Proto-Atlanto-Mediterranean is a hypothetical reconstructed language thought to be the ancestor of the Atlanto-Mediterranean proposed linguistic macrofamily. This large group includes several language families and isolated languages spoken primarily in Europe. Its origin is controversial and would be linked to the Ahmarian culture of the Middle East or the Aurignacian culture of Europe, both associated with the settlement of Europe by Homo sapiens during the Paleolithic. However, due to the extreme remoteness of this ancient language, its precise reconstruction faces enormous challenges. In the absence of direct evidence, one can only rely on speculation and the limited long range comparative historical evidence available.
Introduction
External classification
Homo sapiens (?) |
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Paleoafrican
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Khoisan
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Pygmean
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African |
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Eurasian |
Austran |
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Indo-Austro-Pacific
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Atlanto-Mediterranean
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Borean |
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Afroasiatic
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Nostrato-Amerindian
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Internal classification
Atlanto-Mediterranean |
Homo neanderthalensis (?) |
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xǂəʙ (Eastern?)
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bǁēɳ (Western?)
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Anatolian
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Pontic
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Eastern |
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Western |
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British
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Atlantic
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Mediterranean
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Phonology
Orthography
Consonants
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Labial
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Coronal
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Dorsal
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Laryngeal
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Laminal
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Apical
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Sublaminal
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Dental
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Alveolar
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Retroflex
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Palatal
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Postpalatal
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Velar
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Uvular
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Pharyngeal
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Glottal
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Nasal
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*m
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*n
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*ɳ
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*ɲ
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*ŋ
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*ɴ
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Plosive
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Voiceless
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Ejective
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*pʼ
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*tʼ
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*tsʼ
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*tɬʼ
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*tʃʼ
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*tɕʼ
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*kʼ
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*qʼ
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*ʡ
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*ʔ
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Aspirated
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*pʰ
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*tʰ
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*tsʰ
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*tɬʰ
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*tʃʰ
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*tɕʰ
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*kʰ
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*qʰ
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Voiced
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Plain
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*b
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*d
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*dz
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*dɮ
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*dʒ
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*dʑ
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*g
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*ɢ
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Murmured
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*bʱ
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*dʱ
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*dzʱ
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*dɮʱ
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*dʒʱ
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*dʑʱ
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*gʱ
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*ɢʱ
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Fricative
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Voiceless
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*f
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*θ
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*s
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*ɬ
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*ʃ
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*ɕ
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*x
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*χ
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*ħ
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*h
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Voiced
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*v
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*ð
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*z
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*ɮ
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*ʒ
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*ʑ
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*ɣ
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*ʁ
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*ʕ
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*ɦ
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Liquid
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Rhotic
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*ʙ
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*ɹ
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*ɻ
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*r
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*ʀ
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*ʢ
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Lateral
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*l
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*ɭ
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*ʎ
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*ʟ
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Click
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*(ʘ)
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*ǀ
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*ǃ
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*ǁ
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*ǂ
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*(qǂ)
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Approximants
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Labial
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Palatal
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Velar
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Labial
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*ʋ
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*ɥ
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*w
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Palatal
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*ɥ
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*j
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*ɧ
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Velar
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*w
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*ɧ
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*ɰ
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Vowels
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Front
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Central
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Back
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Short
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Long
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Short
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Long
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Short
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Long
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High
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*i
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*iː
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*ɨ
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*ɨː
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*u
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*uː
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Mid
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*e
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*eː
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*ə
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*əː
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*o
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*oː
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Low
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*a
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*aː
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*ɐ
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*ɐː
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*ɑ
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*ɑː
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Prosody
Stress
Intonation
Phonotactics
Morphophonology
Morphology
Auxiliar lexicon and morphology
Auxiliar stem: *(C)=VC[V]
- =əʔ- : to be (auxiliar verb [indefinite])
- =ɐʔ- : to be (auxiliar verb [imperfective])
- =ɨʔ- : to be (auxiliar verb [perfective])
Pronominal stem: *C[V]-(CV)
*ʔ- : pronoun [subject]
Person
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Indefinite
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Singular
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Plural
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First
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*ʔə- > *ʔə
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*ʔə-bə > *pə
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*ʔə-gə > *kə
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Second
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*ʔə-də > *tə
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*ʔə-ɢə > *qə
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*ʔə-dzə > *tsə
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Third
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*ʔə-dʒə > *tʃə
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*ʔə-dɮə > *tɬə
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*ʔə-dʑə > *tɕə
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*n- : pronoun [object]
Person
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Indefinite
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Singular
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Plural
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First
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*nə- > *nə
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*nə-bə > *mə
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*nə-gə > *ŋə
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Second
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*nə-də > *nə
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*nə-ɢə > *ɴə
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*nə-dzə > *nə
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Third
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*nə-dʒə > *ɲə
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*nə-dɮə > *ɳə
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*nə-dʑə > *ɲə
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Auxiliar structuresLexicon
Verbal stem: *(C)=VCVC[V]
Nominal stem: *CVC[V]-(CV)
Numerals
Number |
Cardinal |
Ordinal
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1 |
Example |
Example
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2 |
Example |
Example
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3 |
Example |
Example
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4 |
Example |
Example
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5 |
Example |
Example
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6 |
Example |
Example
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7 |
Example |
Example
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8 |
Example |
Example
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9 |
Example |
Example
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10 |
Example |
Example
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11 |
Example |
Example
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12 |
Example |
Example
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13 |
Example |
Example
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14 |
Example |
Example
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15 |
Example |
Example
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16 |
Example |
Example
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17 |
Example |
Example
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18 |
Example |
Example
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19 |
Example |
Example
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20 |
Example |
Example
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Syntax
Constituent order
Noun phrase
Verb phrase
Sentence phrase
Dependent clauses
Example textsOther resources