Lakovic
Kurmian (an dhbhàigh Cuatham) is a Wiobic language spoken in the Kurmian Mountains. It is notorious in the Wiobosphere for having a large number of click consonants and a terse fusional grammar using mutations and tone changes for gender, number and case of nouns.
Phonology
Initials
An unusual feature of Kurmian phonology is that palatalized stops are realized as clicks.
| Labial | Coronal | Coarticulated | Velar | Glottal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| broad | slender | broad | slender | broad | slender | broad | slender | |||
| Nasal | voiceless | /m̊/ | /ŋ̊ʘ/ | /n̊/ | /ŋ̊ǀ/ | /ŋ̊!/ | /ŋ̊ǂ/ | /ŋ̊/ | /ɲ̊/ | |
| voiceless | /m/ | /ŋʘ/ | /n/ | /ŋǀ/ | /ŋ!/ | /ŋǂ/ | /ŋ/ | /ɲ/ | ||
| Stop | tenuis | /p/ | /ʘ/ | /t/ | /ǀ/ | /!/ | /ǂ/ | /k/ | /c/ | /ʔ/ |
| aspirated | /pʰ/ | /ʘʰ/ | /tʰ/ | /ǀʰ/ | /!ʰ/ | /ǂʰ/ | /kʰ/ | /cʰ/ | ||
| voiced | /b/ | /gʘ/ | /d/ | /gǀ/ | /g!/ | /gǂ/ | /g/ | /ɟ/ | ||
| Fricative | voiceless | /f/ | /fç/ | /s/ | /sç/ | /ɧ/ | /ʂ/ | /x/ | /ç/ | /h/ |
| voiced | /z/ | /zj/ | /ɧ̬/ | /ʐ/ | /ɣ/ | /ʝ/ | ||||
| Trill | /r/ | /r̝/ | ||||||||
| Approximant | /w/ | /ɥ/ | /l/ | /ʎ/ | /j/ | |||||
Medials
The medial is optional. There is one possible medial, /w~ɥ/.
Nucleus
There are three possible nuclei: /a/, /ə/ and zero. The nuclei display a range of different realizations depending on the phonetic environment:
- /a/ is realized as:
- /ə/ is realized as:
- Zero nucleus is realized as:
- /u/ if the medial is /w/
- /y/ if the medial is /ɥ/
- /ɨ/ if the medial is zero and is a dental click or a retroflex
- /i/ otherwise if the medial is zero
Coda
The coda is optional. There are seven possible finals in Kurmian: /m n ŋ l r w j/.
Tones
Mutations
seimhiu
/p, ʘ/ > /f(ʲ)/
/pʰ, ʘʰ/ > /f(ʲ)/
/b, gʘ, m, ŋʘ/ > /w, ɥ/
/t, |/ > /h/
/d, g|/ > /ɣ, j/
/tʰ, |ʰ/ > /h/
/!, ǂ, !ʰ, ǂʰ/ > /ɧ, ɧʲ/
/g|, gǂ/ > voiced sj
/k, c, kʰ, cʰ/ > /x, ç/
/g, gʲ/ > /ɣ, j/
/s, sʲ/ > /x, ç/
uru:
/p, ʘ/ > /b gʘ/ > /m, ŋʘ/
/pʰ ʘʰ/ > /m̊ ŋ̊ʘ/
/t, |/ > /d, g|/ > /n, ŋ|/
/tʰ, |ʰ/ > /nʰ, ŋʰ|/
/!, ǂ/ > /g!, gǂ/ > /ŋ!, ŋǂ/
/!ʰ, ǂʰ/ > /ŋʰ!, ŋʰǂ/
/k, c/ >/g, gʲ/ > /ŋ, ŋʲ/
/s, sʲ/ > /z, zʲ/ (spelled ns)
Grammar
masculine declension:
singular:
an: nominative
an-S: accusative
an-H: genitive
plural:
on-S: nominative
on-N: accusative
on-S: genitive
feminine declension:
singular:
an-S: nominative (*ire*)
an-S: accusative
an-N: genitive
plural:
ár: nominative
ár-N: accusative
ár-S: genitive