Řeuŋnie: Difference between revisions

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'''Ouřefr''' /ˈəʊrɛfə/ (''Ouřefŕnie cítnŕ'' /əʊrɛfɐːɲeː tsijʔtnɐː/) is an [[Idavic]] language belonging to the Nabŋaic branch. It is inspired by Czech, Dutch, Cantonese, and Japanese (but mainly by the first two). It is the most widely spoken Nabŋaic language and is related to [[Nabbrzé]], which is the Mandarin/Russian counterpart.
'''Řeuŋnie''' is an a priori conlang inspired by Czech, Dutch, and Cantonese.


Ouřefr is native to the island nation of [[Tumhan]] (''Tumhaŋ''), where it evolved in isolation from other Nabŋaic languages, and is also official in the large continental country of Lo'eďeu, and thus has some accentual variation.
==todo==
Oebek oebek chál etjewech 'we have a lot of mountains'


Ouřefr has loans from the classical language [[Netagin]], a fellow Idavic language.
Classical Ouřefr was less agglutinative and more fusional; it also had freer word order, whereas Modern Ouřefr is strictly SOV and head-final.
==todo==
===Words===
===Words===
''euj'' = (literary) lo, behold
* 1: mál, 2: sep, 3: gej, 4: ádoš, 5: woez, 6: veunt, 7: ilem, 8: leuč, 9: mutj, 10: báj
* ''euj'' = (literary) lo, behold
* ''čeudj'' 'town'
* oebek oebek = (ideo) plentiful
* uistř 'self'
* uistřeft  'independence'
* beukĺ 'to repeat on a smaller scale'
* čétijn 'always'
* wachop = to approach
* wach- = near


===Diachronics===
===Diachronics===
Line 15: Line 20:
#Czech-like depalatalization and hard/soft vowel splits
#Czech-like depalatalization and hard/soft vowel splits
#Palatalization-dependent GVS, then another depalatalization?
#Palatalization-dependent GVS, then another depalatalization?
#Old Ouřefr ć dź ś ź merge into c z s z
#Old Řeuŋnie ć dź ś ź merge into c z s z
#n- > l- (unless assimilating)
#n- > l- (unless assimilating)


==Test==
==Test==
''Woeŋanies uistřivt melouk lo vahrádyvijŋ, ar mezryz woþmyce bacirňr řeunie aš ŋávej těmzánisie. Evloedr wie doezanejne hář, po ryhoteuŋ.''
''Woeŋanies uistřeft melouk lo vahrádyvijŋ, ar mezryz wodmyce bacirnje řeunie aš ŋávej tjemzánisie. Evloedr wie doezanejne hář, po ryhoteuŋ.''


==Phonology==
==Phonology==
Line 27: Line 32:
! colspan="2" scope="row"|
! colspan="2" scope="row"|
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Labial
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Labial
! scope="col"|Dental
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Alveolar
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Alveolar
! colspan="2"  scope="col"|Palatal(ized)
! colspan="2"  scope="col"|Palatal(ized)
Line 34: Line 38:
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Nasal
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Nasal
| colspan="2"|'''m''' /m/
| colspan="2"|'''m''' /m/
|
| colspan="2"|'''n''' /n/
| colspan="2"|'''n''' /n/
| colspan="2"|'''nj''' /ɲ/
| colspan="2"|'''nj''' /ɲ/
Line 42: Line 45:
|'''p''' /p/
|'''p''' /p/
|'''b''' /b/
|'''b''' /b/
|
|'''t''' /t/
|'''t''' /t/
|'''d''' /d/
|'''d''' /d/
Line 48: Line 50:
|'''dj''' /ɟ/
|'''dj''' /ɟ/
|'''k''' /k/
|'''k''' /k/
|'''g''' /g/
|
|-
|-
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Fricative
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Fricative
|'''f''' /f/
|'''f''' /f/
|'''v''' /v/
|'''v''' /v/
|'''þ''' /θ/
|'''s, š''' /s/
|'''s, š''' /s/
|'''z, ž''' /z/
|'''z, ž''' /z/
| ||
| ||
|'''ch''' /x/
|'''ch''' /x/
|
|'''g''' /{{gh}}/
|-
|-
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Affricate
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Affricate
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
|
|'''c, č''' /ts/
|'''c, č''' /ts/
|
|
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! colspan="2" scope="row"|Flap
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Flap
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|'''r''' /ɾ/
| colspan="2"|'''r''' /ɾ/
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
Line 77: Line 76:
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Trill
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Trill
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|'''ř''' /r~r̥/
| colspan="2"|'''ř''' /r~r̥/
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
Line 83: Line 81:
|-
|-
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Approximant
! colspan="2" scope="row"|Approximant
| colspan="2"|'''w''' /β/
| colspan="2"|'''w''' /(Dutch w)/
|
| colspan="2"|'''l''' /l~ɫ/
| colspan="2"|'''l''' /l~ɫ/
| colspan="2"|'''j''' /j/
| colspan="2"|'''j''' /j/
|
|
|}
|}
Word-initial '''h''' is silent; ''' ' ''' is always silent (with no effect on pitch).
'''m n ŋ l''' can be syllabic; when syllabic they are written '''ḿ ń ŋ́ ĺ''' and have the same length as long vowels.
 
