Idavic languages: Difference between revisions

From Linguifex
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(232 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
In the [[Verse:Unbegotten|Unbegotten]] timeline, the '''Idavic languages ''' are a family of in-universe conlangs. The family is intended to blend IE, Uralic, Salish, and Semitic phonaesthetics seamlessly.
:[[Idavic languages/Lexicon]]
:[[Idavic languages/Swadesh]]
{{Infobox language family
| setting    = [[Verse:Tricin|Tricin]]
| region      = Etalocin, eastern Txapoalli, Bjeheond
| name        = Idavic
| familycolor = dodellic
| family      = One of [[Tricin]]'s primary language families
| protoname  = Proto-Idavic (PId)
}}
 
'''Idavic''' (from reconstructed Proto-Idavic ''*ʔidawi'' 'person') is a Trician language family which includes Dodellic.
The urheimat is central-western Etalocin. Proto-Idavic is inspired by Proto-Hebrew and Proto-Balto-Slavic.
 
Proto-Idavic grammar was very similar to that of Classical [[Netagin]]. Modern Idavic languages native to Etalocin have various typologies depending on the sprachbund.


==Family tree==
==Family tree==
*Idavic
*Idavic
**[[Shalaic]]
** A language with Uralic grammar
***[[Shalaian]] (Arabo-Salisho-RP)
**Netagic (the only tricons branch)
**[[Netagic]]
***[[Netagin]] (Optimized for piyyutim)
***[[Siaoued]] (Finno-Arabo-Irish)
** Hmoob-like language
***[[Netagin]] (Sami + German)
** [[Whitmer]]
**A branch that uses m- to derive nouns, like Semitic
** [[Pategian]]


==Phonology==
==Phonology==
*Consonants: b d dł j g gʷ p t tł č k kʷ q s ł š h ʔ m n l r w y ʕ
=== Consonants ===
*Vowels: a i u ā ī ū (ə allophonic)
Proto-Idavic had about 28 consonants and had a distinction between front and back coronals and front and back velars.
*Pitch accent: modal ('''á'''), creaky ('''ã''')
** Creaky voice is the source of glottal reinforcement in Shalaian and vowel shifts in Netagin.
**Vowels can only be long in stressed syllables.
===Shalaian diachronics===
*b > v; ɓ > b; g > y, kh, or CL; j > ʒ; ng > ng3 > n3
*Grimm's law: p t č kʷ q > f θ ʃ x H
*q G q' > H ayin q
*further shifts: kʷ' > kʷ > xʷ
*Vowel shifts: ā > ō > /əʊ/, u > /ɒ/, iw > /ju:/
*final -ā -ī shorten to -a -i
*Loss of initial glottal stop, then loss of non-prevocalic /r/
*Historical long vowels (also /ɑː/ from historical /ar/) shorten before /ʕ/


===Phonotactics===
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 500px; "
====Allowed root clusters====
! colspan="2" |
Allowed clusters with no glottal stop:
! |Labial
*mC: mn ml mr my m3 mb md mj mg mp mt mtł ms mł mč mk mkw mq mh
! |Front coronal
*nC: nm nr n3 ny nw nd ndł nj ng nt ntł ns nš nč nk nkw nq nh
! |Back coronal
*lC: lm ln l3 ly lw lb ld lj lg lp lt ls lč lk lkw lq lh
! |Front velar
*rC: rm rn r3 ry rw rb rd rdł rj rg rp rt rł rtł rs rč rk rkw rq rh
! |Labiovelar
*3C: 3m 3n 3l 3r 3y (never initial) 3w 3b 3d 3dł 3j 3g 3p 3t 3s 3ł 3tł 3č 3k 3kw 3q
! |Back velar
*Cm: nm lm rm 3m dm jm gm tm sm šm čm łm tłm km kwm qm hm
! |Glottal
*Cn: mn ln 3n bn dn jn gn pn tn sn šn čn łn tłn kn kwn qn hn
|-
*Cl: ml nl 3l rl bl dl jl fl tl sl šl čl kl kwl ql hl
! colspan="2" |Nasal
*Cr: mr nr għr vr br dr jr pr tr sr šr čr kr kwr qr hr
| |'''m''' /m/
*Cy: my ny ly ry 3y (never initial) by py dy ty sy šy ły dły tły gy ky qy hy
|colspan=2|'''n''' /n̪~n̠/
*Cw: nw 3w dw dłw jw tw tłw sw łw čw qw
|colspan=3|'''ŋ''' /ɲ~ŋ/
*C3: m3 n3 l3 r3 b3 d3 j3 p3 t3 tł3 ł3 s3 š3 č3 k3 kw3 q3
| |
*XX: any cluster of 2 obstruents are allowed, as long as they agree in voicing and are not both dorsal (k, g, kw, gw, q); in addition, s + voiced stop and š + voiced stop
 
