User:Juhhmi/Kher

Kher /χəɾ/ languages descend from the Ancient Kher (kexére7 /kəxerəʔ/) spoken about 2600 years ago in south-western Frostroot, in the coastal region nowadays under the control of Khat Empire. During the great split, the language evolved into two main branches: western on islands of Qekha, Guard and Border Chain, and eastern on north-western coast of Cold Sea.

The language consisted of quadriliteral roots similar to Semitic roots modified through transfixation (apophony) to change the root word into a different part of speech.

The Kher script was an abjad, which only marks the consonants. This main feature has survived into the modern scripts as well. Despite sound changes, such as assimilation, the words in modern languages are still written with original four graphemes, because transfixes may bring back some sounds otherwise unvoiced.

Sound changes:

• /kəxerəʔ/>/kxerə/>/kxer/
  • >/kʰər/>/χəɾ/ in east
  • >/ʔxeʀ/>/xɛʁ/ in west and >/xəɐ/ in south
• /qekəxaʔə/>/qekxʌ:/
  • >/qəχʌ/ in east
  • >/qeʔxʌ:/>/qəxɔ/ in west and >/kɛxɑ/ in south
• /təʕeqepə/>/tˤeqep/>/tˤəqɛp/ (e>ɛ before a labial)