Thulean: Difference between revisions

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! tɬ
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! ʧ
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! ʔ
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! m  
! m  
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || mp || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"| || mʔ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver"| || mv || colspan = "3" style = "background: silver" |  
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || mp || colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || mʔ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver"| || mv || colspan = "3" style = "background: silver" |  
|-
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! n  
! n  
| colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"| || nt || ntɬ || colspan = "3" style = "background: silver" | || nʔ || nθ ||ns || colspan = "8" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"| || nt || ntɬ || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver" | || nʔ || nθ ||ns || colspan = "8" style = "background: silver"|  
|-
|-
! ɲ
! ɲ
| colspan = "7" style = "background: silver"| || ɲʧ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver"| || ɲʃ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver" |
| colspan = "7" style = "background: silver"| || ɲʧ || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"| || ɲʃ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver" |
|-
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! ŋ
! ŋ
| colspan = "8" style = "background: silver"| || ŋk || ŋkʷ || ŋʔ || colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || ŋx || ŋxʷ || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver" | || ŋh || style = "background: silver" |
| colspan = "8" style = "background: silver"| || ŋkʷ || ŋʔ || colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || ŋx || ŋxʷ || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver" | || ŋh || style = "background: silver" |
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! r
! r
| rm || rn || rɲ || rŋ ||  rp || rt || rtɬ || rʧ || rk || rkʷ || rʔ || rθ||rs || rɬ || rʃ || rx || rxʷ || rv || rj || rh || rw
| rm || rn || rɲ || rŋ ||  rp || rt || rtɬ || rʧ || rkʷ || rʔ || rθ||rs || rɬ || rʃ || rx || rxʷ || rv || rj || rh || rw
|-
|-
! l
! l
| lm || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || lŋ  || lp || lt || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| ||  lk || lkʷ|| lʔ ||lθ|| ls || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || lx || lxʷ || lv || style = "background: silver"| || lh || lw
| lm || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || lŋ  || lp || lt || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| ||  lkʷ|| lʔ ||lθ|| ls || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || lx || lxʷ || lv || style = "background: silver"| || lh || lw
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! ʎ
! ʎ
| colspan = "7" style = "background: silver"| || ʎʧ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver"| || ʎʃ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver" |
| colspan = "7" style = "background: silver"| || ʎʧ || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"| || ʎʃ || colspan = "6" style = "background: silver" |
|-
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! p
! p
| colspan = "11" style = "background: silver"| || pθ|| ps || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || px || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"| || pθ|| ps || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || px || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
|-
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! t  
! t  
| colspan = "11" style = "background: silver"| ||tθ || ts || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || tx || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"| ||tθ || ts || colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || tx || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
|-
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! k
! k
| colspan = "11" style = "background: silver"| || kθ ||ks|| colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || kx || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"| || kθ ||ks|| colspan = "2" style = "background: silver"| || kx || colspan = "5" style = "background: silver"|  
|-
|-
! θ
! θ
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || θp|| θt||θtɬ||θʧ||θk||θkʷ||θʔ||colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || θp|| θt||θtɬ||θʧ||θkʷ||θʔ||colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|
|-
|-
! s
! s
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || sp|| st|| stɬ || sʧ || sk || skʷ || sʔ || colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || sp|| st|| stɬ || sʧ ||skʷ || sʔ || colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|  
|-
|-
! x  
! x  
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || xp|| xt|| xtɬ || xʧ || xk || xkʷ || xʔ|| colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|  
| colspan = "4" style = "background: silver"| || xp|| xt|| xtɬ || xʧ || xkʷ || xʔ|| colspan = "10" style = "background: silver"|  
|}
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Revision as of 15:58, 26 March 2017


Introduction

Description

The Thulean language (endonym: Minigkaksi) 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, although speculative suggestions of links between it and the Uralic or Uralo-Siberian families have been made in the past. Also, of course, not unexpectedly, there are the wild claims of a relationship between Thulean and the usual suspects of Sumerian, Etruscan or Basque. It is spoken by the Selhat or Thuleans and has a total number of speakers exceeding 30 million.

