Falamu

Falamu (native: [fɑlɑ́ˑmʊ]) is a Portuguese creole language with a high degree of Somali influence.

Falamu
Boka Falamu
Pronunciation	[bɔ́ˑkɑ fɑlɑ́ˑmʊ]
Created by	Shariifka
Language family	Portuguese Creole Falamu

Introduction

Etymology

From early Falamu (nu) falámu "we (incl.) speak" (= modern Falamu é nu fála) < Portuguese (nós) falamos "we speak".

Phonology

Orthography

Note: In this article, the regular phonetic script is used with accents added for clarity. These accents are normally omitted in writing.

Consonants

Consonants

Letter	IPA	Remarks
'	ʔ	Not used word-initially since words written with an initial vowel always have a preceding glottal stop.
b	b	May be pronounced /β/ between vowels.
d	d ~ ð	/ð/ between vowels or after /h/.
dh	ɖ	Somewhat implosive.
f	f
g	ɡ	May be pronounced /ɣ/ between vowels.
h	h
j	dʒ ~ tʃ	Free variation
k	k
l	l
m	m
n	n ~ ŋ	/ŋ/ syllable finally, /n/ otherwise.
nh	ɲ ~ j̃	Free variation
r	r
s	s
t	t
w	w
x	ʃ
y	j

The consonants m, n, l, g, r, d, b can be geminated between vowels, which is indicated by doubling them.

The consonants dh and nh are always geminated when between vowels.

The voiceless stops t, k are always aspirated.

Vowels

Monophthong vowels

Letter	IPA		Remarks
	"Front"	"Back"
a	æ	ɑ
e	e	ɛ
i	i	ɪ
o	ɞ	ɔ
u	ʉ	ʊ

Diphthong vowels

Letter	IPA		Remarks
	"Front"	"Back"
ay	æi	ɑɪ
aw	æʉ	ɑʊ
ey	ei	ɛɪ
oy	ɞi	—	No "back" variant.
ow	ɞʉ	ɔʊ

Accented vowels are often partially lengthened in the following situations:

• Monophthong vowels in open syllables;
• Monophthong vowels in word-final syllables;
• Word-final diphthong vowels.

There are also true long vowels indicated by doubling the vowel letter of a monophthong (e.g. aa) or the nucleus of a diphthong (e.g. aay). If a word contains a true long vowel, an other accented short vowel in the same word is not lengthened.

A word cannot begin in a vowel. Instead, a word written with an initial vowel is pronounced with a preceding glottal stop.

Each vowel has a "front" and "back" variety. This is the basis of vowel harmony.

Prosody

Accent

• Pitch accent

Phonotactics

• Syllable structure: CV(C) - where V is a vowel or diphthong
• No consonant clusters except at syllable boundaries.

Phonological history

Phonological correspondences between Portuguese and Falamu

Portuguese		Falamu
Grapheme	Environment
ch	all	j
j	initial
g	initial before e/i
di	unstressed before vowels
ti
x	all as /ʃ/	x
j	non-initial
g	non-initial before e/i
v	all	b
p
b
s	all	s
ss
z
ç
c	before e/i
sc
lh	all	dh

Morphology

Pronouns

Pronouns

Person, Number	Independent		Clitic	Possessive		Remarks
	Strong	Weak		Strong	Weak
1S	amî	mî	mi	dimî	dimi
2S	abô	bô	bu	dibô	dibu
3SM	êli	êli	li	dêli	dili
3SF	êla	êla	la	dêla	dila
1PE	anô	nô	nu	dinô	dinu
1PI	nusôtu; anôs	nôs	nus	dinôs	dinus
2P	busôtu; abôs	bôs	bus	dibôs	dibus
3P	lisôtu; êlis	êlis	lis	dêlis	dilis
Reflexive			si			Reflexive when used as an object.
Impersonal			si			Impersonal when used as a subject.

Nouns

Plural

The plural of nouns is regularly formed by adding -s (after a vowel or diphthong) or -is (after a consonant). Word-final -n becomes -nh- when -is is added.

Examples:

• ódhu "eye" -> ódhus "eyes"
• dêd "finger, toe" -> dêdis "fingers, toes"
• món "hand, arm" -> mónhis "hands, arms"

Some nouns have irregular plurals.

Examples:

• beni'aâdan "human" -> aadâmi "humanity"
  • This is a collective noun, meaning it takes singular agreement. Colloquially, it may instead take plural agreement.
• bisó "person" -> jênti "people"
  • Collective (as aadâmi).
• mûslin "Muslim" -> muslimîn "Muslims"

Nouns are generally used in the singular when used with numerals.