'''m n ŋ''' can be syllabic; when syllabic they are written '''ḿ ń ŋ́''' and have the same length as long vowels.


Voiceless stops are unaspirated as in Dutch and Czech.
Voiceless stops are unaspirated as in Dutch and Czech.
Line 100: Line 97:
/l/ has the same l~ɫ allophony as in RP; vocalization of dark L to [w] possible
/l/ has the same l~ɫ allophony as in RP; vocalization of dark L to [w] possible


Realizing /c ɟ ɳ/ as [tʲ dʲ nʲ] is a feature of sung Ouřefr.
In the Oeljanian accent, '''r''' is always a tap [ɾ]. In the Lo'edjeuan accent, '''r''' can be uvular.
 
In the Ouřefian accent, '''r''' is always a tap [ɾ]. In the Lo'edjeuan accent, '''r''' can be a voiced trill.
 
In the Ouřefian accent, '''ř''' is realized as a voiceless trill [r̥] in voiceless environments (word-finally and adjacent to a voiceless consonant). In the Lo'edjeuan accent, '''ř''' is always voiceless [r̥]. In dialects, '''ř''' is variously pronounced like [r̝] (the Czech ''ř''), [ʐ], [ʂ], [ʒ], [ʃ], or [ð], or merges with '''r'''.


In stylized or archaizing registers, '''ř''', '''h''' and ''' ' ''' are still pronounced as [r̝ ʕ ʔ].
In the Oeljanian accent, '''ř''' is realized as a voiceless trill [r̥] in voiceless environments (word-finally and adjacent to a voiceless consonant). In the Lo'edjeuan accent, '''ř''' is always voiceless [r̥]. In dialects, '''ř''' is variously pronounced like [r̝] (the Czech ''ř''), [ʐ], [ʂ], [ʒ], [ʃ], or [ð], or merges with '''r'''.
====Notes on consonant diachronics====
====Notes on consonant diachronics====
Like Nabbrzé, Ouřefr shows debuccalization of Proto-Nabŋaic *g to '''h''' /ʕ/; compare Dutch and Czech. Proto-Nabŋaic *b has shifted to '''v''' while it stayed as /b/ in Nabbrzé. /p b g/ are loan phonemes.
Řeuŋnie shows debuccalization of Proto-Idavic *g to '''h''' /ʕ/; compare Dutch, Czech and Ukrainian. Proto-Nabŋaic *b has shifted to '''v'''. /p b g/ are loan phonemes.


Proto-Nabŋaic *ɬ has shifted to '''þ''' /θ~ð/.
Proto-Idavic *ť ď has shifted to '''*č dž''' > '''c z'''.
 
Proto-Nabŋaic *ť ď has shifted to '''c z'''.