The Thurse

Thurse is the collective name in English for the European pygmy phenotype. Thurse males and females are similar in stature and have an average height of between 135 to 140 cm. They are pale-skinned with a distinctive pattern of dark stripes for which their clade is best known and have straight or wavy hair. Red hair is more common among the Thurse than any other phenotypical group. High androgyny among Thurse males and high neoteny among both sexes are also notable traits. The Thurse belong to several ethnic groups, the largest of which is the Selhat or Thuleans who occupy Thule (endonym: Telku) the westernmost of the British Isles. The Thurse phenotype is believed to have originated in the Hercynian forest zone of central Europe, diverging from other Palaeolithic populations in Europe approximately ten thousand years ago. The Thurse have no connection with the pygmy populations of the tropics.

Influences

The phonology is inspired by the phonaesthetics of Finnish and Quenya (the Vanyarin dialect specifically) but twisted towards my sensibilities. I just love lateral obstruents, you know? And I'm not excessively fond of /f/ Also, the Samic languages have left their mark on Thulean's system of consonant gradation. The morphology is heavily influenced by Yupik and Inuktitut.

Goals

My intention is to create a polysynthetic elflang that is relatively easy for me to pronounce and which won't have a grammar too complex for me to use. We'll see how it goes.



Phonology

Orthography

1) Thulean is written in the Latin script. The spelling is primarily phonemic but will change to indicate the effects of sandhi and consonant gradation. The current alphabet was adopted in 1898 and underwent its last revision in 1965. The orthography is listed in the tables below:


a) Consonants

Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Central Lateral Plain Labialised
Sonorant Nasal Fortis mm nn nnj gg ggw
Lenis m n nj g gw
Liquid Fortis rr ll llj
Lenis r l lj
Stop Fortis pp tt ttl ttj kk kkw
Lenis p t tl tj k kw q
Fricative Fortis þþ ss ssl ssj xx xxw
Lenis þ s sl sj x xw
Approximant v j h w


b) Vowels

Front Back
Monophthong High i u
Low e a
Diphthong ai au


2) Thulean uses Arabic numerals to represent numbers.

Consonants

Thulean has 45 consonant phonemes which according to WALS is a large inventory. These are listed in the table below:


Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Central Lateral Plain Labialised
Sonorant Nasal Fortis /mb/ /nd/ /ɲʤ/ /ŋg/ /ŋgw/
Lenis /m/ /n/ /ɲ/ /ŋ/ w/
Liquid Fortis /rd/ /ld/ /ʎʤ/
Lenis /r/ /l/ /ʎ/
Stop Fortis /pp/ /tt/ /ttɬ/ /ttʃ/ /kk/ /kkw/
Lenis /p/ /t/ /tɬ/ /tʃ/ /k/ /kw/ /ʔ/
Fricative Fortis /θθ/ /ss/ /ɬɬ/ /ʃʃ/ /xx/ /xxw/
Lenis /θ/ /s/ /ɬ/ /ʃ/ /x/ /xw/
Approximant /v/ /j/ /h/ /w/

Vowels

Thulean has 4 vowel phonemes which according to WALS is a small inventory. There are also 2 diphthongs. The consonant to vowel ratio is 11.25 which according to WALS is high. The vowels are listed in the table below:


Front Back
Monophthong High /i/ /u/
Low /ɛ/ /ɑ/
Diphthong /ai/ /au/

Allophony

1) Nasals are realised as their corresponding voiced stop when following a liquid coda.

2) Fortis obstruents are realised as their corresponding lenis obstruents in intervocalic position.

3) All lenis stops, but not the glottal stop, are aspirated in word-initial position.

4) /p, t, tɬ, ʧ, k, kʷ, θ, s, ɬ, ʃ, x, xʷ/ are voiced in intervocalic position.

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

6) /ɑ/ is realised as [ɔ] before a fortis liquid onset or a liquid coda.

Prosody

Stress

Thulean has stress accent. Primary stress falls within the root. Open syllables without a diphthong are light; open syllables with a diphthong or closed syllables are heavy. Fortis consonants close the syllable preceding them. 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.The stress placement within a root is fixed so is not affected by consonant gradation.

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 syllable template in Thulean is CV(C).

