Páuluòbeng

Báoluòveng is a minority language closely related to Qenian, but is distinct enough to be regarded as a separate language.

Phonology

More Mandarin than Qenian - be careful not to have linking R everywhere

The nonstandard Baoзluòveng ('highlander') dialect has a pitch accent system which may be the most complex in any Talman language. The dialect uses definite suffixes which trigger tonal distinctions, giving 3 tonal distinctions in total.

Tones

Báoluòveng is a strongly pitch-accent language.

Three tones for long vowels:

• ā: mid level
• á: rising
• à: falling

Consonants

Consonants:

• /tʂw tʂʰw ʂw ɹw/ do not labialize to /pf pfʰ f ʋ/
• Historical initial /f/ retained
• /l/ is always clear [l]

Vowels

Báoluòveng uses an RP-like pronunciation for R-colored vowels. Linking R is used, unlike in Standard Qenian.

Short vowels:

• a e ie i o u ü /a ə jɛ ɪ wɔ ʊ ʏ/

Diphthongs:

• ai ei uai ui ao iao ou iu iei üei /aɪ eɪ waɪ weɪ aʊ jaʊ əʊ jəʊ jeɪ ɥøʏ/

Long vowels:

• ì ù ǜ /iː uː yː/
• uor, uòr, uò, ur, ùr /oː(ɹ)/
• (i)ar, (i)àr, (i)à /(j)ɑː(ɹ)/
• er, èr, eir /ɜː(ɹ)/
• ir, ìr, ier, ièr /jɜː(ɹ)~jɛː(ɹ)/
• ür, ǜr /ɥɜː(ɹ)~ɥœː(ɹ)/
• uir /wɜː(ɹ)/
• air, aor, our /ajə(ɹ)~ɑː(ɹ), awə(ɹ)~ɑː(ɹ), əwə(ɹ)~ɜː(ɹ)/
• angr engr ingr ongr ungr üngr /ɑ̃ː(ɹ) ə̃ː(ɹ) jə̃ː(ɹ) ɔ̃ː(ɹ) ɔ̃ː(ɹ) ɥə̃ː(ɹ)/
  • e.g. liangr /ljɑ̃̀ː(ɹ)/ 'dream'

Final vowels:

• final -a = final -er = final -e = /(j)ə(ɹ)/
• final -i = /ɪ/
• final -u = /ʊ/

Many grammatical endings are merged in Páuluòbeng.

Grammar

No case; everything merged to nominative