Suwaash: Difference between revisions

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'''Suwaazh''' is a conlang inspired by similarities between Sino-Tibetan (especially Rgyalrongic) and Navajo. It is an isolate within a large language family which includes monosyllabic tonal languages and Athabaskan-style polysynthetic languages. Suwaazh is the lingua franca of modern Sngeaf.
'''Suwaash''' is a conlang inspired by similarities between Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan (especially Rgyalrongic) and Athabaskan. It is an isolate within a large language family which includes monosyllabic tonal languages and Athabaskan-style polysynthetic languages. Suwaash is the lingua franca of modern Sngeaf.
 
== Todo ==
== Todo ==
* ''myąą'' 'cat; meow'
* ''myąą'' 'cat; meow'
* ''węęh'' 'world'


== Vocabulary ==
== Vocabulary ==
Suwaazh is about as purist as German or Finnish, but it has some loans from [[Anbirese]].
Suwaash is about as purist as German or Finnish, but it has some loans from [[Anbirese]].


== Phonology ==
== Phonology ==
The following describes Amisheg (Standard Sowaazh) phonology.
The following describes Amisheg (Standard Suwaash) phonology.
===Consonants===
===Consonants===
Amisheg has a large consonant inventory of 33 consonants:
Amisheg has a moderately large consonant inventory:
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align:center;"
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style=" text-align:center;"
|+ '''Consonant phonemes in Amisheg'''
|+ '''Consonant phonemes in Amisheg'''
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|-
|-
! rowspan="3" style=""  |Stop
! rowspan="3" style=""  |Stop
! |<small>tenuis</small>
! |<small>unaspirated</small>
| '''b''' /p/
| '''b''' /p/
| '''d''' /t{{den}}/
| '''d''' /t{{den}}/
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|-
|-
! rowspan="3" style=""  | Affricate
! rowspan="3" style=""  | Affricate
! |<small>tenuis</small>
! |<small>unaspirated</small>
|  
|  
| '''j''' /t{{den}}s{{den}}/
| '''j''' /t{{den}}s{{den}}/
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|  
|  
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" style="" |Fricative
! colspan="2" style="" |Fricative
! |<small>fortis</small>
|  
|  
| '''s''' /s{{den}}/
| '''s''' /s{{den}}/
| '''sh''' /ʂ/
| '''sh''' /ʂ/
| '''sy''' /ɕ/
| '''sy''' /ɕ/
| '''kh''' /x/
|colspan=2| '''h, x''' /x~h/
| '''h''' /h/
|-
! |<small>lenis</small>
|
| '''z''' /z{{den}}/
| '''zh''' /{{ż}}/
| '''zy''' /{{ź}}/
| '''gh''' /{{gh}}/
|
|-
|-
! colspan="2" style="" |Approximant
! colspan="2" style="" |Approximant
| '''w''' /w/
| '''w''' /w/
| '''l''' /l/
| '''l''' /l{{den}}/
|  
|  
| '''y''' /j/, '''ly''' /ʎ/
| '''y''' /j/, '''ly''' /ʎ/
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|}
|}


/mj pj p{{asp}}j lj/ are allowed before vowels.
/mj pj p{{asp}}j/ are allowed before vowels. Velars are allophonically palatalized before /i/.


===Vowels===
===Vowels===
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|-
|-
! style="" |Close
! style="" |Close
| '''i, į'''
| '''i, į''' /i, ĩ/
| '''ii, įį'''
| '''ii, įį''' /iː, ĩː/
| '''u, ų'''
| '''u, ų''' /u, ũ/
| '''uu, ųų'''
| '''uu, ųų''' /uː, ũ/
|-
|-
! style="" |Open
! style="" |Open
| '''e, ę'''
| '''e, ę''' /ɛ, ɛ̃/
| '''ee, ęę'''
| '''ee, ęę''' /ɛː, ɛ̃ː/
| '''a, ą'''
| '''a, ą''' /ɑ, ɑ̃/
| '''aa, ąą'''
| '''aa, ąą''' /ɑː, ɑ̃ː/
|}
|}


The vowels ''i ii į įį'' are centralized to [ɨ] (with the appropriate length and nasality) after retroflex and dental consonants ''n l d t t' j c c' s z jh ch ch' sh zh''; ''u uu ų ųų'' are fronted to [u{{adv}}] after palatal consonants ''ny ly jy cy cy' zy y''.
The vowels ''i ii į įį'' are centralized to [ɨ{{lowered}}] (with the appropriate length and nasality) after retroflex and dental consonants ''n l d t t' j c c' s jh ch ch' sh''; the [ɨ{{lowered}}] is instead realized as [z{{lowered}}] (after dentals) and [ɻ] (after retroflexes) in some accents. ''u uu ų ųų'' are fronted to [u{{adv}}] after palatal consonants ''ny ly jy cy cy' sy y''.


