Nurian/Old: Difference between revisions

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|creator = [[User:IlL|IlL]]
|creator = [[User:IlL|IlL]]
|name = {{PAGENAME}}
|name = {{PAGENAME}}
|nativename = ''nūrimai''
|nativename = ''senNūrima''
|setting=[[Verse:Tricin]]
|setting=[[Verse:Tricin]]
|pronunciation = /ˈnˠuːrʲɪmˠɐɪ/
|pronunciation =
|region = Txapoalli
|region = Txapoalli
|country = Nūrei  
|country = Nūrei  
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}}
}}


'''Nurian''' (/ˈnʊəɹiən/, Nurian: ''gaffai nūrimai'' /ˈgɐfˠːɐɪ ˈnˠuːrʲɪmˠɐɪ/, [[Eevo]]: ''Nwrib'' or ''brits Nwrée'') is a [[Talmic languages|Talmic language]] and a sister of [[Tigol]], aesthetically inspired by Pali, Italian, Lithuanian and Arabic. Nurian is one of the classical languages of Bjeheond, along with Classical [[Netagin]]. (In Modern Netagin, an Old Nurian-imitating word ''ďaccarabaccara'' is used for 'unintelligible', cf. Japanese ''chinpunkanpun''.)
'''Nurian''' (/ˈnʊəɹiən/, Nurian: ''senNūrima'', [[Eevo]]: ''Nwrib'' or ''brits Nwrée'') is a [[Talmic languages|Talmic language]] and a sister of [[Tigol]], aesthetically inspired by Pali, Italian, Lithuanian and Arabic. Nurian is one of the classical languages of Bjeheond, along with Classical [[Netagin]]. (In Modern Netagin, an Old Nurian-imitating word ''ďaccerabaccera'' is used for 'unintelligible', cf. Japanese ''chinpunkanpun''.)
 
Language of what begins as basically Buddhism? "What if Buddhism evolved differently"
 
Euphonic vowels instead of conservative IE endings


==Todo==
==Todo==
q qw > epiglottal stop


R Rw > ayin
Allow ''ntt'' unlike Pali and like Finnish?
Nurian reading traditions in Bjeheond, Txapoalli (and Wiebian in Crackfic Tricin)
*Explain Lithuanian-like vowel system as a result of Idavic substrate?
*Explain Lithuanian-like vowel system as a result of Idavic substrate?
*should be P-Talmic
*should be P-Talmic
Line 28: Line 38:
*''-tą'' = instrument/patient suffix
*''-tą'' = instrument/patient suffix
*''massah'' = dark
*''massah'' = dark
*''Tamīħinai'' = Wen Dămea
*''Tamī3inai'' = Wen Dămea
*''ħammih'' = wheat (~ sñyrm)
*''ħammih'' = wheat (~ sñyrm)
*''dallhatuh'' = strife
*''dallhatuh'' = strife
Line 36: Line 46:
*''nhuobai'' = jaw
*''nhuobai'' = jaw
*''natterai'' = chain
*''natterai'' = chain
== Diachronics ==
φīxs kʷēmos φaro δlanγeweti δe srībou γʷnāmesor δe φīna qrādomāxtim. γonyanθis wli nayesi, smā-deuφrimor briqenskās bakū kardasweis wli φasminō. Sθām lugyeθais wli bosqōr kʷisδalābis, kas φaxθīm φar woltāyessis-do, bar Bouγʷātlom wli qaswīqis. Nai brāyos δe nenmōrus skʷodoxtānis! φirwōd φēs-baxθitor qetibāti meudyūs! Φosnīdyōr daγʷāi δe nosθenqʷētās qʷlāwītor. --> Hīs pēmah hara ġą3auti δe rhībau nhāmesar δe na rhādamattį. 3aniantih vi najesi, mhā-diaurrhimar biqąkhāh bakū kaddaffeih vi hammhinuo. Θhą luġġeθaih vi baqquor piδδalābih, kah haθθį har valtājessittha, bar Bau3āċą vi qaffīqah. Nai bājah δe nemmuoruh phadattānih! Hivvuor hēs-baθθitar qatibāti miauġūh! Hannhīdar davvai δe naθθheqqātāh qāvitar.
i e a o u ī ē ā ō ū ei ai oi ui iu eu au ou → i 'a a a u ī 'ā ā uo ū 'ai ai ai ui 'ū 'au au au; yV → generally, gemination of preceding consonant + 'V
final -uo > -u? (more Lithuanian)


