Parseltongue/Phonology

Snakes have vastly simplified mouths compared to human-beings. We are capable of making every sound they make, though some are easier than others. Snakes have no lips. Their soft-palate is occupied with the vomeronasal organ (Jacobson's organ), which acts as a sense of smell. Snakes have no uvula. Their glottis can move aside when eating.

Sentient and non-sentient snakes hiss their entire volume of air without interruption, so a Parseltongue utterances cannot be longer than about ten seconds. Stops are typically initial, and in a verb. Whatever vocal-cords they are graced with by magic, snakes cannot speak very loudly or vary pitch beyond very low frequencies. Humans speaking above a loud whisper, voicing consonants and vowels, are something like "shouting barbarians" to the snakes we were allowed to interview.

Snake mouth anatomy

Given snake anatomy, even with the aide of magic, Parseltongue

• has no labial consonants
• has no uvular consonants
• has no voiced consonants
• has clicks
• has no co-articulated consonants (except nasal clicks)
• prefers to end an utterance with a sibilant/fricative or a vowel
• has ejective forms of the stops (and affricates)
• has ingressive sounds in certain circumstances

There is a non-phonemic sound that snakes are readily capable of making, the trilled 'r'. However, /r/ is a highly erotic sound which no snake would make in polite company!

Non-parselmouths should take care not to "round" any consonants or vowels when speaking to a sentient snake. Snakes have no lips, so this can render one's speech unintelligible. English speakers should take greatest care with words beginning with 'r' or any 'sh' sound.

Stop Harmony

	"None" (º)	"Breathing" (ʰ)	"Biting" (')
m/f	p	ph	p'
n/s/z/l	t	th	t'
ṇ/ṣ/r	ʈ	ʈh	ʈ'
ñ/ç/j	c	ch	c'
ŋ/x/w	k	kh	k'
g/h	'	'h	`

Most verbs in Parseltongue begin with a stop (in the indicative). These stops are most often underspecified. That is, they conform in place of articulation to the nasal, fricative, or approximant of the subject's classifier.

The names of the three classes of stops are calques of the Parseltongue names themselves. Underspecified stops are as a T with the class symbols as a small superscript, e.g. ŋaTʰaṣo = ŋakhaṣo.

Ingressive

There are a small number of ingressive words in Parseltongue, mostly interjections, ideophones and onomatopoeias. There is no special notation for these words: they are either italicized or set off in down-arrows before and after (e.g. ↓kss↓). The retroflex clicks (i.e. ʈq and nʈq) are ingressive, but not marked as such in any way.

Allophony

The lateral approximant and fricative seemingly do not care where they are articulated, capitulating left and right. The following patterns all apply whether l/z comes first or second:

• p/f/m + l > /l̪/
• ʈ/ṣ/ṇ + l > ḷ
• c/ç/ñ + l > /ʎ/
• k/x/ŋ + l > /ɫ̥/
• p/f/m + z > /ɬ̟/
• ʈ/ṣ/ṇ + z> /ɬ̢/
• c/ç/ñ + z > /ʎ̝̊/
• k/x/ŋ + z > /ʟ̝̊/

Nasals assimilate place of articulation before stops and clicks. Two hetrorganic nasals assimilate to the place of articulation of the first.

Gemination

English does distinguish between geminate and non-geminate consonants (cp. "his zeal" vs. "his eel") but it is often irrelevant. In Parseltongue, however, it is of great import. Stops cannot be geminated.

Vowel Harmony

	Front	Back
High	i/ï	u/ü
Mid	e/ë	o/ö
Low	a/ä

Like Finnish, Parseltongue has vowel harmony. Like Mongolian, however, it is based on Advanced Tongue Root (ATR). In every case, pushing the tongue forward is indicated by removing the umlaut/diaeresis from the letter. Hence, ï is /ɪ/ as in "kit" and i is /i/ as in "keep". a is /æ/ as in "Sally", while ä is /ä/ as in "father".

Vowels have three attributes:

• +high vs. +mid vs. +low
• +front vs. +back (a/ä is both)
• +ATR vs. -ATR

Underspecified vowels are written as a capital V with the set attribute(s) in small superscript, e.g. t^+high,+frontsä = tësä.

