speaker died in 2009. Efforts to revitalize the language are ongoing, and there appears to be 2 native speakers of it as of 2016.

Argot

Examples

Notes

  1. ^ In most Azkali dialects, /a/ is resistant to mutation. However, some dialects change /a/ to /ə/.