Main Page: user:Aleisi Galan
This page covers the evolution of a Polish-Carpathian based Romance language with a large amount of Slavic influence and a divergent evolution both in vocabulary and grammar. It covers the evolution in stages, with both the phonological and morphological covered.
Phonological Evolution of Sabian
Vulgar Latin to Proto Sabian: 400 AD - 700 AD
Consonants and Clusters
| Vulgar Latin to Proto-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
| h
|
Ø
|
all
|
| nct, mpt
|
nt
|
all
|
| gn
|
ɲ
|
all
|
| {sc, cc}, gg
|
ʃt͡ʃ, zd͡z
|
before front vowels
|
| c, ch
|
t͡ʃ
|
word initially, before front vowels
|
| p, b, t, d, c, m
|
Ø
|
word finally
|
| pr, br, tr, dr, cr, gr
|
draw stressed position forwards
|
polysyllabic
|
| p, b
|
v
|
intervocalically, p-sporadic
|
| sp, st, sk
|
jьsp, jьst, jьsk
|
word initially
|
Vowels
| Vulgar Latin to Proto-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| ī
|
raises prev. vowel
|
all
|
N/A
|
| V
|
V:
|
stressed
|
N/A
|
| V:
|
V
|
unstressed
|
N/A
|
| ā, a
|
a
|
all
|
back
|
| e, æ
|
e
|
all
|
front
|
| e
|
ě
|
stressed
|
front
|
| e
|
ь
|
else
|
front
|
| oV
|
o
|
all
|
back
|
| o
|
uo
|
stressed, open
|
back
|
| o
|
o
|
stressed, else
|
back
|
| o
|
o, ъ
|
unstressed
|
back
|
| ē, i, œ, y
|
e
|
stressed
|
front
|
| ē
|
ь
|
unstressed
|
front
|
| ē, e, i, ī, ȳ
|
j
|
next to vowels
|
approximant
|
| u
|
ō
|
all
|
back
|
| ō
|
ō
|
stressed
|
back
|
| ō
|
ъ
|
unstressed
|
back
|
| ī, ȳ
|
i
|
all
|
front
|
| ū
|
vy
|
word initially
|
back
|
| ū
|
y
|
else
|
back
|
Vowel Raising
| Proto-Slavic to Proto-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| a
|
ä
|
when raised
|
back
|
| e
|
i
|
when raised
|
front
|
| i
|
i:
|
when raised
|
treated as i
|
| o
|
ö
|
when raised
|
front
|
| u
|
ü
|
when raised
|
back
|
Loans from Proto-Slavic
| Proto-Slavic to Proto-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
| z
|
s
|
all, ! intervocalic
|
| ž
|
d͡z
|
all
|
| ť, ď
|
t͡s, d͡z
|
all
|
| x
|
s
|
all
|
Proto-Sabian to Old-Sabian: 700 AD - 1300 AD
Nasal, Approximant, and Liquid Diphthongs
| Proto-Sabian to Old-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| am, an
|
ję
|
initial, closed syllables
|
front
|
| am, an
|
ǫ
|
else, closed syllables
|
back
|
| em, en, im, in
|
ję
|
initial, closed syllables
|
front
|
| em, en, im, in
|
ę
|
else, closed syllables
|
front
|
| om, on, um, un, ǫ
|
vę
|
initial, closed syllables
|
front
|
| om, on, um, un, ǫ
|
ǫ
|
else, closed syllables
|
back
|
| au
|
u
|
word initially, finally
|
back
|
| au
|
av
|
word internally
|
back
|
| ai, aji
|
ě
|
all
|
front
|
| ei, eji, iji, ьji
|
ji
|
all
|
front
|
| ua, uě, ue, uę
|
va, vě ve vę
|
all
|
back, front
|
| uo, uu
|
u
|
all, <ó>
|
back
|
| ui
|
y
|
all
|
back
|
| or, ol
|
ra, la
|
all, closed syllables
|
back
|
| er, el, ěr, ěl
|
re, le, rě, lě
|
all, closed syllables
|
front
|
| ur, ul, ir, il
|
vr̩, vl̩, vr̩, vl̩'
|
initial, closed syllables
|
back
|
| ur, ul, ir, il
|
r̩, l̩, r̩, l̩'
|
else, closed syllables
|
back
|
Vowels
| Proto-Sabian to Old-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| jō, jo
|
je
|
all
|
front
|
| ō
|
u
|
all
|
back
|
| a
|
jě
|
after j, stressed-initial
|
front
|
| a
|
o
|
closed-stressed, all-unstressed, ! final
|
back
|
| ъ
|
vъ
|
initially
|
back
|
| ъ
|
ь
|
after j
|
front
|
| e, ě, i, ь
|
je, jě, ji, jь
|
initially
|
front
|
| e, ě, i, ь, ö
|
je, jě, ji, jь, jö
|
