Grayis
Grayis | |
---|---|
Grayis | |
Pronunciation | [/ˈgrä.jɪs/] |
Created by | BenJamin P. Johnson, additionally creator of: |
Date | 2018 |
Setting | Planet Oyrigin |
language isolate
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | none |
Grayis is an a priori language created by BenJamin P. Johnson for Infinite Mind Pictures, Inc. to serve as the language of the Grayis Kin, one of six alien races who feature in the board game and upcoming screenplay Pilots of Gallaxia.
Phonology
Vowels
Grayis vowels have phonemic length, and phonetic differences based on stress. Where unstressed vowels have a different phonetic realization, it appears on the right of the tilde in square brackets.
Short Vowels: | Long Vowels: | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front | Central | Back | Front | Central | Back | ||
High | i [i ~ i] |
u [u ~ ʊ] |
High | ī [iː] |
ū [uː] | ||
Mid | Mid | ai [ai̯ ~ e̞ː] |
au [au̯ ~ o̞ː] | ||||
Low | a [ä] |
Low | ā [äː] |
Consonants
Labial | Coronal | Dorsal | Glottal | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Plosive | p · b [p]·[b] |
t · d [t]·[d] |
k · g [k]·[g] |
|
Affricate | ch · j [ʧ]·[ʤ] |
|||
Fricative | s · [s]· |
kh · [x]· |
h · [h]· | |
Approximant | · w ·[w] |
· y ·[j] |
||
Tap or Trill | · r ·[r~ɾ] |
|||
Lateral | · l ·[l] |
|||
Nasal | · m ·[m] |
· n ·[n] |
Phonotactics
- /h/ cannot follow another consonant or occur intervocalically.
- /s/ can only occur word-finally.
- Words cannot end with /g/ or any consonant cluster.
- Vowels (except for diphthongs) must be separated by a consonant.
- Word-initial consonant clusters are limited to [plosive]+[liquid] (i.e. {ptkbdg} + {lr}), but not /tl/ or /dl/.
- Intervocalic clusters may be:
- Geminate plosives or sonorants: /pp/, /tt/, /kk/, /bb/, /dd/, /ll/, /rr/, /mm/, /nn/; but not /gg/.
- Any [plosive]+[liquid] combination: /pl/, /pl/, /tl/, /tr/, /kl/, /kr/, /bl/, /br/, /dl/, /dr/, /gl/, /gr/
- Any [plosive]+/w/: /pw/, /tw/, /kw/, /bw/, /dw/, /gw/
- Any [nasal]+[unvoiced plosive] or [affricate]: /mp/, /nt/, /nk/, /nʧ/, /nʤ/
- Also: /ngw/, /hk/, /hw/, /hj/
- Like short vowels may contract (including with like short vowels which are part of a diphthong), e.g. raiwai+itta+aichī (‘those six men’) > raiwai’tt’aichī. Determiners, adjectives, pronouns, and adverbs are the most likely to lose vowels to contraction, while nouns and verbs do not usually experience any elision.
List of Valid Onsets
Onsets are not required. The following onsets may occur (including clusters): b–, br–, br–, ch–, d–, dr–, g–, gl–, gr–, h–, j–, k–, kh–, kl–, kr–, l–, m–, n–, p–, pl–, pr–, r–, t–, tr–, w–, y–
List of Valid Nuclei
Any vowel may act as a nucleus.