===Vowels===
===Vowels===
The spelling of Ouřefr vowels reflects a shift similar to the Great Vowel Shift (cf. Common Czech and Dutch), which also affects loanwords borrowed before the shift, such as most Netagin loans in Ouřefr.
The spelling of Řeuŋnie vowels reflects a shift similar to the Great Vowel Shift (cf. Common Czech and Dutch), which also affects loanwords borrowed before the shift, such as most Netagin loans in Řeuŋnie.


'''a e/je i/y o u á é í/ý ó ú ae eu/ui ie oe ou ŕ''' /ɐ ɛ ɪ ɔ ɵ ɒː ɛː ɛɪ~ɪj ɒː yː~ʉː ae œː ɪː oː~uː əʊ~əʏ ɜː/
'''a e/je i/y o u á é ij/ei ó ú eu/ui ie oe ou ŕ''' /ɐ ɛ ɪ ɔ ɵ aː ɛː ɛɪ~ɪj aː yː~ʉː œː ɪː oː~uː əʊ~əʏ ɜː/


Closer allophones [ɪj~eɪ] of /ɛɪ/ are more common after palatals /c ɟ ɲ/.
Closer allophones [ɪj~eɪ] of /ɛɪ/ are more common after palatals /c ɟ ɲ/.
Line 127: Line 118:


====Notes on vowel diachronics====
====Notes on vowel diachronics====
Ouřefr has lost Proto-Nabŋaic vowel length. Pre-Proto-Nabŋaic i u e a ī ū ē ā become e o e a i y ě o when not lengthened. Unlike in Nabbrzé, some vowel devoicing has occurred (cf. Japanese), which gave Ouřefr more consonant clusters.
Řeuŋnie has lost Proto-Nabŋaic vowel length. Pre-Proto-Nabŋaic i u e a ī ū ē ā become e o e a i y ě o when not lengthened. Some vowel devoicing has occurred (cf. Japanese), which gave Řeuŋnie more consonant clusters.


Long vowels result from open-syllable lengthening (OSL): **čettijn > *četijn; **četijn > *čétijn. OSL occurred before the devoicing, making the Ourefr distribution of long vowels somewhat similar to Czech.
Long vowels result from open-syllable lengthening (OSL): **čettijn > *četijn; **četijn > *čétijn. OSL occurred before the devoicing, making the Ourefr distribution of long vowels somewhat similar to Czech.


Modern '''ie ý/í oe ú''' result from older 'ää ý/í ó ú. Old Ouřefr u, ú has shifted to i, ij after soft consonants ''j č ž š ň *ľ ř''.
Modern '''ie ý/í oe ú''' result from older 'ää ý/í ó ú. Old Řeuŋnie u, ú has shifted to i, ij after soft consonants ''j č ž š ň *ľ ř''.


Palatalizing '''eu''' /œː/ is common in native words. Common sources are:
Palatalizing '''eu''' /œː/ is common in native words. Common sources are:
*Old Ouřefr /æː/ before velars or /l/: for example, ''řeuŋ'' /rœːŋ/ 'wind' comes from Old Ouřefr ''řa̋ŋ'' < PNab ''*rěŋu'' < PId ''*rēŋu''.
*Old Řeuŋnie /æː/ before velars or /l/: for example, ''řeuŋ'' /rœːŋ/ 'wind' comes from Old Řeuŋnie ''řa̋ŋ'' < PNab ''*rěŋu'' < PId ''*renwi''.
*Old Ouřefr long /juː/, coming from PId /ew/ or /iw/.
*Old Řeuŋnie long /juː/, coming from PId /ew/ or /iw/.
Non-palatalizing '''ui''' /œː/ comes mostly from historical ''*ujV'' or loanwords.
Non-palatalizing '''ui''' /œː/ comes mostly from historical ''*ujV'' or loanwords.


Most speakers today are in the process of merging /ɜː/ into '''á''' /aː/.
Most speakers today are in the process of merging /ɜː/ into '''á''' /aː/.


