Ancient Lathian: Difference between revisions

From Linguifex
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with "{{Infobox language |name = Ancient Lathian |nativename = Λάθικυ Láthiku |pronunciation = [ˈlatʰiku] |region = Lathia, Aconia, Missia |era = Mid to Late 1st Millennium...")
 
No edit summary
 
(35 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
|name = Ancient Lathian
|name = Ancient Lathian
|nativename = Λάθικυ Láthiku
|nativename = Λάθικαα Láthikā
|pronunciation = [ˈlatʰiku]
|pronunciation = ˈlatʰikaː
|region = Lathia, Aconia, Missia
|region = Lathia, Thamilia
|era = Mid to Late 1st Millennium BCE
|era = Mid to Late 1st Millennium BCE
|familycolor = Indo-European
|familycolor = Indo-European
|fam1 = [[w:Indo-European_languages|Indo-European]]
|fam2 = Nesic  
|fam2 = Nesic  
|fam3 = Eastern Nesic
|ancestor = Archaic Lathian
|ancestor = Archaic Lathian
|iso1 = lt
|script1        = Grek
|iso2 = lt
|creator=User:Asteria91
|iso3 = ltk
|script        = [[w:Greek Alphabet|Greek]] (Lathian Alphabet)
|agency        =
}}
}}


'''Ancient Lathian''' is the form of Lathian used during the period of time spanning from about the 7th century to the 2nd century BCE in ancient Lathia and other parts of the ancient world.  It was predated in the late 2nd millennium and early 1st millennium BCE by Archaic Lathian.  It would be later replaced by Koiné Lathian in the late 1st millennium BCE.  
'''Ancient Lathian''' is the form of Lathian used during the period of time spanning from about the 7th century to the 2nd century BCE in ancient Lathia and other parts of the ancient world.  It was predated in the late 2nd millennium and early 1st millennium BCE by Archaic Lathian.  It would be later replaced by Gergalic Lathian in the late 1st millennium BCE.  


<!--  
<!--  
Line 37: Line 34:
Ancient Lathian was the language of the ancient Lathians, an Indo-European people that settled on the island of Lathia in the Mediterranean Sea, between modern day Libya and Greece. It is set in the distant past, beginning in the mid 1st millennium BCE.  Before then, an earlier form called Archaic Lathian had been spoken not only in Lathia but also in other parts of the Mediterranean, such as Malta, Sicily, and northern Africa, as part of the Lathian Empire.
Ancient Lathian was the language of the ancient Lathians, an Indo-European people that settled on the island of Lathia in the Mediterranean Sea, between modern day Libya and Greece. It is set in the distant past, beginning in the mid 1st millennium BCE.  Before then, an earlier form called Archaic Lathian had been spoken not only in Lathia but also in other parts of the Mediterranean, such as Malta, Sicily, and northern Africa, as part of the Lathian Empire.


After losing a number of its colonies to Greece and Carthage, Lathia and its remaining colonies fell into a period of cultural and economic deterioration, known as the Lathian Dark Ages.  After a number of years, however, Lathia managed to regain economic stabiity and a new period of prosperity began in the mid 1st millennium BCE.  During this time, trade with other Mediterranean civilizations, especially Greece, increased.
After losing a number of its colonies to Greece and Carthage, Lathia and its remaining colonies fell into a period of cultural and economic deterioration, also known as the Lathian Dark Ages, in which the once united kingdom had become a collection of warring city-states.  During this time, Greek colonies were also established on the eastern coast of Lathia.  After a number of years, however, Lathia managed to regain economic stability, unite its city-states, and take over the Greek colonies on its coasts. Shortly after, a new period of prosperity began in the mid 1st millennium BCE, known as Classical Lathia.  During this time, trade with other Mediterranean civilizations, especially Greece, increased.