List of Valid (Intersyllabic) Consonant Clusters, Including Geminates
An intersyllabic consonant is required, though it need not be a cluster. Any single consonant may occur between syllables except for ‹h› and ‹s›. The following intersyllabic consonant clusters may occur: –bb–, –bl–, –br–, –bw–, –dd–, –dl–, –dr–, –dw–, –gl–, –gr–, –gw–, –hk–, –hw–, –hy–, –kk–, –kl–, –kr–, –kw–, –ll–, –mm–, –mp–, –nch–, –ngw–, –nj–, –nk–, –nn–, –ny–, –pl–, –pp–, –pr–, –pw–, –rr–, –tl–, –tr–, –tt–, –tw–
List of Valid Codas
A coda is not required. No clusters may occur as a coda, but any single consonant may appear as a coda except for ‹g›: –b, –ch, –d, –dj, –h, –k, –l, –m, –n, –p, –r, –s, –t
Stress
Stress is determined by mora weight of the rime. No syllable can have more than 3 morae in the rime (VVC). When determining stress, the following order takes precedence:
VːC > VVC > Vː > VV > VC > V
(E.g. āt > aut > ā > au > at > a)
If syllabic weights are equal, the left-most of the equal syllables is stressed. E.g. tā́kkum ‘wide’ /ˈtaːk.kʊm/, grawukkái ‘worm’ /gra.wukˈkai/, irúntutim ‘cold weather’ /iˈrun.tu.tim/. When stress deviates from this pattern it is indicated by an acute diacritic. (Examples above are not normally accented, but acute is used for illustrative purposes.)
Orthography
For the most part, orthography does not differ from the phonology. Where it does, it is indicated below.
/ | p | b | t | d | k | g | ʧ | ʤ | s | x | h | w | j | r | l | m | n | i | iː | ai̯ | ä | äː | au̯ | u | uː | / |
‹ | ch | j[1] | kh | y | ī | ai | a | ā | au | ū | › |
Grammatical Orders and Alignments
Typology
The typology of Grayis is predominantly SOV (subject-object-verb), but may be better described as simply verb-final. The positions of subject and object may shift depending on topicality or markedness.
Morphosyntactic Alignment
Grayis has what may be considered tripartite alignment, which means that nouns are differentiated for subject, object, and agentive roles; these roles are all marked with particles which may be considered adpositions.
Other Orders
The Grayis language is predominantly head-final, and this is reflected in many of its more granular alignments.
Noun Phrases
In noun phrases, only adpositions precede the noun. Demonstratives, numerals, adjectives, genitive constructions, and relative clauses all follow the noun, in that specific order (preposition – NOUN – determiner/demonstrative – numeral – adjective (phrase) – genitive (phrase) – relative clause). For example, the noun phrase “with those six tall men from town who stole my ferret” would be assembled in the order:
nu raiwai’tt’aichī mīkkidj barruh au kī fairrit ā chā’u jik makwat.
nu | raiwai | itta | aichī | mīkkidj | barruh au | kī | fairrit ā | chā au | jik makwat |
cmt | man.pl | this | six[2] | tall | town gen | rel.erg | ferret obj | 1sg.gen | pst.pft steal |
with | men | those | six | tall | from-town | who | ferret | my | stole |
‘with those six men from town who stole my ferret’
Adjective Phrases
In adjective phrases, (adverbial) measurements of degree (very, less, too, &c.) follow the adjective.
murāgi utta mūri katla
murāgi | utta | mūri | katla |
dog | that | good | very |
‘that very good dog’
Verb Phrases
As mentioned in Typology, Grayis is a verb-final language, and as such, adverbs always immediately precede the verb. In the case of negation, negatives come between the verb and other adverbs. TAM particles, if present, always directly precede the verb after negatives.
yun ī chā ā nijūkit dī jai jik akkā.
yun ī | chā ā | nijūkit dī | jai | jik akkā |
3sg erg | 1sg obj | intentional adv | neg | pst.pft push |
he | me | intentionally | not | pushed |
‘he didn’t push me on purpose’
Numbers
The Grayis number system is nonal (base-9), but has reflexes of an ancient system based on multiples of 3, which can be observed in the etymology of the basic numbers.
Grayis | Decimal | Meaning |
---|---|---|
rī | 1 | (1) |
ai | 2 | (2) |
chil | 3 | (3) |
chirri | 4 | (3+1) |
kilai | 5 | (3+2) |
aichī | 6 | (2×3) |
chalayī | 7 | (4×2-1?) |
nauri | 8 | (9-1) |
nā | 9 | (9) (=10 in nonal) |
chillīkka | 27 | (=30 in nonal: 33, ‘great three’) |
Further numbers are formed by compounding using the word ha ‘and’.
