Modern Phrygian

Modern Phrygian (Native: βρουζ̌ικιά /vɾuʒiˈɟa/) is a modern variety of the Phrygian language.

Modern Phrygian
τα βρουζ̌ικιά ξ̌ώσσα
Pronunciation	[ta vɾuʒiˈɟ̊a ˈkʃosa]
Created by	Shariifka
Language family	Indo-European Graeco-Phrygian Phrygian Modern Phrygian

Introduction

Etymology

Modern Phrygian βρουζ̌ικιά vružigʲá < Ancient Phrygian βρυγικά brugikā́ (cognate with Ancient Greek φρυγική pʰrygikḗ).

Features

• PIE aspirated stops became plain voiced stops.
• PIE voiced stops were devoiced in some conditions and preserved as voiced in others.
• PIE voiceless stops were mostly preserved, but were aspirated in some conditions.
• Like Greek, voiced and aspirated stops were later fricatized.
• Initial w- preserved (as v-) except before o.
  • New w also became v, or f after voiceless consonants (e.g. βαίνα véna "hyena" < ουαίνα wéna < ύαινα (h)úaina; τφω tfo "two" < τουω two < τύω túō).
• nt > nn
• Early palatalization of velars before front vowels to alveolar fricatives.
• All labiovelars became plain velars.
• Second palatalization of velars before front vowels to postalveolars.
• Third palatalization of velars adjacent to front vowels to palatals.
• In obstruent clusters (except for s + consonant), the second consonant becomes a fricative.
  • Earlier /ʝ/ and /ç/ (from fricatization of original /i, e/ before other vowels) behaves as an obstruent in this situation, causing a preceding fricative to become a stop. They also become postalveolar after dental stops.
  • This also applies to /f/ and /v/ from fricatization of original /u/ before a vowel.
• Assimilation of s to following consonant in consonant clusters (except word-initially, where metathesis occurs instead).
  • /ç/ (from fricatization of original /i, e/ after /s/ before other vowels) behaves as an obstruent in this situation, becoming a stop /c/. /sc/ then assimilates to /c/ intervocalically, while metathesizing to /kʃ/ initially.
  • /f/ (from fricatization of original /u/ in the above positions) similarly becomes a stop /p/, which merges with /s/ intervocalically and metathesizes to /ps/ initially.
• Intervicalic partial voicing of non-geminated voiceless stops.
• Voicing of voiceless stops after nasals
• Loss of phonemic gemination, but traces preserved.
  • Lack of intervocalic voicing of original geminated stops.
  • Final -n > nasalization, but -nn > -n

Phonology

Orthography

Note: In this section, all pronunciations are according to the standard dialect unless otherwise specified.

Greek orthography

Alphabet

Letter Name IPA Α α άλφα [ˈalfa] Β β βέτα [ˈved̥a] Γ γ γάμμα [ˈɣama] Δ δ δέλτα [ˈðelda] Ε ε έμανου [ˈemanu] Ζ ζ ζέτα [ˈzed̥a] Ζ̌ ζ̌ ζ̌έτα [ˈʒed̥a] Η η έτα [ˈed̥a] Θ θ θέτα [ˈθed̥a] Ι ι γιώτα [ˈʝod̥a]

Letter Name IPA Κ κ κάππα [ˈkapa] Λ λ λάμπδα [ˈlambða] Μ μ μου [mu] Ν ν νου [nu] Ξ ξ ξι [ksi] Ξ̌ ξ̌ ξ̌ι [kʃi] Ο ο όμανου [ˈomanu] Π π πι [pi] Ρ ρ ρο [ro] Σ σ ς σίγμα [ˈsiŋma]

Letter Name IPA Σ̌ σ̌ ς̌ σ̌ίγμα [ˈʃiŋma] Τ τ ταυ [taf] Υ υ ούψιλο [ˈupsilο] Φ φ φι [fi] Χ χ χι [çi] Ψ ψ ψι [psi] Ψ̌ ψ̌ ψ̌ι [pʃi] Ω ω ωμέκα [oˈmeɡ̊a]

The letters with carons ⟨σ̌, ζ̌, ξ̌, ψ̌⟩ can alternatively be written as multigraphs.