==Morphology==
Combine German, Semitic and PIE morphologies
 
Tone changes were part of the morphology of Proto-Idavic. Shalaic retained the Proto-Idavic accent system, while Netagic lost it with a shift to stem-initial stress and a vowel split conditioned by creaky voice.
 
The three genders, the three numbers and the possessive suffixes are Proto-Idavic features. Shalaian added a new alienable-inalienable possession distinction by creating alienable possessive prefixes from genitive pronouns.
===Pronouns===
*independent: lī, dā, kʷā, nikʷī́
*emphatic: *swi-lu, *swi-da, *swi-xʷa, *swi-níkʷi
 
===Root structure===
Idavic roots were consonantal roots similar to PIE and Semitic languages: most roots were biconsonantals C-C or triconsonantals alternating between CVC(ə)C (also called the ''segolate form'') and C(ə)CVC (also called the ''antisegolate form'') by Schwebeablaut.
 
2-letter roots:
*√t-q 'to say' (a source of Shal. ''thaaH'')
*√ʕ-d 'to shine, to show' (source of Shal. ''għeed'' 'bright'; ''għádmer'' 'happiness' comes from a root extension √ʕ-dm)
*√ʕ-n 'high, raised'
 
3-letter roots:
*√qdVb~qVdb 'true'
 
Schwebeablaut alternations work as follows:
*The default state is the CVCC form: ''qidb'' 'to be true'; ''qidbti'' 'loyalty'
*With closed syllable in the prefix the segolate form is used: ''hin·qídb'' 'to verify' → ''li·hinqadb'' 'I verify'
*With open syllable in the prefix the antisegolate form is used: ''ri·qádb'' 'to stay true' → ''li·ríqdab'' 'I stay true'
 
===Ablaut===
There were several ablaut grades:
*zero-grade (CC)
*a-grade (CaC ~ CCa or CaCC ~ CCaC)
*i-grade (CiC ~ CCi or CiCC ~ CCiC)
*u-grade (CuC ~ CCu or CuCC ~ CCuC)
*lengthened grades: ā, ī, ū-grades (intensive? transitive? plural? nominalization? pair up with short grades?)
*creaky voice: causative?
 
Many prefixes and suffixes require certain ablaut grades.
 
====Examples====
√ʕ-d 'to shine'
*Intransitive verbs: ''-ʕad- ~ -ʕid- ~ -ʕd-'' = to shine
*Adjectives: ''ʕīd'' = bright
*Noun:
**''ʕād'' = light
**''ʕā̃d'' = Sun, star? (singulativized collective)
**creaky voice marked singulatives: ''ʕãd'' = ray
*Action or state noun: ''ʕud-ar'' = (state of) shining, brightness
*Deverbal nouns:
*Derived stems:
**''wa·ʕā́d'' = to polish
**''ʕãd-ī́r'' = to illuminate, to show (source of Shal. ''għa'téer'' 'to prove')
**''ʕád-m-ar'' = (root extension) happiness, joy
**''ʕíd-n-ar'' = (root extension) beauty, radiance
 
===Nouns===
TODO: needs a more PIE-like feel; shift accents, lengthen/change root vowels
 
Proto-Idavic had 3 genders: inanimate (i), animate (a), and abstract (h). The abstract gender evolved to serve honorific functions in Shalaian, hence the abbreviation "h".
 
Nouns declined for four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) and three numbers (singular, dual, plural).
 
