Idavic languages

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Ashe and Hirst's Shalaian grammar provides the following diachronics:

Phonology

  • Consonants: b d ǵ gw G ɓ t’ ḱ’ kʷ’ q’ p t ḱ kʷ q s h ʔ m n l r w y
  • Vowels: a i u ā ī ū ō
  • Pitch accent: modal (á), creaky ()

Morphology

Tone changes were part of the morphology of Proto-Shalaian, as in Modern Shalaian.

The three genders, the strong and weak declensions and the two sets of possessive markers are all Proto-Shalaian features. Verbs were not inflected for tense or person, and were syntactically verbal nouns; it is thought that verbs developed personal marking later from possessed (possibly doubly-possessed) a verbal noun form.

Syntax

Proto-Shalaian syntax was AuxVOS, which hints at an older SAuxVO stage.