Thulean

Introduction

Thulean is the sole surviving member of the Insular branch of the Hercynian language family. It has an estimated 33 million speakers. The language is agglutinative and polysynthetic with an active-stative morphosyntax of the fluid-S subtype. It is written using the Latin alphabet as is universal amongst Western European languages.

Phonology

A) PHONEME INVENTORY

1) CONSONANTS

NASAL:

-fortis: /mb, nd, Ng/

-lenis: /m, n, N/

LIQUID:

-fortis: /rd, ld/

-lenis: /r, l/

PLOSIVE:

-fortis: /pp, tt, kk/

-lenis: /p, t, k/

FRICATIVE:

-fortis: /ss, xx/

-lenis: /s, x/

APPROXIMANT: /P, D, j/

2) VOWELS

a) MONOPHTHONGS: /i, u, a/

b) DIPHTHONGS: /@U, OI, aI, aU/

B) ALLOPHONES

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

2) All fortis obstruents are realised as lenis plosives in intervocalic position.

3) All lenis plosives and /s/ are voiced in intervocalic position.

4) /x/ is realised as [Z] in intervocalic position.

5) /D/ is realised as [T] in word-final position.

6) /i, u/ are realised as [E, O] when preceding a liquid coda or when adjacent to /P, j/.

C) ORTHOGRAPHY

"a" = /a/

"ai" = /aI/

"au" = /aU/

"e" = [E]

"g" = /N/

"gg" = /Ng/

"h" = /x/

"hh" = /xx/

"i" = /i/

"iu" = /@U/

"j" = /j/

"k" = /k/

"kk" = /kk/

"l" = /l/

"ll" = /ld/

"m" = /m/

"mm" = /mb/

"n" = /n/

"nn" = /nd/

"o" = [O]

"p" = /p/

"pp" = /pp/

"q" = /D/

"r" = /r/

"rr" = /rd/

"s" = /s/

"ss" = /ss/

"t" = /t/

"tt" = /tt/

"u" = /u/

"ui" = /OI/

"v" = /P/

Historical note: /D/ was originally written with "þ". However, when printing was introduced to Thule, no type was available for that letter so "q" was substituted instead.

The spelling of Thulean is generally phonemic except that the [E, O] allophones of /i, u/ and the effects of consonant gradation and sandhi are indicated.