Thulean

Introduction

Description

The Thulean language (endonym: Migkatsi) has an agglutinative and polysynthetic morphology. Its morphosyntactic alignment is split intransitive with the fluid-S subtype. It is left-branching and double-marking. Thulean is a language isolate and has not been proven to belong to any established language family, even those of other thurse groups on the European mainland. The total number of speakers exceed 30 million.

Background

Thurse is the collective name in English of the pygmy aboriginal groups of Europe. They are distinguished from the pygmies of the tropics by their striped epidermises. Thurse males and females are similar in stature and have an average height of between 135 to 140 cm. They are pale-skinned with dark stripes and have straight or wavy hair. Red hair is more common among Thurse tribes than any other ethnic group. The largest of the Thurse nations are the Selhar or Thuleans who occupy Thule (endonym: Telku) the northernmost of the British Isles. Their primary language is Thulean.

Influences

The phonology is inspired by Finnish and Quenya phonaesthetics. The morphology is heavily influenced by Yupik and Inuktitut.

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Phonology

Orthography

1) Thulean is written with the Thulean alphabet. The Thulean government also endorses a romanised orthography for the purpose of transliterating Thulean proper names in foreign media. This is also increasingly used in foreign scholarly works on the language. These orthographies are as follows:

b) Romanised:

"a" = /ɑ/

"e" = /ɛ/

"g" = /ɰ/

"h" = /h/

"i" = /i/

"j" = /j/

"k" = /g/

"kk" = /k/

"l" = /l/

"m" = /m/

"n" = /n/

"p" = /b/

"pp" = /p/

"q" = /ð/

"qq" = /ɬ/

"r" = /r/

"s" = /z/

"ss" = /ss/

"t" = /d/

"tt" = /t/

"u" = /u/

"v" = /w/

"x" = /ʒ/

"xx" = /x/

2) These orthographies are largely phonemic but indicate the effects of consonant gradation and sandhi. Each grapheme also includes all the allophones associated with the phoneme it represents. Thus, for example, the consonant cluster [mb] would be written "ss" or "mm".

Consonants

NASAL: /m, n/

PLOSIVE:

-Lenis: /p, t, k/

-Fortis: /b, d, g/

FRICATIVE:

-Lenis: /s, ɬ, x/

-Fortis: /z, ð, ʒ/

LIQUID: /r, l/

APPROXIMANT: /j, ɰ, w, h/

Vowels

HIGH: /i, u/

LOW: /ɛ, ɑ/

Allophones

1) /ŋ/ is realised as [g] in word-initial position and in onset position following a coda consonant.

2) Lenis plosives are aspirated in word-initial position.

3) /p, t, k, s/ are voiced in intervocalic position.

4) /ɬ/ is realised as [θ] in coda position and in onset position following a coda consonant.

5) /ɬ/ is realised as [ð] in intervocalic position.

6) /x/ is realised as [ʃ] in coda position.

7) /x/ is realised as [ʒ] in intervocalic position.

8) Fortis obstruents are realised as lenis obstruents in intervocalic position.

9) The geminate clusters /mm, nn, ŋŋ, rr, ll/ are realised as [mb, nd, ŋg, rd, ld].

10) The onset cluster /ŋj/ is realised as [dʒ] in word-initial position.

11) The onset clusters /tr, tl/ are realised as [tʂ, tɬ ].

12) The onset clusters /kj, kɰ, kw/ are realised as [tʃ, kx, kʍ].

Prosody

Stress

Thulean has stress accent. Primary stress falls within the root. Open syllables are light, closed syllables are heavy. Fortis obstruents or syllable onset clusters do not close the preceding syllable. If the first syllable of a root is heavy then the primary stress falls there otherwise it falls upon the second syllable of the root. In compound nouns, the primary stress falls within the second root.

Intonation

Secondary stress falls upon every alternate syllable after the primary stress. This gives Thulean a broadly iambic rhythm. Thulean does not have phonemic tone.

Phonotactics

1) The maximal syllable in Thulean is CCVC.

2) Permitted syllable codas:

a) Morpheme-medial only: /ŋ, p/

b) Morpheme-medial and morpheme-final: /m, n, t, k, s, ɬ, x, r, l/

3) Fortis obstruents may not occur in word-initial position.

4) Fortis plosives may not occur in the onset of closed syllables.

5) Consonant clusters may have no more than two segments.

6) Consonant clusters may not occur in morpheme-final position.

7) Permitted syllable onset clusters: /ŋj, ŋɰ, ŋw, tr, tl, kj, kɰ, kw/. These consonant clusters are the only ones permitted to occur in prefix-initial or root-initial position.

