Rówok: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox language

|name = Rówok

|nativename = Rówok

|creator = [[User:Ioscius|Ioscius]]

|created = 2017

It is the only known daughter language of the as yet presumed language isolate [[Ruk]].   

==Introduction==

===Setting===

Spoken by a rather reclusive community that lived high in the preindustrial Ural range, Ruk was an extremely isolating language, with largely monosyllabic words and next to no inflection of any sort. Rówok on the other hand is morphologically complex. This is the result of the Ruk speakers, after centuries of living mostly on their own, having underwent a period of dispersion and travel through lands inhabited by Finnic and Slavic speakers. This resulted in both a cultural explosion and a rapid evolution of the language, as affected by analogy with speakers picking up the languages of the peoples they mingled with.

* trying a set of uniform [[#Ratio casuum|case endings]] (barring vowel harmony and allophony) instead of the typical IE several declension patterns, so that all the case endings are recognizable throughout all grammatical [[#Number|numbers]]

* a vague attempt at trying [[#Vowel harmony|vowel harmony]] in a conlang

**as an extension of the previous point an implicitly extensive [[#Participles|participial]] system

*using primarily consonantal [[#Roots and principal parts|roots]] (started out trying for triliterals, but quickly adapted to allow quadriliteral)

===Inspiration===

Rówok’s creator placed the speech community where he did, wanting to steal liberally from both Uralic and Slavic semantics and grammar without having to justify himself to anyone. The community is surrounded by speakers (in order of clockwise north to west) of medieval forms of Nenets, Komi, Udmurt, Mari, Russian, Estonian, and Finnish.

Rówok's phonology is fairly conservative, a result primarily of the author's desire to be able to actually speak it.

Notable absences from the phonology are /f/ and /h/, especially given that /p/, /b/, /v/, and /g/ and /k/ all exist.

===Orthography===

That gives us in Latin order:

See the alphabet grouped by feature in the tables below.

! rowspan="2" style="width: 90px; "|

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|labial}}

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|alveolar}}

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|postalveolar}}

|-

!style="width: 45px; "|{{sc|unvoiced}}

!style="width: 45px; "|{{sc|voiced}}

! style="" |{{sc|stops}}

| '''p''' /p/

|  

| '''t''' /t/

| '''d''' /d/

|

|

|

| '''n''' /n/

|

|

|-

! style="" |{{sc|affricates}}

|

|

|

|

|-

! style="" |{{sc|fricatives}}

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| '''v''' /v/

| '''ŧ''' /θ/

| '''đ''' /ð/

|

|-

|

| '''w''' /w/

|-

! style="" |{{sc|trills}}

|

|

All roots have an underlying "theme vowel" for lack of a better term in the author's attempt at [[#Vowel harmony|vowel harmony]], either /a/ or /o/, which shift to /e/ and /u/ in perfect verbal stems and many nouns derived from verbal stems.  

The rules are simple for the majority of other stems, and are as follows:

Examples  

:Participles

====Consonant harmony====

===Stems===

:''darb-, dŕb, dŕba, dárab, drab-, darbá''

:'''''rowk-''', rók, rúk, rówok, orwok-, rukú''

====Participial stem====

:''rowk-, rók, rúk, rówok, '''orwok-''', rukú''

The oblique stem is used for the following:

|-

!colspan=1 rowspan=4|{{sc|final -w}}  

|-

|-

| '''{{sc|}}''' || ""  || '''''' || '''''' || '''''' || '''''' || '''''' || ''''''

*number

For more cf. [[#Participles|participles]].

It is probable, based on evidence from some archaisms, that the vocative stem was used in the phase of evolution in between Ruk and Rówok to form other cases as well, but the other cases that are in the language today are built off the [[#Oblique stem|oblique stem]].  

#[[#Vocative|Vocative]], a '''principal part'''

:For more info cf. [[#Telicity|telicity]]

It is used in the following ways:

====Locatives====

Like  the [[#Instrumental/(a)comitative|instrumental]], the locative features a semantic allophonic variant. Namely the voiced variant '''-bi''' is used for '''inessive''' or '''intrative''' meanings, while the unvoiced version '''-pi''' is used for '''superessive''' or '''adessive''' senses. The meanings, when needed, are complemented by certain [[#Postpositions|postpositions]].