Na (Teens) | Dec. | Non. | Ayinnā (20) | Dec. | Non. | Tens | Dec. | Non. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
narī | 10 | 11 | ayinnā ha rī | 19 | 21 | na- | 9 | 10 |
nanai | 11 | 12 | ayinnā ha ai | 20 | 22 | ayinnā | 18 | 20 |
nachil | 12 | 13 | ayinnā ha chil | 21 | 23 | chillīkka | 27 | 30 |
nachirri | 13 | 14 | ayinnā ha chirri | 22 | 24 | chirrinnā | 36 | 40 |
nakilai | 14 | 15 | ayinnā ha kilai | 23 | 25 | kilinnā | 45 | 50 |
nalaichī | 15 | 16 | ayinnā ha aichī | 24 | 26 | aichinnā | 54 | 60 |
nachalayī | 16 | 17 | ayinnā ha chalayī | 25 | 27 | chalainā | 63 | 70 |
nanāli | 17 | 18 | ayinnā ha nauri | 26 | 28 | naurinnā | 72 | 80 |
ayinnā | 18 | 20 | chillīkka | 27 | 30 | duhkā | 81 | 100 |
Multiples of ten are formed in the same manner as ayinnā. Orders of magnitude are formed regularly with multiple compounds.
Tens | Dec. | Non. | Multiples | Dec. | Non. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
na- | 9 | 10 | chil | 31 | 3 |
ayinnā | 18 | 20 | nā | 32 | 10 |
chillīkka | 27 | 30 | chillīkka | 33 | 30 |
chirrinnā | 36 | 40 | duhkā | 34 | 100 |
kilinnā | 45 | 50 | kaigu | 36 | 1,000 |
aichinnā | 54 | 60 | nakaigu | 38 | 10,000 |
chalainā | 63 | 70 | duhkakkaigu | 310 | 100,000 |
naurinnā | 72 | 80 | īlim | 312 | 1,000,000 |
duhkā | 81 | 100 | jumai | 318 | 1,000,000,000 |
Grayis numbers always follow the noun they modify, and the plural marker should not be used when a number is present, e.g. tānū hah ‘trees’, but tānū nā ‘nine trees’.
Pronouns
Grayis personal pronouns are divided into five categories which may be considered registers of formality, though rather than describing hierarchical relationships, they are determined by the familial and educational relationships between the speakers. There are five registers, though not all pronouns have all five forms, and some may have the same form for two or more registers.
- The first register is that of Equal. This is the register you would use with friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and others you interact with regularly who do not fall into any of the other registers.
- The Family register is similar to that of Equal, but it has the additional connotation that the speakers are related to one another. This is the register for cousins, siblings, and sometimes other family members such as aunts, uncles, or other non-nuclear relations.
- The third register is actually the default for most day-to-day interaction. This is the Neutral register, which may be seen as slightly formal. This register is used with anyone you don’t know well. Many workplaces also maintain a neutral register for professional interactions in situation where the Equal register may otherwise be used.
- The fourth register is the Teacher register, used explicitly for addressing a teacher, parent, or mentor. Situationally this may also be the assumed register for addressing family elders.
- The fifth and final register is that of Student. This is directly converse to the Teacher register: It is how parents address their children, and how teachers address students.
Equal | Family | Stranger | Teacher | Student | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
chal | cham | chā[3] | char | chāh[4] | first person singular, ‘I’ |
kit | kāl | kālli | chit[5] | second person singular ‘you’ | |
yun | yumi | yun | yunum | yunīllah | third person singular animate ‘he / she’[6] |
wih | third person singular inanimate ‘it’ | ||||
kichal | kicham | -[7] | chakrālli[8] | jachīt | first person dual inclusive ‘you and I, we’[9] |
jāla | jahla | jal | jālinum | jahla | first person plural, ‘we’ |
gīs | gīt | gillā | gailinūh | gīt | second person plural, ‘you (all)’ |
yaum | yaunūh[10] | yaunīllah[11] | third person plural animate, ‘they’ | ||
waih | third person plural inanimate, ‘they, those things’[12] |
Swadesh List
For those of you who like this sort of thing!