Idavic nouns could have plurals marked with case suffixes (''weak nouns'') and sometimes with ablaut and/or reduplication and then marked with singular suffixes (''strong nouns''). Broken plurals often developed into lexicalized singular nouns in Shalaian.
 
====Animate====
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align: center;"
|+ ''rū̃sa'' 'dog'
|-
|-
! style="width: 90px;" |  
! rowspan="2" |Plosive
! style="width: 100px;" | Singular
! <small>voiceless</small>
! style="width: 100px;" | Dual
|'''p''' /p/
!  style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|'''t''' /t̪/
|'''ť''' /t&#800;/
|'''ḱ''' /k&#799;/
|'''k{{lab}}''' /k{{lab}}/
|'''k''' /k&#800;/
|'''ʔ''' /ʔ/
|-
|-
!| Nominative
! <small>voiced</small>
| ''rū̃sa'' || ''rū̃sandi'' || ''rusā́n''  
|'''b''' /b/
|'''d''' /d̪/
|'''ď''' /d&#800;/
|'''ǵ''' /g&#799;/
|'''g{{lab}}''' /g{{lab}}/
|'''g''' /g&#800;/
|
|-
|-
!| Accusative
! colspan="2" |Fricative
| ''rū̃say'' || ''rūsandi'' || ''rusī́k''  
|
|'''s''' /s&#799;/
|'''š''' /s̠/
|'''x́''' /x&#799;/
|'''x{{lab}}''' /x{{lab}}/
|'''x''' /x&#800;/
|
|-
|-
!| Dative
! colspan="2" |Affricate
| ''rū̃sam'' || ''???'' || ''rusī́s''  
|
|'''c''' /t&#810;s&#799;/
|'''č''' /t&#800;s̠/
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
!| Genitive
! colspan="2" |Resonant
| ''rū̃sat'' || ''???'' || ''rusā́ka''  
| '''w''' /w/
| '''l''' /l&#810;/
| '''r''' /r/, '''ľ''' /ɺ/
| '''y''' /j/
|
|
|
|}
|}
'''s c''' were lamino-dental, and '''š č''' were retracted apico-alveolar.


====Inanimate====
=== Vowels ===
acc = nom for inanimates and abstracts
Proto-Idavic had a vowel system similar to that of Proto-Balto-Slavic.
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align: center;"
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ ''šármi'' 'stone'
|+Proto-Netagin vowels
|-
|-
! style="width: 90px;" |  
! rowspan="2" |
! style="width: 100px;" | Singular
! colspan="2" |Front
! style="width: 100px;" | Dual
! colspan="2" |Back
!  style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
|-
!| Nominative
! style="width: 45px; " |<small>short</small>
| ''šármi'' || ''šármindi'' || ''šarmā́t''
! style="width: 45px; " |<small>long</small>
! style="width: 45px; " |<small>short</small>
! style="width: 45px; " |<small>long</small>
|-
|-
!| Accusative
! style="" |Close
| ''šármi'' || ''šármindi'' || ''šarmā́t''
| '''i''' /ɪ/
| '''ī''' /i:/
| '''u''' /ʊ/
| '''ū''' /u:/
|-
|-
!| Dative
! style="" |Open
| ''šármin'' || ''???'' || ''šarmī́s''  
| '''e''' /æ/
|-
| '''ē''' /æ:/
!| Genitive
| '''a''' /ɑ/
| ''šármit'' || ''???'' || ''šarmā́ka''  
| '''ā''' /ɑ:/
|}
|}
Diphthongs: ay aw ey ew /ɑj ɑw ɛj ɛw/


====Abstract====
===Suprasegmentals ===
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align: center;"
 
|+ ''ʕídnar'' 'radiance'
==Morphology==
Triconsonantal but only Netagin preserves this
 
Intransitive and transitive forms turn into agent-oriented vs patient oriented in Netagin; most other Idavic languages retain only one of the intransitive and transitive forms.
 
