User:Chrysophylax/Sketches/caer
Caer (caer [qæɪ̯ʐ] or caeryn [ˈqæjɪˌʐjəǀ] is the ceremonial sacred language of the Vá people. Its use is nowadays primarily restricted to the rituals of lyaa ('libation') and yayaq (‘divination’) although historically it saw much more use. It is remarkable for being typologically dissimilar to Vánic language with differing morphosyntactic agreement and word order.
Phonology
Caer has an interesting phonological system, completely lacking rounded and back vowels; dental, bilabial and velar plosives; or any of the common nasals.
Consonants
The incredibly sparse consonantal system includes a few uvular consonants, one alveolar sibilant, a voiced retroflex and two clicks.
c~q nn h r s t y l v n
q ɴ χ ʐ sˡ θ j ʟ ʘ ǀ
Vowels
There are three phonemic vowels in Caer: a /æ/, e /ɪ/, y /ə/. However, there are some who posit six vowels, three long (/æ:/, /ɪ/, /ə:/) and three short.
| Front | Central | |
|---|---|---|
| Near-close | e /ɪ/ | |
| Mid | y /ə/ | |
| Open | a /æ/ |
Pitch
Each word in Caer can optionally take one of two pitch contours: falling (t₁) or rising (t₂). The falling contour (t₁) ends with creaky voice. Although lexically and grammatically important, it is not indicated in the orthography.
A common minimal pair given in literature is: yayaq [ˈjæˌə̯æ̰q˥˩] ‘divination’ and yayaq [ˈjæˌə̯æq˩˥] ‘calamity’.
Phonotactics
Orthography
Digraph ⟨x⟩ for /χsˡ/, ⟨y⟩ does double duty, etc.
Morphology
Verbal morphology
A Caer verb is usually composed of a base, an aspect suffix, a voice suffix, and a number prefix. Depending on inflection, the verb requires marking for object and agent.
(1.)
catannyvexaseaq ca-tanny-ve-xa-se-aq pl-feel-ext-caus-2sg-1sg
- ‘I make you grieve’[1]
Aspect
There are three aspects: imperfective (ipfv), perfective (pfv), extemporaneous (ext). These are morphologically marked in verbs using a set of affixes which follow the base but they are completely optional if the verb follows a previously marked verb in the same aspect.
Imperfective
The imperfective is marked with the suffix -ta [θæ˥˩].
Perfective
The perfective is marked with the suffix -va [ʘæ˥˩].
Extemporaneous
The extemporaneous, alternatively called the universal, gnomic or indefinite. Most often, it is used to express general truths. It is marked with the suffix -ve /ʘɪ/.
Voice
Active, causative, reflexive-reciprocative, antipassive.
Nominal morphology
Possession
Caer extraordinarily includes a third-person suffix -yn (divposs) which is marked on the possessum. The affix bears connotations of transitivity when the inflected word is combined with a head noun or phrase. Finally, it is only utilised when referring to deities.
Determiners
Personal pronouns
Derivational morphology
Syntax
Constituent order
Caer is OVS.[2]
Possessive constructions
Inalienable possession
Divine possession
The possesum follows the possessor and is also marked by the third person suffix -yn (divposs).
lyaa-yn libation-divposs
- Their/His/Her libation.
valcaxa caer-yn Maker secret-divposs
- The Maker's given secret.