As suggested by the spelling, '''ŕ''' /ɜː/ comes from syllabic ''r''; they are cognate to Nabbrzé ''-arz/-árz''.
As suggested by the spelling, '''ŕ''' /ɜː/ comes from syllabic ''r''.
 
'''ae''' mostly comes from historical ''aje'' or ''awe''.


===Downstep===
===Downstep===
Ouřefr has pitch accent. Non-initial '''h''' (historically /ɦ/, from earlier /g/) is realized as suprasegmental pharyngealization which acts on a syllable level: vowels in affected syllables are lengthened, lowered, and pharyngealized, and the syllable gains a downstep. On the other hand, ''' ' ''' (historically /ʔ/) in the same position would indicate lack of a downstep. For example,  
Řeuŋnie has pitch accent. Non-initial '''h''' (historically /ʕ/, from earlier /g/) is realized as suprasegmental pharyngealization which acts on a syllable level: vowels in affected syllables are lengthened, lowered, and pharyngealized, and the syllable gains a downstep. On the other hand, ''' ' ''' (historically /ʔ/) in the same position would indicate lack of a downstep. For example,  
*Vh# or VhC indicates [+phar]ꜜ: ''ftoh'' /ftoꜜ/ 'riverbank; coast' is read as [ftɔː], but the genitive/dative sg. ''ftohy'' /ftɔˤːꜜɪ/ is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːɪ̀], and ''ftohta'' (instrumental/locative plural) is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːtà].
*Vh# or VhC indicates [+phar]ꜜ: ''ftoh'' /ftoꜜ/ 'riverbank; coast' is read as [ftɔː], but the genitive/dative sg. ''ftohy'' /ftɔˤːꜜɪ/ is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːɪ̀], and ''ftohta'' (instrumental/locative plural) is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːtà].
*VhV indicates V[+phar]ꜜV: ''ksaha'' /ksaꜜa/ 'stranger' is read as [ksâː], and the genitive sg. ''ksah'' /ksaꜜ/ is pronounced [ksǎː].
*VhV indicates V[+phar]ꜜV: ''ksaha'' /ksaꜜa/ 'stranger' is read as [ksâː], and the genitive sg. ''ksah'' /ksaꜜ/ is pronounced [ksǎː].


'''h''' also removes falling components from preceding diphthongs: '''aeh ouh ýh''' are pronounced [aːꜜ œːꜜ ɛːꜜ].
'''h''' also removes falling components from preceding diphthongs: '''ouh ijh/eih''' are pronounced [œːꜜ ɛːꜜ].
 
===Historically hard-soft vowel pairs===
===Historically hard-soft vowel pairs===
*hard y ~ soft i
*hard y ~ soft i
*hard u ~ soft i
*hard u ~ soft i
*hard a ~ soft ě
*hard a ~ soft ě
*hard ý ~ soft í
*hard ei ~ soft ij
*hard á ~ soft ie/eu
*hard á ~ soft ie/eu
*hard ou ~ soft eu
*hard ou ~ soft eu
*hard ui ~ soft eu
*hard ui ~ soft eu
*hard oe ~ soft ie
*hard oe ~ soft ie
*hard ú ~ soft í
*hard ú ~ soft ij