Proto-Idavic had only one true preposition, ''*mi''. Other meanings expressed with prepositions in English were indicated with verbs.
=== Pronouns ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width=500px
!| ||  1sg || 2sg ||  3sg  ||  1pl || 2pl || 3pl
|-
|-
! style="width: 90px;" |  
! Independent
! style="width: 100px;" | Singular
| ''*wēlu'' || ''*wēbu'' || ''-'' || ''*wēći'' || ''*wēnīʔi'' || ''-''
! style="width: 100px;" | Dual
!  style="width: 100px;" | Plural
|-
|-
!| Nominative
! Emphatic
| ''ʕídnari'' || ''ʕídnarandi'' || ''ʕidnā́ri''  
| ''*hanlī'' || ''*hanbā'' || (demonstratives) || ''*hanćā'' || ''*hannīʔi'' || (demonstratives)
|-
|-
!| Accusative
! Alienable
| ''ʕídnari'' || ''ʕídnarandi'' || ''ʕidnā́ri''  
| ''*le-'' || ''*be-'' || ''*ʔin-'' || ''*će-'' || ''*neś-'' || ''*ʔeś-''  
|-
|-
!| Dative
! Inalienable
| ''ʕidnárin'' || ''???'' || ''ʕidnā́rin''  
| ''*-alu'' || ''*-abu'' || ''*-ī'' || ''*-ćā'' || ''*-nīʔi'' || ''*-iś''  
|-
|-
!| Genitive
| ''ʕidnárit'' || ''???'' || ''ʕidnā́rit''
|}
|}


====Possessive suffixes====
=== Nouns ===
Possessive suffixes were added directly to the case form of a noun.
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
 
{|class="bluetable lightbluebg"
! Possessor !! Suffix
|-
! First person singular
| *-li
|-
! Second person singular
| *-di
|-
|-
! Third person singular
!
| *-hī ~ *-sī (his/her)<br/>*-ha ~ *-sa (its)
! colspan=2| decl. A
! colspan=2| decl. B
! colspan=2| decl. D
|-
|-
! First person plural
!
|  *-kʷi
!singular
!plural
!singular
!plural
!singular
!plural
|-
|-
! Second person plural
|align="right"|'''Absolute state'''
| *-nikʷi
|''lēti'' ||''lētāla''
|''{{aleph}}istel'''eḱi''''' ||''{{aleph}}istel'''ahaḱi'''''
||''-īni''||''-ijē''
|-
|-
! Third person plural
|align="right"|'''Construct state'''
| *-hist ~ *-sist
|''lēta-'' ||''lētā-''
|''{{aleph}}istel'''eḱa-''''' ||''{{aleph}}istel'''ahaḱa-'''''
||''-''||''-''
|}
|}


===Adjectives===
=== Verbs ===
Adjectives agreed with nouns in number, gender and case.
Stem markers mainly marked aktionsart:
====Class 1====
* ʔ- dynamic
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align: center;"
** infix allomorphs: (Vcreaky)1 telic, 1V(creaky)l2V3 iterative
|+ ''ʕīd-'' 'bright'
* ŋ- causative
* s-infix: to do in advance
* various reduplications for "a little", gradual, frequentative or "too much"
 
{| class="wikitable " style=" text-align: center;"
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width: 90px;" |
! Stem !! Intransitive !! Transitive !! Applicative !! Transgressive !! Verbal noun
! colspan="3" | singular
! colspan="3" | plural
|-
|-
!animate
! a-stem
!inanimate
| ''*1i2a3'' || ''*-(e)12a3'' || ''*-1in2a3'' || ''*1a2ā3'' || ''*1a2ī3i'', ''*1e2ī3i''
!abstract
!animate
!inanimate
!abstract
|-
|-
! Nominative
! e-stem
| ''ʕī́da'' || ''ʕī́di'' || ''ʕī́dar'' || ''ʕidā́n'' || ''ʕidā́'' || ''ʕidā́ri''  
| ''*1a2e3'' || ''*-12e3'' || ''*-1in2e3'' || ''*ʔa1e2ā3'' || ''*12e3eḱi''
|-
|-
! Accusative
! ʔ-prefix stem
| ''ʕī́day'' || ''ʕī́di'' || ''ʕī́dari'' || ''ʕidī́'' || ''ʕīdā́ka'' || ''ʕīdā́ri''  
| ''*ʔa12e3'' || ''*-ʔa12u3'' || ''*-ʔi1en2i3'' || ''*ʔa12ā3'' || ''*ʔa12ē3i''
|-
|-
! Dative
! {{ng}}-prefix stem
| ''ʕī́dam'' || ''ʕī́din'' || ''ʕī́darin'' || ''ʕidī́s'' || ''ʕidī́s'' || ''ʕidā́rin''
| ''*{{ng}}a12e3'' || ''*-ŋ1a2u3'' || ''*-{{ng}}1in2i3'' || ''*{{ng}}a12ā3'' || ''*12ū3eḱi''
|-
|-
! Genitive
! š-infix stem
| ''ʕī́dat'' || ''ʕī́dit'' || ''ʕī́darit'' || ''ʕidā́ka'' || ''ʕidā́ka'' || ''ʕidā́rit''
| ''*1aš2e3'' || ''*-1aš2u3'' || ''*-1išin2o3'' || ''*1aš2ā3'' || ''*1aš2ē3i''
|}
====Class 2====
Broken plurals; no gender distinction in plural
 