Verbs

Verb stems

Verb stems

Form	Formation	Examples	Remarks
Infinitive	Base stem with final accent	falá "(to) speak"
Present	Base stem with penultimate accent	fála "speak(s)"	The accent is final in monosyllabic verbs.
Past	Infinitive + -ba	falába "spoke"
Passive participle	Infinitive + -d	falád "spoken"

Irregular verbs:

Irregular verbs

Infinitive	Present stem	Past stem	Meaning
sê	é	éra	"to be"
tê	tên	tênha	"to have"
bî	bîn	bînha	"to come"
bô	bôn	bônha	"to put"

Verb tenses

Tenses

Form	Formation	Examples	Remarks
Simple present	Present stem	é li fála "he speaks"; fála! "speak!"	Also used for imperative affirmative.
Present prospective/subjunctive	Infinitive	é mi falá "I'll speak"; ki mi falá "that I speak"; mi ná falá "I do not speak"; ná falá! "do not speak!"	Also used for present negative and imperative negative.
Present progressive	tá + infinitive	é bu tá falá "you (sg.) are speaking"
Simple past	Past stem	é nus falába "we (excl.) spoke"
Past progressive	tá + past	é nu tá falába "we (incl.) were speaking"
Past remote	já + past	é mi já falába "I spoke (a long time ago)"
Future	kére + infinitive	é bu kére falá "you will speak"	kére is the present tense of keré "to want"
Future subjunctive	keré + infinitive	ki bu keré falá "that you will speak"
Jussive	ád + Infinitive	mi ád falá "I should speak"

Notes:

1. As the table shows, keré "to want" + infinitive is used to form the future. In order to express a desire, a subjunctive phrase is used. For example:
   • é mi kére falá "I will speak" (lit. "I want speak") , versus
   • kôs mi kére ki mi falá or ki mi falá é mi kére "I want to speak" (lit. "I want that I speak")

Voice

Pseudopassive is formed with the impersonal subject pronoun si.

Derived verbs

• Middle: add -se to stem - e.g. labá "to wash" -> labasé "to wash oneself, to wash for oneself"
• Detransitive: add -du to stem - e.g. labá "to wash" -> labadú "to become washed"
  • While this is technically a passive form, this is generally used when the action occurred without intent. If there is intent involved, use the impersonal pseudopassive instead.
• Trasitivized/Causative 1: add -fa to stem - e.g. durmî "to sleep" -> durmifâ "to put to sleep"
  • Usually used with intransitive verbs.
  • This can be combined with the middle to form -fase - e.g. kosê "to cook (intr.)" -> kosefâ "to cook (tr.)" -> kosefasê "to cook for oneself"
• Causitive 2: add -da to stem - e.g. komê "to eat" -> komedâ "to give to eat"
  • Usually used with transitive verbs, and often when someone is being "caused" to do something.
  • This can be combined with the middle to form -dase.

Particles

Verbal focus particles

• é: used to form main clauses.
  • Used when there is no independent object or emphasized subject.
  • Comes before subject pronoun - e.g. é mi kôme. "I eat."
  • "Independent object" refers to a direct or indirect object that is not a clitic pronoun, while "emphasized subject" refers to a subject that has extra emphasis placed upon it.
• éki: used to form main clauses.
  • Used when the independent object or emphasized subject is placed before the verb.
  • Comes after the relevant object/subject - e.g. komîda éki mi kôme. "I eat food./Food [is what] I eat."; Úmar éki komîda kôme. "[It is] Omar [who] eats food."
• kôs: used to form main clauses.
  • Used when the independent object is placed after the verb.
  • Comes before subject pronoun - e.g. Úmar kôs li kôme komîda. "Omar eats food."
• kôski: used to form main clauses.
  • Used when the emphasized subject is placed after the verb.
  • Comes before verb and any clitic object pronouns - e.g. komîda kôski kôme Úmar. "[The one who] eats food [is] Omar."

Interrogative pronouns

• kôs: what
• ûndi: where
• mód: how
• kén: who
• kán: when

When used in a sentence, interrogative pronouns are followed by the focus particle éki.

Examples:

• Kôs éki bu tá komê? "What are you eating?"
• Kén éki li bêba? "Who did he see?"
• Kán éki lis bî? "When are they coming?"
• Ûndi éki lis nu bêba? "Where did they see us?"

Negation particles

• ná: negation.
  • Comes immediately before negated verb.

Prepositions

• na: "in"

Postpositions

• kûli: "with"

Conjunctions

• i: "and" (within a clause)
• mas: "and" (connects clauses)
• o: "or"
• nón: "or" (in questions)
• kán: "while, when"
• borén: "but"

Sample Texts

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 1)

Regular: Aadami tod dili kos li nase kan li se hor i nibrad na orra i deretus. Kos si daba rason i damir, mas e ki biso otu biso kuli li axi mod irmon.

Phonetic: Aadâmi tôd dili kôs li náse kán li sê hór i nibrád na órra i derêtus. Kôs si dába rasón i damír, mas é ki bisó ôtu bisó kûli li âxi mód irmón.

Portuguese-based: Aadâmi tôd dili côs li násce cã li sê hór i nibrád na órra i derêtus. Côs si dába razõ i damír, mas é qui pissó ôtu pissó cûli li âji mód irmõ.

IPA: /æːðǽmi tɞ́d dili kɞ́s lɪ nɑ́sɛ kɑ́ŋ li sé hɔ́r i nɪbrɑ́d nɑ ʔɔ́rːɑ i derétʉs || kɞ́s si dɑ́bɑ rɑsɔ́ŋ ɪ dɑmɪ́r | mɑs ʔɛ́ kɪ bɪsɔ́ ɞ́tʉ bɪsɔ́ kʉ́li li ʔǽʃi mɔ́d ʔɪrmɔ́ŋ/

Gloss: humanity all 3S.POSS FOC 3S.SUBJ be_born while 3S.SUBJ be free and level in dignity and rights. FOC IMPRS give-PST reason and conscience, and FOC that person other person with 3S.SUBJ act way brother.

Translation: Humanity is born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are given reason and conscience, and a person must behave towards another person like a brother.