Long vowels result from OSL ćettijn > cetijn; ćetijn > cétijn
Long vowels result from OSL ćettijn > cetijn; ćetijn > cétijn
==Morphology==
Inflectional morphology is Slavic and Germanic-inspired; clitics and syntax are Japanese-inspired
===Nouns===
Ouřefr nouns are classified into two genders: animate and inanimate, and they inflect for case. Similarly to Slavic languages, the case affixes are fusional, encoding both case and number.
The inflectional cases are as follows. Other grammatical relations are expressed using postpositions and clitics.
*nominative (Japanese ''ga'')
*accusative (Japanese ''wo'')
*genitive (Japanese ''no'')
*dative (Japanese ''ni'')
*allative (Japanese ''e'')
*comitative/"and" (Japanese ''to'')
*instrumental/locative (Japanese ''de'')
====Declension classes====
The declension classes are:
*''-a'' declension (usually animate)
*''-e'' declension (usually animate)
*''-aw/-ui-'' (verbal nouns)
*hard consonant declension (usually inanimate)
*soft consonant declension (usually inanimate, but default for loans ending in a consonant)
*Inanimate vowel nouns/-h declension (default for loans ending in a vowel; historically nouns ending in -g)
*''-ŕ'' declension
*''-ýn/-ín'' declension (adjectival noun)
*''-é/-ie'' declension (adjectival noun)
There are more declension classes than in related languages such as [[Nabbrzé]]; this is because of vowel changes after soft consonants and subsequent depalatalization.
eřecha (a) 'bear'
*nom: eřecha, eřechu
*acc: eřeše, eřechý
*gen: eřech, eřechý
*dat: eřechy, eřechas
*all: eřechet, eřechas
*ins/loc: eřešel, eřechaþa
*com: eřechuf, eřechaf
roustje (a) 'puppy'
*nom: roustje, rousti
*acc: rousti, roustí
*gen: roustj, roustí
*dat: rousti, roustjes
*all: roustet, roustjes
*ins/loc: roustil, roustjeþa
*com: roustif, roustíf
loef (i) 'bridge'
*nom = acc: l'''oe'''f, lofa
*gen: lofy, lofý
*dat: lofy, l'''oe'''fs
*all: lofet, l'''oe'''fs
*ins/loc: lofel, l'''oe'''fþa
*com: lofyf, lofýf
hŕþoh "corner"
*nom = acc: hŕþoh, hŕþoha
*gen: hŕþoj, hŕþojí
*dat: hŕþoj, hŕþós
*all: hŕþót, hŕþós
*ins/loc: hŕþojel, hŕþóþa
*com: hŕþojf, hŕþojíf
ksúv (i) 'tool':
*nom = acc: ksúv, ksúve
*gen: ksúvi, ksúví
*dat: ksúvi, ksúvs
*all: ksúvet, ksúvs
*ins/loc: ksúvil, ksúvþa
*com: ksúvif, ksúvíf
wecsaw (i) 'action'
*nom = acc: wecsaw, wecsui
*gen: wecsui, wecsají (pronounced like "wecsaji")
*dat: wecsui, wecsuis
*all: wecsuit, wecsuis
*ins/loc: wecsuil, wecsuiþa
*com: wecsuif, wecsuif/wecsajíf (pronounced like "wecsajif")
===Pronouns===
Rank pronouns.
===Verbs and adjectives===
''vej-'' for negation; generally like Korean, except verbs also inflect for the animacy of the subject and object. (Inverse marking?)
get hard and soft allo-stems (cf. different "theme vowels" for Japanese verb forms)
Conjugation classes:
*"godan" verbs
*"ichdan" verbs
*"nidan" verbs
*irregular: "to do" (added to foreign words to verb them)
*irregular: "to be (copula)"
*irregular: "to exist"
===Clitics===
Topic particle ''na''
===Numerals===
===Derivational morphology===
====Native====
*''-oelie'' '-ess'
*''-(y)tj/-(i)tj/-tje'' diminutive
*''-ech/-ch'' verbal noun
*''-vŕ'' patient
*''-fa'' agent
*''-koek'' instrument
*''-ář'' diminutive
*''-yCe/-iCe'' (C = redup) diminutive; not very productive
*''-ngoeh'' abstract noun
*''-myc'' (soft) abstract noun
====Borrowed====


==Syntax==
==Syntax==
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==Poetry==
==Poetry==
Poetic forms are influenced by [[Netagin]]; piyyut-like rhyming (i.e. last syllables agree) is the most common way to rhyme two words.
Piyyut-like rhyming (i.e. last syllables agree) is the most common way to rhyme two words.


