Linguifex - User contributions [en]

Boteyese

2026-04-26T19:40:11Z

Foreseen: typo in the UDHR *çcoces > çcoceş

{{privatelang}}
{{Infobox language
|image = Flag Boteys Plain.png
|imagesize = 185px
|imagecaption = Flag of the Republic of the Boteys
|name = Boteyese
|nativename = botajkly
|pronunciation = ˈbo.tɜj.klɨ
|pronunciation_key = IPA for Boteyese
|states = the Boteys
|setting = Alternative history [[w:Europe|Europe]], Southern [[w:Baltic Sea|Baltic Sea]]
|region = [[w: Southern Europe|Southern Europe]]
|speakers = ≈360,400
|date = 2024
|familycolor = Language isolate
|creator = User:Foreseen
|dia1 = Skaheyese (''skahajkly'')
|dia2 = Dearlandic (''pallekockly'')
|dia3 = Focheyese (''focajkly'')
|dia4 = Northern (''forhaşkly''/''sfojkly'')
|dia5 = Odallandic (''ojalkockly'')
|dia6 = Buhats (''bjuhaşkly'') †
|stand1 = Standard Boteyese (based on Kodenburg Skaheyese)
|script1 = Latn
|agency = Boteyese Language Committee / ''Botjar çOpst aRoyjt''
|map = Boteys Map Insert.png
|mapsize = 280px
|mapcaption = Map of the Boteys, where Boteyese is spoken
|notice = IPA
|ethnicity = Boteyese
|ancestor = Proto-Boteyese
|ancestor2 = Old Boteyese
|ancestor3 = Early Modern Boteyese
}}

'''Boteyese''' ([[w:Help:IPA|/ˌboʊteɪˈiːz, ˌboʊ-/]] [[w:Help:Pronunciation respelling key|''BOW-tay-EASE'']]; [[w:Endonym|endonym]]: ''botajkly'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbo.tɜj.klɨ]]], ''botjar çopst'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbot.jɜr ˈʃopst]]], or rarely ''botajsky'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbo.tɜj.skɨ]]]) is a [[w:Language isolate|language isolate]] spoken as a [[w:First Language|first language]] by about 360,400 Boteyese of whom 35,700 reside outside of the Boteys, mainly in [[w:Germany|Germany]] and [[w:Russia|Russia]]. Alongside [[w:Basque|Basque]], it is one of the two known language isolates in [[w:Europe|Europe]].

Owing to facts of Boteyese geography, history, and culture, the language is considered to feature many distinct regional varieties, not all of which are [[w:Mutually intelligibility|mutually intelligible]]. As of the mid-[[w:20th century|20th century]] however, the traditional [[w:Dialect|dialect]] areas have been in steep decline, with some already being effectively [[w:Endangered language|moribund]] or [[w:Extinct language|extinct]]. The profound [[w:Dialect levelling|dialect levelling]] taking place has been variously attributed to the events of [[w:World War II|World War II]], [[w:Urbanization|urbanization]], changes in societal attitudes, and the continued prevalence of the [[w:Standard language|standard language]].

Boteyese features [[w:Agglutinative language|agglutinative]] and [[w:Fusional language|fusional]] elements and is of [[w:Head-directionality parameter|mixed head directionality]]. Its [[w:Phonology|phonology]] and [[w:Nominal (linguistics)|nominal]] [[w:Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] show close [[w:Linguistic typology|typological]] convergence with surrounding [[w:Indo-European Languages|Indo-European]] languages, particularly [[w:North Germanic languages|North Germanic]], though featuring no system of [[w:Grammatical gender|grammatical gender]]. [[w:Verb|Verbs]] are conjugated for [[w:Subject (grammar)|subject]] and [[w:Object (grammar)|object]], [[w:Definiteness|definiteness]] of [[w:Argument (linguistics)|arguments]], [[w:Grammatical tense|tense]]/[[w:Grammatical mood|mood]], [[w:Voice (grammar)|voice]], and [[w:Grammatical aspect|aspect]], and can take several [[w:Nonfinite verb|nonfinite]] forms. [[w:Word order|Basic word order]] is [[w:Object–verb word order|verb-final]], [[w:Topic and comment|topic–comment]], though [[w:Information structure|information structure]] and situational [[w:Syntax|syntactic]] constraints lead to some variation.