Phonotactics

File:Snake vowel chart.svg

Like the Salish language of the Pacific-Northwest, Parseltongue can be extremely difficult to analyze phonotacticly. Even with enunciating as one would to a fool or simpleton, snakes never cease a continuous airstream. We managed to persuade our Burmese python to geminate stops (normally forbidden by Parseltongue phonotactics) but could not get her to supply prolonged glottal stops to ease our analysis! Syllable boundaries, therefore, are highly arbitrary. The same snake we interviewed regard this as an unimportant, human problem, akin to transcribing choking or sneezing!

Under our analysis, there are four over-arching types of syllables with regard to nuclei: vowels, liquids, clicks, and fricative. Affricates -- whether they share place of articulation or not -- are simply counted as stop + fricative.

1. Vowel nuclei (of either length)
   1. May have neither onset nor coda: V(:)
   2. May have an onset consonant: CV(:)
      1. which may have a coda sonorant (which can be geminate): CV(:)R(:)
   3. May have just a coda sonorant (which may be geminate): V(:)R(:)
   4. May have a consonant plus approximant onset cluster: CAV(:)
      1. which may have a coda sonorant (which can be geminate): CAV(:)R(:)
   5. May have an affricate onset cluster: OFV(:)
      1. which may have a coda sonorant (which can be geminate): OFV(:)R(:)
2. Liquid nuclei (with or without gemination)
   1. May have neither onset nor coda: B(:)
   2. May have a fricative onset (which may be geminate): F(:)B(:)
3. Fricative nuclei (with or without gemination)
   1. May have neither onset nor coda: F(:)
   2. May have an onset stop: SF(:)
4. Click nuclei (without without gemination)
   1. May have neither onset nor coda: Q(:)
   2. May have a sonorant onset (which may be geminate): R(:)Q(:)

• F = any Fricative (f + s + z + ṣ + ç + x)
• N = any Nasal (m + n + ṇ + ñ + ŋ)
• B = N + r + l
• A = any Approximant (l + r + j + w + g + h)
• R = Sonorants (F + N + A)
• S = any Stop (including aspirated versions)
• Q = any egressive Click, including pre-nasalized Clicks, so not the retroflex clicks nʈq (pq + tq + zq + npq + ntq + nzq)
• O = Obstruents (S + Q)
• C = any Consonant (R + O)
• V = any Vowel (a + ä + e + ë + i + ï + o + ö + u + ü)

While nasals can be geminate, one nasal may never be followed by another (across syllable boundaries).

Aesthetically, snakes find it undesirable to have stops in the middle of an utterance. Hence, while it would be possible through appropriate case use to have any word order, verbs almost always come first.

Accent is very hard to detect at times in Parseltongue. It appears that almost all words are emphasized on the first syllable, though pronouns tend to be enclitic. Unusually stress patterns are marked with an acute on the nucleus (e.g. Nagíni).

