Wascotl

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This entry contains reconstructed words and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.
Wascotl
Created byPollasena Discord server
Reconstruction ofWasc languages
Regioneastern Pulsuria or Merizon Mountains
Era-4000 to -2000 MT
Reconstructed
ancestor
one of Pollasena's primary language families

Wascotl /wɑˈʃoʊt, wɑˈʃoʊtəl/ is the reconstructed ancestor of the Wasc languages. To contribute and/or make a descendant, please join the Pollasena server linked to the side.

Etymology

The glossonym *wasc-otl is reconstructed, from a root *wasc- referring to the Wasc ethnic group and the animate suffix *-otl

Phonology

Wascotl phonology is most often reconstructed as follows.

Labial Alveolar Lateral Palatal Velar Labialized velar Glottal
Nasal *m *n (*n)
Stop *p *t *k *qu *'
Affricate *c *tł
Fricative *f *s *sc *h
Approximant *j *w
Liquid *r *l
  • The realization of *n likely depended on following consonants, varying between [ŋ] before (labio)velar and glottal consonants and [n] before other consonants, and was possibly in free variation before vowels.
  • Based on allophones of *n and *e, in early Wascotl *' *h may have been uvular.
    • [ç] was likely an allophone of *h before *i.
  • Whether *j and *l were approximants or voiced fricatives is uncertain.
Vowels
Front Central Back
High *i
Mid *e *o
Low *a
  • Length was most likely the distinction between *i and *ī etc., but phonation has also been proposed.
  • [ɤ ɤː] were likely allophones of *e *ē after (labio)velar and glottal consonants.
  • The realization of *a *ā is uncertain but most likely back [ɑ ɑː].
  • A marginal vowel *u may also have occurred as an allophone of *w.

Stress

Stress in early Wascotl was most likely in free variation, later shifting to final or antepenultimate syllables.

Phonotactics

Wascotl is reconstructed as having (C)V(C) syllables; the lack of evidence for *S' clusters suggests that *' was disallowed after stop consonants.

Morphology

Alignment

Wascotl morphosyntactic alignment is not reconstructable, but most descendants have nominative-accusative alignment.

Nouns and pronouns

???

Pronouns

???

Verbs

Agreement

The following verb agreement prefixes are reconstructed.

Copulae
>1 >2 >D >O >H A >I
1 ???
2 ???
D ???
O ???
H ???
A ???
I ???

Adjectives and adverbs

???

Prepositions

All adpositions likely preceded their head.

Negation

A negative particle or clitic *tlenō is reconstructed, but rules on its use are unkown.

Numerals

Early Wascotl likely had base-6 numerals. The source of *ę- in later numerals and *łi is uncertain , but the latter was likely from a bare form of a root *łi-.

Reconstructed numerals
1 2 3 4 5 6
*sāl *ęs *ta *am *qui *kō
7 8 9 10 11 12
*ę-sāl *ę-ęs *ę-ta *ę-am *ę-qui *łi

Number marking on numerated nouns was likely optional.

Syntax

Constituent order

Wascotl word order was most likely SVO, and this order was likely strict based on the lack of case marking in reconstructions.

Noun and verb phrases

???

Resources

CALS

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