One of the most important innovations in the development of the Lathian language came from the Greeks: the Lathian Alphabet.  Lathians borrowed the Greek alphabet and modified it to suit their language.  Before this, Lathian had been written with a system called the Lathic Syllabary.  During the dark ages, Archaic Lathian underwent numerous changes, and by the 6th century BCE a new form of Lathian, written with a new alphabet, had emerged.  
One of the most important innovations in the development of the Lathian language came from the Greeks: the Lathian Alphabet.  Lathians borrowed the Greek alphabet and modified it to suit their language.  Before this, Lathian had been written with a system called the Lathic Syllabary.  During the dark ages, Archaic Lathian underwent numerous changes, and by the 6th century BCE a new form of Lathian, written with a new alphabet, had emerged.  
Line 50: Line 47:
! style="width: 70px; " |Palatal
! style="width: 70px; " |Palatal
! style="width: 70px; " |Velar
! style="width: 70px; " |Velar
! style="width: 70px; " |Glottal
|-
|-
! style="" colspan="2" |Nasal
! style="" colspan="2" |Nasal
Line 55: Line 53:
|  
|  
|n  
|n  
|  
|ɲ̩
|
|  
|  
|-
|-
Line 63: Line 62:
|  
|  
|  
|  
|k
|k  
|
|-
|-
! style="" |<small>Voiced</small>
! style="" |<small>Voiced</small>
Line 70: Line 70:
|  
|  
|  
|  
|g
|g  
|
|-
|-
! style="" |<small>Aspirated</small>
! style="" |<small>Aspirated</small>
Line 77: Line 78:
|  
|  
|  
|  
|kʰ
|kʰ  
|
|-
|-
! style="" rowspan="2" |Fricative !! <small>Voiceless</small>
! style="" rowspan="2" |Fricative !! <small>Voiceless</small>
Line 84: Line 86:
|s  
|s  
|ʃ  
|ʃ  
|   
|
|h  
|-
|-
! style="" |<small>Voiced</small>
! style="" |<small>Voiced</small>
Line 91: Line 94:
|z  
|z  
|ʒ  
|ʒ  
|
|  
|
|-
|-
! style="" colspan="2" |Trill or Tap
! style="" colspan="2" |Trill or Tap
Line 99: Line 103:
|  
|  
|  
|  
|
|-
! style="" rowspan="2" |Approximant !! <small>Central</small>
|
|
|
|j
|w
| 
|-
|-
! style="" colspan="2" |Approximant
! style="" |<small>Lateral</small>
|  
|  
|  
|  
|l  
|l  
|j
|ʎ
|w 
|
|-  
|  
|-
|}
|}


Line 124: Line 138:
|e eː   
|e eː   
|   
|   
|o oː
|  
|-
|-
! style="" |Open
! style="" |Open
Line 131: Line 145:
|  
|  
|}
|}
===Phonetic Notes===
===Phonetic Notes===
*/t/, /d/, and /tʰ/ are denti-alveolar.
*/t/, /d/, and /tʰ/ are denti-alveolar.
Line 136: Line 151:
*/r/ is prototypically an alveolar tap /ɾ/.  It becomes an alveolar trill /r/ word-initially.  In the syllable-final position, either a trill or tap could occur with no semantic difference.
*/r/ is prototypically an alveolar tap /ɾ/.  It becomes an alveolar trill /r/ word-initially.  In the syllable-final position, either a trill or tap could occur with no semantic difference.
*/s/ and /ʃ/ become voiced before voiced consonants.
*/s/ and /ʃ/ become voiced before voiced consonants.
==Phonotactics==
==Phonotactics==
Any vowel may end a word, as well as any nasal, liquid, or fricative.  If a stop ended a word in PIE, it was dropped in Ancient Lathian.
* Any vowel may end a word, as well as any nasal, liquid, or fricative.  If a stop ended a word in PIE, it was dropped in Ancient Lathian (or maybe as far back as Proto-Nesic).
* /h/ may not be in the coda position.  Syllable-final /h/ was dropped off in Ancient Lathian and the previous vowel was subsequently lengthened.
 