With caron	As multigraph
	before front vowel	before back vowel	word-finally or before consonant
σ̌	σχ	σχι	σχ
ζ̌	ζγ	ζγι	ζγ
ξ̌	ξχ	ξχι	ξχ
ψ̌	ψχ	ψχι	ψχ

Consonants

Consonants

Letter	Context	IPA	Examples	Remarks
β	everywhere	[v]	βεχ [vex] "six"
γ	before front vowels ([e] or [i]).	[ʝ]	γεν [ʝen] "yen"
	before velar consonants ([ɡ] or [x]) or nasal consonants ([m] or [n])	[ŋ]	μάγκο [ˈmaŋgo] "mango"; αγνός [aŋˈnos] "pure, chaste"	This occurs when the following consonant is ⟨ξ⟩, ⟨ξ̌⟩, non-palatalized ⟨κ⟩ or ⟨χ⟩, ⟨μ⟩, or ⟨ν⟩.
	before palatal consonants ([ɟ] or [ç])	[ɲ]	αγκινάρα [aɲɟiˈnara] "artichoke"	This occurs when the following consonant is palatalized ⟨κ⟩ or ⟨χ⟩.
	everywhere else	[ɣ]	γαλκός [ɣalˈɡos] "copper"
γγ	before front vowel	[ɲ]	άγγελος [ˈaɲelos] "angel"
	elsewhere	[ŋ]	άγγουρο [ˈaŋuro] "cucumber"
γι	before vowels	[ʝ]	μαγιά [maˈʝa] "yeast"
γγι	before vowels	[ɲ]	πάρκκιγγιους [ˈparciɲus] "parking (gen.)"
δ	everywhere	[ð]	δούρα [ˈðura] "door"
ζ	everywhere	[z]	ζεμελός [zemeˈlos] "man"
ζ̌	everywhere	[ʒ]	βρουζ̌ικιά [vruʒiˈɟ̊a] "Phrygian"
θ	everywhere	[θ]	έθνος [ˈeθnos] "ethnic group"
ι	preceded by ⟨μ⟩ and followed by a vowel	[ɲ]	μια [mɲa] "one (f.)"
	preceded by an unvoiced consonant other than ⟨κ⟩ or ⟨χ⟩ and followed by a vowel	[ç]	ιμάτιο [iˈmatço] "cloak"	[tç] and [sç] may instead be pronounced [tʃ] and [ʃ] respectively.
	preceded by a voiced consonant other than ⟨γ⟩, ⟨λ⟩, ⟨μ⟩, or ⟨ν⟩ and followed by a vowel	[ʝ]	τρια [trʝa] "three (n.)"	[dʝ] and [zʝ] may instead be pronounced [dʒ] and [ʒ] respectively.
κ	after vowel or liquid and before front vowel ([e] or [i]).	[ɟ̊]	κακοί [kaˈɟ̊i] "bad, harmful (pl.)"
	after vowel or liquid otherwise	[ɡ̊]	κακός [kaˈɡ̊os] "bad, harmful"
	after nasal before front vowel	[ɟ]	αγκινάρα [aɲɟiˈnara] "artichoke"
	after nasal otherwise	[ɡ]	μάγκο [ˈmaŋɡo] "mango"
	before voiced obstruent	[ɡ]	ίκδις [ˈiɡðis] "mortar"
	otherwise before front vowel	[c]	κιττάπ [ciˈtab̥] "book"
	everywhere else	[k]	κακός [kaˈɡ̊os] "bad, harmful"
κκ	before front vowel	[c]	δίκκοι [ˈðici] "discs"
	otherwise	[k]	Μάκκα [ˈmaka] "Makkah"
κι	after vowel or liquid and before a vowel	[ɟ̊]	βρουζ̌ικιά [vruʒiˈɟ̊a] "Phrygian"
	after nasal before a vowel	[ɟ]	άγκιο [ˈaɲɟo] "cup"
	otherwise before a vowel	[c]	κιουριακό [curʝaˈɡ̊o] "mosque"
κκι	before a vowel	[c]	ίκκιο [ˈico] "horse"
λ(λ)	everywhere	[l]	άλφα [ˈalfa] "alpha"
λ(λ)ι	before a vowel	[ʎ]	ζέλλια [ˈzeʎa] "thousand"
μ(μ)	everywhere	[m]	ζεμελός [zemeˈlos] "man"
ν	non-final	[n]	όνομαν [ˈonomã] "name"
	final	[-̃, ɰ̃]	όνομαν [ˈonomã] "name"	Nasalizes the preceding vowel.
νν	everywhere	[n]	μάννα [ˈmana] "manna"
ν(ν)ι	before a vowel	[ɲ]	χαλαππένιο [xalaˈpeɲo] "jalapeño"
ξ	everywhere	[ks]	ξούλο [ˈksulo] "tree"
ξ̌	everywhere	[kʃ]	ξ̌έκκια [ˈkʃeca] "larger mosque where Friday prayer is established (جامع)"
ου	word-initial before a vowel or between vowels	[w]	ουαλικιά [waliˈɟ̊a] "Welsh (language)"
π	after vowel or liquid	[b̥]	κιττάπ [ciˈtab̥] "book"
	after nasal	[b]	κάμπα [ˈkamba] "worm"
	before voiced obstruent	[b]	επδαμάς [ebðaˈmas] "week"
	otherwise	[p]	πρώτος [ˈprod̥os] "first"
ππ	everywhere	[p]	κάππαρις [ˈkaparis] "caper"
ρ(ρ)	everywhere	[r ~ ɾ]	κάππαρις [ˈkaparis] "caper"	In free variation.
σ(σ)	everywhere	[s]	τος [tos] "the (m. nom. sg.)"
τ	after vowel or liquid	[d̥]	πρώτος [ˈprod̥os] "first"
	after nasal	[d]	άντρας [ˈandras] "(adult) man"
	otherwise	[t]	τος [tos] "the"
ττ	everywhere	[t]	άττα [ˈata] "father"
τσ	everywhere	[ts]	πίτσα [ˈpitsa] "pizza"
τσ̌	everywhere	[tʃ]	τσ̌έττερες [ˈtʃeteres] "four"
τζ		[dz]	τζαντζάρα [dzanˈdzara] "mosquito"
τζ̌		[dʒ]	άντζ̌αρος [ˈandʒaros] "messenger"
υ	after ⟨α⟩, ⟨ε⟩, or ⟨η⟩ and before a nasal consonant	[m]	ενευνάνα [enemˈnana] "ninety"
	after ⟨α⟩, ⟨ε⟩, or ⟨η⟩ and word-final or before a voiceless consonant	[f]	ταυ [taf] "tau"
	after ⟨α⟩, ⟨ε⟩, or ⟨η⟩ otherwise	[v]	μεύος [ˈmevos] "mine"
φ	everywhere	[f]	φυσικά [fisiˈɡ̊a] "physics"
χ	before front vowel	[ç]	χεμικιός [çemiˈɟ̊os] "chemist"
	otherwise	[x]	χάλβα [ˈxalva] "halwa"
χι	before vowel	[ç]	χιούμορ [ˈçumor] "humour"
ψ	everywhere	[ps]	ψουγά [psuˈɣa] "mind"
ψ̌	everywhere	[pʃ]	ψ̌έμαν [ˈpʃemã] "soul"