==Etymology==

The [[w:Archipelago|archipelago]]'s endonym ''Botjar'' and the [[w:English language|English]] exonym ''(the) Boteys'' both ultimately derive from [[w:Old Norse|Old Norse]] ''Bóteyjar'', a [[w:Compound (linguistics)|compound]] of {{mn|non|bót|t=bight, cove}} and {{mn|non|ey|eyjar|t=islands}}. The Norse [[w:Plural|plural]] was not adapted into English, thus the name takes the English plural instead; cf. [[w:Orkney|Orkney a.k.a. the Orkneys]]. It has been suggested that the conspicuous absence of a single native word referring to the entire people prior to the arrival of Norse settlement could be indicative of a fractious social order and/or lack of shared cultural consciousness.

The language names derive from the Old Norse lemma also. The modern term ''botajkly'' is the [[w:Participle|participle]] form of the verb ''botajky'' 'to speak Boteyese', while its [[w:Archaism|archaic]] equivalent ''botajsky'' is derived with the [[w:Suffix|suffix]] ''-sky'' (Old Boteyese ''-sku''), used to form language names. The archaic suffix is of uncertain origin, but it is presumably the result of mixed influences from the [[w:Dative|dative]] singular form of early [[w:Modern Swedish|Modern Swedish]] language names (such as in the [[w:Gustav Vasa Bible|Gustav Vasa Bible]] e.g. ''på swensko'' 'in Swedish') and continental [[w:Slavic languages|Slavic]] i.e. {{mn|zlw-opl|-ski}}.

==History==

==Phonology==

===Segmental phonology===

====Vowels====

Standard Boteyese features a simple six-vowel inventory with no phonemic diphthongs nor contrastive vowel length, seen below.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Vowel phonemes
|-
! !! colspan="2" | [[w:Front vowel|Front]] !! [[w:Central vowel|Central]] !! [[w:Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[w:Close vowel|Close]]
| colspan="2"| [[w:Close front unrounded vowel|i]] || [[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]] || [[w:Close back rounded vowel|u]]
|-
! [[w:Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| colspan="2"| [[w:Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]] || || [[w:Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]
|-
! [[w:Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2"| || [[w:Open central vowel|a]] ||
|}

The front and back vowels /i, e, o, u/ are referred to as the strong (''panjo'', lit. 'inflexible') vowels and the central vowels form the weak (''bydaj'', lit. 'flexible') group. While strong vowels exhibit no allophony, weak vowels in positions of primary stress are relatively tensed.

* Stressed /ɨ/ approaches near-front [[[w:Near-close near-front unrounded vowel|ɪ]]].
* Stressed /a/ (represented as [a]) is intermediate between open central [[[w:Open central unrounded vowel|ä]]] and near-open near-front retracted [[[w:Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ̈]]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Examples of stressed allophony
! Phoneme
! IPA
! Orthography
! English Translation
! Note
|-
| /ɨ/ || [ˈbɪs.sɨs] || ''byssys'' || 'silk' || [+stress] /ɨ/ → [ɪ]
|-
| /a/ || [ˈfa.mɜ] || ''fama'' || 'bear' || [+stress] /a/ → [a]
|}

In addition to stressed allophony, unstressed weak vowels assimilate to the rounding of a following strong or assimilated weak vowel, resulting in regressive rounding harmony on the phonetic level. Unassimilated weak vowels are realize their unrounded allophone.

* /ɨ/ is realized as close unrounded [[[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]] before /i, e/ and rounded [[[w:Close central rounded vowel|ʉ]]] before /o, u/.
* /a/ is realized as either open-mid unrounded [[[w:Open-mid central unrounded vowel|ɜ]]] before /i, e/ and rounded [[[w:Open-mid central rounded vowel|ɞ]]] before /o, u/.
* If not subject to assimilation, /ɨ/ and /a/ default to [[[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]] and [[[w:Open-mid central unrounded vowel|ɜ]]], respectively.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Examples of unstressed rounding harmony
! Phoneme
! IPA
! Orthography
! English Translation
! Note
|-
| /ɨ/ || [ɨnˈrij] || ''Ynrij'' || 'Ingrid' (name) || [-stress -rounded] /ɨ/ → [ɨ]
|-
| /ɨ/ || [tʉθˈmur] || ''tyşmur'' || 'flour' || [-stress +rounded] /ɨ/ → [ʉ]
|-
| /a/ || [nɜjˈlik] || ''najlik'' || 'snow' || [-stress -rounded] /a/ → [ɜ]
|-
| /a/ || [jɞlˈvo] || ''jalvo'' || 'tree' || [-stress +rounded] /a/ → [ɞ]
|}