8) Permitted syllable boundary clusters:

a) /m/ + /m, p/

b) /n/ + /n, t, s, ɬ/

c) /ŋ/ + /ŋ, k, x/

d) /p, t, k/ + /s/

e) /s/ + /p, t, k/

i) /ɬ/ + /p, t, k/

j) /x/ + /p, t, k/

k) /r/ + /m, n, ŋ, p, t, k, s, ɬ, x, r, j, ɰ, w/

l) /l/ + /m, n, ŋ, p, t, k, s, ɬ, x, l, j, ɰ, w/

8) With the exception of pronouns and some personal names, all roots are disyllabic.

10) All suffixes must begin with either a single consonant, a syllable onset cluster or a syllable boundary cluster.

11) Vowel clusters or diphthongs do not occur.

12) High vowels may not occur before a liquid coda.

13) /i/ may not occur after an onset of /j/.

14) /u/ may not occur after an onset of /w/.

Consonant Gradation

1) If a syllable should be closed by suffixation and should it begin with a fortis plosive or a lenis plosive following a nasal, liquid or vowel then those plosives undergo lenition. This is usually referred to as consonant gradation.

2) The sequences of consonant gradation are as follows:

a) pp > p > w

b) tt > t > r

c) kk > k > ɰ

d) mp > mb

e) nt > nd

f) ŋk > ŋg

g) rp > rw

h) rt > rd

i) rk > rɰ

j) lp > lw

k) lt > ld

l) lk > lɰ

3) Consonant gradation occurs after metathesis from sandhi.

Sandhi

1) If a triconsonantal cluster should result from affixation then the first segment of the forbidden cluster is deleted.

2) Other forbidden clusters resulting from affixation are treated as follows:

i) /m/ + /n, ŋ/ > [nd, ŋg]

ii) /m/ + /t, k/ > [nt, ŋk]

iii) /m/ + /s, ɬ, x/ > [ns, nθ, ŋx]

iv) /m/ + /r, l/ > [rd, ld]

v) /m/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [ŋj, ŋɰ, ŋw]

vi) /n/ + /m, ŋ/ > [mb, ŋg]

vii) /n/ + /p, k/ > [mp, ŋk]

viii) /n/ + /x/ > [ŋx]

ix) /n/ + /r, l/ > [rd, ld]

x) /n/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [ŋj, ŋɰ, ŋw]

xi) /t/ + /m, n, ŋ/ > [nt, nt, nt]

xii) /t/ + /p, k] > [pp, kk]

xiii) /t/ + /ɬ x/ > [θt, ʃt]

xiv) /t/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [tʃ, kx, kʍ]

xv) /k/ + /m, n, ŋ/ > [ŋk, ŋk, ŋk]

xvi) /k/ + /p, t/ > [pp, tt]

xvii) /k/ + /ɬ, x/ > [θk, ʃk]

xviii) /k/ + /r, l/ > [tʂ, tɬ]

xix) /s/ + /m, n, ŋ/ > [ns, ns, ns]

xx) /s/ + /ɬ, x/ > [ɬɬ, xx]

xxi) /s/ + /r, l/ > [rs, ls]

xxii) /s/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [ss, ss, ss]

xxiii) /ɬ/ + /m, n, ŋ/ > [nθ, nθ, nθ]

xxiv) /ɬ/ + /s, x/ > [ss, xx]

xxv) /ɬ/ + /r, l/ > [rθ, lθ]

xxvi) /ɬ/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [ɬɬ, ɬɬ, ɬɬ]

xxvii) /x/ + /m, n, ŋ/ > [ŋx, ŋx, ŋx]

xxviii) /x/ + /s, ɬ/ > [ss, ɬɬ]

xxix) /x/ + /r, l/ > [rx, lx]

xxx) /x/ + /j, ɰ, w/ > [xx, xx, xx]

xxxi) /r/ + /l/ > [ld]

xxxii) /l/ + /r/ > [rd]

5) Two identical lenis obstruents fuse to create a fortis obstruent eg: /p/ + /p/ > /pp/, /s/ + /s/ > /ss/.

6) If a vowel cluster should result from prefixation then an epenthetic /ɰ/ is inserted after the first vocalic segment to break up the cluster.

7) If owing to suffixation a high vowel should precede a liquid coda then it is lowered to its corresponding low vowel.