==Historical phonology==
==Historical phonology==
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Nurian is rich in geminate consonants, most of which arise from the following historical assimilations. Geminate consonants become degeminate word-initially.
Nurian is rich in geminate consonants, most of which arise from the following historical assimilations. Geminate consonants become degeminate word-initially.
*''bl ml fl tl dl θl δl cl gl ngl'' > ''bbi mmi ffi ċċi ġġi ṡṡi żżi kki ggi ngi''
*''bl ml fl tl dl θl δl cl gl ngl'' > ''bbi mmi ffi ċċi ġġi ṡṡi żżi kki ggi ngi''
*''ħl, ȝl'' > ''ħħ, ȝȝ''  
*''ql, ȝl'' > ''qq, ȝȝ''  
*''nl, rl'' > both ''ll''
*''nl, rl'' > both ''ll''
*''sp, st, sc, sȝ, sn, sl, sr'' > ''pph, tth, kkh, ħħ, tth, nnh, llh, rrh''
*''sp, st, sc, sȝ, sn, sl, sr'' > ''pph, tth, kkh, qqh, tth, nnh, llh, rrh''
*''sb, sd, sg'' > ''bb, zz, gg''
*''sb, sd, sg'' > ''bb, zz, gg''
*''pr, fr, tr, θr, cr, ngr, ħr'' > ''pph, ff, tth, θθ, kkh, ng, ħħ''
*''pr, fr, tr, θr, cr, ngr, qr'' > ''pph, ff, tth, θθ, kkh, ng, qqh''
*''br, dr, δr, gr, ȝr'' > ''bb, dd, δδ, gg, ȝȝ''
*''br, dr, δr, gr, ȝr'' > ''bb, dd, δδ, gg, ȝȝ''
*''mr'' > ''mm''
*''mr'' > ''mm''
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==Phonology==
==Phonology==
The Old Nurian sound system has a large inventory of around 58 consonants and 10 vowels. A notable feature of the phonology of most Nurian accents is phonemic velarization vs. palatalization in hard-soft pairs. All consonants except /ħ ʕ h j/ are members of a hard-soft-pair. /ħ ʕ h j/ color the /a/ vowel as if they were soft, and /ħ ʕ/ tend to lower adjacent vowels.
The Old Nurian sound system has a large inventory of around 58 consonants and 10 vowels. A notable feature of the phonology is phonemic contrast between velarization and palatalization in consonants. All consonants except /ħ ʕ h j/ are members of a hard-soft-pair. /ħ ʕ h j/ color the /a/ vowel as if they were soft, and /ħ ʕ/ tend to lower adjacent vowels.
===Phonotactics===
===Phonotactics===
Old Nurian forbids all consonant clusters other than those of the form homorganic nasal + consonant. Word-medially, every consonant can be geminated except /j/ and /h/. Word-finally, usually only /n/, /l/, /ʔ/ (as an allophone of /r/), /h/, /s/, /t/, and vowels are allowed.
Old Nurian forbids all consonant clusters other than those of the form homorganic nasal + consonant. Word-medially, every consonant can be geminated except /j/ and /h/. Word-finally, usually only /n/, /l/, /ʔ/ (as an allophone of /r/), /h/, /s/, /t/, and vowels are allowed.
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!<small>tenuis</small>
!<small>tenuis</small>
| '''p''' pˠ || '''pi''' pʲ
| '''p''' pˠ || '''pi''' pʲ
| '''θ''' t̪ˠ || '''θi''' t̪ˢʲ
| '''t''' t̪ˠ || '''ti''' t̪ˢʲ
| '''t''' tˠ~ʈˠ || '''ti''' tʲ
| '''t{{cdb}}''' tˠ~ʈˠ || '''t{{cdb}}i''' tʲ
| '''ċi''' tʃ
| '''ċi''' tʃ
| '''ki''' kʲ
| '''ki''' kʲ
| '''k''' k
| '''k''' k
|  
| '''q, qi''' ʡ
| '''-r''' ʔ
| '''-r''' ʔ
|-
|-
!<small>aspirated</small>
!<small>aspirated</small>
| '''ph''' pˠʰ || '''phi''' pʲʰ
| '''ph''' pˠʰ || '''phi''' pʲʰ
| '''θh''' t̪ˠʰ || '''θhi''' t̪ˢʲʰ
| '''th''' t̪ˠʰ || '''thi''' t̪ˢʲʰ
| '''th''' tˠʰ~ʈˠʰ || '''thi''' tʲʰ
| '''t{{cdb}}h''' tˠʰ~ʈˠʰ || '''t{{cdb}}hi''' tʲʰ
| '''ċhi''' tʃʰ
| '''ċhi''' tʃʰ
| '''khi''' kʲʰ
| '''khi''' kʲʰ
| '''kh''' kʰ
| '''kh''' kʰ
|  
| '''qh, qhi''' ʡʰ
|  
|  
|-
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
!<small>voiced</small>
| '''b''' bˠ || '''bi''' bʲ
| '''b''' bˠ || '''bi''' bʲ
| '''δ''' d̪ˠ || '''δi''' d̪ᶻʲ
| '''d''' d̪ˠ || '''di''' d̪ᶻʲ
| '''d''' dˠ~ɖˠ || '''di''' dʲ
| '''d{{cdb}}''' dˠ~ɖˠ || '''d{{cdb}}i''' dʲ
| '''ġi''' dʒ
| '''ġi''' dʒ
| '''gi''' ɡʲ
| '''gi''' ɡʲ
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|  
|  
|  
|  
| '''ħ, ħi''' ħ
|  
| '''h, hi''' h
| '''h, hi''' h
|-
|-
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|}
|}


