Ɯ

Ŭrbŭrŭx U
"the speech, U"
Pronunciation	[/ˈuɾ.bu.ɾux ˈɯ/]
Created by	Nicolás Straccia
Setting	Yrḳuti conworlding project
Language family	Ɯ languages Ŭrbŭrŭx U

The language known as Ɯ is a conlang being created and developed by Nicolás Straccia as part of the Yrḳuti conworlding project.

Background

[...]

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Grammar

PHONOLOGY

Vowels

Vowel inventory

	Front	Near-front	Central	Near-back	Back
Close	i y u ɯ e ø o a
Near‑close
Close‑mid
Mid
Open‑mid
Near‑open
Open

Stem-controlled roundness harmony. Both /a/ and /o/, a back and a front vowel, are neutral. In compounds each element retains it own harmony; affixes will harmonize with the stem with which they are directly in contact.

Consonants

Consonant inventory

	Bilabial	Labio-dental	Dental	Alveolar	Post-alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	p b			t d		(ɟ)	k g	ʔ
Nasal	m			n		(ɲ)	(ŋ)
Trill				r
Tap or flap				ɾ
Fricative		f v		s	ʃ		x	h
Africate					ʧ
Approximant	w					j
Lateral app.				l		(ʎ)

Phonotaxis

Sandhi

[...]

Sandhi over morpheme boundaries
-VC·CV-
-n·
-n·t- → -n·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/
-n·t- → -n·n-, assimilation of /t/ → /n/
-n·k- → -n·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/
-n·h- → -n·k-, fortition of /h/ → /k/
-n·j- → -n̆-, fusion (palatalization of /n/ → /ɲ/)
-n·b- → -m·b-, fusion (labialization of /n/ → /m/)
-n·b- → -m·m-, fusion (labialization of /n/ → /m/), assimilation of /b/ → /m/)
-n·l- → -n·n-, assimilation of /l/ → /n/
-n·r- → -n·n-, assimilation of /ɾ/ → /n/
-n·m- → -n·n-, assimilation of /m/ → /n/
-n·v- → -p-, fusion to /p/
-m·
-m·b- → -p-, fusion to /p/
-m·l- → -m·m-, assimilation of /l/ → /m/
-m·v- → -p-, fusion to /p/ (labialization of /v/ → /β/, plosivization of /β/ → /p/)
-l
-l·t- → -l·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/
-l·k- → -l·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/
-l·g- → -l·l-, assimilation of /g/ → /l/
-l·r- → -l·l-, assimilation of /ɾ/ → /l/
-l·m- → -l·l-, assimilation of /m/ → /l/
-l·b- → -p·p- [+____]
-l·j- → -l̆-, fusion (palatalization of /l/ → /ʎ/)
-l·v- → -l·l-, assimilation of /v/ → /l/
-r·
-r·g- → -rr-, assimilation of /g/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·h- → -rr-, assimilation of /h/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·x- → -rr-, assimilation of /x/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·l- → -rr-, assimilation of /l/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·t- → -s·s- [+____]
-s·
-s·l- → -s·s-, assimilation of /l/ → /s/
-s·g- → -s·k-, fortition of /g/ → /k/
-s̆·
-s̆·h- → -s̆→s̆-, assimilation of /h/ → /ʃ/
-s̆·l- → -s̆·s̆-, assimilation of /l/ → /ʃ/
-t·
-t·b- → -s·s- [+____]
-t·g- → -t·t-, assimilation of /g/ → /t/
-t·l- → -t·t-, assimilation of /l/ → /t/
-t·n- → -t·t-, assimilation of /n/ → /t/
-x·
-x·k- → -n·k- [+nasalization]
Being all instances of -n·k- already lenited by sandhi to -n·g-, all remaining instances of -n·k- after the sandhi has been applied must then spawn from modified instances of -x·k-, thus avoiding ambiguity.
-VC·CCV-
-n·
-n·rk- → -n·ng- → -ngg-, assimilation of /ɾ/ → /n/, fusion of /n/ and /k/ (velatization of /n/ → /ŋ/)
-n·lt- → -n·t-, elision of /l/
-n·ln- → -n·n-, elision of /l/
-n·ll- → -n·n-, assimilation of first /l/, elision of second /l/
-n·hm- → -m·m-, elision of /l/, assimilation of /n/
-n·hr- → -n·kr-, fortition of /h/ → /k/
-n·hš- → -n·š-, elision of /h/
-n·tm- → -d·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/, elision of /n/, assimilation of /m/ → /d/
-n·tx- → -n·x-, elision of /t/
-x·
-x·hr- → -x·r-, elision of /h/
-CV·CV-
-ta·
-ta·h- → -ta·g- [+____]
-ta·r- → -ta·l- [+____]
-ta·š- → -ta·s- [+____]
-ta·x- → -ta·g- [+____]
-ta·t- → -ta·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/
-ta·k- → -ta·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/
-ta·bVC- → -ta·fCV- [+____]
-CV·CCV-
-ta·
-ta·hš- > -ta·š- [+____]
-ta·tx- > -ta·x- [+____] tVtC > tVC elision of t? haplology?
-m·v- → -p-, fusion to /p/ (labialization of /v/ → /β/, plosivization of /β/ → /p/)
-l
-l·t- → -l·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/
-l·k- → -l·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/
-l·g- → -l·l-, assimilation of /g/ → /l/
-l·r- → -l·l-, assimilation of /ɾ/ → /l/
-l·m- → -l·l-, assimilation of /m/ → /l/
-l·b- → -p·p- [+____]
-l·j- → -l̆-, fusion (palatalization of /l/ → /ʎ/)
-l·v- → -l·l-, assimilation of /v/ → /l/
-r·
-r·g- → -rr-, assimilation of /g/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·h- → -rr-, assimilation of /h/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·x- → -rr-, assimilation of /x/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·l- → -rr-, assimilation of /l/ → /ɾ/, fusion of /ɾɾ/ to /r/
-r·t- → -s·s- [+____]
-s·
-s·l- → -s·s-, assimilation of /l/ → /s/
-s·g- → -s·k-, fortition of /g/ → /k/
-s̆·
-s̆·h- → -s̆→s̆-, assimilation of /h/ → /ʃ/
-s̆·l- → -s̆·s̆-, assimilation of /l/ → /ʃ/
-t·
-t·b- → -s·s- [+____]
-t·g- → -t·t-, assimilation of /g/ → /t/
-t·l- → -t·t-, assimilation of /l/ → /t/
-t·n- → -t·t-, assimilation of /n/ → /t/
-x·
-x·k- → -n·k- [+nasalization]
Being all instances of -n·k- already lenited by sandhi to -n·g-, all remaining instances of -n·k- after the sandhi has been applied must then spawn from modified instances of -x·k-, thus avoiding ambiguity.
-VC·CCV-
-n·
-n·rk- → -n·ng- → -ngg-, assimilation of /ɾ/ → /n/, fusion of /n/ and /k/ (velatization of /n/ → /ŋ/)
-n·lt- → -n·t-, elision of /l/
-n·ln- → -n·n-, elision of /l/
-n·ll- → -n·n-, assimilation of first /l/, elision of second /l/
-n·hm- → -m·m-, elision of /l/, assimilation of /n/
-n·hr- → -n·kr-, fortition of /h/ → /k/
-n·hš- → -n·š-, elision of /h/
-n·tm- → -d·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/, elision of /n/, assimilation of /m/ → /d/
-n·tx- → -n·x-, elision of /t/
-x·
-x·hr- → -x·r-, elision of /h/
-CV·CV-
-ta·
-ta·h- → -ta·g- [+____]
-ta·r- → -ta·l- [+____]
-ta·š- → -ta·s- [+____]
-ta·x- → -ta·g- [+____]
-ta·t- → -ta·d-, lenition of /t/ → /d/
-ta·k- → -ta·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/
-ta·bVC- → -ta·fCV- [+____]
-CV·CCV-
-ta·
-ta·hš- > -ta·š- [+____]
-ta·tx- > -ta·x- [+____] tVtC > tVC elision of t? haplology?