====Consonants====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonant phonemes
|-
! colspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | [[w:Labial consonant|Labial]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Coronal consonant|Coronal]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Postalveolar consonant|Post- alveolar]]/ [[w:Palatal consonant|palatal]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Velar consonant|Velar]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced bilabial nasal|m]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar nasal|n]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | ([[w:Voiced velar nasal|ŋ]])
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Stop consonant|Stop]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless bilabial stop|p]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced bilabial stop|b]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless alveolar stop|t]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar stop|d]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless velar stop|k]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless palato-alveolar affricate|t͡ʃ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[w:Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! Non-[[w:Sibilant|sibilant]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless labiodental fricative|f]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced labiodental fricative|v]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless dental fricative|θ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative|ʃ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced velar fricative|ɣ]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless glottal fricative|h]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
|-
! [[w:Sibilant|Sibilant]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless alveolar sibilant|s]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced palatal approximant|j]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar lateral approximant|l]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Trill consonant|Trill]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar trill|r]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|}

==Orthography==

Boteyese is written in the [[w:Latin script|Latin script]] with some additional characters formed with [[w:Diacritic|diacritics]], comprising 23 letters in total. The modern [[w:Orthography|orthography]], based on the standard language, is completely [[w:Phonemic orthography|phonemic]] with a one-to-one correspondence between phonemes and [[w:Grapheme|graphemes]], though the pronunciation of some characters varies with respect to dialect and regular allophony.

In addition to the standard set, there are a few letters which have conventionalized names and pronunciations. The letters ⟨q⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨x⟩, and ⟨z⟩ are used mainly in the archaic spellings of [[w:Personal name|personal names]], [[w:Toponymy|toponyms]], and non-incorporated [[w:Loanword|loanwords]], while ⟨ž⟩ is mainly used for modern loanwords and [[w:Transliteration|transliterations]] from Russian and other [[w:Balto-Slavic languages|Balto-Slavic languages]], thus [[w:Leonid Brezhnev|Leonid Brezhnev]] is adapted as ''Lyjanit Brežnyf''.

The letters ⟨ç⟩ and ⟨ş⟩ are historically modified versions of the [[w:Digraph (orthography)|diagraphs]] ⟨cs⟩ and ⟨ts⟩. As such, they are formally considered to be separate characters and not diacritic character combinations. Nowadays, the original digraphs have seen use in [[Sensational spelling|stylistic spelling]] meant to evoke the [[w:Late Middle Ages|late medieval]] or [[w:Early modern period|early modern period]] even in contexts where this is [[w:Anachronistic|anachronistic]], such as spelling ''fçe'' 'year' as ⟨fcse⟩ despite the fact that it would be spelt ⟨fzē⟩ around this time.

In Boteyese orthography, the [[w:Apostrophe|aprostrophe]] is used to mark [[w:Contraction (grammar)|contraction]], as in many other languages. This most often applies to cliticizing words, such as the subordinator ''at'' (''t'=''), the expletive article ''ret'' (''='t''), or the adverbial negator ''aky'' (''k'='').