==Sample text==
==Sample text==
===UDHR===
===UDHR===
''Tkanje ḿbeuku na héčti kfa botsínae vo, oedḿŋo'il ze wakŕvil páčta navŕsínaes. Ḿbeuký na toudžḿnil rachúbiníl ze mačídil sfáším vo, iezoer oŋužeuv lama jŕmi ŋ́kru-teuzimi wášil wecsáš hoezách mienis.''
''Tkanje beušij na hiečti kfa botsijné vo, oedḿŋo'il ze wakŕvil páčta navŕsijnéc. Beušij na toudžḿnil rachúbinil ze mačijdil sfášijm vo, iezoer oŋužeuv lama dŕmi ŋ́ku-teuzimi wášil wecsáš hoezách mienic.''


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

Revision as of 01:40, 28 March 2024

Řeuŋnie is an a priori conlang inspired by Czech, Dutch, and Cantonese.

todo

Oebek oebek chál etjewech 'we have a lot of mountains'

Words

  • 1: mál, 2: sep, 3: gej, 4: ádoš, 5: woez, 6: veunt, 7: ilem, 8: leuč, 9: mutj, 10: báj
  • euj = (literary) lo, behold
  • čeudj 'town'
  • oebek oebek = (ideo) plentiful
  • uistř 'self'
  • uistřeft 'independence'
  • beukĺ 'to repeat on a smaller scale'
  • čétijn 'always'
  • wachop = to approach
  • wach- = near

Diachronics

  1. OSL
  2. Czech-like depalatalization and hard/soft vowel splits
  3. Palatalization-dependent GVS, then another depalatalization?
  4. Old Řeuŋnie ć dź ś ź merge into c z s z
  5. n- > l- (unless assimilating)

Test

Woeŋanies uistřeft melouk lo vahrádyvijŋ, ar mezryz wodmyce bacirnje řeunie aš ŋávej tjemzánisie. Evloedr wie doezanejne hář, po ryhoteuŋ.

Phonology

"Czech with more vowels and simpler phonotactics" or "Play up the Dutch in Czech"

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal(ized) Velar
Nasal m /m/ n /n/ nj /ɲ/ ŋ /ŋ/
Plosive p /p/ b /b/ t /t/ d /d/ tj /c/ dj /ɟ/ k /k/
Fricative f /f/ v /v/ s, š /s/ z, ž /z/ ch /x/ g /ɣ/
Affricate c, č /ts/
Flap r /ɾ/
Trill ř /r~r̥/
Approximant w /(Dutch w)/ l /l~ɫ/ j /j/

m n ŋ l can be syllabic; when syllabic they are written ḿ ń ŋ́ ĺ and have the same length as long vowels.

Voiceless stops are unaspirated as in Dutch and Czech.

Obstruent voicing assimilation as in Slavic.

Glottal reinforcement, but no gemination

/l/ has the same l~ɫ allophony as in RP; vocalization of dark L to [w] possible

In the Oeljanian accent, r is always a tap [ɾ]. In the Lo'edjeuan accent, r can be uvular.

In the Oeljanian accent, ř is realized as a voiceless trill [r̥] in voiceless environments (word-finally and adjacent to a voiceless consonant). In the Lo'edjeuan accent, ř is always voiceless [r̥]. In dialects, ř is variously pronounced like [r̝] (the Czech ř), [ʐ], [ʂ], [ʒ], [ʃ], or [ð], or merges with r.

Notes on consonant diachronics

Řeuŋnie shows debuccalization of Proto-Idavic *g to h /ʕ/; compare Dutch, Czech and Ukrainian. Proto-Nabŋaic *b has shifted to v. /p b g/ are loan phonemes.

Proto-Idavic *ť ď has shifted to *č dž > c z.

Vowels

The spelling of Řeuŋnie vowels reflects a shift similar to the Great Vowel Shift (cf. Common Czech and Dutch), which also affects loanwords borrowed before the shift, such as most Netagin loans in Řeuŋnie.

a e/je i/y o u á é ij/ei ó ú eu/ui ie oe ou ŕ /ɐ ɛ ɪ ɔ ɵ aː ɛː ɛɪ~ɪj aː yː~ʉː œː ɪː oː~uː əʊ~əʏ ɜː/

Closer allophones [ɪj~eɪ] of /ɛɪ/ are more common after palatals /c ɟ ɲ/.