after all consonants
|
front
|
Consonants and Clusters
| Proto-Sabian to Old-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
| vě
|
gia
|
initial
|
| plV
|
giV
|
initial
|
| Vns, Vs
|
V:, Vʃ
|
word finally
|
| Vns
|
V:s
|
else
|
| sp st sk
|
ʃp ʃt ʃk
|
before back vowels and syllabics
|
| s
|
z
|
intervocalically
|
| x, cs, ps, bs, ss, rs
|
s
|
all
|
| mn(j), nьm, mьn
|
n(j), nj
|
all, ! final
|
| pt, bt, kt
|
t, t, x(t)
|
all
|
| reduplicated syllabes
|
collapse, lengthen vowel
|
all
|
Old-Sabian to Early-Modern-Sabian: 1300 AD - 1600 AD
Vowels
| Old-Sabian to Early-Modern-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| a
|
ja
|
initial
|
back
|
| jь
|
i
|
strong, ! initially
|
front
|
| jь
|
Ø
|
weak
|
null
|
| ь
|
je
|
strong
|
front
|
| ь
|
j
|
final, weak
|
front
|
| ь
|
Ø
|
else
|
null
|
| ъ
|
ë
|
strong
|
front
|
| ъ
|
Ø
|
else, compulsary lengthening of prev vowel
|
null
|
| r̩
|
ar
|
all
|
back
|
| ŕ̩
|
ar
|
before hard alveolars
|
back
|
| ŕ̩
|
jeʂ
|
else
|
back
|
| l̩
|
oɫ
|
after labials
|
back
|
| l̩, ĺ̩
|
ɫu
|
after alveolars
|
back
|
| l̩
|
eɫ
|
after velars
|
front
|
| ĺ̩
|
jeɫ
|
after labials, before alveolars
|
front
|
| ĺ̩
|
jiɫ
|
after labials, else
|
front
|
| ĺ̩
|
joɫ
|
after velars, postalveolars
|
back
|
| ę
|
Ø
|
word finally
|
null
|
| ji
|
i
|
word initially, after vowels
|
null
|
| ě
|
a
|
all
|
back
|
Consonants and Clusters
| Old-Sabian to Early-Modern-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
| lj
|
ʎ
|
all
|
| rj
|
ʂ
|
all
|
| kj, gj
|
t͡ʃ, d͡z
|
all
|
| tj, dj
|
t͡ɕ, d͡ʑ
|
all
|
| sj zj
|
ɕ ʑ
|
all
|
| sʂ
|
ʂ
|
all
|
| nj
|
ɲ
|
all
|
Early-Modern-Sabian to Modern-Sabian: 1600 AD - ~2000 AD
Vowels
| Old-Sabian to Early-Modern-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| e, e:
|
o, o:
|
before hard alveolars
|
back
|
| ę, ę:
|
e, e:
|
all
|
front
|
| ǫ:
|
u:
|
all
|
back
|
| ǫ
|
e
|
all
|
front
|
| y, y:
|
i, i:
|
all
|
front
|
| ë, ë:
|
e, e:
|
all
|
front
|
| ä, ä:
|
ɛ, ɛ:
|
all
|
front
|
| ö, ö:
|
ɛ, ɛ:
|
all
|
front
|
| ü, ü:
|
i, i:
|
all
|
front
|
Vowel-Laxing
| Old-Sabian to Early-Modern-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
category
|
| V
|
V:
|
open-stressed and/or monosyllabic
|
front
|
| a:, a
|
a:, ɐ
|
all
|
back
|
| ɐ
|
a
|
stressed
|
back
|
| e:, e
|
e:, ɛ
|
all
|
front
|
| i:, i
|
i:, ɪ
|
all
|
back
|
| o:, o
|
o:, ɔ
|
all
|
front
|
| u:, u
|
u:, ʊ
|
all
|
front
|
| V:
|
V
|
before clusters, afficates
|
front
|
Consonants and Clusters
| Early-Modern-Sabian to Modern-Sabian
|
| entry
|
result
|
condition (I/A)
|
| nasals
|
assimilate
|
all
|
| C(voiced)C(voiceless)
|
C(voiceless)C(voiceless)
|
all
|
| C(voiceless)C(voiced)
|
C(voiceless)C(voiced)
|
all
|
| C(voiced)
|
C(voiceless)
|
word finally
|
| C(regular)C(palatal)
|
C(palatal)C(palatal)
|
all
|
| clusters
|
simplify
|
sporadically
|
| kv, gv
|
sf
|
all
|
| (affricate)S
|
(fricative)S
|
all
|
| l, ɫ, v
|
w
|
coda
|
| ʂ, ʐ
|
ʃ, ʒ
|
all
|
| s
|
Ø
|
finally, lengthen previous vowel
|
Phonology and Orthography of Sabian
The phonology and orthography of Modern-Sabian as finalised in the year 1934 after a period of standardisation following the end of WW1. The 1934 orthography effectively served to regularise the mediaeval spellings of Sabian words, in turn based off of mediaeval Polish, and as such is similar to modern Polish orthography while retaining many archaic features that have since been lost elsewhere.