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:42%; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Boteyese Alphabet
! style="width:14%;" | Grapheme
! style="width:14%;" | Name
! style="width:14%;" | Phoneme
|-
| A, a || ''a'' [ˈa] || /a/
|-
| B, b || ''be'' [ˈbe] || /b/
|-
| C, c || ''ce'' [ˈt͡ʃe] || /t͡ʃ/
|-
| D, d || ''de'' [ˈde] || /d/
|-
| E, e || ''e'' [ˈe] || /e/
|-
| F, f || ''af'' [ˈaf] || /f/
|-
| G, g || ''ge'' [ˈɣe] || /ɣ/
|-
| H, h || ''ho'' [ˈho] || /h
|-
| I, i || ''i'' [ˈi] || /i/
|-
| J, j || ''ji'' [ˈji] || /j/
|-
| K, k || ''ko'' [ˈko] || /k/
|-
| L, l || ''al'' [ˈal] || /l/
|-
| M, m || ''am'' [ˈam] || /m/
|-
| N, n || ''an'' [ˈan] || /n/
|-
| O, o || ''o'' [ˈo] || /o/
|-
| P, p || ''pe'' [ˈpe] || /p/
|-
| R, r || ''ar'' [ˈɑa] || /r/
|-
| S, s || ''as'' [ˈas] || /s/
|-
| T, t || ''te'' [ˈte] || /t/
|-
| U, u || ''u'' [ˈu] || /u/
|-
| V, v || ''ve'' [ˈve] || /v/
|-
| Y, y || ''y'' [ˈɪ] || /ɨ/
|-
| Ç, ç || ''çe'' [ˈʃe] || /ʃ/
|-
| Ş, ş || ''şe'' [ˈθe] || /θ/
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:42%; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Additional Letters
! style="width:14%;" | Grapheme
! style="width:14%;" | Name
! style="width:14%;" | Phoneme
|-
| Q, q || ''ku'' [ˈku] || /k/
|-
| W, W || ''dybal ve'' [ˈdɪ.bɜl ˈve] || /v/
|-
| X, x || ''ex'' [ˈes] || /s/
|-
| Z, z || ''zeta'' [ˈʃe.tɜ] || /ʃ/
|-
| Ž, ž || ''zeta oço't vli'' [ˈʃe.tɜ ˈo.ʃot ˈvli] || /ʒ/
|}

==Lexicon==

==Grammar==

==Dialects==

==Sample Texts==

===The Universal Declaration of Human Rights===
Article 1 of the [[w:Universal Declaration of Human Rights|Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] in Boteyese:

{{interlinear|indent=3|display-messages=no|italics2=no|italics3=no|ablist=COMP:comparative:comparison_(grammar)
|top=''Ybag reş deşmona kebsly o çoscely tinyr o inajmuls likarcely spimy. Çcoceş o repemafor kinajsy o kacepjanik ço't kojceş aduht.''
|Ybag reş deşmona keb-kly o ço-s-cely tinyr o inajmuls likar-cely s-pi-m-y. Çcoceş o repemafor k-inaj-s-y o ka-cep-jan-ik ço{{=}}'t kojceş a{{=}}duht.
|all EXPL.PL human.DEF/INDF.PL free-ACT.NTR.PTCP and INST-3.INDF dignity.INDF.PL and right.INDF.PL equal-STAT.NTR.PTCP 3.INDF-birth-ACT.TR-IPFV reason.INDF.SG and morality.INDF.SG 3.DEF-receive-3.INDF-IPFV and 3.DEF-treat-RECP-SBJV INST{{=}}EXPL.SG kinship.INDF.SG GEN{{=}}spirit.DEF.SG
|'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.'}}

Boteyese

2026-04-26T19:37:11Z

Foreseen: Commenced work on phonology; article 1 of the UDHR for fun

{{privatelang}}
{{Infobox language
|image = Flag Boteys Plain.png
|imagesize = 185px
|imagecaption = Flag of the Republic of the Boteys
|name = Boteyese
|nativename = botajkly
|pronunciation = ˈbo.tɜj.klɨ
|pronunciation_key = IPA for Boteyese
|states = the Boteys
|setting = Alternative history [[w:Europe|Europe]], Southern [[w:Baltic Sea|Baltic Sea]]
|region = [[w: Southern Europe|Southern Europe]]
|speakers = ≈360,400
|date = 2024
|familycolor = Language isolate
|creator = User:Foreseen
|dia1 = Skaheyese (''skahajkly'')
|dia2 = Dearlandic (''pallekockly'')
|dia3 = Focheyese (''focajkly'')
|dia4 = Northern (''forhaşkly''/''sfojkly'')
|dia5 = Odallandic (''ojalkockly'')
|dia6 = Buhats (''bjuhaşkly'') †
|stand1 = Standard Boteyese (based on Kodenburg Skaheyese)
|script1 = Latn
|agency = Boteyese Language Committee / ''Botjar çOpst aRoyjt''
|map = Boteys Map Insert.png
|mapsize = 280px
|mapcaption = Map of the Boteys, where Boteyese is spoken
|notice = IPA
|ethnicity = Boteyese
|ancestor = Proto-Boteyese
|ancestor2 = Old Boteyese
|ancestor3 = Early Modern Boteyese
}}

'''Boteyese''' ([[w:Help:IPA|/ˌboʊteɪˈiːz, ˌboʊ-/]] [[w:Help:Pronunciation respelling key|''BOW-tay-EASE'']]; [[w:Endonym|endonym]]: ''botajkly'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbo.tɜj.klɨ]]], ''botjar çopst'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbot.jɜr ˈʃopst]]], or rarely ''botajsky'' [[IPA for Boteyese|[ˈbo.tɜj.skɨ]]]) is a [[w:Language isolate|language isolate]] spoken as a [[w:First Language|first language]] by about 360,400 Boteyese of whom 35,700 reside outside of the Boteys, mainly in [[w:Germany|Germany]] and [[w:Russia|Russia]]. Alongside [[w:Basque|Basque]], it is one of the two known language isolates in [[w:Europe|Europe]].

