Brytho-Hellenic: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
|name = Brytho-Hellenic
|name = Brytho-Hellenic
|nativename = Elynik (to kæn)
|nativename = Elynik (to kaen)
|pronunciation = [ɛ'le:nik 'tɔ 'kai̯n]
|pronunciation = [ɛ'le:nik 'tɔ 'kai̯n]
|region = Europe
|region = Europe
|states = Elas to Kæn
|states = Elas to Kaen
|nation = Elas to Kæn
|nation = Elas to Kaen
|speakers = 52 millions
|speakers = 52 millions
|date = 2012
|date = 2012
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|fam3 = Celto-Hellenic
|fam3 = Celto-Hellenic
|map          = Elas_mini.gif
|map          = Elas_mini.gif
|mapcaption    = New Greece or "Elas to Kæn"
|mapcaption    = New Greece or "Elas to Kaen"
|iso1 = el
|iso1 = el
|iso2 = ely
|iso2 = ely
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In that timeline the Persians have won the wars against Greece and the Greeks have been forced to emigrate and to flee. Firstly the Greeks find protection in Magna Graecia, but, as the Persians conquer those territories, they shift to Northern Italy, where the Romans withstand the Persian troops. In 389 b.C. Rome is destroyed and both Romans and Greeks flee to Carthage, enemy of the Persian empire. Together they try to attack the Persian fleet, but they are defeated again.
In that timeline the Persians have won the wars against Greece and the Greeks have been forced to emigrate and to flee. Firstly the Greeks find protection in Magna Graecia, but, as the Persians conquer those territories, they shift to Northern Italy, where the Romans withstand the Persian troops. In 389 b.C. Rome is destroyed and both Romans and Greeks flee to Carthage, enemy of the Persian empire. Together they try to attack the Persian fleet, but they are defeated again.
In the last days of 382 b.C. an imposing expedition sails away from a harbour on the coast of New Carthage - our Cartagena in Spain. Its mission is to find new territories where they can live in peace and prosperity, far from the Persian threat.
In the last days of 382 b.C. an imposing expedition sails away from a harbour on the coast of New Carthage - our Cartagena in Spain. Its mission is to find new territories where they can live in peace and prosperity, far from the Persian threat.
In 381 b.C. ''Conon the Athenian'' and his Greeks reach our '''Scilly Islands''': they have chosen to sail northward, because they had heard about legends that spoke about a fertile and grassy island in the North. It is the beginning of the ''New Greece'' or '''Elas to Kæn''' (IPA ['ɛlas 'tɔ 'kai̯n]).
In 381 b.C. ''Conon the Athenian'' and his Greeks reach our '''Scilly Islands''': they have chosen to sail northward, because they had heard about legends that spoke about a fertile and grassy island in the North. It is the beginning of the ''New Greece'' or '''Elas to Kaen''' (IPA ['ɛlas 'tɔ 'kai̯n]).


==Phonology==
==Phonology==
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After the defeat against the Persians almost the entire Greek people fled towards Roman territory: Rome triplicated its population and was greekized. During their living together Greeks and Romans used mainly the '''Greek language''' to communicate, whereas the ''Latin language'' became a secondary and socially lower language, spoken mainly by common people. Nevertheless - almost incomprehensibly - the Greeks adopted the '''Latin alphabet''', maybe trying to be understood even by the lower social classes.
After the defeat against the Persians almost the entire Greek people fled towards Roman territory: Rome triplicated its population and was greekized. During their living together Greeks and Romans used mainly the '''Greek language''' to communicate, whereas the ''Latin language'' became a secondary and socially lower language, spoken mainly by common people. Nevertheless - almost incomprehensibly - the Greeks adopted the '''Latin alphabet''', maybe trying to be understood even by the lower social classes.
As we are talking about the modern language, we don't consider the first versions of the alphabet that were used in ancient times. The alphabet of Brythohellenic contains 25 letters:
As we are talking about the modern language, we don't consider the first versions of the alphabet that were used in ancient times. The alphabet of Brythohellenic contains 23 letters:


{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
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|[a]
|[a]
| -
| -
|-
|æ
|[ai̯]
|it is actually a diphthong, this letter (together with '''ø''') seems to be a Nordic loan, since in medieval manuscripts only ''ae'', ''ai'' and ''au'' are found
|-
|-
|b
|b
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| -  
| -  
|-
|-
|ð
|dh
|[ð] / [j] / [v] / [ ]
|[ð] / [j] / [v] / [ ]
|generally it is pronounced as ''th'' in the word ''this''; when it occurs between vowels its pronunciation can vary between [j] and [v]: generally it is [j] when the vowel that follows is '''a''', '''e''', '''i''' or '''y''', while it is [v] when the vowel that follows is '''o''' or '''u'''. Some speakers don't pronounce it at all when it comes in patterns '''o-o''', '''u-u''', '''o-u''' and '''u-o'''; this letter seems to be a Nordic loan
|generally it is pronounced as ''th'' in the word ''this''; when it occurs between vowels its pronunciation can vary between [j] and [v]: generally it is [j] when the vowel that follows is '''e''', '''i''' or '''y''', while it is [v] when the vowel that follows is '''a''', '''o''', '''u''' or '''w'''. Some speakers don't pronounce it at all when it comes in patterns '''a-a''', '''o-o''', '''u-u''', '''o-u''', '''u-a''', '''u-o''' and other combinations between '''w''', '''o''' and '''a'''
|-
|-
|e
|e
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|g
|g
|[g] / [x] / [h]
|[g] / [x] / [h]
|when it comes beforse or after other consonants it is pronounced [g], between vowels it is pronounced [x], even if some speakers tend to pronounce it as [h] in this position
|when it comes before or after other consonants it is pronounced [g], between vowels it is pronounced [x], even if some speakers tend to pronounce it as [h] in this position
|-
|-
|h
|h
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|[ɔ] / [o]
|[ɔ] / [o]
|it can be either open or closed, but it doesn't affect the meaning
|it can be either open or closed, but it doesn't affect the meaning
|-
|ø
|[ɔi̯]
|it is actually a diphthong, the letter (together with '''æ''') seems to be a Nordic loan, since in medieval manuscripts only ''oe'', ''oi'' and ''ou'' are found
|-
|-
|p
|p
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| -
| -
|-
|-
|þ
|th
|[θ]
|[θ]
|as ''th'' in the English ''thin''; this letter seems to be a Nordic loan
|as ''th'' in the English ''thin''
|-
|-
|u
|u
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|y
|y
|[i] / [e]
|[i] / [e]
|in monosyllabic words it is read as [i], in polysyllabic words it is read [i] if in the last syllable, otherwise [e]; in the diphthong '''wy''' it can be either the vocalic (it is written '''ŷw''') or consonantal element (it is written yŵ)
|in monosyllabic words it is read as [i], in polysyllabic words it is read [i] if in the last syllable, otherwise [e]; in the diphthong '''yw''' it can be either the vocalic (it is written '''ŷw''') or consonantal element (it is written yŵ)
|}
|}


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===Diphthongs and digraphs===
===Diphthongs and digraphs===


In Brythohellenic there are 16 diphthongs, that is clusters of two vowels pronounced with a single emission of air. These diphthongs are:
In Brythohellenic there are 18 diphthongs, that is clusters of two vowels pronounced with a single emission of air. These diphthongs are:


{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Diphthongs'''
!'''Diphthongs'''
!'''Pronunciation'''
!'''Pronunciation'''
|-
|''ae''
|[ai̯]
|-
|-
|''aw''
|''aw''
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|''iw''
|''iw''
|[ju]
|[ju]
|-
|''oe''
|[ɔi̯] / [oi̯]
|-
|-
|''uw''
|''uw''
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|}
|}


As it has been seen before, '''æ''' and '''ø''' are considered true letters, though they are actually pronounced as diphthongs.
Brythohellenic has got only one digraph: ''rh'' [r̥], which is rare enough. The other combinations as ''dh'' and ''th'' are considered true letters.
Brythohellenic has got only one digraph: ''rh'' [r̥], which is rare enough. The other combinations as ''dh'' and ''th'' are considered true letters.


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* often the hiatus with 'i' has become a diphthong, ex.: ''σοφία'' > *''σόφια'' > '''hef''', "knowledge";
* often the hiatus with 'i' has become a diphthong, ex.: ''σοφία'' > *''σόφια'' > '''hef''', "knowledge";
* almost always the last syllable has fallen, ex.: ''καινός'' > '''kæn''', "new"; ''θάνατος'' > '''þanað''', "death".
* almost always the last syllable has fallen, ex.: ''καινός'' > '''kaen''', "new"; ''θάνατος'' > '''thanadh''', "death".


These two phoenomena have influenced heavily the stress system of Brythohellenic. Nowadays the stress steadily falls on the last but one syllable: this means that in the plural forms of nouns it shifts, ex.: '''þalas''' ['θalas], "sea" > '''þalasas''' [θa'lasas], "seas"; '''ælŵr''' ['ai̯lur], "cat" > '''ælŵrø''' [ai̯'luroi̯], "cats".
These two phoenomena have influenced heavily the stress system of Brythohellenic. Nowadays the stress steadily falls on the last but one syllable: this means that in the plural forms of nouns it shifts, ex.: '''thalas''' ['θalas], "sea" > '''thalasas''' [θa'lasas], "seas"; '''aelŵr''' ['ai̯lur], "cat" > '''aelŵroe''' [ai̯'luroi̯], "cats".


==Grammar==
==Grammar==
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Forming plural is not so complicated, as there are only three plural endings:
Forming plural is not so complicated, as there are only three plural endings:


* '''ø''', that is typical of masculine nouns;
* '''oe''', that is typical of masculine nouns;
* '''æ''', that is used with feminine nouns;
* '''ae''', that is used with feminine nouns;
* '''as''', less spread and used with both masculine and feminine nouns.
* '''as''', less spread and used with both masculine and feminine nouns.


Unfortunately there are also some irregularities which have to be learned by heart, ex.: the plural of '''iþ''', "fish", is '''iþ''w''as'''; the plural of '''gys''', "earth", is '''gæ'''; the plural of '''ŵr''', "water", is '''wðas''', and so on. Irregular nouns, however, are few.
However there are also some irregularities which have to be learned by heart, ex.: the plural of '''ith''', "fish", is '''ith''w''as'''; the plural of '''gys''', "earth", is '''gae'''; the plural of '''ŵr''', "water", is '''wdhas''', and so on. Irregular nouns, however, are few.
Here is a list of nouns with plural form:
Here is a list of nouns with plural form:


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