'''Diphthongs:''' /aɪ aʊ iɛ uɔ ʊi/
'''Diphthongs:''' /ɐɪ ɐʊ iɛ uɔ ʊi/


;Notes
;Notes
*/a aː/ each have three allophones:
*/a aː/ each have two allophones:
**[ɐ~ɑ ɑː] after non-radical hard consonants. /aː/ in this environment may be pronounced [ɔː] or [ʌː] by many younger speakers of the Fiuṡṡērah accent.
**[ɐ~ɑ ɑː] after non-radical hard consonants.
**[ɛ~æ æː] after soft consonants, radicals and /h/
**[ɛ~æ æː] after soft consonants, radicals and /h/
*Allophony of /a aː/ is, however, reduced in the speech of many younger speakers of the Dagȳne accent, who pronounce both as [ɐ aː]
===Stress===
Nurian stress is similar to Modern Standard Arabic:
*Stress falls on the heavy (CV: or CVC) syllable closest to the end, if it is not the final syllable;
*if neither the penult nor the antepenult are heavy, the antepenult is stressed.
==Orthography==
Nurian is written in an Ancient Gwnax-based script.
===Consonants===
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg " style="width: 1000px; text-align: center;"
|-
|+ '''Consonants'''
|-
!|Grapheme
!''m''!!''p''!!''b''!!''f''!!''v''!!''n''!!''t''!!''d''!!''θ''!!''δ''!!''s''!!''z''!!''r''!!''l''!!''ng''!!''k''!!''g''!!''ħ''!!''ȝ''!!''h''!!''j''
|-
!Hard
|/mˠ/||/pˠ/||/bˠ/||/fˠ/||/vˠ/||/nˠ/||/tˠ/||/dˠ/||/θˠ/||/ðˠ/||/sˠ/||/zˠ/||/rˠ/||/ɫ/||/ŋ/||/k/||/ɡ/
|rowspan="2"|/ħ/
|rowspan="2"|/ʕ/
|rowspan="2"|/h/
|rowspan="2"|/j/
|-
!Soft
|/mʲ/||/pʲ/||/bʲ/||/fʲ/||/vʲ/||/nʲ/||/tʲ/||/dʲ/||/θ/||/ð/||/sʲ/||/zʲ/||/rʲ/||/lʲ/||/ɲ/||/t͡ʃ/||/d͡ʒ/
|}
The pairs of aspirated plosives and voiceless resonants /pʰˠ pʰʲ/, /tʰˠ tʰʲ/, /tʃʰ/, /kʲʰ kʰ/, /m̊ˠ m̊ʲ/, /n̪̊ˠ n̊ʲ/, /ɲ̊ ŋ̊/, /l̥ˠ l̥ʲ/, /r̥ˠ r̥ʲ/ are written {{angbr|''ph, th, ċh, kh, mh, nh, ngh, lh, rh''}}.
Final ''-r'' is pronounced /ʔ/.
===Vowels===