2) Permitted syllable codas:

a) Morpheme-medial only: /ɲ, ŋ, r, l, ʎ, p, s/

b) Morpheme-medial and morpheme-final: /m, n, t, k, θ, x/

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

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

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

6) Consonant clusters may only occur across syllable boundaries.

7) But suffixes may begin with a consonant cluster.

8) Permitted consonant clusters as per table below:

m n ɲ ŋ p t ʧ ʔ θ s ɬ ʃ x v j h w
m mp mv
n nt ntɬ ns
ɲ ɲʧ ɲʃ
ŋ ŋkʷ ŋʔ ŋx ŋxʷ ŋh
r rm rn rp rt rtɬ rkʷ rs rx rxʷ rv rj rh rw
l lm lp lt lkʷ ls lx lxʷ lv lh lw
ʎ ʎʧ ʎʃ
p ps px
t ts tx
k ks kx
θ θp θt θtɬ θʧ θkʷ θʔ
s sp st stɬ skʷ
x xp xt xtɬ xkʷ

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

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

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

12) Diphthongs may only occur in the first syllable of a root or in monosyllabic particles.

13) Diphthongs may not occur in a closed syllable.

14) Diphthongs may not precede a fortis consonant.

15) Diphthongs may not precede /j, w/.

Morphophonology

Consonant Gradation

1) Consonant gradation is word-internal lenition that effects the following:

a) Fortis consonants

b) Lenis stops following a sonorant coda or a vowel

2) Consonant gradation is triggered by the closing of a syllable which begins with the above classes of obstruents.

3) Consonant gradation proceeds as per the tables below:


a) Fortis consonants, and lenis stops following a liquid coda or a vowel:

GRADE I GRADE II GRADE III
mb m
nd n
ɲʤ ɲ
ŋg ŋ
ŋgʷ ŋʷ
rd r
ld l
ʎʤ ʎ
pp p v
tt t r
ttɬ l
ʧ j
kk k h
kkʷ w
θθ θ
ss s
ɬɬ ɬ
ʃʃ ʃ
xx x
xxʷ


b) Lenis stops following a nasal:

GRADE I GRADE II
mp mb
nt nd
ntɬ ld
ɲʧ ɲʤ
ŋk ŋg
ŋkʷ ŋgʷ


4) Consonant gradation occurs after /i/ epenthesis and metathesis from sandhi but before sandhi proper.

Sandhi

1) In Thulean, sandhi is the term given to interactions between consonants at morpheme boundaries.

2) An epenthetic /i/ is inserted after the first segment of the following types of epenthetic clusters:

a) morpheme coda + fortis consonant

b) morpheme coda + consonant cluster

3) If a prefix ends in a consonant then an epenthetic /i/ is inserted between the prefix and the following root.

4) All other sandhi interactions are resolved as per the table below:

m n ɲ ŋ ŋʷ r l ʎ p t ʧ k ʔ s ɬ ʃ x v j h w
m mb nd ɲʤ ŋg ŋgʷ rd ld ʎʤ mp nt ntɬ ɲʧ ŋk ŋkʷ ns ɲʃ ŋx ŋxʷ mv ɲ ŋh ŋʷ
n
t nt ɲʧ nt ŋkʷ rt ʎʧ pp tt ttɬ kk kkʷ tt ts ʧ tx kkʷ ʧ tx
k ŋk ŋk rk lk kk ks kx kx
x ŋx ŋx ŋxʷ rx lx ʎʃ ʃp ʃt ʃtɬ ʃʧ ʃk ʃkʷ ss ɬɬ ʃʃ xx xxʷ ʃ xx


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

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 Morphology

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.

3) Postbases will be covered in the own separate section after verbs.

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 qa-
  • 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 causal arguments
  • Marks the theme of a ditransitive verb
Locative jet-
  • Indicates location or place
  • Indicates time, event, or occasion
  • Marks the locative comitative
  • Marks infinite verbal forms in periphrastic constructions
Allative nu-
  • Indicates direction, goal, or destination
  • Marks the focus of an intransitive verb of perception, cognition or affection of active S arguments
  • Encodes spatial or temporal relations in conjunction with terminative markers (e.g. up to, until, as far as)
  • Marks the beneficiary of an action
  • Marks for the purpose of, for the use of
Ablative pik-
  • Indicates motion away from
  • Indicates origin
  • Indicates distance from a reference point
  • Indicates time since an event occurred
  • Encodes partitive relations (part of, made from, some of)
  • 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 path, means or mode of transport or transmission
  • Indicates duration
  • Marks the instrumental or collaborative comitative
  • Marks indirect causal arguments
  • Encodes distributive functions
Equative sin-
  • Indicates similarity in manner, likeness or composition
  • Encodes comparative marking (as, than)
  • Marks ordinality in numerals
  • 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: katut = 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: makux = 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: ninnax = a drop or sip of water