===Verbs===
Verbs had the following forms:
*imperative
*imperfect (either nonpast or imperfective aspect)
*past participle
*infinitive or verbal noun
*mi-infinitive (analogous to the German zu-infinitive)
*mi-participle (analogous to the German zu-participle)
Verbs were not inflected for person.
====Paradigms====
There were two regular classes of verbs, strong and weak verbs, much like strong and weak verbs in Germanic. Note: The infinitive was formed in a variety of ways.
 
{|class="bluetable lightbluebg"
! !! weak-unprefixed !! weak with separable prefix !! strong-unprefixed !! strong with separable prefix
|-
|-
! imperative
! ʔ-infix stem
| ''kadī́r! ''||'' kadī́r čal! ''||'' ʔakʷ! ''||'' ʔakʷ nuš!''
| ''*1aʔ2e3'' || ''*-1aʔ2u3'' || ''*-1iʔin2i3'' || ''*1aʔ2ā3'' || ''*te1aʔ2e3i''
|-
|-
! imperfect
! 2-redup
| ''kadī́rik ''||'' čal·kadī́r ''||'' ʔákʷik ''||'' nuš·ʔákʷ''
| ''*21a2e3'' || ''*-2a12u3'' || ''*-21in2u3'' || ''*21a2ā3'' || ''*21a23eḱi''
|-
|-
! active participle
! 3-redup
| ''kadī́riškʷ- ''||'' čal·kadī́riškʷ- ''||'' ʔákʷiškʷ- ''||'' nuš·ʔákʷiškʷ-''
| ''*1i2a3e3'' || ''*-1a23u3'' || ''*-1in2i3u3'' || ''*1a2a3ā3'' || ''*12a3ē3i''
|-
|-
! passive participle
! 13-redup
| ''ʔa·kadirī́n- ''||'' čálʔa·kadirī́n- ''||''ʔa·ʔúkʷč- ''||''núšʔa·ʔúkʷč-''
| ''*1i31a2e3'' || ''*-1i3a12u3'' || ''*-1i31in2u3'' || ''*1i31a2ā3'' || ''*1i31a2ē3''
|-
! infinitive
| ''kadī́rti ''||'' čálkadirti ''||'' ʔā́kʷi~ʔãkʷi~ʔā̃kʷi~ʔíkʷi  ''||'' núšʔakʷi, núšʔəkʷi, etc.''
|-
! mi-infinitive
| ''mi·kadī́rti ''||'' čálmikadirti ''||'' mi·ʔā́kʷi~mi·ʔãkʷi~mi·ʔā̃kʷi ''||'' núšmiʔakʷi, núšʔəkʷi, etc.''
|-
! mi-participle
| ''mi·kadī́riškʷ- ''||'' čálmikadiriškʷ- ''||''mi·ʔákʷiškʷ- ''||'' núšmiʔakʷiškʷ-''
|}
|}