Romanization:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{col-break}}
Line 349: Line 334:
*''ie'': soft /iə/
*''ie'': soft /iə/
{{col-end}}
{{col-end}}
===Stress===
Nurian stress is similar to Modern Standard Arabic:
*Stress falls on the heavy (CV: or CVC) syllable closest to the end, if it is not the final syllable;
*if neither the penult nor the antepenult are heavy, the antepenult is stressed.
==Orthography==
Nurian is written in an Ancient Gwnax-based script.
===Consonants===
===Vowels===


==Morphology==
==Morphology==
Line 354: Line 350:


== Numerals ==
== Numerals ==
Nurian uses a vigesimal numeral system. 1-20: ''pēm, θiuor, naġġį, δiaubį, salle, thām, ruodih, laddih, habbih, ħuor, ħuopphēm, ħuoθθhiur, ħuonnaġġį, ħuonδiaubį, ħųsalle, ħųthām, ħuorruodih, ħuolladdih, ħuorrhabbih, miekah''
Nurian uses a vigesimal numeral system. 1-20: ''pēm, θiuor, naġġį, δiaubį, salle, thām, ruodih, laddih, habbih, quor, quopphēm, quoθθhiur, quonnaġġį, quonδiaubį, qųsalle, qųthām, quorruodih, quolladdih, quorrhabbih, miekah''


* ''pēm, pēmai, pēmah'' '1', ''thām, thāmai, thāmah'' '6' and their teen counterparts decline as o-stem adjectives
* ''pēm, pēmai, pēmah'' '1', ''thām, thāmai, thāmah'' '6' and their teen counterparts decline as o-stem adjectives
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*''ei'' (/ɛɪ/) = 'not'
*''ei'' (/ɛɪ/) = 'not'
*''fī'' /fʲiː/ = 'if'
*''fī'' /fʲiː/ = 'if'
* ''khą'' = but
* ''rį'' = relativizer
* ''fim'' = complementizer