Sandhi table

	p	t	k	s	ɬ	x	m	n	ŋ	r	l	ɰ	j	w
t	p	t	k	st	θt	ʃt	nt			tʂ	tɬ	kx	tʃ	kʍ
k				sk	θk	ʃk	ŋk
s	sp	st	sk	s	ɬ	x	ns			rs	ls	ss
ɬ	θp	θt	θk				nθ			rθ	lθ	ɬɬ
x	ʃp	ʃt	ʃk				ŋx			rx	lx	xx
m	mp	nt	ŋk	ns	nθ	ŋx	mb	nd	ŋg	rd	ld	ŋɰ	ŋj	ŋw
n
r	rp	rt	rk	rs	rθ	rx	rm	rn	rŋ			rɰ	rj	rw
l	lp	lt	lk	ls	lθ	lx	lm	ln	lŋ			lɰ	lj	lw

Morphology

General Notes

Thulean morphology has the following constituents:

1) Roots: these are divided into nominal and verbal roots. The latter are divided into transitive and intransitive categories.

2) Postbases: these are derivational or adjunctival suffixes which directly follow the root. They are scope-ordered.

3) Inflectional affixes: these bear functions such as case, number, possession, agent, patient, tense amongst others. The usual bread and butter, nuts and bolts stuff that inflection does.

4) Particles: Conjunctions, interjections and other miscellany that do not fit into the above categories.

Nominal Structure

1) Noun template:

case prefix + nominal or verbal root + postbase(s) + number suffix + possessive suffix or indefinite suffix + demonstrative suffix

2) A minimally inflected noun has a case prefix and a number suffix.

Cases

Nominal Case Declension

Case	Prefix	Function	Examples
Absolutive	Ø-	Marks the nominal citation form Marks the O argument of a transitive verb Marks the stative S argument of an intransitive verb Marks the recipient of a ditransitive verb
Ergative	a-	Marks the A argument of a transitive verb Marks the active S argument of an intransitive verb Marks the possessor of a possessive noun phrase
Instrumental	ki-	Indicates the use of an instrument or tool Marks the the focus of an intransitive verb of perception, cognition or affection of stative S arguments Marks direct causation Marks the theme of a ditransitive verb
Locative	jet-	Indicates location or place Indicates time, event, or occasion Marks the locative comitative Marks the verbal infinitive in periphrastic constructions
Allative	nu-	Marks the focus of an intransitive verb of perception, cognition or affection of active S arguments Encodes spatial and temporaral relations in conjunction with terminative markers (e.g. up to, until, as far as) Encodes benefactive case relations
Ablative	pik-	Indicates origin Indicates motion away from Indicates distance from a reference point Indicates time since an event occurred Marks the focus of intransitive malefactive/adversarial verbs Encodes aversive case relations (for fear of, lest, in case of)
Perlative	me-	Indicates motion through, across or along Indicates duration Indicates path, means or mode of transport or transmission Marks the instrumental or collaborative comitative Marks indirection causation
Equative	sin-	Indicates similarity in manner or likeness Indicates composition Encodes comparative marking (as, than) Serves as a topicalizer (e.g. regarding, concerning, about, as for)

Number

1) For the purposes of number, Thulean nouns are divided into count nouns and mass nouns.

2) For count nouns there are two systems of number:

a) singular-plural

b) collective-singulative

3) The singular-plural system works as it does in most European languages, the singular form of the noun is default and marks a single instance of that noun. The plural form marks multiple instances of that noun. Eg:

SG: kattu = cat

PL: katar = cats

4) With the collective-singulative system the collective form of the noun is default and marks multiple instances of that noun. The singulative form marks a single instance of that noun. Collective nouns usually indicate entities that are found in groups. Eg:

COL: makku = pigs

SGV: makan = pig

5) Mass nouns are considered to be pluralia tanta and thus use the collective-singulative system. The collective form indicates a lump or mass and the singulative form indicates a part of that lump or mass. Eg:

COL: ninta = water

SGV: ninnan = a drop or sip of water

6) Number suffixes:

a) After vowel:

PL: -r

SGV: -n

b) After consonant or before suffix:

PL: -ra

SGV: -ne

Possession

1) Pronominal Possession:

This is indicated by the following set of suffixes:

1SG: -nne

2SG: -gke

3SG ANIM: -nte

3SG INAN: -mme

4SG ANIM: -lle

4SG INAN: -ghe

1PL EXCL: -gka

1PL INCL: -ppa

2PL: -kka

3PL ANIM: -tta

3PL INAN: -mma

4PL ANIM: -tla

4PL INAN: -kha

2) Nominal Possession:

This is indicated by the following construction:

NOM + possessor possessum + pronominal possessive suffix eg:

akimex katunte = the woman's cat