====Auxiliaries====
===Derivation===
Auxiliaries conjugated in imperfect and preterite tenses, in addition to the usual verb forms.
* Noun patterns: ''1a23, 1i23, 1u23, 1a22ū3, 1a2a3, 1a2i2, 1a2u3, ŋa12ū3, 1ā2a3, 1ī2a3, 1ī2ī3, 1ī2ū3''
*''man-'': 'to have' = haben
* ''1aʔ2ū3'' = adjective relating to personal qualities
*''hī-'', ''hā-'': 'to be' = sein
*''ʔe12ā3'' = agent noun
*''łar-'': 'to become' = werden
*''1iʔ2i3'' = resultatives
 
*''1aʔ2e3'' = tendency/quality of X
need modals
*''1iʔ2a3'' = degree/measure
*''-ām'' = augmentative (source of -om in Naeng and Eevo)
*''-ān'' = abstract noun, collective
*''1a2ī3'' = quality adjective
*''1u2a3'' = resultative adjective
*''1e2ā3'' = event
*''śi12ū3'' = event
*''tawa12a3''
*''śi12a3/śi12i3'' = instrument
*''wa12ē3/wa12ī3'' = profession
*''ti12a3/ti12e3'' = process
*''wa12ū3'' = patient noun
*''wa12ā3'' = resultative noun


==Syntax==
==Syntax==
Lifted from German: V2, SAuxOV, verb final in subordinate clauses
Proto-Idavic was rigidly head-initial with a morphosyntax similar to Lushootseed or Austronesian. Most present-day Idavic languages (except Netagin) are less head-initial.
 
==Derivation==
Proto-Idavic had an extensive array of derivational affixes.
 
Root extensions: suffixes


*Creaky voice marked intensive or transitive verbs like the Semitic geminate binyan
[[Category:Language families]]
*''-ay'' (h): deverbal noun
*With prefixed verbs, the stress shift derives verbal nouns: *ri·kʷā́n 'to rest' → ·ríkʷan 'rest'. This is the source of some infinitives being marked with stress shifts in [[Shalaian]] (''riwháin, ríwhain'' 'sleep').
*''-gʷid'' (i): augmentative; derives nouns
*''-t'' (i): verbal noun, resultative
*''-aʕ'' (a): agentive
*''-ī́r'': causative verbs
*''-áy'': causative, change of state
*''-ā́l'': transitive or causative verbs
*''dan-'': applicative, like German ''be-''
*''tar-'': frequentative
*''nar-'': telic
*''šū-'': mis-, over-
*''ur-'': causative, change of state
*''rī-'': detransitivizer, passive
Todo:
*instrument nouns
*graduative
*separable prefixes

Revision as of 20:21, 3 November 2022

Idavic languages/Lexicon
Idavic languages/Swadesh
Idavic
Created by
Geographic
distribution
Etalocin, eastern Txapoalli, Bjeheond
Linguistic classificationOne of Tricin's primary language families
Proto-languageProto-Idavic (PId)

Idavic (from reconstructed Proto-Idavic *ʔidawi 'person') is a Trician language family which includes Dodellic. The urheimat is central-western Etalocin. Proto-Idavic is inspired by Proto-Hebrew and Proto-Balto-Slavic.

Proto-Idavic grammar was very similar to that of Classical Netagin. Modern Idavic languages native to Etalocin have various typologies depending on the sprachbund.

Family tree

  • Idavic
    • A language with Uralic grammar
    • Netagic (the only tricons branch)
    • Hmoob-like language
    • Whitmer
    • Pategian

Phonology

Consonants

Proto-Idavic had about 28 consonants and had a distinction between front and back coronals and front and back velars.

Labial Front coronal Back coronal Front velar Labiovelar Back velar Glottal
Nasal m /m/ n /n̪~n̠/ ŋ /ɲ~ŋ/
Plosive voiceless p /p/ t /t̪/ ť /t̠/ /k̟/ /kʷ/ k /k̠/ ʔ /ʔ/
voiced b /b/ d /d̪/ ď /d̠/ ǵ /g̟/ /gʷ/ g /g̠/
Fricative s /s̟/ š /s̠/ /x̟/ /xʷ/ x /x̠/
Affricate c /t̪s̟/ č /t̠s̠/
Resonant w /w/ l /l̪/ r /r/, ľ /ɺ/ y /j/

s c were lamino-dental, and š č were retracted apico-alveolar.

Vowels

Proto-Idavic had a vowel system similar to that of Proto-Balto-Slavic.