6) Number suffixes:

a) After vowel:

PL: -t

SGV: -x

b) After consonant or before suffix:

PL: -ta

SGV: -xe

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: -nse

1PL EXCL: -gka

1PL INCL: -ppa

2PL: -kka

3PL ANIM: -tta

3PL INAN: -mma

4PL ANIM: -lka

4PL INAN: -ksa

EG:

a)

tlannante

= her children

b)

tlannaxeppa

= our child

2) Nominal Possession:

This is indicated by the following construction:

NOM + possessor possessum + pronominal possessive suffix.

EG:

qakimex katunte = the woman's cat

qa-kimex kattu-nte

ERG-woman cat-3SG.ANIM.POS

The Indefinite

1) The indefinite suffix -li imparts the meaning of a, a certain, some, any.

EG:

jelelli = a valley

2) Used with the ablative case has the meaning any of, any one of.

EG:

a)

pikiselhat telli

= any one of the people

pik-selka-t tin-li

ABL-person-PL 3SG.ANIM.PRON-INDEF

b)

pikiselhat tatli

= any of the people

pik-selka-t tak-li

ABL-person-PL 3PL.ANIM.PL.INDEF

Demonstratives

1) Thulean has four demonstrative suffixes which encode the following distances:

a) The proximal citerior which marks a person or object near the speaker.

b) The distal citerior which marks a person or object near the addressee.

c) The proximal ulterior which marks a person or object away from both speaker and addressee but within line of sight.

d) The distal ulterior which marks a person or object away from both speaker and addressee but outside visual range.

2)The demonstrative suffixes are as follows:

PROX CIT: -ksi

DIST CIT: -psu

PROX ULT: -tje

DIST ULT: -nja

3) Examples:

a)

janahiksi = this man

b)

qavantje = yon apples that are in sight

Gender

1) Thulean has two genders, animate and inanimate.

2) The animate gender contains nouns referring to people, animals and dynamic physical phenomena such as fire or wind.

3) The inanimate gender contains the residuum.

4) Nouns are not overtly marked for gender but they govern the appropriate pronouns, possessive suffixes and verbal pronominal markers.

EG:

a)

paþanti kattu

= the pretty cat

paþþa-nti Ø-kattu

be.pretty-3SG.ANIM.ABS ABS-cat

b)

helhammu ninta

= the hot water

helka-mmu Ø-ninta

be.hot-3PL.INAN.ABS ABS-water

Pronouns

1) Pronouns are treated like any other nominals.

2) Personal Pronouns:

a) These are listed as follows:

1SG: nin

2SG: kin

3SG ANIM: tin

3SG INAN: min

4SG ANIM: lin

4SG INAN: sin

1PL EXCL: nuk

1PL INCL: puk

2PL: kuk

3PL ANIM: tuk

3PL INAN: muk

4PL ANIM: luk

4PL INAN: suk

b) Animate pronouns can also encode the meaning of person in the generic sense.

EG:

paþanti tin

= the pretty one

paþþa-nti tin

be.pretty.3SG.ANIM.ABS 3SG.ANIM.PRON

c) Inanimate pronouns can also encode the meaning of object in the generic sense.

EG:

mukxalla

= big things

muk-halla

3PL.INAN.PRON-big

d) 4th person pronouns come into play when there are two referents of the same gender and number that need to be distinguished. Thus, 4th person pronouns can be translated into English as "the latter".

e) Exclusive 1st person plural pronouns indicate that the addressee is not included within the referent.

IE: we but not you.

f) Inclusive 1st person plural pronouns indicate that the addresses is included with I the referent.

IE: we and you.

3) Indefinite Pronouns:

a) These encode the concepts of somebody, something, anybody, anything.

b) They are formed by affixing the indefinite suffix to the appropriate pronoun.