Examples:

- root '''bls''', "snow":

:snow.'''INE''' play.3pl.imperf.mid

:they are playing '''in''' the snow

:snow.'''SUPE''' run.3pl.imperf.act

:they are running '''on/along''' the snow

- root '''mwk''', "dog", => plural: '''mowokín'''

:3) '''mwokí''mbi'' korowín'''

:dog.pl.'''INE''' worms

:4) '''mwokí''npi'' sarabín'''

:dog.pl.'''SUPE''' fleas

====Instrumental/(a)comitative====

It is used in the following ways:

*as a pure instrumental and comitative  

*as what would seem logical as the direct object of some middle verbs, such as '''play'''

*along with the [[#Adverbial form|adverb]] in the sense of a Latin [[:w:Ablative absolute|ablative absolute]]

===Nominal derivation===

====Productive derivatives====

*'''-bXy-''', used to indicate the '''place''' where something takes place

**'''''itóliboy''''', "the confluence of two rivers" (itó.li.boy, river(voc stem).dual marker.nominal derivative meaning "place of")

*'''-gXyzX-''', used primarily to mean the '''essence''' of something, but with many other extensions, including color and visual state, especially in the diminutive

*'''-i/yštX-''', (-i after consonants, -y after vowels) used to mean '''the study of''', (like Latin/Greek '''''-logia''''') or '''the life/practice of'''

**'''''mukíštu''''', "the training of dogs, cynology"; '''''zaláyšta''''', "biology" or "the walks of life", depending on context

**'''''uwlunyúndu''''', "the moon festival"; '''''mukyúndu''''', "the annual dog mating"; '''''yatnačyánda''''', "a big race"

*'''-zXyb-''', used to mean a '''thing or object''' related to the root, a very vague stem, akin to "-amajig"

====Non-productive derivatives====

#'''''kanarín zálam''''', tree.voc.pl animal.sim.SG, "the woods are animal-like"

#'''''kanarín, zál, ...''''', tree.voc.pl alive, "the woods, alive (as it were), ..."

===Comparatives and superlatives===

#[[#Participles|participial action]]

*singular

*'''plural''', marked by the suffix '''(X)wXn''', or '''n-''' as a prefix in the 1st person inclusive

The '''persons''' in Rówok are the very normal 1, 2 , and 3 person scheme common to IE, though there is [[#Inclusivity|inclusivity]].

The [[#Dual|dual]] and [[#Plural|plural]] both are conjugated for inslusivity in the first [[#Person|person]].

There are three possible voices in Rówok:

*'''active'''

*'''passive'''

The active voice is used for the following:

*when the subject is the agent of a transitive action

Subjects of verbs in the active voice are in the [[#Ergative|ergative]]. This is largely reserved for animate nouns, though inanimate nouns can be elevated to ergative agents if, e.g., they cause damage or some other large change.

It is used for the following:

#when the subject is in a mutual relationship of non transitive action with someone (e.g. loving, talking on the phone, bonding)

#for some verbs (otherwise active in meaning) done for the subject's own benefit

#for several idiomatic verbs where it is unclear who the actor is and who the acted upon; this includes verbs like '''follow''' (not leading, not being led), '''hunt''' (conceived as following the animal's movements as opposed to transitively killing it), '''play''', etc.   

#to completely alter the overlying semantic of some roots, such as '''see''' => '''understand'''

Subjects of verbs in the middle voice from examples 1-6 are in the [[#Ergative|ergative]], while subjects in example 7 are in the [[#Telic|telic]].

The passive voice is used for the following:

*when the subject is the patient of a transitive action

There are two primary aspects in Rówok, namely [[#Imperfective|imperfective]] and [[#Perfective|perfective]].

|

| '''parn- > payparn-'''

| '''tarn- > taŧarn-'''

| '''darn- > dađarn-'''

|

| '''karn- > kačarn-'''

|-

! style="" |{{sc|nasals}}

|

|-

|

|

| '''warn- > wavarn-'''

|

| '''yarn- > yayarn-'''

{{Gloss

| gloss = INCL/DU.IRR-talk-MID.INCH.IMPF.1  

| translation = let's talk, you and me

{{Gloss

|phrase = 2) knarímbi oweš pyáyŧspawan

| morphemes = knar-in-bi oweš p-y-ayt-ŧ-sp-a-wan

| gloss = :tree.pl.ine along 2-IRR-run-MID-INCH.IMPERF-PL

{{Gloss

|phrase = 3) mówok razánka kačárpspa

| morphemes = mowok-Ø-Ø razan-Ø-ka ka-čárp-sp-Ø-a

| gloss = dog-SG-ERG bear-SG-TEL IRR-fight-INCH-ACT-IMPF/3SG

| translation = let the dogs fight the bear, the dogs should fight the bear

}}

<!--  

=====Optative=====

{{Gloss

|phrase = 1) bálas meymérzbgeye  

| morphemes = bál-as-Ø mey-mérz-b-gey-e-Ø

| gloss = snow-ERG-S IRR-thaw-INCH.FUT-PERF-3S

===Conditionals===

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 540px; text-align:center;"

|-

!colspan=2|

|-

!colspan=1 rowspan=4|{{sc|fo' sho'}}  

|-

|-

|-

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!colspan=1 rowspan=4|{{sc|pretty likely}}  

|-

|-

|-

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!colspan=1 rowspan=4|{{sc|not very likely}}  

