Bźatga: Difference between revisions

 
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==History==
==History==
===External History===
====Arrival====
Speakers of Bźatga arrived in Veśŕa in the first century AD, having escaped from civil war and the threat of Roman occupation in their homeland of Prêńa (i.e. Britain). According to tradition, they were brought here by a man named ''Venģa'', who became first king of the islands.
Before leaving Prêńa, Venģa had been married to ''Cratvadva'', the queen of the Bźați tribe. When the Romans arrived in Prêńa and began subduing some of the southern tribes, Cratvadva chose to cooperate with the invaders, rather than be conquered herself, but this caused tension within her tribe that led to rebellion and eventually civil war. The anti-Roman faction was led by Venģa, who was forced to leave his wife and set up a rival court in the western territories that were under the control of subordinate tribe, the ''Setći''.
For two decades Venģa and Cratvadva ruled in opposition with limited interference from the Romans, but when Venģa ousted his former wife in AD 69, the Romans marched on the Bźați capital. Venģa was forced back into the west and, facing a full-scale Roman invasion of the territory, set sail with a large number of his supporters to seek refuge from his northern neighbours.
None of the tribes of the north west were willing to give shelter to the rebels and, having been rejected by the ''Euzagi'' within the Western Isles, they turned south towards Ireland. But strong winds blew them westward to a place called ''Akva'' (possibly meaning 'island of death'), which was inhabited but far too small to support the exiles. Continuing on their journey, apparently guided by the goddess Bźaća and the the god Nôźta, they eventually landed on the uninhabited island of Ǎĺêsa, the westernmost and largest of the islands of Veśŕa.
The exiles landed and chose to settle. The islands they had discovered were large, fertile and untouched by man. The initial settlement was around the bay of ''Margana'' and Venģa established his court at ''Ogla''.
It seems likely that in the early years, several return trips were made to Prêńa to bring livestock, materials and people. However, once the colony was established it seems it remained isolated and any knowledge of Veśŕa among those left in the homeland was lost.
===Internal History===
The development of Bźatga is divided into four periods:
The development of Bźatga is divided into four periods:
* '''Proto-Bźatga''' [''*Briɣantigoh''] (1st–8th centuries) begins with the split from Common Brittonic in the late 1st century AD to the earliest written records in the early 8th century. Though the language is unattested, its development can be adduced. The most important developments during this period  were the loss of nasals before other consonants + compensatory lengthening (e.g. Brit. ''*pempe'' > PBz ''*pɛːpe''), the development of new rising diphthongs (e.g. Brit. ''*cɛːton'' > PBz. ''*ciada'') and the falling together of the 1st and 2nd declensions, along with the loss of marked gender (e.g. Brit. ''*wiros, banonā'' > PBz. ''vira, banona'').  
* '''Proto-Bźatga''' [''*Briɣantigoh''] (1st–8th centuries) begins with the split from Common Brittonic in the late 1st century AD to the earliest written records in the early 8th century. Though the language is unattested, its development can be adduced. The most important developments during this period  were the loss of nasals before other consonants + compensatory lengthening (e.g. Brit. ''*pempe'' > PBz ''*pɛːpe''), the development of new rising diphthongs (e.g. Brit. ''*cɛːton'' > PBz. ''*ciada'') and the falling together of the 1st and 2nd declensions, along with the loss of marked gender (e.g. Brit. ''*wiros, banonā'' > PBz. ''vira, banona'').  
* '''Old Bźatga''' [''Bríatéga''] (8th–12th centuries) is the period defined by the arrival of writing to Veśŕa to the onset of syncope in the 12th century, which led to iotisation being phonemicised. The key developments of this period are the loss of distinctive vowel quality, leading to the present vowel system, and the development of iotisation. The period is also marked by the earliest loanwords from Old Irish, Ecclesiastical Latin (mostly via Old Irish) and Old Norse.
* '''Old Bźatga''' [''Bríatéga''] (8th–12th centuries) is the period defined by the arrival of writing to Veśŕa to the onset of syncope in the 12th century, which led to iotisation being phonemicised. The key developments of this period are the loss of distinctive vowel quality, leading to the present vowel system, and the development of iotisation. The period is also marked by the earliest loanwords from Old Irish, Ecclesiastical Latin (mostly via Old Irish) and Old Norse.
* '''Middle Bźatga''' [''Br’atga'' or ''Bŕatga''] (12th–16th centuries) begins with the development of syncope in the 12th century and ends with the renewal of contact with the outside world in the 16th. As well as syncope, it is characterised by the reduction of the inflectional system and the growth of more syntactic methods of expression, for example prepositions replaced case endings and pronouns replaced verbal endings. These changes were not fully reflected in the formal written language, leading to a divergence in written and spoken Bźatga. The late MBz. period also saw the development of palatalisation before ''i''.  
* '''Middle Bźatga''' [''Br’atga'' or ''Bŕatga''] (12th–16th centuries) begins with the development of syncope in the 12th century and ends with the renewal of contact with the outside world in the 16th. As well as syncope, it is characterised by the reduction of the inflectional system and the growth of more syntactic methods of expression, for example prepositions replaced case endings and pronouns replaced verbal endings. These changes were not fully reflected in the formal written language, leading to a divergence in written and spoken Bźatga. The late MBz. period also saw the development of palatalisation before ''i''.  
* '''Modern Bźatga''' [''Bźatga''] (16th century to present) begins with a period of renewed contact with the outside world, which brought new loanwords (particularly of Greek and Latin origin) and resulted in a vernacular written language ousting the archaic formal language.  
* '''Modern Bźatga''' [''Bźatga''] (16th century to present) begins with a period of renewed contact with the outside world, which brought new loanwords (particularly of Greek and Latin origin) and resulted in a vernacular written language ousting the archaic formal language.
 