EG:

melli = anything

c) In conjuction with the ablative case express the concepts of anyone of, any of.

EG:

i)

pikijanat telli

= anyone of the men

pik-janak-t tin-li

ABL-man-PL 3SG.ANIM.PRON-INDEF

ii)

pikiqavan mutli

= any of the apples

pik-qavan muk-li

ABL-apples 3PL.INAN.PRON-INDEF

4) Reflexive Pronouns:

a) There are no dedicated reflexive pronouns.

b) Reflexivity is indicated by employing the absolutive, oblique or possessive form which refers to the ergative or sole argument of the verb.

EG:

i)

temmaiserittu

= he misleads himself

ten-maiset-ttu

3SG.ANIM.ERG-mislead-3SG.ANIM.ABS

VS

temmaiserelku

= he misleads him

ten-maiset-lku

3SG.ANIM.ERG-mislead-4SG.ANIM.ABS

ii)

tigki xinnunti

= he sees himself

tin-ki xintu-nti

3SG.ANIM.PRON-INST see-3SG.ANIM.ABS

VS

ligki xinnunti

= he sees him

lin-ki xintu-nti

4SG.ANIM.PRON-INST see-3SG.ANIM.ABS

iii)

qavagxente tenqarxansi

= she eats her own apple

Ø-qavan-xe-nte ten-qarxa-nsi

ABS-apples-SGV-3SG.ANIM.POS 3SG.ANIM.ERG-eat-4SG.INAN.ABS

VS

qavagxelli tenqarxansi

= she eats her apple

Ø-qavan-xe-lle ten-qarxa-nsi

ABS-apples-SGV-4SG.ANIM.POS 3SG.ANIM.ERG-eat-4SG.INAN.ABS

5) Reciprocal Pronouns:

There are no dedicated reflexive pronouns. Their functions are performed by a verbal suffix.

6) Negative Pronouns:

a)These encode the concepts of nobody and nothing.

b) The negative pronouns are listed as follows:

3SG ANIM: vannin

3SG INAN: vamin

4SG ANIM: valin

4SG INAN: vansin

3PL ANIM: vatuk

3PL INAN: vamuk

4PL ANIM: valuk

4PL INAN: vaksuk

c) Diachronically, the negative pronouns are derived from relative clauses of negative auxiliary plus pronoun.

EG:

vannin

< *qavanti tin

= the one who is not

qapa-nti tin

NEG-3SG.ANIM.ABS 3SG.ANIM.PRON

7) Demonstrative Pronouns:

a) These are derived from affixing the appropriate demonstrative suffix.

EG:

kiminiksi teghannalli

= she gives this to him

ki-min-ksi ten-hanta-lli

INST-3SG.INAN.PRON-PROX.CIT 3SG.ANIM.ERG-give-4SG.ANIM.ABS

b) Inanimate demonstrative pronouns can also encode the concepts of here and there.

EG:

numinipsu kimpalka

= you go there

nu-min-psu kin-palka

ALL-3SG.INAN.PRON-DIST.CIT 2SG.ERG.go

8) Relative Pronouns:

There are no reflexive pronouns. Thulean uses gap relativisation.

EG:

kimex qavan lenqarxammu kijanak xinnunti

= the woman sees the man who eats the apples

Ø-kimex Ø-qavan len-qarxa-mmu janak-ki qinnu-nti

ABS-woman ABS-apples 4SG.ANIM.ERG-eat-3PL.INAN INST-man see-3SG.ANIM.ABS

9) Interrogative Pronouns:

1) Interrogatives pronouns are formed by affixing -ka to the appropriate pronoun.

EG:

a)

migka keniqarxammi

= you're eating what?

Ø-min-ka ken-qarxa-mmi

ABS-3SG.INAN.PRON 2SG.ERG-eat-3SG.INAN.ABS

Numerals

1) Numerals are treated as nominals.

2) The numeral system is hybrid vigesimal-decimal

3) The thurse language families of Western Europe and Basque, while otherwise unrelated, share the same set of basic numerals: the Western.Palaeo-European Numerals (WPEN).