	Nasals					Stops						Fricatives						Approximants						Clicks
1\2	m	n	ṇ	ñ	ŋ	p*	t*	ʈ*	c*	k*	'*	f	s	z	ṣ	ç	x	l	r	j	w	g	h	pq*	tq*	zq*	ʈq*
m	Y	mm	mm	mm	mm	Y	nt	ṇʈ	ñc	ŋk	Y	Y					Y	ml̪		ñ		Y	Y	ptq	ntq	nzq	nʈq
n	nn	Y	nn	nn	nn	mp	Y	ṇʈ	ñc	ŋk	Y	mf	Y	Y				Y		ñ		Y	Y	npq	ntq	nzq	nʈq
ṇ	ṇṇ	ṇṇ	Y	ṇṇ	ṇṇ	mp	nt	Y	ñc	ŋk	Y				Y			ṇḷ		ñ		Y	Y	npq	ntq	nzq	nʈq
ñ	ññ	ññ	ññ	Y	ññ	mp	nt	ṇʈ	Y	ŋk	Y					Y						Y	Y	npq	ntq	nzq	nʈq
ŋ	ŋŋ	ŋŋ	ŋŋ	ŋŋ	Y	mp	Y	ṇʈ	ñc	Y	Y						Y	ŋɫ̥				Y	Y	npq	ntq	nzq	nʈq
p*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	p'	Y	Y	tz	Y	ʨ	tx	pl̪	tr	Y	Y	Y	ph	No	No	No	No
t*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	t'	Y	Y	Y	Y	ʨ	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	th	No	No	No	No
ʈ*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	ʈ'	Y	Y	Y	Y	ʨ	Y	ʈḷ	Y	Y	Y	Y	ʈh	No	No	No	No
c*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	c'	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	cʎ̝̊	Y	Y	Y	Y	ch	No	No	No	No
k*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	k'	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	kɫ̥	Y	Y	Y	Y	kh	No	No	No	No
'*	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	`	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	'h	No	No	No	No
f	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	fl̪	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
s	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
z	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
ṣ	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	ṣḷ	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
ç	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	çʎ̝̊	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
x	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	xɫ̥	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
l	l̪m	Y	ḷṇ	Y	ɫ̥ŋ	l̪p	Y	ḷʈ	ʎ̝̊c	ɫ̥k	Y	l̪f	Y	Y	ḷṣ	ʎ̝̊ç	ɫ̥x	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	l̪pq	Y	Y	ḷʈq
r	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
j	as /ɪ/											Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	ɪɰ	Y	Y	as /ɪ/
w	as /ɯ/											Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	ɯj	Y	Y	Y	as /ɯ/
g	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
h	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
pq*	Y	Y	pqn	pqn	pqn	No	No	No	No	No	Y	Y	Y	No	Y	No	No	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	No
tq*	tqn	Y	Y	tqṇ	tqṇ	No	No	No	No	No	Y	Y	Y	N										Y	Y	Y	No
zq*	zqn	Y	zqn																					Y	Y	Y	No
ʈq*																								No	No	No	Y
1\2	m	n	ṇ	ñ	ŋ	p*	t*	ʈ*	c*	k*	'*	f	s	z	ṣ	ç	x	l	r	j	w	g	h	pq*	tq*	zq*	ʈq*

Devanagari

	Ø	m	n	ṇ	ñ	ŋ	f	z	s	ṣ	ç	x	l	r	j	w	g	h
a	अ	म	न	ण	ञ	ङ	फ़	ळ	स	ष	श	ख़	ल	र	य	व	हँ	ह
ä	आ	मा	ना	णा	ञा	ङा	फ़ा	ळा	सा	षा	शा	ख़ा	ला	रा	या	वा	हँा	हा
e	ए	मे	ने	णे	ञे	ङे	फ़े	ळे	से	षे	शे	ख़े	ले	रे	ये	वे	हंे	हे
ë	ऐ	मै	नै	णै	ञै	ङै	फ़ै	ळै	सै	षै	शै	ख़ै	लै	रै	यै	वै	हैं	है
i	इ	मि	नि	णि	ञि	ङि	फ़ि	ळि	सि	षि	शि	ख़ि	लि	रि	यि	वि	हंि	हि
ï	ई	मी	नी	णी	ञी	ङी	फ़ी	ळी	सी	षी	शी	ख़ी	ली	री	यी	वी	हीं	ही
o	ओ	मो	नो	णो	ञो	ङो	फ़ो	ळो	सो	षो	शो	ख़ो	लो	रो	यो	वो	हों	हो
ö	औ	मौ	नौ	णौ	ञौ	ङौ	फ़ौ	ळौ	सौ	षौ	शौ	ख़ौ	लौ	रौ	यौ	वौ	हौं	हौ
u	उ	मु	नु	णु	ञु	ङु	फंु	ळु	सु	षु	शु	खंु	लु	रु	यु	वु	हँु	हु
ü	ऊ	मू	नू	णू	ञू	ङू	फंू	ळू	सू	षू	शू	खंू	लू	रू	यू	वू	हँू	हू
ø		मऽ	नऽ	णऽ	ञऽ	ङऽ	फ़ऽ	ळऽ	सऽ	षऽ	शऽ	ख़ऽ	लऽ	रऽ	यऽ	वऽ	हँऽ	हऽ

In India, a method for writing Parseltongue in Devanāgarī arose independently. Some general principles are.