Grayis | English | Grayis | English | Grayis | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
001 | chal | I | 070 | tidīntipi | feather | 139 | raichillā | to count |
002 | kit | you | 071 | tunu | hair (on head) | 140 | dimi | to say |
003 | yun, wih | he, she, it | 072 | upam | head (anatomy) | 141 | tūranā | to sing |
004 | jāla, kichal | we | 073 | grigi | ear | 142 | ayattan | to play |
005 | gīs | you | 074 | ruyu | eye | 143 | achar | to float |
006 | waih, yaum | they | 075 | unna | nose | 144 | tratūm | to flow |
007 | itta | this | 076 | chabah | mouth | 145 | aitu | to freeze |
008 | utta | that | 077 | rakkas | tooth | 146 | arib | to swell |
009 | iddu | here | 078 | mannī | tongue | 147 | krīmuttād, lūpupaus | sun |
010 | uddu | there | 079 | ūgīttī | fingernail | 148 | ailā | moon |
011 | julkās | who | 080 | tugi | foot | 149 | ikī | star |
012 | julkāt | what | 081 | wuch | leg | 150 | wīch | water |
013 | julkād | where | 082 | īju | knee | 151 | chukutta | rain |
014 | julkīn | when | 083 | tāga | hand | 152 | plīnum | river |
015 | julkīl | how | 084 | krillu | wing | 153 | ūkkai | lake |
016 | jai | not | 085 | rudduk | belly, abdomen | 154 | chamai | sea |
017 | nakī | all | 086 | īmus | guts, entrails, intestines | 155 | tauki | salt |
018 | mikidj | many | 087 | ūta | neck | 156 | brūk | stone |
019 | limā | some | 088 | chīlāk | back | 157 | ikak | sand |
020 | munnu | few | 089 | durudj | breast | 158 | mauddulā | dust |
021 | iyūr | other | 090 | trāchai | heart | 159 | runar | earth, soil, dirt |
022 | rī | one | 091 | willunān | liver | 160 | gakwai | cloud |
023 | ai | two | 092 | tudī | to drink | 161 | trāki | fog, mist |
024 | chil | three | 093 | idwam | to eat | 162 | iyatur | sky |
025 | chirri | four | 094 | kanna | to bite | 163 | gribinta | wind |
026 | kilai | five | 095 | drūbat | to suck | 164 | innirri | snow |
027 | mīkkidj | big, large | 096 | aikīch | to spit | 165 | khihchis | ice |
028 | luklai | long | 097 | #N/A | #N/A | 166 | īrra | smoke (not steam) |
029 | tākkum | wide, broad | 098 | wahyāh | blow | 167 | pakwā | fire |
030 | ruchi | thick | 099 | ahman | to breathe | 168 | mūnak | ash, ashes |
031 | tattūmu | heavy | 100 | khalāh | to laugh | 169 | pakku | burn |
032 | ina | small, little | 101 | ijun | to see | 170 | radal | path, road, trail |
033 | īnaik | short | 102 | ihka | to hear | 171 | maunis | mountain |
034 | bīru | narrow | 103 | nibahkai | to know | 172 | khūn | red |
035 | mīrrichi | thin | 104 | arūn | to think | 173 | ruchī | green |
036 | kanā | woman | 105 | naram | to smell | 174 | grāla | yellow |
037 | raiwai | man (adult male) | 106 | akkai | to fear | 175 | yilūr | white |
038 | lān | person | 107 | jīttā | to sleep | 176 | iyūb | black |
039 | mikit | child | 108 | akūra | to live | 177 | līna | night |
040 | īmmikanā | wife | 109 | igī | to die | 178 | gintā | day |
041 | īmmiraiwai | husband | 110 | ichak | to kill | 179 | jannik | year |
042 | ummā | mother | 111 | pikat | to fight | 180 | trabākutim | hot (of weather) |
043 | tuma | father | 112 | hantijus | to hunt | 181 | iruntutim | cold |
044 | mīka | animal | 113 | igach | to hit | 182 | tanū | full |