==Orthography==
==Orthography==
===Alphabet===
===Alphabet===
Line 163: Line 181:
|-
|-
|'''Εε'''
|'''Εε'''
|'''Έφσιλον'''
|'''Έφσιλυν'''
|/e/
|/e/
|-
|-
Line 169: Line 187:
|'''Ζεέτα'''
|'''Ζεέτα'''
|/z/
|/z/
|-
|'''Ηη'''
|'''Ηεέτα'''
|/h/
|-
|-
|'''Θθ'''
|'''Θθ'''
Line 175: Line 197:
|-
|-
|'''Ιι'''
|'''Ιι'''
|'''Ιοότα'''
|'''Ιυύτα'''
|/i/
|/i/
|-
|-
Line 193: Line 215:
|'''Νυυ'''
|'''Νυυ'''
|/n/
|/n/
|-
|'''Οο'''
|'''Όμικρον'''
|/o/
|-
|-
|'''Ππ'''
|'''Ππ'''
Line 203: Line 221:
|-
|-
|'''Ρρ'''
|'''Ρρ'''
|'''Ροο'''
|'''Ρυυ'''
|/r/
|/r/
|-
|-
Line 215: Line 233:
|-
|-
|'''Υυ'''
|'''Υυ'''
|'''Ύφσιλον'''
|'''Ύφσιλυν'''
|/u/
|/u/
|-
|-
Line 227: Line 245:
|-
|-
|}
|}
===Diagraphs===
===Diagraphs===
There following diagraphs are used in Ancient Lathian:
There following diagraphs are used in Ancient Lathian:
Line 241: Line 260:
|'''ιι'''
|'''ιι'''
|/iː/
|/iː/
|-
|'''οο'''
|/oː/
|-
|-
|'''υυ'''
|'''υυ'''
|/uː/
|/uː/
|-
|'''ζζ'''
|/ʒ/
|-
|'''λλ'''
|/ʎ/
|-
|'''νν'''
|/ɲ/
|-
|-
|'''σσ'''
|'''σσ'''
|/ʃ/
|/ʃ/
|-
|'''ζζ'''
|/ʒ/
|-
|-
|}
|}
Any other doubled consonant indicates germination.
Any other doubled consonant indicates germination.
===Diacritics===
===Diacritics===
The only diacritic used in Ancient Lathian is the acute accent (′), which is used to indicate stress.  In a diphthong, the accent in placed on the first vowel (ex. '''''άυμερυ'''''; '''''σμεέικρυ''''').  In a long vowel diagraph, the accent is placed on the second vowel (ex. '''''αρθαά''''').  
The only diacritic used in Ancient Lathian is the acute accent (′), which is used to indicate stress.  In a diphthong, the accent in placed on the first vowel (ex. '''''άυμερυ'''''; '''''σμεέικρυ''''').  In a long vowel diagraph, the accent is placed on the second vowel (ex. '''''αρθαά''''').  
Line 264: Line 287:


====First Declension====
====First Declension====
The first declension consists mainly of feminine and neuter nouns ending in '''-αα''' in the nominative singular, as well as a small number of masculine nouns.
The first declension (called the ''a-stem'' or ''alpha declension'')  comprises the largest class of nouns.  It is derived from both PIE athematic a(eh₂)-stems and o-stems.  The first part of this declension is comprised mainly of feminine nouns with a long alpha (-αα) at the end of the stem.  It also includes a small group of masculine nouns.


{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''First declension'''
! colspan="3" | '''Masculine & Feminine -αα stem'''
|-
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter 
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
|-
! Nominative/Vocative
! Nominative/Vocative
| -αα/-α || -αας
| -αα || -αας
| -αα/-α || -ε
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| -ααμ/-αμ || -αας
| -ααν || -αας
| -ααμ/-αμ || -ε
|-
|-
! Dative
! Dative
| -ααι || -ααις
| -ααι || -ααις
| -ααι || -ααις
|-
|-
! Genitive
! Genitive
| -υνς || -οον
| -αασς || -ααν
| -υνς || -οον
|}
|}


{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''First declension'''
! colspan="5" | '''Masculine & Feminine -αα stem'''
|-
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine: θάλαα (''flower; blossom'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Feminine: θάλαα (''flower; blossom'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter: νιοόμα (''soul; spirit'')   
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine: ταάταα (''daddy; dad'')   
|-  
|-  
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
Line 303: Line 318:
! Nominative/Vocative
! Nominative/Vocative
| θάλαα  || θάλαας
| θάλαα  || θάλαας
| νιοόμα || νιοόμε
| ταάταα || ταάταας
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| θάλααμ || θάλαας
| θάλααν || θάλαας
| νιοόμαμ|| νιοόμε
| ταάτααν|| ταάταας
|-
|-
! Dative
! Dative
| θάλααι || θάλααις
| θάλααι || θάλααις
| νιοόμααι || νιοόααις
| ταάτααι || ταάτααις
|-
! Genitive
| θάλαασς || θάλααν
| ταάταασς || ταάτααν
|}
 