• The avagraha (ऽ) is used for consonants without immediately subsequent vowels.
• The visarga (ः) is used for geminate consonants and long vowels
• The long-vowel symbols were used as -ATR symbols.
• /e/ and /i/ use /ai/ and /au/ as their -ATR symbols.
• The candrabindu/anunāsika is used on nasalized clicks and g, while nukta/anusvāra is a general diacritic.

Ø, Nasals, Fricatives, and Approximants

• The 'p'-series plus nukta makes the /θ̟/ fricative series.
  • The nukta becomes an anunāsika to make room in fu and fü.
• The 'kh'-series plus nukta makes the /x/ series.
  • The nukta becomes an anunāsika to make room in xu and xü.
• The ळ-series has been utilized to make the lateral (/ɬ/) series.
• The 'h'-series plus candrabindu makes the /ħ/ series.
  • The candrabindu becomes an anunāsika to make room in ge, gë, gi, gï, go, and gö.
• The use of 'v' for 'w' is consistent (i.e. there are no 'v's).

Stops and Clicks

	Interdental					Alveolar					Lateral		Retroflex					Palatal			Velar			*Glottal
	p	ph	p'	pq	npq	t	th	t'	tq	ntq	zq	nzq	ʈ	ʈh	ʈ'	ʈq	nʈq	c	ch	c'	k	kh	k'	'	'h	`
a	प	फ	ब	भ	भँ	त	थ	ध	ध	धँ	ऌ	ऌँ	ट	ठ	ड	ढ	ढँ	च	छ	ज	क	ख	ग	ॽ	ॽं	ॻ
ä	पा	फा	बा	भा	भँा	ता	था	दा	धा	धँा	ऌा	ऌँा	टा	ठा	डा	ढा	ढँा	चा	छा	जा	का	खा	गा	ॽा	ॽंा	ॻा
e	पे	फे	बे	भे	भें	ते	थे	दे	धे	धें	ऌे	ऌंे	टे	ठे	डे	ढे	ढें	चे	छे	जे	के	खे	गे	ॽे	ॽंे	ॻे
ë	पै	फै	बै	भै	भैं	तै	थै	दै	धै	धैं	ऌै	ऌंै	टै	ठै	डै	ढै	ढैं	चै	छै	जै	कै	खै	गै	ॽै	ॽंै	ॻै
i	पि	फि	बि	भी	भँि	ति	थि	दि	धी	धँि	ऌि	ऌँि	टि	ठि	दि	ढि	ढँि	चि	छि	जि	कि	खि	गि	ॽि	ॽंि	ॻि
ï	पी	फी	बी	भी	भीं	ती	थी	दी	धी	धीं	ऌी	ऌीं	टी	ठी	डी	ढी	ढीं	ची	छी	जी	की	खी	गी	ॽी	ॽीं	ॻी
o	पो	फो	बो	भो	भों	तो	थो	दो	धो	धों	ऌो	ऌों	टो	ठो	डो	ढो	ढों	चो	छो	जो	को	खो	गो	ॽो	ॽों	ॻो
ö	पौ	फौ	बौ	भौ	भौं	तौ	थौ	दौ	धौ	धौं	ऌौ	ऌौं	टौ	ठौ	डौ	ढौ	ढौं	चौ	छौ	जौ	कौ	खौ	गौ	ॽौ	ॽौं	ॻौ
u	पु	फु	बु	भु	बँु	तु	थु	दु	धु	धँु	ऌु	ऌँू	टु	ठु	डु	ढु	ढँु	चु	छु	जु	कु	खु	गु	ॽु	ॽंु	ॻु
ü	पू	फू	बू	भू	भँू	तू	थू	दू	धू	धँू	ऌू	ऌँू	टू	ठू	डू	ढू	ढँू	चू	छू	जू	कू	खू	गू	ॽू	ॽंू	ॻू
ø				भऽ	भँऽ				धऽ	धँऽ	ऌऽ	ऌँऽ				ढऽ	ढँऽ

• The voiced stops serve as ejectives.
• The aspirated voiced stops serve as clicks.
• The modern glottal stop symbol (ॽ) is used for 'a, or with a visarga for 'ha.
  • The ingressive ॻ is used for the epiglottal stop.
• The dantya (ऌ) is used for the lateral click.
• The candrabindu becomes an anunāsika before an e, ë, ï, o, or ö in all cases.