Bright languages
Bright languages are constructed languages intended to be aesthetically pleasing, predictable, and stable in utterance.
Introduction
Phonology
4 vowels and 8 consonants.
Sound Laws
- Voicing: consonants between vowels are voiced.
- Devoicing: initial and final consonants are voiceless.
- Lenition: if two bordering syllables/syllable portions possess the same consonant, the consonant of the weakest syllable (portion) disappears.
EX: The Adamic or Babelic forms vāl "person" and vār "people" become alp and elbë respectively in the Bright Tongue [alp instead of *palp].
- Assimilation:
alba-alp > albabelë; silma-alp > silmemalë; ...
- Harmony: [a > e > i] or [i > e > a]
- Mutation: consonants extend grade until there is only one.
m/n + p -mb [extension of p]
m/n + t -nd [extension of t]
r/l + p -lb [extension of l]
r/l + t -rd [extension of r]
r/l + m = -lm [extension of m]
r/l + n = -rn [extension of n]
- /t/ can only happen before /a/ and/or /ə/.
Because final consonants are easily lost in Typology, /r/ /l/ /m/ and /n/ always mutate
C̥VC̬VC̥
anë
[the dorsal column was deleted and the distinction of voice lost] ...plus, m and n are added and f and s lost
m, l, p, b
n, r, t, d
albabelë narni
Velar stops such as /k/ are problematic, therefore removed. Palatalization /ku/ for example has the tendence to inevitably change to /kʷ/ and /b/, whereas /ki/ will lead to /t͡ʃi/ and /ʃi/.
Back vowels are totally erased, to contrast with dark tongues, plus to avoid the sound change /du/ > /dʷ/ > /b/