The second part of the first declension is comprised mainly of masculine & neuter nouns with a short alpha (-α) at the end of the stem.  It also includes a small number of feminine nouns.
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="3" | '''Masculine & Feminine -ας stem'''
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural 
|-
! Nominative
| -ας || -αας
|-
! Vocative
| -ε || -αας
|-
! Accusative
| -αν || -αας
|-
! Dative
| -ααι || -αις
|-
! Genitive
| -ασς || -ααν
|}
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''Masculine & Feminine -ας stem'''
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine: δέινας (''day'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Feminine: σάδας (''road; path; way'') 
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
! Nominative
| δέινας  || δέιναας
| σάδας || σάδαας
|-
! Vocative
| δέινε  || δέιναας
| σάδε || σάδαας
|-
! Accusative
| δέιναν || δέιναας
| σάδαν|| σάδαας
|-
! Dative
| δέινααι || δέιναις
| σάδααι || σάδαις
|-
! Genitive
| δέινασς || δέινααν
| σάδασς || σάδααν
|}
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="3" | '''Neuter -αν stem'''
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural 
|-
! Nominative/Vocative/Accusative
| -αν || -αα
|-
! Dative
| -ααι || -αις
|-
|-
! Genitive
! Genitive
| θάλυνς || θάλοον
| -ασς || -ααν
| νιοόμυνς || νιοόμοον
|}
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="3" | '''Neuter -αν stem'''
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter: δαάραμ (''gift'') 
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
! Nominative/Vocative/Accusative
| δαάραν  || δαάραα
|-
! Dative
| δαάρααι || δαάραις
|-
! Genitive
| δαάρασς || δαάρααν
|}
|}


====Second Declension====
====Second Declension====
The second declension consists mainly of masculine and neuter nouns ending in '''-ο''' and '''-υ''' in the nominative singular respectively. It also contains a small group of feminine nouns ending in '''-ο''' in the nominative singular.
The second declension consists of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns with '''-υ''' and '''-ι''' (called the ''upsilun-iuta'' declension) at the end of the stem. It is derived from PIE u-stems and i-stems.


{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''Second declension'''
! colspan="5" | '''-υ stem'''
|-
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! style="width: 200px; " |
Line 330: Line 430:
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
|-
|-
! Nominative/Vocative
! Nominative
| -ο || -οος
| -υσς || -υυς
| -υ || -ε
| -υ || -υα
|-
! Vocative
| -υ || -υυς
| -υ || -υα
|-
! Accusative
| -υν || -υυς
| -υ || -υα
|-
! Dative
| -ει || -υις
| -ει || -υις
|-
! Genitive
| -ευσς || -ααν
| -ευσς || -ααν
|}
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''-υ stem'''
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine: ζένυσς (''cheek'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter: δάρυ (''tree'') 
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
! Nominative
| ζένυσς || ζένυυς
| δάρυ  || δάρυα
|-
! Vocative
| ζένυ || ζένυυς
| δάρυ  || δάρυα
|-
! Accusative
| ζένυν || ζένυυς
| δάρυ  || δάρυα
|-
! Dative
| ζένει || ζένυις
| δάρει  || δάρυις
|-
! Genitive
| ζένευσς || ζένααν
| δάρευσς || δάρααν
|}
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''-ι stem'''
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter 
|-
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
! Nominative
| -ισς || -ιις
| -ι || -ια
|-
! Vocative
| -ι || -ιις
| -ι || -ια
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| -ομ || -οος
| -ιν || -ιις
| -υμ || -ε
| -ι || -ια
|-
|-
! Dative
! Dative
| -οι || -οις
| -εει || -εις
| -οι || -οις
| -εει || -εις
|-
|-
! Genitive
! Genitive
| -υνς || -οον
| -εισς || -ααν
| -υνς || -οον
| -εισς || -ααν
|}
|}