Owing to facts of Boteyese geography, history, and culture, the language is considered to feature many distinct regional varieties, not all of which are [[w:Mutually intelligibility|mutually intelligible]]. As of the mid-[[w:20th century|20th century]] however, the traditional [[w:Dialect|dialect]] areas have been in steep decline, with some already being effectively [[w:Endangered language|moribund]] or [[w:Extinct language|extinct]]. The profound [[w:Dialect levelling|dialect levelling]] taking place has been variously attributed to the events of [[w:World War II|World War II]], [[w:Urbanization|urbanization]], changes in societal attitudes, and the continued prevalence of the [[w:Standard language|standard language]].

Boteyese features [[w:Agglutinative language|agglutinative]] and [[w:Fusional language|fusional]] elements and is of [[w:Head-directionality parameter|mixed head directionality]]. Its [[w:Phonology|phonology]] and [[w:Nominal (linguistics)|nominal]] [[w:Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] show close [[w:Linguistic typology|typological]] convergence with surrounding [[w:Indo-European Languages|Indo-European]] languages, particularly [[w:North Germanic languages|North Germanic]], though featuring no system of [[w:Grammatical gender|grammatical gender]]. [[w:Verb|Verbs]] are conjugated for [[w:Subject (grammar)|subject]] and [[w:Object (grammar)|object]], [[w:Definiteness|definiteness]] of [[w:Argument (linguistics)|arguments]], [[w:Grammatical tense|tense]]/[[w:Grammatical mood|mood]], [[w:Voice (grammar)|voice]], and [[w:Grammatical aspect|aspect]], and can take several [[w:Nonfinite verb|nonfinite]] forms. [[w:Word order|Basic word order]] is [[w:Object–verb word order|verb-final]], [[w:Topic and comment|topic–comment]], though [[w:Information structure|information structure]] and situational [[w:Syntax|syntactic]] constraints lead to some variation.

==Etymology==

The [[w:Archipelago|archipelago]]'s endonym ''Botjar'' and the [[w:English language|English]] exonym ''(the) Boteys'' both ultimately derive from [[w:Old Norse|Old Norse]] ''Bóteyjar'', a [[w:Compound (linguistics)|compound]] of {{mn|non|bót|t=bight, cove}} and {{mn|non|ey|eyjar|t=islands}}. The Norse [[w:Plural|plural]] was not adapted into English, thus the name takes the English plural instead; cf. [[w:Orkney|Orkney a.k.a. the Orkneys]]. It has been suggested that the conspicuous absence of a single native word referring to the entire people prior to the arrival of Norse settlement could be indicative of a fractious social order and/or lack of shared cultural consciousness.

The language names derive from the Old Norse lemma also. The modern term ''botajkly'' is the [[w:Participle|participle]] form of the verb ''botajky'' 'to speak Boteyese', while its [[w:Archaism|archaic]] equivalent ''botajsky'' is derived with the [[w:Suffix|suffix]] ''-sky'' (Old Boteyese ''-sku''), used to form language names. The archaic suffix is of uncertain origin, but it is presumably the result of mixed influences from the [[w:Dative|dative]] singular form of early [[w:Modern Swedish|Modern Swedish]] language names (such as in the [[w:Gustav Vasa Bible|Gustav Vasa Bible]] e.g. ''på swensko'' 'in Swedish') and continental [[w:Slavic languages|Slavic]] i.e. {{mn|zlw-opl|-ski}}.