Sandhi over word boundaries
-C_b- → -C_p-, fortition of /b/ → /p/ (devoicing of /b/)

Composite sandhi: obligatory contour and other phenomena.
A case of composite sandhi occurs when the application of an external sandhi rule results in either i) the resetting of or ii) the innovation on an internal sandhi rule.
Examples:
i) Resetting of an internal sandhi rule: external sandhi triggers obligatory contour, resetting internal sandhi.
bengilir > penkilir
1) Internal sandhi: rule -n·k- → -n·g-, lenition of /k/ → /g/ (voicing of /k/)
bV·en·kil·Vr → bēnkilir* → bēngilir
2) External sandhi: rule -C b- → -C p-, fortition of /b/ → /p/ (devoicing of /b/)
(-V bēngilir → -V bēngilir)
-C bēngilir → -C pēngilir* >> -C pēnkilir
ii) Innovation on an internal sandhi rule: external sandhi triggers obligatory contour, leniting a cluster formed through assimilation
bepɯlɯr > pevɯlɯr
1) Internal sandhi: rule -n·v- → -p-, fusion to /p/
bV•en•vɯl•Vr > bepɯlɯr
2) External sandhi: rule -C b- > -C p-, fortition of /b/  /p/ (devoicing of /b/)
(-V bepɯlɯr > bepɯlɯr)
-C bepɯlɯr > pevɯlɯr

Syllable structure

Both verbal and nominal roots, as well as affixes, have a (C)(C)V(C) syllable structure.

MORPHOLOGY

Nominal morphology

Nominal roots are marked for grammatical case, deixis (relative locativity and lativity), definiteness and number or quantity.