Proto-Netagin vowels
Front Back
short long short long
Close i /ɪ/ ī /i:/ u /ʊ/ ū /u:/
Open e /æ/ ē /æ:/ a /ɑ/ ā /ɑ:/

Diphthongs: ay aw ey ew /ɑj ɑw ɛj ɛw/

Suprasegmentals

Morphology

Triconsonantal but only Netagin preserves this

Intransitive and transitive forms turn into agent-oriented vs patient oriented in Netagin; most other Idavic languages retain only one of the intransitive and transitive forms.

Proto-Idavic had only one true preposition, *mi. Other meanings expressed with prepositions in English were indicated with verbs.

Pronouns

1sg 2sg 3sg 1pl 2pl 3pl
Independent *wēlu *wēbu - *wēći *wēnīʔi -
Emphatic *hanlī *hanbā (demonstratives) *hanćā *hannīʔi (demonstratives)
Alienable *le- *be- *ʔin- *će- *neś- *ʔeś-
Inalienable *-alu *-abu *-ī *-ćā *-nīʔi *-iś

Nouns

decl. A decl. B decl. D
singular plural singular plural singular plural
Absolute state lēti lētāla ʔisteleḱi ʔistelahaḱi -īni -ijē
Construct state lēta- lētā- ʔisteleḱa- ʔistelahaḱa- - -

Verbs

Stem markers mainly marked aktionsart:

  • ʔ- dynamic
    • infix allomorphs: (Vcreaky)1 telic, 1V(creaky)l2V3 iterative
  • ŋ- causative
  • s-infix: to do in advance
  • various reduplications for "a little", gradual, frequentative or "too much"
Stem Intransitive Transitive Applicative Transgressive Verbal noun
a-stem *1i2a3 *-(e)12a3 *-1in2a3 *1a2ā3 *1a2ī3i, *1e2ī3i
e-stem *1a2e3 *-12e3 *-1in2e3 *ʔa1e2ā3 *12e3eḱi
ʔ-prefix stem *ʔa12e3 *-ʔa12u3 *-ʔi1en2i3 *ʔa12ā3 *ʔa12ē3i
ŋ-prefix stem *ŋa12e3 *-ŋ1a2u3 *-ŋ1in2i3 *ŋa12ā3 *12ū3eḱi
š-infix stem *1aš2e3 *-1aš2u3 *-1išin2o3 *1aš2ā3 *1aš2ē3i
ʔ-infix stem *1aʔ2e3 *-1aʔ2u3 *-1iʔin2i3 *1aʔ2ā3 *te1aʔ2e3i
2-redup *21a2e3 *-2a12u3 *-21in2u3 *21a2ā3 *21a23eḱi
3-redup *1i2a3e3 *-1a23u3 *-1in2i3u3 *1a2a3ā3 *12a3ē3i
13-redup *1i31a2e3 *-1i3a12u3 *-1i31in2u3 *1i31a2ā3 *1i31a2ē3

Derivation

  • Noun patterns: 1a23, 1i23, 1u23, 1a22ū3, 1a2a3, 1a2i2, 1a2u3, ŋa12ū3, 1ā2a3, 1ī2a3, 1ī2ī3, 1ī2ū3
  • 1aʔ2ū3 = adjective relating to personal qualities
  • ʔe12ā3 = agent noun
  • 1iʔ2i3 = resultatives
  • 1aʔ2e3 = tendency/quality of X
  • 1iʔ2a3 = degree/measure
  • -ām = augmentative (source of -om in Naeng and Eevo)
  • -ān = abstract noun, collective
  • 1a2ī3 = quality adjective
  • 1u2a3 = resultative adjective
  • 1e2ā3 = event
  • śi12ū3 = event
  • tawa12a3
  • śi12a3/śi12i3 = instrument
  • wa12ē3/wa12ī3 = profession
  • ti12a3/ti12e3 = process
  • wa12ū3 = patient noun
  • wa12ā3 = resultative noun

Syntax

Proto-Idavic was rigidly head-initial with a morphosyntax similar to Lushootseed or Austronesian. Most present-day Idavic languages (except Netagin) are less head-initial.