===Relative clauses===
===Relative clauses===
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==Sample texts==
==Sample texts==
===UDHR, Article 1===
===UDHR, Article 1===
:''Kakarai ħausį gatthāną kaθ θeθeivų di khussiū kat iġġiatū; ammimīdīnį nai ȝabbī kad dȳkaluttī, ṡiūȝą danθū hieθariākah ħaibatthah di helą venghimę.''
:''Kakarai 3ausį gatthāną kaθ θeθeivų di khussiū kat iġġiatū; ammimīdīnį nai qabbī kad dȳkaluttī, ṡiūqą danθū hieθariākah 3aibatthah di helą venghimę.''
:[ˈkɐkɐrˠɐɪ ˈħæʊsʲĩː gɐˈtʰˠːɑːnˠɑ̃ː kɐθ θʲɛˈθʲɛɪvˠũː dʲɪ ˈkʰʊsʲːuː kɐʔ ˈɪdʒːætˠuː | æmʲːɪmʲiːˈdʲiːnʲĩː nɐɪ ʕæbʲːiː kɐd dˠiːkɐlˠʊtʲːiː, ʃuːʕãː dˠɐnθˠuː fʲɛɪtˠɐrʲæːkɐh ħæɪbˠɐtʰˠːɐh dʲɪ hælˠɑ̃ː vʲɛŋ̊ʲːɪmʲæ̃ː]
:[ˈkɐkɐrˠɐɪ ˈħæʊsʲĩː gɐˈtʰˠːɑːnˠɑ̃ː kɐθ θʲɛˈθʲɛɪvˠũː dʲɪ ˈkʰʊsʲːuː kɐʔ ˈɪdʒːætˠuː | æmʲːɪmʲiːˈdʲiːnʲĩː nɐɪ ʕæbʲːiː kɐd dˠiːkɐlˠʊtʲːiː, ʃuːʕãː dˠɐnθˠuː fʲɛɪtˠɐrʲæːkɐh ħæɪbˠɐtʰˠːɐh dʲɪ hælˠɑ̃ː vʲɛŋ̊ʲːɪmʲæ̃ː]
:human.COL.DEF be.born-3SG.M.PRES free.COL.INDEF.M and equal.COL.INDEF.M in dignity-3SG.M and right-3SG.M; gifted-COL.INDEF.M INS reason and conscience, duty upon-3SG.M behave-INFV mutually in spirit-SGV.DEF brotherly-SGV.DEF.F
:human.COL.DEF be.born-3SG.M.PRES free.COL.INDEF.M and equal.COL.INDEF.M in dignity-3SG.M and right-3SG.M; gifted-COL.INDEF.M INS reason and conscience, duty upon-3SG.M behave-INFV mutually in spirit-SGV.DEF brotherly-SGV.DEF.F

Latest revision as of 00:06, 1 September 2022

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Talk:
Nurian/Old
senNūrima
Created byIlL
SettingVerse:Tricin
Quame
Language codes
ISO 639-3qnr
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

Nurian (/ˈnʊəɹiən/, Nurian: senNūrima, Eevo: Nwrib or brits Nwrée) is a Talmic language and a sister of Tigol, aesthetically inspired by Pali, Italian, Lithuanian and Arabic. Nurian is one of the classical languages of Bjeheond, along with Classical Netagin. (In Modern Netagin, an Old Nurian-imitating word ďaccerabaccera is used for 'unintelligible', cf. Japanese chinpunkanpun.)

Language of what begins as basically Buddhism? "What if Buddhism evolved differently"

Euphonic vowels instead of conservative IE endings

Todo

q qw > epiglottal stop

R Rw > ayin

Allow ntt unlike Pali and like Finnish?

Nurian reading traditions in Bjeheond, Txapoalli (and Wiebian in Crackfic Tricin)

  • Explain Lithuanian-like vowel system as a result of Idavic substrate?
  • should be P-Talmic
  • Did Thensarian have intensive noun/adjective suffixes that Nurian preserves?
  • -tl-, -dl- > -ċċ-, -ġġ- used mainly in names
  • -tą = instrument/patient suffix
  • massah = dark
  • Tamī3inai = Wen Dămea
  • ħammih = wheat (~ sñyrm)
  • dallhatuh = strife
  • hienaθini = sleep soundly
  • -zzah = deverbal noun
    • muoġiazzah = food
  • nhuobai = jaw
  • natterai = chain