Grammatical gender and animacy

There are two grammatical genders: animate and inanimate. The animate gender has two subdivisions: masculine and feminine. These are all generally listed as masculine, feminine and neuter gender.

(See also ‘Animacy and volition’ below)

Grammatical number and quantifier affixes

There are two systems of grammatical number: i) for nouns, Collective 1, Dual, Singulative, Collective 2; ii) for pronouns, the numbers Singular, Dual, Plural and Indefinite.

(See also “__*number*__” below)

Grammatical number markers for nouns

The determiners account for definiteness as well as for number:

Number	Definiteness	Marker
col Collective	Indefinite	-Ø
	Definite	-Vr
dual Dual	Indefinite	-Vt
	Definite	-VmVm
sg Singulative	Indefinite	-Vm
	Definite	-Vx
col2 Collective 2*	Indefinite	-lVt
	Definite	-lVm

* The number “Collective 2” reffers to collectives or complete sets of a noun; e.g. ne; trees; nelet, a.forest

Declension particles and affixes

Grammatical case

	Animate				Inanimate
	Singular	Dual	Plural	4th	Singular	Dual	Plural	4th
Nominative nom	Ø
Ergative erg	an-	vVl-	sVm-	tVm-	ɯl-	xan-	rVm-	tVl-
Dative dat	bVl-		mVl-		bVl-		mVl-
Absolutive abs	tVn-	wVn-	VtVn-	sVn-	okVn-	xVn-	VkVn-	šVn-
Accusative acc	VnV-		lVt-		VnV-		lVt-
Instrumental inst	or-		Vm-		or-		Vm-
Partitive* part	bV-	tV-			kV-	tV-
Genitive** gen	-(o)nnu(r)

* The partitive case (part) conveys the telicity of the verb (to.x/to.x.obj vs. to.fully/thoroughly.x/x.obj).

** The genitive case (gen) is marked with a conflation of the deictic markers -ho- (FROM) and -nur (APUD) and is thus the same for all nouns.

Deictics

.

Deictic markers

A. ESSIVITY
	‹›	//		Case
I	-vul	-vɯl		in	inessive
	-kil	-kil		sup	superessive
	-tiš	-tiʃ		sub	subessive
	-lur	-lɯɾ		ant	antessive
	-vet	-vet		poste	postessive	This case is now rarely used for its original meaning "behind" and is often used to mean "with" or "in exchange for"
	-nur	-nɯɾ		apud	apudessive	apudessive, adessive
B. LATIVITY
	‹›	//		Case
II	-kur	-kɯɾ		il	ilative
	-lir	-liɾ		el	elative
	-vox	-vox		perl	perlative
	-tum	-tɯm		prol	prolative	prolative, prosecutive, oblative/pertingent (against)
III.a	-te	-te				up.to, until
	-sul	-te·vɯl	-sɯl
	-xil	-te·kil	-xil
	-tiš	-te·tiʃ	-(t)tiʃ
	-nur	-te·lɯɾ	-nɯɾ
	-det	-te·vet	-det
	-dur	-te·nɯɾ	-dɯɾ
III.b	-ho	-ho				from
	-ful	-ho·vɯl	-fɯl	inel	inelatve
	-kil	-ho·kil	-(h)kil			/k/→/g/ sandhi doesn’t apply, anulated by underlying /h/
	-diš	-ho·tiʃ	-diʃ
	-hlur	-ho·lɯɾ	-hlɯɾ
	-hret	-ho·vet	-hɾet
	-šur	-ho·nɯɾ	-ʃɯɾ

Nominal declension themes

C-theme	VC-stems
	CVC-stems
V-theme	CV-stems
	CCV-stems

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns can be dropped. They are marked as follows:

-1	0	1	2
grammatical.case	lam	deictic.marker	number.marker
	“person"

SYNTAX

Morphosyntactic allignment

i) transitive verbs (A) – (V) – (O)

ii) intransitive verbs (S) – (V)

iii) ditransitive verbs (A) – (V) – (T) – (O)

(S) NOM

(A) ERG

(T) DAT

(O) i) ABS, iii) ACC

Word order

(S)-V-(O/A)-V-(T)-(O)

A/N

Lexicon

Citation forms:

Leipzig-Jakarta list

Some terms which are listed as one entry in the Leipzig-Jakarta list but have more than one distinct term in [] have become as many entries as needed to accommodate the scope of its vocabulary.

Samples

Words:

A verb: anaramĕnkram /a.na.ɾa.ˈmøn.kɾam/ aC₂ara-møn-hram per.prog.anim-to.fly-1s.mas.n.pres "I was flying"

A noun: alāšax /ˈa.laː.ʃax/ ala-aš-Vx to.perceive-tool-def.singulative "the pair of glasses"

Something idiomatic: alahuš /ˈa.la.hɯʃ/ ala-huš to.perceive-to.burn "to glare"