==History==

==Phonology==

===Segmental phonology===

====Vowels====

Standard Boteyese features a simple six-vowel inventory with no phonemic diphthongs nor contrastive vowel length, seen below.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Vowel phonemes
|-
! !! colspan="2" | [[w:Front vowel|Front]] !! [[w:Central vowel|Central]] !! [[w:Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[w:Close vowel|Close]]
| colspan="2"| [[w:Close front unrounded vowel|i]] || [[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]] || [[w:Close back rounded vowel|u]]
|-
! [[w:Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| colspan="2"| [[w:Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]] || || [[w:Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]
|-
! [[w:Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2"| || [[w:Open central vowel|a]] ||
|}

The front and back vowels /i, e, o, u/ are referred to as the strong (''panjo'', lit. 'inflexible') vowels and the central vowels form the weak (''bydaj'', lit. 'flexible') group. While strong vowels exhibit no allophony, weak vowels in positions of primary stress are relatively tensed.

* Stressed /ɨ/ approaches near-front [[[w:Near-close near-front unrounded vowel|ɪ]]].
* Stressed /a/ (represented as [a]) is intermediate between open central [[[w:Open central unrounded vowel|ä]]] and near-open near-front retracted [[[w:Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ̈]]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Examples of stressed allophony
! Phoneme
! IPA
! Orthography
! English Translation
! Note
|-
| /ɨ/ || [ˈbɪs.sɨs] || ''byssys'' || 'silk' || [+stress] /ɨ/ → [ɪ]
|-
| /a/ || [ˈfa.mɜ] || ''fama'' || 'bear' || [+stress] /a/ → [a]
|}

In addition to stressed allophony, unstressed weak vowels assimilate to the rounding of a following strong or assimilated weak vowel, resulting in regressive rounding harmony on the phonetic level. Unassimilated weak vowels are realize their unrounded allophone.

* /ɨ/ is realized as close unrounded [[[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]] before /i, e/ and rounded [[[w:Close central rounded vowel|ʉ]]] before /o, u/.
* /a/ is realized as either open-mid unrounded [[[w:Open-mid central unrounded vowel|ɜ]]] before /i, e/ and rounded [[[w:Open-mid central rounded vowel|ɞ]]] before /o, u/.
* If not subject to assimilation, /ɨ/ and /a/ default to [[[w:Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]] and [[[w:Open-mid central unrounded vowel|ɜ]]], respectively.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Examples of unstressed rounding harmony
! Phoneme
! IPA
! Orthography
! English Translation
! Note
|-
| /ɨ/ || [ɨnˈrij] || ''Ynrij'' || 'Ingrid' (name) || [-stress -rounded] /ɨ/ → [ɨ]
|-
| /ɨ/ || [tʉθˈmur] || ''tyşmur'' || 'flour' || [-stress +rounded] /ɨ/ → [ʉ]
|-
| /a/ || [nɜjˈlik] || ''najlik'' || 'snow' || [-stress -rounded] /a/ → [ɜ]
|-
| /a/ || [jɞlˈvo] || ''jalvo'' || 'tree' || [-stress +rounded] /a/ → [ɞ]
|}

====Consonants====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonant phonemes
|-
! colspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | [[w:Labial consonant|Labial]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Coronal consonant|Coronal]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Postalveolar consonant|Post- alveolar]]/ [[w:Palatal consonant|palatal]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Velar consonant|Velar]]
! colspan="2" | [[w:Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced bilabial nasal|m]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar nasal|n]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | ([[w:Voiced velar nasal|ŋ]])
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Stop consonant|Stop]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless bilabial stop|p]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced bilabial stop|b]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless alveolar stop|t]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar stop|d]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless velar stop|k]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless palato-alveolar affricate|t͡ʃ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[w:Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! Non-[[w:Sibilant|sibilant]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless labiodental fricative|f]] || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced labiodental fricative|v]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless dental fricative|θ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative|ʃ]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced velar fricative|ɣ]]
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless glottal fricative|h]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
|-
! [[w:Sibilant|Sibilant]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | [[w:Voiceless alveolar sibilant|s]] || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced palatal approximant|j]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar lateral approximant|l]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! colspan="2" | [[w:Trill consonant|Trill]]
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" | [[w:Voiced alveolar trill|r]]
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|}

==Orthography==

Boteyese is written in the [[w:Latin script|Latin script]] with some additional characters formed with [[w:Diacritic|diacritics]], comprising 23 letters in total. The modern [[w:Orthography|orthography]], based on the standard language, is completely [[w:Phonemic orthography|phonemic]] with a one-to-one correspondence between phonemes and [[w:Grapheme|graphemes]], though the pronunciation of some characters varies with respect to dialect and regular allophony.