Diachronics

φīxs kʷēmos φaro δlanγeweti δe srībou γʷnāmesor δe φīna qrādomāxtim. γonyanθis wli nayesi, smā-deuφrimor briqenskās bakū kardasweis wli φasminō. Sθām lugyeθais wli bosqōr kʷisδalābis, kas φaxθīm φar woltāyessis-do, bar Bouγʷātlom wli qaswīqis. Nai brāyos δe nenmōrus skʷodoxtānis! φirwōd φēs-baxθitor qetibāti meudyūs! Φosnīdyōr daγʷāi δe nosθenqʷētās qʷlāwītor. --> Hīs pēmah hara ġą3auti δe rhībau nhāmesar δe na rhādamattį. 3aniantih vi najesi, mhā-diaurrhimar biqąkhāh bakū kaddaffeih vi hammhinuo. Θhą luġġeθaih vi baqquor piδδalābih, kah haθθį har valtājessittha, bar Bau3āċą vi qaffīqah. Nai bājah δe nemmuoruh phadattānih! Hivvuor hēs-baθθitar qatibāti miauġūh! Hannhīdar davvai δe naθθheqqātāh qāvitar.

i e a o u ī ē ā ō ū ei ai oi ui iu eu au ou → i 'a a a u ī 'ā ā uo ū 'ai ai ai ui 'ū 'au au au; yV → generally, gemination of preceding consonant + 'V

final -uo > -u? (more Lithuanian)

Historical phonology

  • -am -em -im -om -um -ām -ēm -īm -ōm -ūm > -ą -ę -į -ą -ų -ą -ę -į -ų -ų
  • -s > -h
  • Thn. cia ce ci cio ciu gia ge gi gio giu > ċia ċe ċi ċio ċiu ġia ġe ġi ġio ġiu
  • e ē ei ea eā > e ē ei ia iā
  • o, ō > a, uo; word final -uo > -ū
  • ae oe ui ao eo iu > ai ȳ ui au iuo iū

Cluster assimilations

Nurian is rich in geminate consonants, most of which arise from the following historical assimilations. Geminate consonants become degeminate word-initially.

  • bl ml fl tl dl θl δl cl gl ngl > bbi mmi ffi ċċi ġġi ṡṡi żżi kki ggi ngi
  • ql, ȝl > qq, ȝȝ
  • nl, rl > both ll
  • sp, st, sc, sȝ, sn, sl, sr > pph, tth, kkh, qqh, tth, nnh, llh, rrh
  • sb, sd, sg > bb, zz, gg
  • pr, fr, tr, θr, cr, ngr, qr > pph, ff, tth, θθ, kkh, ng, qqh
  • br, dr, δr, gr, ȝr > bb, dd, δδ, gg, ȝȝ
  • mr > mm
  • cn, gn > ngh, ng
  • mn > nn
  • rC > CC
  • lC > :C; lv > vv
  • ct > tt
  • VN + fricative > V[+nasal] + fricative
  • tv dv θv δv > pp bb ff vv

Co-reflexes with Eevo

  • aw ~ uo, ā, a+C
  • ia ~ ei
  • i ~ ȳ, ī, ē, a/e/i+C

Numbers

Phonology

The Old Nurian sound system has a large inventory of around 58 consonants and 10 vowels. A notable feature of the phonology is phonemic contrast between velarization and palatalization in consonants. All consonants except /ħ ʕ h j/ are members of a hard-soft-pair. /ħ ʕ h j/ color the /a/ vowel as if they were soft, and /ħ ʕ/ tend to lower adjacent vowels.

Phonotactics

Old Nurian forbids all consonant clusters other than those of the form homorganic nasal + consonant. Word-medially, every consonant can be geminated except /j/ and /h/. Word-finally, usually only /n/, /l/, /ʔ/ (as an allophone of /r/), /h/, /s/, /t/, and vowels are allowed.