== Morphophonology ==
== Morphophonology ==
=== Initial alternations ===
=== Root ablaut ===
Ablaut and initial alternations are the main morphophonological processes that occur on the root.
==== Initial alternations ====
Initials may change with different "ablaut grades" of the nucleus vowel of the stem.
Initials may change with different "ablaut grades" of the nucleus vowel of the stem.


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* b p m -> by py my
* b p m -> by py my
* d t t' n l -> jy cy cy' ny ly
* d t t' n l -> jy cy cy' ny ly
* g k k' kh gh -> jh ch ch' sh zh (at least in some roots?)
* g k k' x -> jh ch ch' sh (at least in some roots?)
* j c c' s z -> jy cy cy' sy zy
* j c c' s -> jy cy cy' sy
* {{2}} h w -> y sy y
* {{2}} w -> y y


3-way alternating roots  
3-way alternating roots  
* j c c' s z ~ jh ch ch' sh zh ~ jy cy cy' sy zy
* j c c' s ~ jh ch ch' sh ~ jy cy cy' sy


Unexpectedly unalternating roots
Unexpectedly unalternating roots
* Unalternating jh series roots
* Unalternating jh series roots
* Unalternating g series roots
* Unalternating g series roots
* unalternating zy roots
 
=== Sandhi ===
In Suwaash, sandhi occurs at morpheme boundaries within a word. Sandhi is applied ''after'' root ablaut and somewhat unpredictable prefix palatalizations are.


== Dialects ==
== Dialects ==
Different nonstandard dialects shift the sibilant system in different ways:
Different nonstandard dialects shift the sibilant system in different ways:
* merging ''sh zh jh ch ch' '' with ''s z j c c' '' (cf. Polish ''mazurzenie'')
* merging ''sh jh ch ch' '' with ''s j c c' '' (cf. Polish ''mazurzenie'')
* merging ''sh zh jh ch ch' '' with ''sy zy jy cy cy' '' (cf. Polish ''jabłonkowanie'')
* merging ''sh jh ch ch' '' with ''sy jy cy cy' '' (cf. Polish ''jabłonkowanie'')
* merging ''sy zy jy cy cy' '' with ''s z j c c' '' (cf. Polish ''kaszubienie'')
* merging ''sy jy cy cy' '' with ''s j c c' '' (cf. Polish ''kaszubienie'')
* shifting ''sh zh jh ch ch' '' into velars /x ɣ kx kxʰ kxʼ/ or uvulars /χ ʁ qχ qχʰ qχʼ/
* shifting ''sh jh ch ch' '' into velars /x kx kxʰ kxʼ/ or uvulars /χ qχ qχʰ qχʼ/


== Grammar ==
== Grammar ==
Suwaazh grammar is inspired by similarities between Sino-Tibetan and Navajo grammar. Like both Rgyalrongic and Navajo, Suwaazh is head-final and head-marking, but it is not nearly as polysynthetic as Navajo.
Suwaash grammar is inspired by similarities between Sino-Tibetan and Navajo grammar. Like both Rgyalrongic and Athabaskan, Suwaash is head-final and has polypersonal marking, but it is not nearly as polysynthetic as either group.
=== Nouns ===
=== Nouns ===
==== Possessive affixes ====
==== Possessive affixes ====
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* dative ''-ash'': ''węęhash'' 'for the world/Earth'; ''nash'' 'for me'
* dative ''-ash'': ''węęhash'' 'for the world/Earth'; ''nash'' 'for me'
* instrumental ''-iil''
* locative ''-yiin''


=== Verbs ===
=== Verbs ===
The verb is the only obligatory component of a Suwaazh clause. Adjectives are also verbs.
The verb is the only obligatory component of a Suwaash clause. Adjectives are also verbs.
==== The root ====
==== The root ====
A Suwaazh verb root consists of an obligatory initial, a vowel which may ablaut, and an optional final.  
A Suwaash verb root consists of an obligatory initial, a vowel which may ablaut, and an optional final.  


Possible initials are:
Possible initials are:
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* {{angbr|my by py}}
* {{angbr|my by py}}


Final consonants are restricted to {{angbr|b d z~s zh~sh zy~sy g {{2}} h l n}}; the -n final may not follow a nasal vowel.
Final consonants are restricted to {{angbr|b d s sh sy g {{2}} h l n}}; the -n final may not follow a nasal vowel.