(see [[Bźatga/History]])


==Phonology and Orthography==
==Phonology and Orthography==
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====Nasal Vowels====
====Nasal Vowels====
When nasal consonants (''m, n, ń'') stand before a consonant or in word-final position, they merge with the preceding vowel or diphthong and cause it to nasalise;  ''m'' and ''n'' both disappear, leaving the preceding vowel/diphthong slightly lengthened, while ''ń'' becomes [ȷ̃], e.g. ''aun'' "river" [ãũˑ], ''genta'' "girl" [gɛ̃ˑtɐ], ''camvon'' "whelp" [kãˑβɔ̃ˑ], ''dońva'' "people" (GDPl.) [dɔ̃ȷ̃βɐ].
When nasal consonants (''m, n, ń'') stand before a consonant or in word-final position, they merge with the preceding vowel or diphthong and cause it to nasalise;  ''m'' and ''n'' both disappear, leaving the preceding vowel/diphthong slightly lengthened, while ''ń'' becomes [ȷ̃], e.g. ''aun'' "river" [ãũˑ], ''genta'' "girl" [gɛ̃ˑtɐ], ''camvon'' "whelp" [kãˑβɔ̃ˑ], ''dońva'' "people" (GDPl.) [dɔ̃ȷ̃βɐ].
====Syllabic ''r, n'' and ''l''====
In medieval and early modern Bźatga the consonants ''r, n, l'' and their secondary forms ''ŕ, ń, ĺ'' could be syllabic /r̩, n̩, l̩/ (i.e. stand between two consononts or between a consonant and pausa in place of a vowel). Over time, the relatively infrequent instances of ''n, l'' were levelled out leaving only syllabic ''r'' surviving, with forms such as MBz. ''eznga'' "bird-like", ''dazldeja'' "meeting-house" being replaced by ModBz. ''eznaga, dazladeja'' but with ''zvegrna'' "father-in-law", ''cadrnga'' "strong one" continuing. Nevertheless, syllabic ''n, l'' are occasionally met with in archaic writing. By today, syllabic ''r'' is largely restricted to higher or more formal registers in both speech and writing while in the vernacular it is replaced by ''a'', e.g. ''zvegana, cadanga''.


===Stress===
===Stress===
Stress placement is regularly on the first syllable of a word. The only exception to this is in words with an unstressed prefix, the vowel of which is marked with a breve, e.g. ''căbrova'' "tribesman" /kɐˈbrɔvɐ/.
Stress placement is regularly on the first syllable of a word.  
 
The following verbal prefixes are unstressed:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| width="100px;" | ''ăb-'' <br> ''ăd-'' <br> ''ăr-'' <br> ''ăz-'' <br> ''că(v)-'' || width="100px;" | ''dă-'' <br> ''ḑǐ-'' <br> ''ĕś-'' <br> ''ǐ-'' <br> ''jătr-'' || width="100px;" | ''jĕd-'' <br> ''ră-'' <br> ''vă-'' <br> ''văr-'' <br> ''vrĕt''
|}


===Phonetic Processes===
===Phonetic Processes===
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*''d'' and ''t'' become ''ć'' and ''ǵ'' respectively, e.g. ''môde'' "soft", cpv. ''môǵu'' "softer".  
*''d'' and ''t'' become ''ć'' and ''ǵ'' respectively, e.g. ''môde'' "soft", cpv. ''môǵu'' "softer".  
*''p, b'' and ''m'' are simply followed by the letter ''j'', e.g. ''caba'' "crooked", cpv. ''cabju'' "more crooked".
*''p, b'' and ''m'' are simply followed by the letter ''j'', e.g. ''caba'' "crooked", cpv. ''cabju'' "more crooked".
*''v'' becomes ''j'', e.g. ''dovo'' "black", cpv. ''doju'' "blacker".
*''v'' becomes ''j'', e.g. ''cova'' "dear", cpv. ''coju'' "more raw".
 