045 | plati | fish | 114 | chappa | to cut | 183 | chupi | new |
046 | ugīttī | bird | 115 | chappai | to split | 184 | trayi | old |
047 | murāgi | dog | 116 | tahkah | to stab, to pierce | 185 | mūri | good |
048 | īh | louse | 117 | kitlig | to scratch | 186 | kaita | bad |
049 | katas | snake | 118 | tantaichīyun | to dig | 187 | ipis | rotten |
050 | grawukkai | worm | 119 | itān | to swim | 188 | khaukku | dirty |
051 | tānū | tree | 120 | puyat | to fly | 189 | wāchīn | straight |
052 | tiradūntāt | forest, woods | 121 | trala | to walk | 190 | ūyu | round |
053 | griyuch | stick | 122 | tānu | come | 191 | traigu | sharp (of a knife) |
054 | rūna | fruit | 123 | dārai | to lie | 192 | mudub | dull (of a knife) |
055 | īrit | seed | 124 | sittan | to sit | 193 | ās | smooth |
056 | kadūn | leaf | 125 | āmīd | to stand | 194 | ichīs | wet |
057 | bāru | root | 126 | duru | to turn | 195 | krās | dry |
058 | rīkkud | bark (of tree) | 127 | akīt | to fall | 196 | braidim | correct, right |
059 | tina | flower | 128 | gaillāk | to give | 197 | pichit | near |
060 | dunidj | grass | 129 | grauntā | to hold | 198 | nunta | far |
061 | īkaittā | rope | 130 | būjih | to squeeze | 199 | dijaiwi | right, right-hand |
062 | grinin | skin | 131 | brijar | to rub | 200 | kurauwi | left, left-hand |
063 | juchī | flesh, meat | 132 | ganauri | to wash | 201 | uk | at |
064 | khūlunna | blood | 133 | maunti | to wipe | 202 | ji | in |
065 | pūkkīch | bone | 134 | attis | to pull | 203 | nu | with |
066 | tuya | grease, fat | 135 | akkā | to push | 204 | ha, ku | and |
067 | addi | egg | 136 | wiyīr | to throw | 205 | lā | if |
068 | kurunat | horn | 137 | dalūh | to tie, bind | 206 | udj | because |
069 | tikkilai | tail | 138 | gribbun | to sew | 207 | turuh | name |
- ^ /ʤ/ is spelt ‹dj› when word-final.
- ^ The plural particle hah can be thought of as a determiner or numeral. It is not used in conjunction with a number or another adjective that would otherwise indicate plurality (e.g. many, some, seventeen, several, &c).
- ^ Etymological reference to chātturrarri ‘second brother’; indicates friendship or friendliness.
- ^ Though similar in sound to chā, this is an etymological reference to laichāh, the yellow shadow from the red sun; indicates compliance.
- ^ Etymological reference to chitir, the red shadow from the yellow sun, indicates truculence.
- ^ There is no gender distinction in the third person pronouns, though there is a distinction between animate (“he/she”) and inanimate (“it”).
- ^ There is not a single pronoun to represent this idea; instead it is rendered simply as chā ha kāl ‘I and you’.
- ^ Metathesis of char+kālli, because /rk/ is not a legal intrasyllabic sequence.
- ^ The first person dual inclusive pronoun (“you and I”) is optional; there is not a plural inclusive, and all other first person non-singular roles are assumed by the first person plural, whether inclusive or exclusive.
- ^ “They who are my parents/mentors/teachers.”
- ^ “They who are my children/students.”
- ^ As with the third person singular, there is an animacy distinction in the third person plural (both rendered as ‘they’ in English). No registers are used with inanimate pronouns.