4) The cardinal numerals from 1-10 are as per the table below:

Numbers
Num. Name WPEN
1 vaþe *bade
2 miha *miga
3 kirun *kirur
4 lawan *lawur
5 marse *martse
6 xai *xai
7 saspi *saspi
8 rassu *ratsu
9 vaþerassu *baderatsu
10 tamvan *tambar



tamvaþe = 11

tammiha = 12

tagkirun = 13

tallawan = 14

tammarsa = 15

tagxai = 16

tansaspi = 17

tarrassi = 18

tamvaþerassu = 19

paje = 20 (WPEN: *pogai)

mihapaje = 40

kirumpaje = 60

lawampaje = 80

qekum = 100 (WPEN: *ekum)

mihakun = 200

kirugkun = 300

lawagkun = 400

marsekun = 500

xaikun = 600

saspikun = 700

rassukun = 800

vaþerassukun = 900

melja = 1,000

melljan = 1,000,000

melja vaþerassukun kirumpaje marse = 1965

5) Nouns counted by a cardinal numeral take the ablative case and precede the numeral.

EG:

pigkelhit vaþerassu

= nine lords

pik-melki-t vaþerassu

ABL-lord-PL nine

6) Ordinal numerals are indicated with the equative case:

EG:

simpaje vaþe kespet

= the twenty-first month

sin-paje vaþe kespe-t

EQU-twenty one month-PL

7) Fractions are encoded by a periphrastic construction involving kwerþi "piece, portion" and the ablative case.

EG:

pigkinta sigkirun kwerþi

= the third part of the water, a third of the water

pik-ninta sin-kirun kwerþi

ABL-water EQU-three portion

Verbal Morphology

Verbal Structure

Syntax

Constituent order

Noun phrase

Verb phrase

Sentence phrase

Dependent clauses

Example texts

Other resources

Thulean Lexicon

galen = to have faith in (stative), to trust (active)

gaxala = to heal, to doctor

hakin = to know (stative), to learn (active)

-halla = augmentative

hanex = willow trees

hanta = to give

-hanþe = too much, excessively

helka = to be hot (stative), to warm up (active)

jaipix = fishes

jakken = boat

jalla = trees, forest

janak = man

java = night

jelen = valley

jensa = pine tree

kai = but

kalin = dog

kallun = witch, sorcerer

kamma = be sick (stative), become ill (active)

kannarkaralla = counter-colonel (OF-5)

kannarkarvalla = counter-corporal (OR-2)

kannarkattanju = counter-captain (OF-3)

kannarkenalli = counter-general (OF-7)

kannallattenat = counter-lieutenant (OF-1)

kannarmaristlu = counter-marshal (OF-9)

karra = stone

karalla = colonel (OF-6)

karvalla = corporal (OR-3)

karvat = wagon, cart

Kastalpari = Constabulary. General term for Thulean armed forces.

kastalpi = constable (OR-1)

katen = chains

katlik = castle, fort

katta = to be tired (stative), to exhaust oneself (active)

kattanju = captain (OF-4)

kattu = cat

kave = coffee

kelesja = church

kenalli = general (OF-8)

kentimetla = centimetre

kepeþ = shadow

keram = gram

kerri = land, country

kerta = skeleton, frame

kespe = moon, month

kiggat = to drink

kilakeram = kilogram

kilametla = kilometre

kimex = woman

kinje = to love (stative), to like (active)

kirun = three

kwena = a smile

-kwepsu = never

kwerþi = piece, portion

kwetsan = feathers

lakka = duck

-lanti = today

lattenat = lieutenant (OF-2)

latju = thug, bravo

lawan = four

-lbax = transitiviser

-limut = should, must, ought

lira = sea ocean

litla = litre

-lkwa = white, blonde

lukat = mice

mairi = major (OR-7)

mairihalla = master major (OR-8)

mairivinja = chief major (OR-9)

maiset = to mislead

-mak = can, able to

makku = pigs

-mani = much, a lot

maristlu = marshal (OF-10)

marse = five

marþen = to desire (stative), to want (active)

maþen = bread

melja = thousand

melki = lord, lady

melljan = million

mesalka = blackbird

metla = metre

miha = two

-mmelet = black, brunette

merkukeram = microgram

merkumetla = micrometre, micron

mellikeram = milligram

mellilitla = millilitre, cubic centimetre

mellimetla = millimetre

nara = to be, to exist (stative), to become (active)

