Zanahi

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Zanahi (native: zanāhī, haṭ-ṭaṣwā haz-zanāhiyyā) is an Indo-European language with a high degree of Semitic influence.

Zanahi
zanāhī
Pronunciation[zænæːhiː]
Created byShariifka
Early form
Proto-Zanahi

Introduction

Zanahi is a satem language.

Phonology

Consonants

Consonant phonemes of Zanahi
Labial Dental Denti-alveolar Post-alv./
Palatal
Velar Uvular Pharyngeal Glottal
plain emphatic
Nasal m n
Stop voiceless p k q ʔ
voiced b ɡ
Fricative voiceless f θ s ʃ x ~ χ ħ h
voiced v ð z ɣ ~ ʁ ʕ
Trill r
Approximant l j w

Vowels

Vowel phonemes of Zanahi
Short Long
Front Back Front Back
Close /i/ /u/ /iː/ /uː/
Mid /eː/ /oː/
Open /a/ /aː/
Diphthongs /aw/, /aj/

Orthography

Prosody

Stress

Intonation

Phonotactics

Morphophonology

Lenition

Non-emphatic plosives undergo lenition to fricatives (analogous to "begadkefat" in Aramaic and Biblical Hebrew) in certain environments.

Consonants that undergo lenition
Un-lenited Lenited
/b/ /v/
/ɡ/ /ɣ ~ ʁ/
/d/ /ð/
/k/ /x ~ χ/
/p/ /f/
/t/ /θ/

Morphology

Like Arabic, Zanahi words are traditionally classified in three categories: nominals, verbs, and particles.

Nominals

Pronouns

Personal pronouns

Nouns and adjectives

Nouns do not decline for case.

There are two genders: masculine and feminine.The feminine is most often marked with the ending .

There are two numbers: singular and plural.

Adjectives agree with the noun they modify in gender.

Below is an example declension for the adjective bān "clear":

Declension of bān "clear"
Gender Singular Plural
Masculine bān bānīn
Feminine bānā bānān

Adverbs

Verbs

Particles

Syntax

Constituent order

Noun phrase

Verb phrase

Sentence phrase

Dependent clauses

Example texts

Other resources