Hlou-Shum languages
The Hlou-Ku languages (Eevo: bo brits Lloo-Cw; Hlou: Schë Ntzog Schlaub-Kun; Ku: lees yoo ndoigh Hloobh-Kuamh) are a small family of languages native to Verse:Tricin/Bjeheond; most Hlou-Ku languages are tonal. Proto-Hlou-Ku is the proto-language. The family is based on the idea of IE languages recast as Hmong-like languages. Hlou-Ku languages had much more importance in the past, but today Tsjoen, Wiobian and Rhythoed are more dominant in Bjeheond.
Family tree
- Proto-Hlou-Ku
Phonology
Phonotactics
(unstressed prefix) + (C)C[r/l]V(C)(C) + tone (?)
Unstressed prefixes were lost in some descendants, such as Ku.
Initials
~30 consonants:
p t ṭ ḱ k ʔ b d ḍ ǵ g f v z s x h tz ts tx dz ds dx m n ṇ ń y r l w (z, s as in Basque)
s-series > ɬ-series in some descendants
Ku and Clooa gain uvulars through velars + r/l.
Nuclei
a e i o u ə ai au əi əu iə uə - a few more vowels for Liai
Hlou will merge ai/au with əi/əu > lots of ei/au! <3
Coda
Allowed finals: just -ŋ, -k, -h, -ʔ
Postfinals: -ə, -ən → lenition, eclipsis in Ku
Tones
2 or 3 tones
Grammar
Proto-Hlou-Ku was analytic and head-initial like Vietnamese.