  • je i ie í eu are palatalizing; all other orthographic vowels are nonpalatalizing.
    • For C = b p v f, Cje Ceu Cí denote /Cjɛ Cjœː Cjɛɪ/; mje meu mij denotes /mɲɛ mɲœː mɲɛɪ/.
    • For C = d t n, Cje Ci Cie Cí Ceu denote /ɟ c ɲ/ + vowel.
  • ó mostly occurs in loanwords from Netagin.

Notes on vowel diachronics

Řeuŋnie has lost Proto-Nabŋaic vowel length. Pre-Proto-Nabŋaic i u e a ī ū ē ā become e o e a i y ě o when not lengthened. Some vowel devoicing has occurred (cf. Japanese), which gave Řeuŋnie more consonant clusters.

Long vowels result from open-syllable lengthening (OSL): **čettijn > *četijn; **četijn > *čétijn. OSL occurred before the devoicing, making the Ourefr distribution of long vowels somewhat similar to Czech.

Modern ie ý/í oe ú result from older 'ää ý/í ó ú. Old Řeuŋnie u, ú has shifted to i, ij after soft consonants j č ž š ň *ľ ř.

Palatalizing eu /œː/ is common in native words. Common sources are:

  • Old Řeuŋnie /æː/ before velars or /l/: for example, řeuŋ /rœːŋ/ 'wind' comes from Old Řeuŋnie řa̋ŋ < PNab *rěŋu < PId *renwi.
  • Old Řeuŋnie long /juː/, coming from PId /ew/ or /iw/.

Non-palatalizing ui /œː/ comes mostly from historical *ujV or loanwords.

Most speakers today are in the process of merging /ɜː/ into á /aː/.

As suggested by the spelling, ŕ /ɜː/ comes from syllabic r.

Downstep

Řeuŋnie has pitch accent. Non-initial h (historically /ʕ/, from earlier /g/) is realized as suprasegmental pharyngealization which acts on a syllable level: vowels in affected syllables are lengthened, lowered, and pharyngealized, and the syllable gains a downstep. On the other hand, ' (historically /ʔ/) in the same position would indicate lack of a downstep. For example,

  • Vh# or VhC indicates [+phar]ꜜ: ftoh /ftoꜜ/ 'riverbank; coast' is read as [ftɔː], but the genitive/dative sg. ftohy /ftɔˤːꜜɪ/ is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːɪ̀], and ftohta (instrumental/locative plural) is pronounced [ftɔ̌ːtà].
  • VhV indicates V[+phar]ꜜV: ksaha /ksaꜜa/ 'stranger' is read as [ksâː], and the genitive sg. ksah /ksaꜜ/ is pronounced [ksǎː].

h also removes falling components from preceding diphthongs: ouh ijh/eih are pronounced [œːꜜ ɛːꜜ].

Historically hard-soft vowel pairs

  • hard y ~ soft i
  • hard u ~ soft i
  • hard a ~ soft ě
  • hard ei ~ soft ij
  • hard á ~ soft ie/eu
  • hard ou ~ soft eu
  • hard ui ~ soft eu
  • hard oe ~ soft ie
  • hard ú ~ soft ij

Long vowels result from OSL ćettijn > cetijn; ćetijn > cétijn

Syntax

Lifted from Korean and Japanese; completely head-final except in poetry.

Poetry

Piyyut-like rhyming (i.e. last syllables agree) is the most common way to rhyme two words.

Sample text

UDHR

Tkanje beušij na hiečti kfa botsijné vo, oedḿŋo'il ze wakŕvil páčta navŕsijnéc. Beušij na toudžḿnil rachúbinil ze mačijdil sfášijm vo, iezoer oŋužeuv lama dŕmi ŋ́ku-teuzimi wášil wecsáš hoezách mienic.

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