Narwerka = Norway

naska = ring (jewellery)

nasura = bones

nina = ash tree

ninta = water

njara = to purr

nugaxala vuta = hospital

numme = to be red

nutje = eels

paje = twenty

pakka! = fuck!

palka = to go

panana = banana

pantju = to buy

parma = to be ignorant (stative), to be unwilling to learn (active)

patata= potatoes

pattu = hare

pattuhalla = donkey

paþþa = be beautiful, be pretty

penelku = pencil

penta = to fill

pigkakku sluse = pork

pilun = lead

piriþ = to die (stative), to die of self-neglect, to pine away (active)

qahax = fire

qaira = trees, forest

qalman = woad

qalwa = lark

qana = fruits

qanja = copper

qapa = to be not, negative auxiliary

qarantja = orange (fruit)

qarhat = silver

qaru = kernel, core, vulva (euphemism)

qarxa = to eat

qasaþ = to bind, to imprison

qaspen = be under, be beneath (stative), go beneath (active)

qaþan = blood

qaurikat = apricot

qausla = police, militia

qauslax = cop

qavan = apples

qaxxa = to hate (stative), to dislike (active)

qekwa = horse

qekwali = to be of good quality (stative), to have good intentions (active)

qekum = hundred

qelet = bronze

qesak = salmon

qesen = leaves

qexpe = to taste (stative), to savour (active),to perform oral sex (active)

qexku = handsome

qisan = iron

qiskalva = bird of prey

Qislat = Iceland

qisparwa = crow

qissit = hair

qistilu = pen

qisjam = stars

qunnu = pillow

quruk = enemies

qusse = gemstone

rassu = eight

rauna = to be silent (stative), to keep a secret (active)

russla = spirit, soul

-rusta = red, ginger

saspi = seven

saxwa = sun, day

selka = person, human being

serventu = sergeant (OR-4)

serventuhalla = master sergeant (OR-5)

serventuvinja = chief sergeant (OR-6)

sigkaten karvat = train, locomotive

sigkaten wala = laser

simvassli slatan = helicopter

sinarva = gold

sinnak = fox

sinunnu jakken = hovercraft

sjammi = sky

slaka = to be enslaved, to be in thrall (stative), to be indentured, to serve (active)

slahalmax = to rule, to command

slasu = to hear (stative), to listen (active)

slatan = wing

-slempi = certain, sure

sluse = meat, flesh

sukkaru = sugar

-sun = detransitiviser

sunik = snow

suvi = strawberries

tagka = tin

taha = sword

taina = foot

-tain = allative applicative

takku = to bring, to fetch

tamate = tomato

tamman = ten

Tammarke = Denmark

tansa = owl

Telku = Thule

teninta = tea

tjakalat = chocolate

tjave = to feel (stative), to touch (active)

tjuni = nose

tlanta = children

tlanu = throne

Tlusslu = the Squid Mother, the Ten-Armed Lady, Mistress of all Sea-Creatures, Thulean Goddess.

þarka = be bad, be poor in quality (stative), be wicked (active)

Þistlat = Germany

þunna = fist

taikut = to name

vagwa = to find (stative), to seek (active)

vakkan = rain

valþa = wolves

vanna = raven

vanþa = peak, mountaintop, hilltop

varka = badger

vassli = wasp

vaþe = one

vaþerassu = eight

vau = and (conjoins two phrases)

Vellat = Finland

venestla = window

-verri = new, young, fresh

verru = be short (stative), to shrink (active)

vika = bee

-vinja = old, mature, wise

vussu = mouth

vuta = house

wala = light

wervu = amber

xai = six

xaste = world

xintu = to see (stative), to watch (active)

-xku = instrumental applicative

-xpak = diminutive suffix

xwestu = winds

Xwisjaþ = Sweden

Thulean Flags

Thulean national flag


Naval ensign


Civil ensign

The footed Othala rune as used in Thulean iconography represents the Squid Goddess Tlusslu. In the alternate universe where Thule exists, Neo-Nazi groups have been rigorously discouraged from making use of this symbol. However, the Thuleans do tolerate the use of the footed Othala rune by Odinists, Asatruar and other adherents of Pagan religions.