Vowels

Monophthong Vowels

Letter	IPA	Examples	Remarks
α	[a]		Actually closer to [ä].
ε	[e]		Actually closer to [e̞].
αι
ι	[i]
η			In older texts, instead represents [e] - e.g. τρης [tres] (modern τρες) "three".
υ			In older texts, instead represents [u] - e.g. κύγνος (modern κούγνος) /ˈkuŋnos/ "swan".
ει
οι
υι
ο	[o]		Actually closer to [o̞].
ω
ου	[u]

Diphthongs and hiatus

Diphthongs are formed by following a non-high vowel with a high vowel.

The following diphthongs are possible:

Diphthongs

offglide→ nucleus↓	ι /i/	η /i/	υ /i/	ου /u/
α /a/	αϊ (άι)	αη	αϋ (άυ)	αου
ε /e/	εϊ (έι)	εη	εϋ (έυ)	εου
ο /o/	οϊ (όι)	οη	οϋ (όυ)	οου
ω /o/	ωι	ωη	ωυ	ωου

When two adjacent vowels that normally form a digraph are in hiatus or form a diphthong, this is indicated with a diaresis on the second vowel, which is invariably ⟨ι⟩ or ⟨υ⟩.

A diaresis is not used if the first vowel has an accent, since that precludes the possibility of it being a digraph.

A diaresis can also be used on unaccented ⟨ι⟩ before other vowels when it would otherwise be pronounced as a glide. This can also be done with initial ⟨ου⟩ (which is written ⟨ο̈υ⟩), but this is rare.