Consonant Phonology
- The consonant on the left is "hard", while the consonant on the right is "soft". If only one consonant is present, it is probably only soft.
| Phonology of Modern-Sabian
|
| Category
|
bilabial
|
alveolar
|
palato-alveolar
|
post-alveolar
|
velar
|
| nasal
|
m (mʲ)
|
n (ɲ)
|
ɲ
|
|
(ŋ)
|
| v+plosive
|
b (bʲ)
|
d (d͡ʑ)
|
|
|
g (d͡z)
|
| v-plosive
|
p (pʲ)
|
t (t͡ɕ)
|
|
|
k (t͡s)
|
| v+affricate
|
|
d͡z (d͡ʑ)
|
d͡ʑ
|
(d͡ʒ)
|
|
| v-affricate
|
|
t͡s (t͡ɕ)
|
t͡ɕ
|
t͡ʃ
|
|
| v+fricative
|
v (vʲ)
|
(z) (ʑ)
|
(ʑ)
|
(ʒ) (ʑ)
|
(ɣ) (ʝ)
|
| v-fricative
|
f (fʲ)
|
s (ɕ)
|
ɕ
|
ʃ
|
x (ç)
|
| rh/app/lat
|
|
r (ʃ), l~w (ʎ)
|
ʎ, j
|
|
|
Consonant Orthography
| Orthography of Modern-Sabian
|
| Category
|
bilabial
|
alveolar
|
palato-alveolar
|
post-alveolar
|
velar
|
| nasal
|
m (mi)
|
n (ni)
|
ń (ni)
|
|
n
|
| v+plosive
|
b (bi)
|
d (dzi)
|
|
|
g (gi)
|
| v-plosive
|
p (pi)
|
t (zi)
|
|
|
k, c (cz)
|
| v+affricate
|
|
dz (dzi)
|
dź (dzi)
|
(cz)
|
|
| v-affricate
|
|
z (zi)
|
ź (zi)
|
cz
|
|
| v+fricative
|
v, w2
|
(s)1
|
ś1 (si)
|
(rz)1
|
(ch)1 (chi)
|
| v-fricative
|
f
|
s (si), ss (ssi)
|
ś (si)
|
rz, sz, sch2
|
ch (chi)
|
| rh/app/lat
|
|
r, ł
|
l, j (i)
|
|
|
- these voiced consonants are allohphones of their voiceless counterparts, and so are written as though they are voiceless.
- v, sz, rz are used for native words, and w, sch are used for loans from Polish and German in most cases except loans that have been nativised
- rz is used if the [ʃ] comes from [rʲ], while sz and sch are used in all other situations.
- as /s/ becomes [z] between vowels, the sequence /ss/ is used to represent [s] between vowels
Vowel Phonology
| Phonology of Modern-Sabian
|
| Category
|
|
front
|
|
|
central
|
|
|
back
|
|
| Laxness
|
long
|
tense
|
lax
|
long
|
tense
|
lax
|
long
|
tense
|
lax
|
| high
|
i:
|
i
|
ɪ
|
|
|
|
u:
|
u
|
ʊ
|
| mid
|
e:
|
e
|
|
|
|
(ə)
|
o:
|
o
|
|
| mid-low
|
ɛ:
|
ɛ
|
ɛ
|
|
|
|
ɔ:
|
ɔ
|
ɔ
|
| low
|
|
|
|
a:
|
a
|
ɐ
|
|
|
|
Vowel Orthography
| Orthography of Modern-Sabian
|
| Category
|
front
|
central
|
back
|
| high
|
i, y
|
aa
|
u, ó
|
| mid
|
e
|
(e, a)
|
o
|
| mid-low
|
e, ä, ai
|
|
o, au
|
| low
|
|
a
|
|
- the sequences [ɔn], [ɔ:n] and [ɛn], [ɛ:n] can be written as /ą/ and /ę/ respectively if they originate from Polish or German.
- for sequences of two vowels that occur in diaresis, a (silent) -h- is inserted between them, providing that they are the same vowel, e.g. /gé:.ɛ/ <gehe>