==== Personal affixes ====
==== Personal affixes ====

Latest revision as of 23:09, 16 September 2024

Suwaash is a conlang inspired by similarities between Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan (especially Rgyalrongic) and Athabaskan. It is an isolate within a large language family which includes monosyllabic tonal languages and Athabaskan-style polysynthetic languages. Suwaash is the lingua franca of modern Sngeaf.

Todo

  • myąą 'cat; meow'
  • węęh 'world'

Vocabulary

Suwaash is about as purist as German or Finnish, but it has some loans from Anbirese.

Phonology

The following describes Amisheg (Standard Suwaash) phonology.

Consonants

Amisheg has a moderately large consonant inventory:

Consonant phonemes in Amisheg
Labial Dental Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m /m/ n /n̪/ ny /ɲ/
Stop unaspirated b /p/ d /t̪/ g /k/ ɂ /ʔ/
aspirated p /pʰ/ t /t̪ʰ/ k /kʰ/
ejective t' /t̪ʼ/ k' /kʼ/
Affricate unaspirated j /t̪s̪/ jh /tʂ/ jy /tɕ/
aspirated c /t̪s̪ʰ/ ch /tʂʰ/ cy /tɕʰ/
ejective c' /t̪s̪ʼ/ ch' /tʂʼ/ cy' /tɕʼ/
Fricative s /s̪/ sh /ʂ/ sy /ɕ/ h, x /x~h/
Approximant w /w/ l /l̪/ y /j/, ly /ʎ/

/mj pj pʰj/ are allowed before vowels. Velars are allophonically palatalized before /i/.

Vowels

Amisheg has only 4 vowel qualities, although there is phonemic vowel length and nasality.

Amisheg oral vowels
Front Back
short long short long
Close i, į /i, ĩ/ ii, įį /iː, ĩː/ u, ų /u, ũ/ uu, ųų /uː, ũ/
Open e, ę /ɛ, ɛ̃/ ee, ęę /ɛː, ɛ̃ː/ a, ą /ɑ, ɑ̃/ aa, ąą /ɑː, ɑ̃ː/

The vowels i ii į įį are centralized to [ɨ̞] (with the appropriate length and nasality) after retroflex and dental consonants n l d t t' j c c' s jh ch ch' sh; the [ɨ̞] is instead realized as [z̞] (after dentals) and [ɻ] (after retroflexes) in some accents. u uu ų ųų are fronted to [u̟] after palatal consonants ny ly jy cy cy' sy y.

Morphophonology

Root ablaut

Ablaut and initial alternations are the main morphophonological processes that occur on the root.

Initial alternations

Initials may change with different "ablaut grades" of the nucleus vowel of the stem.

2-way alternating roots:

  • b p m -> by py my
  • d t t' n l -> jy cy cy' ny ly
  • g k k' x -> jh ch ch' sh (at least in some roots?)
  • j c c' s -> jy cy cy' sy
  • ɂ w -> y y

3-way alternating roots

  • j c c' s ~ jh ch ch' sh ~ jy cy cy' sy

Unexpectedly unalternating roots

  • Unalternating jh series roots
  • Unalternating g series roots

Sandhi

In Suwaash, sandhi occurs at morpheme boundaries within a word. Sandhi is applied after root ablaut and somewhat unpredictable prefix palatalizations are.

Dialects

Different nonstandard dialects shift the sibilant system in different ways:

  • merging sh jh ch ch' with s j c c' (cf. Polish mazurzenie)
  • merging sh jh ch ch' with sy jy cy cy' (cf. Polish jabłonkowanie)
  • merging sy jy cy cy' with s j c c' (cf. Polish kaszubienie)
  • shifting sh jh ch ch' into velars /x kx kxʰ kxʼ/ or uvulars /χ qχ qχʰ qχʼ/

Grammar

Suwaash grammar is inspired by similarities between Sino-Tibetan and Navajo grammar. Like both Rgyalrongic and Athabaskan, Suwaash is head-final and has polypersonal marking, but it is not nearly as polysynthetic as either group.

Nouns

Possessive affixes

Plurals

Postpositions

Postpositions inflect like nouns in that they take personal affixes.

  • dative -ash: węęhash 'for the world/Earth'; nash 'for me'
  • instrumental -iil
  • locative -yiin

Verbs

The verb is the only obligatory component of a Suwaash clause. Adjectives are also verbs.

The root

A Suwaash verb root consists of an obligatory initial, a vowel which may ablaut, and an optional final.

Possible initials are:

  • all single consonants
  • my by py

Final consonants are restricted to b d s sh sy g ɂ h l n; the -n final may not follow a nasal vowel.

Personal affixes

Tense marking

Verbal nouns

Voice

Derivational morphology

Syntax