{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 500px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="5" | '''Second declension'''
! colspan="5" | '''-ι stem'''
|-
|-
! style="width: 200px; " |
! style="width: 200px; " |
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine: δέινο (''day'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Masculine & Feminine: φίλισς (''friend'')
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter: μάχυ (''unmarried youth'')   
! colspan="2" style="width: 200px; " | Neuter: μάνι (''neck'')   
|-  
|-  
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
! style="width: 100px;" | Case !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural !! style="width: 100px;" | Singular !! style="width: 100px;" | Plural  
|-
|-
! Nominative/Vocative
! Nominative
| δέινο || δέινοος
| φίλισς || φίλιις
| μάχυ || μάχε
| μάνι  || μάνια
|-
! Vocative
| φίλι || φίλιις
| μάνι || μάνια
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| δέινομ || δέινοος
| φίλιν || φίλιις
| μάχυμ || μάχε
| μάνι || μάνια
|-
|-
! Dative
! Dative
| δέινοι || δέινοις
| φίλεει || φίλεις
| μάχοι || μάχοις
| μάνεει || μάνεις
|-
|-
! Genitive
! Genitive
| δέινυνς || δέινοον
| φίλεισς || φίλααν
| μάχυνς || μάχοον
| μάνεισς || μάνααν
|}
|}


Line 386: Line 554:
|-
|-
! Nominative
! Nominative
| -ε/-cons. || -ες
| -ε/-cons. || -εες
| -ε/-cons. || -ιε
| -ε/-cons. || -ιε
|-
|-
! Vocative
! Vocative
| -ε || -ες
| -ε || -εες
| -ε || -ιε
| -ε || -ιε
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| -εμ || -ες
| -εμ || -εες
| -εμ || -ιε
| -εμ || -ιε
|-
|-
Line 416: Line 584:
|-
|-
! Nominative
! Nominative
|  ρααζ || ραάδες
|  ρααζ || ραάδεες
|  φίλισς || φίλιε
|  φίλισς || φίλιε
|-
|-
! Vocative
! Vocative
| ραάδε || ραάδες
| ραάδε || ραάδεες
| φίλε || φίλιε
| φίλε || φίλιε
|-
|-
! Accusative
! Accusative
| ραάδεμ || ραάδες
| ραάδεμ || ραάδεες
| φίλεμ || φίλιε
| φίλεμ || φίλιε
|-
|-
! Dative
! Dative
| ραάδει || ραάδες
| ραάδει || ραάδεις
| φίλει || φίλεις
| φίλει || φίλεις
|-
|-
Line 460: Line 628:
|}
|}
The genitive pronouns marked with an asterisk (*) are declined in the 1st and 2nd declensions to agree in number and case with the thing possessed.
The genitive pronouns marked with an asterisk (*) are declined in the 1st and 2nd declensions to agree in number and case with the thing possessed.
==Syntax==
==Syntax==


<!-- Example: Word order, qualifiers, determinatives, branching, etc. -->
<!-- Example: Word order, qualifiers, determinatives, branching, etc. -->


[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Nesic languages]]

Latest revision as of 18:37, 5 July 2021

Ancient Lathian
Λάθικαα Láthikā
Pronunciation[ˈlatʰikaː]
Created byAsteria91
EraMid to Late 1st Millennium BCE
Indo-European
  • Nesic
    • Eastern Nesic
      • Ancient Lathian
Early form
Archaic Lathian

Ancient Lathian is the form of Lathian used during the period of time spanning from about the 7th century to the 2nd century BCE in ancient Lathia and other parts of the ancient world. It was predated in the late 2nd millennium and early 1st millennium BCE by Archaic Lathian. It would be later replaced by Gergalic Lathian in the late 1st millennium BCE.


Background

External history

After several attempts, and later deletions, I managed to create my first a posteriori conlang based on Proto-Indo-European. Originally, Lathian was meant to be a substrate language for a Romance conlang I was also working on, but in the end I decided to go ahead only with Lathian, and creating a modern Lathian conlang at some point in the future.

Internal history

Ancient Lathian was the language of the ancient Lathians, an Indo-European people that settled on the island of Lathia in the Mediterranean Sea, between modern day Libya and Greece. It is set in the distant past, beginning in the mid 1st millennium BCE. Before then, an earlier form called Archaic Lathian had been spoken not only in Lathia but also in other parts of the Mediterranean, such as Malta, Sicily, and northern Africa, as part of the Lathian Empire.

After losing a number of its colonies to Greece and Carthage, Lathia and its remaining colonies fell into a period of cultural and economic deterioration, also known as the Lathian Dark Ages, in which the once united kingdom had become a collection of warring city-states. During this time, Greek colonies were also established on the eastern coast of Lathia. After a number of years, however, Lathia managed to regain economic stability, unite its city-states, and take over the Greek colonies on its coasts. Shortly after, a new period of prosperity began in the mid 1st millennium BCE, known as Classical Lathia. During this time, trade with other Mediterranean civilizations, especially Greece, increased.