Stress

Primary stress is always indicated in multisyllabic words via an acute accent.

When a syllable with a false diphthong (i.e. αι, ει, οι, υι, αυ, ευ, ηυ) is stressed, the accent is always written on the second vowel letter.

When a syllable with a true diphthong is stressed, the accent is written on the nucleus of the diphthong (i.e. the first vowel letter).

Consonants

Stop and affricate consonants

The following consonant sets exist:

Set	Unvoiced 1	Unvoiced 2	Voiced 1	Voiced 2
Bilabial stops	π¹	ππ	π²	π³
Dental stops	τ¹	ττ	τ²	τ³
Alveolar affricates	τσ¹	τσ²	τζ²	τζ³
Post-alveolar affricates	τσ̌¹	τσ̌²	τζ̌²	τζ̌³
Palatal stops	κ(ι)¹	κκ(ι)	κ(ι)²	κ(ι)³
Velar stops	κ¹	κκ	κ²	κ³

Conditions:

¹ Word-initial.

² Between vowels; after liquids before vowels.

³ After nasals.

These sets are pronounced as follows:

Type 1	Standard dialect	Alternate dialect
Voiceless 1	unvoiced (e.g. [t])	unvoiced (e.g. [t])
Voiceless 2	unvoiced (e.g. [t])	aspirated (e.g. [tʰ])
Voiced 1	partially voiced (e.g. [d̥])	unvoiced (e.g. [t])
Voiced 2	fully voiced (e.g. [d])	fully voiced (e.g. [d]) with weakening of preceding nasal

Notes:

• "Voiced 1" is not considered a separate phoneme. In the standard dialect, it is considered the same phoneme as "voiced 2". In the alternate dialect, it is considered the same phoneme as "voiceless 1".
• In the case of "voiced 2" (i.e. post-nasal), the preceding nasal is partly or completely dropped in the alternate dialect. In other words, standard [nd] is pronounced [ⁿd] or even [d]. In the standard dialect, the nasal is fully pronounced.
• When a postclitic beginning in a "voiceless 1" consonant is preceded by a nasal, the consonant becomes "voiced 2" (but this is not indicated in writing).

Morphology

Numerals

Phrygian numerals

	Cardinal	Ordinal	Adverbial	Collective
0	ματένας (ματείς), ματεμιά, ματένα	ματενάνος, -α, -ο	—	—
1	ένας (εις), μια, ένα	πρώτος, -α, -ο	άπαχ	μονάς, -άτους
2	τβω	τβέτερος, -α, -ο	τβις	τβάς, -άτους
3	τρες, τρια	τρίτος, -α, -ο	τρις	τριας, -άτους
4	τσ̌έττερες, τσ̌έττερα	τσ̌ετέρτος, -α, -ο	τσ̌ετράτζ̌ις	τσ̌ετράς
5	πίντζε	πίντος, -α, -ο	πίγκιάτζ̌ις	πιντάς, -άτους
6	βεχ	βέκθος, -α, -ο	βεξάτζ̌ις
7	επθάν	έπδαμος, -α, -ο	εμμάτζ̌ις
8	οκθών	όκδουος, -α, -ο	οκθώτζ̌ις
9	ενιάν	ένιανος, -α, -ο	ενευνάτζ̌ις
10	τέκαν	τέκανος, -α, -ο	τεκανάτζ̌ις
11	ένεκαν	ενέκανος
12	τβώτεκαν	τβωτέκανος
13	τρίτεκαν
14	τσ̌ετέρτεκαν
15	πίντεκαν	πιντέκανος
16	βέκθεκαν
17	επθάνεκαν
18	οκθώνεκαν
19	ενιάνεκαν
20	βίκιανι	βικιοττός
21	ένας τσ̌ε βίκιανι
30	τριάνα	τριαττός
40	τσ̌ετράνα
50	πιγκιάνα
60	βεξάνα
70	εμμάνα
80	οκθώνα
90	ενευνάνα
100	εκανόυν
200	τβακιάνιοι
300	τριακιάνιοι
400	τσ̌ετρακιάνιοι
500	πιγκιακιάνιοι
600	βεξακιάνιοι
700	εμμακιάνιοι
800	οκθωκιάνιοι
900	ενευνακιάνιοι
1000	ζέλλια
2000	τβω ζέλλιαι

Syntax