Rencadian

Rencadian
dhünanæ Rængcadnær
Pronunciation	[/ˈðyːnanɛ rɛŋˈkadnɛr/]
Created by	Praimhín
Setting	Zul
Language family	Pulchric Rencadic P-Rencadic Rencadian

Phonology

Orthography

Rencadian uses its own native alphabet.

The phonetic value of any consonant letter is the first consonant in its name - so that <ʕ> for example sounds like 'ts' (i.e. /ts/) and <ɧ> sounds like 'λ' (i.e. /ɮ/)

The letters themselves are derived from pictograms.

• pæsj = bear = ɤ
• tænwef = mushroom = ɷ
• tsopel = hook = ʕ
• sæn = head = ɵ
• tσîch = vine = ɖ
• σværa = clock = ɸ
• tjiweσ = cloud = ɯ
• sjwæt = rose = ɘ
• cmath = jaw = ɜ
• banr = hill = ʌ
• driλ = river = ʭ
• dzitra = fence = ʜ
• zaweth = ant = ɶ
• dλersja = plough = ʄ
• λa = human being = ɧ
• djarvar = seesaw = ʎ
• zji = hair = ɪ
• gænψ = foot = ɺ
• minth = arm = ʏ
• nuret = star = ʞ
• ngψlær = boat = ʁ
• reλæth = tree = ʡ
• rhoadzet = pineapple = ð
• lif = moon = c
• wuthma = whale = ɚ
• yachta = navel = ʘ
• lenition sign = ː

The phonetic value of a vowel letter is the first vowel in its name.

• a: ʱ (called λa ære, 'small human being')
• æ: ˠ (pæsj ære 'small bear')
• e: ˀ (reλæth ære 'small tree')
• i: ʷ (tjiweσ ære 'small cloud')
• o: ˣ (tsordh ære 'small hourglass')
• ψ: ʶ (ngψlær ære 'small boat')
• u: ˧˥ (nuret ære 'small star')

Punctuation is as follows:

• [ ] = quotation marks
• . = space/word boundary marker
• ɭ = period
• ɭɭ = comma
• ʕ̰ = semicolon
• ʕ = colon
• The punctuation mark ˈ is placed before sentences and clauses, and ˌ before proper names.

ˈɤˠ.ɵˣǃɚˠ.ʏˀʞɤːʱʡʞʱɷːˀɭɭ.[ˈɜˣ.ˀɤːɵʱ.ʭːˀ.ɘɚˠɷ.ʏˀʋːˠʌʱʞˠʡɭ]

Pæ sonwæ menfarnathe, "Co efsa dhe sjwæt meσæbanær."

The person said, "There's water and a rose in the goblet."

Consonants

	Labial	Dental	Alveolar	Lateral	Postalveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Voiceless Stop/Affricate	p /pʰ/	t /tʰ/	ts /ts/	tσ /tɬ/	tj /tʃ/		c /kʰ/
Voiced Stop/Affricate	b /p~b/	d /t~d/	dz /dz/	dλ /dɮ/	dj /dʒ/		g /k~g/
Voiceless Fricative	f /f/	th /θ/	s /s/	σ /ɬ/	sj /ʃ/		ch /x/	h /h/
Voiced Fricative	v /v/	dh /ð/	z /z/	λ /ɮ/	zj /ʒ/		gh /ɣ/
Nasal	m /m/	n /n/					ng /ŋ/
Approximant				l /ɫ/		y /j/	w /w/
Voiceless Trill			rh /r̥/
Voiced Trill			r /r/

Vowels

Vowel	IPA
a	/a/
â	/ɑː/
æ	/ɛ/
e	/ə/
ê	/əː/
i	/ɪ/
î	/iː/
o	/ɔ/
oa	/ɔɑ ~ ɒɑ ~ ɒː/
ψ	/ɨ/
u	/ʊ/
û	/uː/
ü	/yː/

Lenition

Normal

p

t

ts

s

tσ

σ

tj

sj

c

b

d

dz

z

dλ

λ

dj

zj

g

Lenited

f

th

s

h

σ

h

sj

h

ch

v

dh

z

0

λ

0

zj

0

gh

Normal	m	n	ng	w	l	r	y
Lenited	w	n	w	w	w	r	y

Prosody

Stress

In native words stress is on the first syllable, not counting prefixes. In loans (e.g. from Vrushka) stress falls on the same syllable as in the source language.