One of the most important innovations in the development of the Lathian language came from the Greeks: the Lathian Alphabet. Lathians borrowed the Greek alphabet and modified it to suit their language. Before this, Lathian had been written with a system called the Lathic Syllabary. During the dark ages, Archaic Lathian underwent numerous changes, and by the 6th century BCE a new form of Lathian, written with a new alphabet, had emerged.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ̩
Plosive Voiceless p t k
Voiced b d g
Aspirated pʰ tʰ kʰ
Fricative Voiceless s ʃ h
Voiced z ʒ
Trill or Tap r
Approximant Central j w
Lateral l ʎ

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i iː u uː
Mid e eː
Open ä äː

Phonetic Notes

  • /t/, /d/, and /tʰ/ are denti-alveolar.
  • /l/ and /n/ become homorganic to following obstruents.
  • /r/ is prototypically an alveolar tap /ɾ/. It becomes an alveolar trill /r/ word-initially. In the syllable-final position, either a trill or tap could occur with no semantic difference.
  • /s/ and /ʃ/ become voiced before voiced consonants.

Phonotactics

  • Any vowel may end a word, as well as any nasal, liquid, or fricative. If a stop ended a word in PIE, it was dropped in Ancient Lathian (or maybe as far back as Proto-Nesic).
  • /h/ may not be in the coda position. Syllable-final /h/ was dropped off in Ancient Lathian and the previous vowel was subsequently lengthened.

Orthography

Alphabet

Ancient Lathian was written with an adapted version of the Greek Alphabet, which began to appear around the 7th century BCE.

Letter Name IPA
Αα Άλφα /ä/
Ββ Βεέτα /b/
Γγ Γάμμα /g/
Δδ Δέλτα /d/
Εε Έφσιλυν /e/
Ζζ Ζεέτα /z/
Ηη Ηεέτα /h/
Θθ Θεέτα /tʰ/
Ιι Ιυύτα /i/
Κκ Κάππα /k/
Λλ Λάμβδα /l/
Μμ Μυυ /m/
Νν Νυυ /n/
Ππ Πιι /p/
Ρρ Ρυυ /r/
Σσς Σίγμα /s/
Ττ Ταυ /t/
Υυ Ύφσιλυν /u/
Φφ Φιι /pʰ/
Χχ Χιι /kʰ/

Diagraphs

There following diagraphs are used in Ancient Lathian:

Diagraph IPA
αα /äː/
εε /eː/
ιι /iː/
υυ /uː/
ζζ /ʒ/
λλ /ʎ/
νν /ɲ/
σσ /ʃ/

Any other doubled consonant indicates germination.

Diacritics

The only diacritic used in Ancient Lathian is the acute accent (′), which is used to indicate stress. In a diphthong, the accent in placed on the first vowel (ex. άυμερυ; σμεέικρυ). In a long vowel diagraph, the accent is placed on the second vowel (ex. αρθαά).

Grammar

Ancient Lathian grammar, similar to that of other Indo-European languages, is highly inflective, with complex declension and conjugation systems.

Nouns

Lathian nouns have three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter); two numbers (singular & plural); and five cases (nominative, vocative, accusative, dative, genitive). There are three declensions for Lathian nouns:

First Declension

The first declension (called the a-stem or alpha declension) comprises the largest class of nouns. It is derived from both PIE athematic a(eh₂)-stems and o-stems. The first part of this declension is comprised mainly of feminine nouns with a long alpha (-αα) at the end of the stem. It also includes a small group of masculine nouns.

The second part of the first declension is comprised mainly of masculine & neuter nouns with a short alpha (-α) at the end of the stem. It also includes a small number of feminine nouns.

Second Declension

The second declension consists of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns with -υ and -ι (called the upsilun-iuta declension) at the end of the stem. It is derived from PIE u-stems and i-stems.

Third Declension

The third declension consists of nouns of all three genders ending in either a consonant or -ε in the nominative singular. A number of nouns from the third declension have irregular oblique stems.

Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are highly irregular. The dual number inherited from PIE and lost in nouns and adjectives has been preserved in pronouns.

The genitive pronouns marked with an asterisk (*) are declined in the 1st and 2nd declensions to agree in number and case with the thing possessed.

Syntax

Retrieved from "https://linguifex.com/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Lathian&oldid=230211"