In consonant clusters, iotised ''ń, ĺ, ŕ, ś, ź'' carry the process to a preceding ''ń, ĺ, ŕ, ś'' or'' ź'', e.g. ''z + ń > źń, n + ĺ > ńĺ, s + ź > śź''.


====Palatalisation====
====Palatalisation====
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| ''Ģ ģ''
| ''Ģ ģ''
| /d͡ʒ/
| /d͡ʒ/
|
| ''DŔ, dŕ''
|-
|-
| ''I i''
| ''I i''
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* ''aḑir'' represents a limited class of nouns, all relating to kinship terms, which have a NAsg. in -C''ir'' but the remaining paradigm in -C''r-''. This class includes ''maḑir'' "mother", ''braḑir'' "brother", ''auțir'' "uncle" and the rare, archaic ''dôćir'' "daughter".  
* ''aḑir'' represents a limited class of nouns, all relating to kinship terms, which have a NAsg. in -C''ir'' but the remaining paradigm in -C''r-''. This class includes ''maḑir'' "mother", ''braḑir'' "brother", ''auțir'' "uncle" and the rare, archaic ''dôćir'' "daughter".  
** related, but irregular, is ''zviur'' "sister" (NAsg.), ''zviare'' (GDsg.), ''zviŕi'' (NApl.), ''zviara'' (GDpl.).  
** related, but irregular, is ''zviur'' "sister" (NAsg.), ''zviare'' (GDsg.), ''zviŕi'' (NApl.), ''zviara'' (GDpl.).  


====The Vocative====
====The Vocative====
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===Adverbs===
===Adverbs===
Qualitative adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding the Oblique article ''-zdu'' to the Oblique form of the adjective, e.g. ''maruzdu'' "largely, greatly", ''arvuzdu'' "quietly". Comparative and superlative adverbs may also be formed in this way, e.g. ''nesuzdu'' "nearer", ''maŕuzdu'' "more greatly".
Qualitative adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding the GD article ''-zdu'' to the GD form of the adjective, e.g. ''maruzdu'' "largely, greatly", ''arvuzdu'' "quietly". Comparative and superlative adverbs may also be formed in this way, e.g. ''nesuzdu'' "nearer", ''maŕuzdu'' "more greatly".
 
The following words ''zleja'' (place), ''zvoća'' (time), ''


Adverbs of time include: ''zdeva'' "today", ''abreja'' "tomorrow", ''de'' "yesterday", ''na'' "now", ''menkezdu'' "often", ''eńasu'' "ever".
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Time !! Place !! Manner, Measure
|-
| ''zdeva'' "today" <br> ''azrei'' "tomorrow" <br> ''ģa'' "yesterday" <br> ''znoća'' "tonight" <br> ''no'' "now" <br> ''zveća'' "then" <br> ''eńasu'' "ever" <br> ''zvliźńi'' "this year" <br> ''ervliźńa'' "last year" <br> ''edvoća'' "again" <br> ''menkezdu'' "often" <br> ''veći'' "sometimes"
|-
| ''zleja'' "here, there" <br> ''sota'' "yonder" <br> ''adreû'' "home(wards)" <br> ''azladu'' "out" <br>
|}