Consonants

Consonant phonemes in Old Nurian
Labial Dental Alveolar/Retroflex Postalveolar Velar Radical Glottal
hard soft hard soft hard soft soft hard
Nasal voiceless mh m̊ˠ mhi m̊ʲ nh n̪̊ˠ nhi n̊ʲ nghi ŋ̊ʲ ngh ŋ̊
voiced m mˠ mi mʲ n n̪ˠ ni nʲ ngi ŋʲ ng ŋ
Stop tenuis p pˠ pi pʲ t t̪ˠ ti t̪ˢʲ ṭ tˠ~ʈˠ ṭi tʲ ċi tʃ ki kʲ k k q, qi ʡ -r ʔ
aspirated ph pˠʰ phi pʲʰ th t̪ˠʰ thi t̪ˢʲʰ ṭh tˠʰ~ʈˠʰ ṭhi tʲʰ ċhi tʃʰ khi kʲʰ kh kʰ qh, qhi ʡʰ
voiced b bˠ bi bʲ d d̪ˠ di d̪ᶻʲ ḍ dˠ~ɖˠ ḍi dʲ ġi dʒ gi ɡʲ g ɡ
Fricative voiceless f fˠ fi fʲ s s̪ˠ si sʲ ṡi ʃ h, hi h
voiced v vˠ vi vʲ z z̪ˠ zi zʲ żi ʒ
Trill voiceless rh r̥ˠ rhi r̥ʲ
voiced r rˠ ri rʲ
Lateral voiceless lh l̥ˠ lhi l̥ʲ
voiced l lˠ li lʲ
Approximant j j ȝ, ȝi ʕ
Notes
  • Voiceless stops and affricates are unaspirated.
  • All hard consonants are velarized (especially /rˠ, lˠ, t̪ˠ, d̪ˠ/, which are uvularized).
  • All consonants are labialized before the back vowels /u, uː, uɔ/.
  • /rˠ/ is uvularized apical alveolar [r̺ʶ] or postalveolar [r̠ʶ]. When not geminated, it can either be a trill [rʶ] or a flap [ɾʶ].
  • /rʲ/ is palatalized alveolar flap [ɾ̪ʲ] and less commonly a trill [r̺ʲ]. It is always a trill [r̺ːʲ] when geminated.
  • /lˠ/ is a uvularized apical alveolar [l̺ʶ] or uvularized laminal denti-alveolar [l̪ʶ].
  • /lʲ/ is laminal alveolar [l̻ʲ].
  • /ɲ/ is postpalatal [ɲ̄].
  • /tʃ, dʒ, ʃ, ʒ/ are laminal palatalized alveolar [tʃʲ, dʒʲ, ʃʲ, ʒʲ].
  • Before /k, ɡ/, /n/ is realized as velar [ŋ].
  • /ħ/ has been variously described as pharyngeal [ħ] and epiglottal [ʜ].
  • /ʕ/ is an epiglottal approximant [ʕ̞].
  • /h/ is voiced [ɦ] after vowels and voiced consonants.

Vowels

Old Nurian has three short, three long and three nasal monophthongs. There is a considerable degree of allophony in low vowels.

Vowel phonemes
Front Central Back
short long nasal short long nasal short long nasal
Close /ɪ~ɪ̞/ /iː/ /ĩː/ /ʊ/ /uː/ /ũː/
Open [ɛ~æ] [æː] /a/ /aː/ /ãː/ [ɑ] [ɑː]

Diphthongs: /ɐɪ ɐʊ iɛ uɔ ʊi/

Notes
  • /a aː/ each have two allophones:
    • [ɐ~ɑ ɑː] after non-radical hard consonants.
    • [ɛ~æ æː] after soft consonants, radicals and /h/

Romanization:

  • a: hard /a/ [ɐ~ɑ]
  • ā: hard /aː/ [ɑː]
  • ą: hard /ãː/
  • ai: hard /aɪ/ [ɐɪ~ɑɪ]
  • au: hard /aʊ/ [ɐʊ~ɑʊ]
  • u: hard /ʊ/
  • ui: hard /ʊɪ/
  • uo: hard /uɔ/
  • ū: hard /uː/
  • ų: hard /ũː/
  • ia, e: soft /a/ [ɛ]
  • iā, ē: soft /aː/ [æː]
  • ią, ę: soft /ãː/
  • iai, ei: soft /aɪ/ [ɛɪ]
  • iau: soft /aʊ/ [ɛʊ]
  • i: soft /ɪ/
  • ī: soft /iː/
  • į: soft /ĩː/
  • iu: soft /ʊ/
  • ui: soft /ʊɪ/
  • iuo: soft /uɔ/
  • iū: soft /uː/
  • ių: soft /ũː/
  • ie: soft /iə/