|-

|-

|-

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|-

!colspan=1 rowspan=3|{{sc|bloody freaking impossible}}  

|-

|-

|-

|}

===Participles===

| {{sc|partitive}} || '''-ín- / -yn-''' + '''-sXb'''      || '''mukínsub'''  || '''godóynsob'''  || '''blsínsab''' || '''zaláynsab'''  

|-

|-

| {{sc|benefactive}} || '''-ín- / -yn-''' + '''-prX'''    || '''mwokínpro''' || '''ogdwóynpro''' || '''blasínpra''' || '''azaláynpra'''  

|-

!colspan=1 rowspan=12|{{sc|middle}}  

|-

|-

|-

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|  

|-

!colspan=1 rowspan=12|{{sc|middle}}  

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

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| '''k''' => '''č'''

|-

! style="" |{{sc|nasals}}

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|-

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| '''w''' => '''v'''

| '''r''' => '''ř'''

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|

! rowspan="2" style="width: 90px; "|

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|labial}}

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|alveolar}}

! colspan="2" style="width: 90px; " |{{sc|postalveolar}}

|-

!style="width: 45px; "|{{sc|unvoiced}}

!style="width: 45px; "|{{sc|voiced}}

|-

! style="" |{{sc|affricates}}

|

|

|

| '''č''' <= '''k'''

|-

! style="" |{{sc|fricatives}}

|

| '''v''' <= '''b''', '''w'''

| '''ŧ''' <= '''t'''

| '''đ''' <= '''d'''

|

| '''š''' <= '''s'''

|-

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The first of each set of the following 6 sentences shows the middle voice and how agency differs between the alignment of the verbal structure depending on the semantic of the verb. Then follow examples with the same grammatical subject and main verb provided in the [[#Active voice|active]] and [[#Passive|passive]] for comparison.  

- root '''krp''', "to fight"

:dog.pl.'''erg''' fight.3.pl.'''MID'''

:the dogs are fighting (each other/amongst themselves)

- root '''wkd''', "to kill"

:dog.pl.'''tel''' kill.3.pl.'''MID'''

:The dogs are killing each other

|

|before

|regardless of

|

#Non-telic: whatever noun was not affected by the action of the verb. This is expressed in the [[#Genitive|genitive case]].

{{Gloss

|IPA =

}}

{{Gloss

}}

! style="" |{{sc|who}}

| '''pwóso'''

| '''pwúsu'''

|-

! style="" |{{sc|what}}

| '''pwóno'''

| '''pwúnu'''

|-

! style="" |{{sc|when}}

|-

|}

====Where, here, there====

|}

!8 yárd

|'''18''' (20) '''zúmuti yírd''' ||'''28''' (32) '''yizúmdi yírd''' ||'''38''' (44) '''umúzdi yírd''' ||'''48''' (56) '''umúrdi yírd''' ||'''58''' (68) '''úmruti yírd''' ||'''68''' (80) '''úmzyiti yírd''' ||'''78''' (92) '''umsúnti yírd''' ||'''88''' (104) '''umyúrdi yírd''' ||'''98''' (116) '''umtíki yírd''' ||'''ᘔ8''' (128) '''umyírdi yírd''' ||'''Ɛ8''' (140) '''umbrúnti yírd''' ||'''108''' (152) '''gworósti yírd'''  

{{Gloss

| morphemes =  

| gloss = Verily water-SIM shape-CAR form-CAR-and IRR-become-MID-INCH-IMPF-2S. Water-VOC cup-TEL poured-VOC cup-INST become-PERF-MID-3S (Water-VOC) horn-TEL poured-VOC horn-INST become-PERF-MID-3S. (Water-VOC) samovar-TEL poured-VOC samovar-INST become-PERF-MID-3S. IRR-flow.DIM-IMPF--FUT.3S water-VOC IRR-crash-FUT-PERF-3S-and. Water.SIM therefore IRR-become-MID-INCH-2S, friend-VOC.

| translation = “You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” - '''Bruce Lee'''

}}

===Idioms===

*'''''nyažínraž itvoynróžgo gařáya''''', "a child of the valleys and running waters" = sweet summer child, naive person

*'''''čižmik''''', utter nonsense, babbling, blithering, talking out your ass

*'''''Ar iwónroz/áparz Novgróžbi lunú!''''', "We're/you're not in Novgorod!", "we" is used to mean "let's conserve resources", while "you" is used to mean "get off your high horse"

====Dog idioms====

As mentioned above, dogs are an integral part of Rówok culture; as such, many idioms are related to dogs and human interaction with them

*'''''stlánka lažta''''', "s/he/it is lapping at ice" = conducting an exercise in futility

*'''''ownlópro wólo''''', "s/he/it is howling at the moon" = talking crazy, fervently, even primitively sometimes

==Other resources==