In Angai, Thean (/ˈθiːən/, natively shreñ thiidh (tone?)) is a family of analytic monosyllabic tonal languages in the Trans-Sarnathian family, spoken in Æm Múr. Thean is head-initial and SVO. Thean is inspired by Athabaskan languages; Modern Standard Thean in particular is inspired by Northern Athabaskan languages.

Thean is an exonym derived from the Kuam pronunciation of the autonym.

Thean is natively written with logographs.

Phonology of Modern Standard Thean

Modern Standard Thean is one of the more conservative varieties of Modern Thean. Other Thean lects have lost some or all finals.

Initials

Labial Inter-
dental
Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
plain sibilant lateral
Stop (Tone unrestricted) /p/ b /tθ/ ddh /t/ d /ts/ dz /tɬ/ dl /ʈʂ/ dr /tʃ/ j /k/ g, /kw/ gw /ʔ/ ʼ
Fricative (Only L and M class tones) /f/ f /θ/ th /s/ s /ʂ/ shr /ʃ/ sh /x/ x, /xw/ xw /h/ h
Sonorant (Tone unrestricted) /m/ m /n/ n /l/ l /ɻ/ r /j/ y /w/ w

Medials

The medial is optional. The only allowed medial is /j/ y which cannot occur after retroflexes and /w/.

Nuclei

i, e, a, o, u, ii, ee, aa, oo, uu (as in Gwich'in)

Finals

-t -k -n -ñ -dh -w -j -r /-t -k -n -(nasalization) -ð̠˕ -w -j -ɻ/ (null is allowed)

-ng is not as common as in the Sinosphere

Tone

9 in nonchecked syllables, 3 in checked ones