Stress

Nurian stress is similar to Modern Standard Arabic:

  • Stress falls on the heavy (CV: or CVC) syllable closest to the end, if it is not the final syllable;
  • if neither the penult nor the antepenult are heavy, the antepenult is stressed.

Orthography

Nurian is written in an Ancient Gwnax-based script.

Consonants

Vowels

Morphology

Main article: Nurian/Old/Morphology

Numerals

Nurian uses a vigesimal numeral system. 1-20: pēm, θiuor, naġġį, δiaubį, salle, thām, ruodih, laddih, habbih, quor, quopphēm, quoθθhiur, quonnaġġį, quonδiaubį, qųsalle, qųthām, quorruodih, quolladdih, quorrhabbih, miekah

  • pēm, pēmai, pēmah '1', thām, thāmai, thāmah '6' and their teen counterparts decline as o-stem adjectives
  • θiuor '2', ħuor '10', and ħuoθθiur '12' decline like a dual adjective
  • naġġį '3', δiaubį '4' and their teen counterparts are i-stem masculines
  • salle (< saliθe) '5' is indeclinable
  • ruodih, laddih, habbih are i-stem neuters
  • miekah is an o-stem noun

Syntax

Nurian uses SVO, head-initial syntax. There are no articles.

Guoδati damibeh jāni betthar.
[ˈguɔðˠɑtʲi ˈdˠɑmʲɪbʲæh ˈjæːnʲi ˈbʲættʰˠɑɾ]
guoδ-ti tam-ibeh jāni betth-ar
remain-3PL leaf-PL.CST laurel.SG.ABS.NOM green-PL.F.ABS.NOM
Laurel leaves stay green.

Particles

  • kaC-, kat = 'and'
    • ħuġġiah kap pālei = 'bread and milk'
  • ei (/ɛɪ/) = 'not'
  • fī /fʲiː/ = 'if'
  • khą = but
  • rį = relativizer
  • fim = complementizer

Relative clauses

Nurian uses the resumptive pronoun strategy when the head is not the subject. A resumptive pronoun must be fronted, if it is not embedded in another clause within the relative clause.

Sample texts

UDHR, Article 1

Kakarai 3ausį gatthāną kaθ θeθeivų di khussiū kat iġġiatū; ammimīdīnį nai qabbī kad dȳkaluttī, ṡiūqą danθū hieθariākah 3aibatthah di helą venghimę.
[ˈkɐkɐrˠɐɪ ˈħæʊsʲĩː gɐˈtʰˠːɑːnˠɑ̃ː kɐθ θʲɛˈθʲɛɪvˠũː dʲɪ ˈkʰʊsʲːuː kɐʔ ˈɪdʒːætˠuː | æmʲːɪmʲiːˈdʲiːnʲĩː nɐɪ ʕæbʲːiː kɐd dˠiːkɐlˠʊtʲːiː, ʃuːʕãː dˠɐnθˠuː fʲɛɪtˠɐrʲæːkɐh ħæɪbˠɐtʰˠːɐh dʲɪ hælˠɑ̃ː vʲɛŋ̊ʲːɪmʲæ̃ː]
human.COL.DEF be.born-3SG.M.PRES free.COL.INDEF.M and equal.COL.INDEF.M in dignity-3SG.M and right-3SG.M; gifted-COL.INDEF.M INS reason and conscience, duty upon-3SG.M behave-INFV mutually in spirit-SGV.DEF brotherly-SGV.DEF.F
All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Poetry

Greek and Latin quantitative meters, no rhyming

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