===Numerals===
===Numerals===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  !! Cardinal !! Ordinal
|-
! 1
|| ''vona'' || ''ćata''
|-
! 2
| ''da'' || ''aĺa''
|-
! 3
| ''ći'' || ''ćića''
|-
! 4
| ''peudre'' || ''peuģa''
|-
! 5
| ''pjape'' || ''pjapda''
|-
! 6
| ''zveś'' || ''zveśta''
|-
! 7
| ''seća'' || ''sećveda''
|-
! 8
| ''oću'' || ''oćveda''
|-
! 9
| ''nava'' || ''naveda''
|-
! 10
| ''dega'' || ''degveda''
|-
! 11
| ''vonzega'' || ''vonzegveda''
|-
! 12
| ''dazga'' || ''dazgveda''
|-
! 13
| ''ćizga'' || ''ćizgveda''
|-
! 14
| ''pedzega'' || ''pedzegveda''
|-
! 15
| ''pjapzega'' || ''pjapzegveda''
|-
! 16
| ''zveśzega'' || ''zveśzegveda''
|-
! 17
| ''sećzega'' || ''sećzegveda''
|-
! 18
| ''oćzega'' || ''oćzegveda''
|-
! 19
| ''nauzega'' || ''nauzegveda''
|-
! 20
| ''vêgți'' || ''vêgtveda''
|-
! 21
| ||
|-
! 30
| ''ćigta'' ||
|-
! 40
| ''pedgota'' ||
|-
! 50
| ''pjapta'' ||
|-
! 60
| ''zveścota'' ||
|-
! 70
| ''sećvogta'' ||
|-
! 80
| ''oćgota'' ||
|-
! 90
| ''naugota'' ||
|-
! 100
| ''cata'' || ''catveda''
|}
====Cardinal====
====Cardinal====
The cardinal numbers occur before '''singular''' forms of nouns. Only ''vona'' "one" is inflected for case.  
The cardinal numbers occur before '''singular''' forms of nouns. Only ''vona'' "one" is inflected for case.  
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The verb ''aća'' "go" (stem ''au-'') is compounded with adjectives to form verbs meaning "become, make, turn" and with nouns meaning "be, act as" (e.g. ''vidaude'' "it whitens, it turns white", ''vidaća'' "whitening", ''źijausemi'' "I acted as king, I ruled").
The verb ''aća'' "go" (stem ''au-'') is compounded with adjectives to form verbs meaning "become, make, turn" and with nouns meaning "be, act as" (e.g. ''vidaude'' "it whitens, it turns white", ''vidaća'' "whitening", ''źijausemi'' "I acted as king, I ruled").
The following are verbal prefixes:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="100px;" | Noun, Adj !! Verb !! width="200px;" | Use !! width="200px;" | E.g.
|-
| ''ab-'' || ''ăb-'' || (n) "around" <br> (v) reciprocal, reflexive ||
|-
| ''ad-'' ||''ăd-'' || (adj) "very", intensive <br> (v) "re-, again" ||
|-
| ''aĺ-'' || || "other" || ''aĺvrova'' "foreigner"
|-
| ''a(n)-'' || || (adj) "un-" <br> (n) pejorative ||
|-
| ''ar-'' || ''ăr-'' || (n) "fore, by" <br> (v) "fore, before"* ||
|-
| ''az-'' || ''ăz-'' || (adj) intensive <br> "to"* ||
|-
| || ''căt-'' || "with, after"* || ''cătvôda'' "perceive, experience"
|-
| ''ca(v)-'' || ''că(v)-'' || "co-, together, equally" || ''cabrova'' "tribesman"
|-
| ''cit-'' || || "earlier, first" ||
|-
| ''da-'' || ''dă-'' || "to" ||
|-
| colspan="2;" | ''dad-'' || (n) intensive <br> (v) "un-, dis-, de-" ||
|-
| ''ḑi-'' || ''ḑǐ-'' || (n) "without, -less" <br> (v) from ||
|-
| ''do-'' || || "bad" ||
|-
| ''eś-'' || ''ĕś-'' || (n) "without, -less" <br> (v) "out" ||
|-
| ''ǐ-'' || "in" ||
|-
| ''jătr-'' || "between" ||
|-
| ''jĕd-'' || "in" ||
|-
|''ră-'' || "for" ||
|-
| ''trău-'' || "across" ||
|-
| ''va-'' || ''vă-'' || "under, sub-" ||
|-
| ''var'' || ''văr-'' || "over, on, super-" ||
|-
| ''vrĕt'' || "against" ||
|}


==Texts==
==Texts==
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===The Lord's Prayer===
===The Lord's Prayer===
''Ara aģi eśa e neuzda <br/>
''Ara aḑir eśa e neuzda <br/>
''Ta ava rănovaudore <br />
''Ta ava rănovaudore <br />
''Ta źisa rătaude <br />
''Ta źiso rădaude <br />
''Ta aula răvreidore <br/>
''Ta aula răvreidore <br/>
''Saule vor ajazda saule e neuzda <br />
''Saule vor auĺuzda saule e neuzda <br />
''Ara barva ḑala da pa zna <br />
''Ara barva ḑila rădadetu pa zna <br />
''Dec ara côĺi ĕćlugatu <br/>
''Dec ara côĺi rećlugdetu <br/>
''Saule côĺi a ara nauḑi ĕćlugdeźńi <br />
''Saule côĺi a ara nauteḑi ĕćlugdeźńi <br />
''Dec źńi năvezatu pa caśredu <br />
''Dec źńi rănvezatu pa caśredu <br />
''Ećra źńi văredatu a valu. <br />
''Ećra źńi răvredatu vret valu. <br />
''Amen.
''Amen.


Our father, who is in heaven <br/>
Our father, who is in heaven <br/>
Hallowed by thy name <br />
Hallowed be thy name <br />
Thy kingdom come <br />
Thy kingdom come <br />
Thy will be done <br />
Thy will be done <br />
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Give us this day our daily bread <br />
Give us this day our daily bread <br />
And forgive us our trespasses <br />
And forgive us our trespasses <br />
As we forive those who trespass against us <br />
As we forgive those who trespass against us <br />
Lead us not into temptation <br />
Lead us not into temptation <br />
But deliver us from evil <br />
But deliver us from evil <br />
813

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