In addition to the standard set, there are a few letters which have conventionalized names and pronunciations. The letters ⟨q⟩, ⟨w⟩, ⟨x⟩, and ⟨z⟩ are used mainly in the archaic spellings of [[w:Personal name|personal names]], [[w:Toponymy|toponyms]], and non-incorporated [[w:Loanword|loanwords]], while ⟨ž⟩ is mainly used for modern loanwords and [[w:Transliteration|transliterations]] from Russian and other [[w:Balto-Slavic languages|Balto-Slavic languages]], thus [[w:Leonid Brezhnev|Leonid Brezhnev]] is adapted as ''Lyjanit Brežnyf''.

The letters ⟨ç⟩ and ⟨ş⟩ are historically modified versions of the [[w:Digraph (orthography)|diagraphs]] ⟨cs⟩ and ⟨ts⟩. As such, they are formally considered to be separate characters and not diacritic character combinations. Nowadays, the original digraphs have seen use in [[Sensational spelling|stylistic spelling]] meant to evoke the [[w:Late Middle Ages|late medieval]] or [[w:Early modern period|early modern period]] even in contexts where this is [[w:Anachronistic|anachronistic]], such as spelling ''fçe'' 'year' as ⟨fcse⟩ despite the fact that it would be spelt ⟨fzē⟩ around this time.

In Boteyese orthography, the [[w:Apostrophe|aprostrophe]] is used to mark [[w:Contraction (grammar)|contraction]], as in many other languages. This most often applies to cliticizing words, such as the subordinator ''at'' (''t'=''), the expletive article ''ret'' (''='t''), or the adverbial negator ''aky'' (''k'='').

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:42%; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Boteyese Alphabet
! style="width:14%;" | Grapheme
! style="width:14%;" | Name
! style="width:14%;" | Phoneme
|-
| A, a || ''a'' [ˈa] || /a/
|-
| B, b || ''be'' [ˈbe] || /b/
|-
| C, c || ''ce'' [ˈt͡ʃe] || /t͡ʃ/
|-
| D, d || ''de'' [ˈde] || /d/
|-
| E, e || ''e'' [ˈe] || /e/
|-
| F, f || ''af'' [ˈaf] || /f/
|-
| G, g || ''ge'' [ˈɣe] || /ɣ/
|-
| H, h || ''ho'' [ˈho] || /h
|-
| I, i || ''i'' [ˈi] || /i/
|-
| J, j || ''ji'' [ˈji] || /j/
|-
| K, k || ''ko'' [ˈko] || /k/
|-
| L, l || ''al'' [ˈal] || /l/
|-
| M, m || ''am'' [ˈam] || /m/
|-
| N, n || ''an'' [ˈan] || /n/
|-
| O, o || ''o'' [ˈo] || /o/
|-
| P, p || ''pe'' [ˈpe] || /p/
|-
| R, r || ''ar'' [ˈɑa] || /r/
|-
| S, s || ''as'' [ˈas] || /s/
|-
| T, t || ''te'' [ˈte] || /t/
|-
| U, u || ''u'' [ˈu] || /u/
|-
| V, v || ''ve'' [ˈve] || /v/
|-
| Y, y || ''y'' [ˈɪ] || /ɨ/
|-
| Ç, ç || ''çe'' [ˈʃe] || /ʃ/
|-
| Ş, ş || ''şe'' [ˈθe] || /θ/
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:42%; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Additional Letters
! style="width:14%;" | Grapheme
! style="width:14%;" | Name
! style="width:14%;" | Phoneme
|-
| Q, q || ''ku'' [ˈku] || /k/
|-
| W, W || ''dybal ve'' [ˈdɪ.bɜl ˈve] || /v/
|-
| X, x || ''ex'' [ˈes] || /s/
|-
| Z, z || ''zeta'' [ˈʃe.tɜ] || /ʃ/
|-
| Ž, ž || ''zeta oço't vli'' [ˈʃe.tɜ ˈo.ʃot ˈvli] || /ʒ/
|}

==Lexicon==

==Grammar==

==Dialects==

==Sample Texts==

===The Universal Declaration of Human Rights===
Article 1 of the [[w:Universal Declaration of Human Rights|Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] in Boteyese:

{{interlinear|indent=3|display-messages=no|italics2=no|italics3=no|ablist=COMP:comparative:comparison_(grammar)
|top=''Ybag reş deşmona kebsly o çoscely tinyr o inajmuls likarcely spimy. Çcoces o repemafor kinajsy o kacepjanik ço't kojceş aduht.''
|Ybag reş deşmona keb-kly o ço-s-cely tinyr o inajmuls likar-cely s-pi-m-y. Çcoceş o repemafor k-inaj-s-y o ka-cep-jan-ik ço{{=}}'t kojceş a{{=}}duht.
|all EXPL.PL human.DEF/INDF.PL free-ACT.NTR.PTCP and INST-3.INDF dignity.INDF.PL and right.INDF.PL equal-STAT.NTR.PTCP 3.INDF-birth-ACT.TR-IPFV reason.INDF.SG and morality.INDF.SG 3.DEF-receive-3.INDF-IPFV and 3.DEF-treat-RECP-SBJV INST{{=}}EXPL.SG kinship.INDF.SG GEN{{=}}spirit.DEF.SG
|'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.'}}

Boteyese

2026-04-26T13:19:42Z

Foreseen: Forgot /k/

Boteyese

2026-04-26T13:02:42Z

Foreseen: Orthography basics; might want to return later

Boteyese

2026-04-26T02:03:32Z

Foreseen: Introduction good; progress on etymology

Boteyese

2026-04-25T21:18:44Z

Foreseen: Infobox

{{privatelang}}
{{Infobox language
|image = Flag Boteys Plain.png
|imagesize = 185px
|imagecaption = Flag of the Republic of the Boteys
|name = Boteyese
|nativename = Botajkly
|pronunciation = ˈbo.tɐj.klɨ
|pronunciation_key = IPA for Boteyese
|states = The Boteys
|setting = Alternative history [[w:Europe|Europe]], Southern [[w:Baltic Sea|Baltic Sea]]
|region = [[w: Southern Europe|Southern Europe]]
|speakers = 352,900
|date = 2024
|familycolor = Language isolate
|creator = User:Foreseen
|dia1 = Skaheyese (''skahajkly'')
|dia2 = Dearlandic (''pallekockly'')
|dia3 = Focheyese (''focajkly'')
|dia4 = Northern (''forhaşkly''/''sfojkly'')
|dia5 = Odallandic (''ojalkockly'')
|dia6 = Buhats (''bjuhaşkly'')
|stand1 = Standard Boteyese (based on Kodenburg Skaheyese dialect)
|script1 = Latn
|agency = Boteyese Language Council / ''Botjar çOpst aHyngyj''
|map = Boteys Map Insert.png
|mapsize = 280px
|mapcaption = Map of the Boteys, where Boteyese is spoken
|notice = IPA
|ethnicity = Boteyese
|ancestor = Proto-Boteyese
|ancestor2 = Old Boteyese
|ancestor3 = Early Modern Boteyese
}}



==Etymology==








==Phonology==



===Orthography===
===Consonants===

===Vowels===
===Prosody===
====Stress====
====Intonation====

===Phonotactics===

===Morphophonology===
==Morphology==




==Syntax==
===Constituent order===
===Noun phrase===
===Verb phrase===
===Sentence phrase===
===Dependent clauses===


==Example texts==

==Other resources==




[[Category:Boteyese]]
[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Conlangs]]

File:Boteys Map Insert.png

2026-04-25T20:23:06Z

Foreseen: A cropped Wikimaps-style showing the extent of the Boteys.

== Summary ==
A cropped Wikimaps-style showing the extent of the Boteys.

File:Flag Boteys Coa.png

2026-04-25T20:17:34Z

Foreseen: The ceremonial flag of the Republic of the Boteys, with coat-of-arms.

== Summary ==
The ceremonial flag of the Republic of the Boteys, with coat-of-arms.

File:Flag Boteys Plain.png

2026-04-25T20:16:59Z

Foreseen: The regular flag of the Republic of the Boteys, sans coat-of-arms.

== Summary ==
The regular flag of the Republic of the Boteys, sans coat-of-arms.

Boteyese

2026-04-25T20:09:16Z

Foreseen: Created page

==Etymology==








==Phonology==



===Orthography===
===Consonants===

===Vowels===
===Prosody===
====Stress====
====Intonation====

===Phonotactics===

===Morphophonology===
==Morphology==




==Syntax==
===Constituent order===
===Noun phrase===
===Verb phrase===
===Sentence phrase===
===Dependent clauses===


==Example texts==

==Other resources==




[[Category:Boteyese]]
[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Conlangs]]