Morphology

Nouns

Nouns have 2 genders (masculine and feminine) and 11 cases (nominative, genitive, accusative, dative, locative, exlocative, instrumental, abessive, equative, anti-equative, and vocative).

Noun stems often get lenited. Lenition works as follows:

• When the noun begins with a lenitable consonant (any consonant besides f, v, th, dh, ch and gh), the first consonant gets lenited. If the first consonant is z, λ or zj and there's a prefix before the lenited stem, an epenthetic -n- is inserted between the prefix and the stem.
• When the noun begins with a vowel, an n- is inserted before the stem.
• When the noun begins with a nonlenitable consonant (f, v, th, dh, ch or gh), an n- is inserted before the stem if there's a prefix before the stem that ends in a vowel. Otherwise, ne- is inserted before the stem.

For example:

1. bær 'leaf' → vær
2. rasj 'spouse' → rasj
3. zaweth 'ant' → aweth
4. zawesj 'ant' (genitive) → awesj, ʙᴜᴛ:
5. λψ + lenited form of zawesj 'like an ant' → λψnawesj
6. ensæ 'fruit' → nensæ
7. farnathe 'speech' (genitive) → nefarnathe, ʙᴜᴛ:
8. me + lenited form of farnathe 'speaking' → menfarnathe
9. ow + lenited form of farnathe 'not speaking' → ownefarnathe

Feminine nouns

Most nouns are feminine and decline as follows:

Case	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	[nom stem]	[nom stem]+me	[nom stem]+næ	[nom stem]+nψ
Genitive	[gen stem]	[nom stem]+men	[nom stem]+nær	[nom stem]+nψr
Accusative	[acc stem]	[nom stem]+meth	[nom stem]+næth	[nom stem]+nψth
Dative	æn+[gen stem]	æn+[nom stem]+men	æn+[nom stem]+nær	æn+[nom stem]+nψr
Locative	me+[lenited gen stem]	me+[lenited nom stem]+men	me+[lenited nom stem]+nær	me+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Exlocative	ow+[lenited gen stem]	ow+[lenited nom stem]+men	ow+[lenited nom stem]+nær	ow+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Instrumental	rψ+[lenited gen stem]	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+nær	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Abessive	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+nær	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Equative	λψ+[lenited gen stem]	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+nær	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Anti-equative	ψd+[lenited gen stem]	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+men	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+nær	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+nψr
Vocative	[lenited nom stem]	[lenited nom stem]+me	[lenited nom stem]+næ	[lenited nom stem]+nψ

• [nom stem] is the dictionary form of a noun.
• [gen stem] is the genitive stem, formed by adding -e if the noun ends in a consonant and -n if the noun ends in a vowel.
• [acc stem] is the accusative stem, formed by adding -eth if the noun ends in a consonant and -th if the noun ends in a vowel.

Here are two examples:

erim 'tail'	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	erim	erimme	erimnæ	erimnψ
Genitive	erime	erimmen	erimnær	erimnψr
Accusative	erimeth	erimmeth	erimnæth	erimnψth
Dative	ænerime	ænerimmen	ænerimnær	ænerimnψr
Locative	menerime	menerimmen	menerimnær	menerimnψr
Exlocative	ownerime	ownerimmen	ownerimnær	ownerimnψr
Instrumental	rψnerime	rψnerimmen	rψnerimnær	rψnerimnψr
Abessive	tsψnerime	tsψnerimmen	tsψnerimnær	tsψnerimnψr
Equative	λψnerime	λψnerimmen	λψnerimnær	λψnerimnψr
Anti-equative	ψdnerime	ψdnerimmen	ψdnerimnær	ψdnerimnψr
Vocative	nerim	nerimme	nerimnæ	nerimnψ

neσa 'rope'	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	neσa	neσame	neσanæ	neσanψ
Genitive	neσan	neσamen	neσanær	neσanψr
Accusative	neσath	neσameth	neσanæth	neσanψth
Dative	ænneσan	ænneσamen	ænneσanær	ænneσanψr
Locative	meneσan	meneσamen	meneσanær	meneσanψr
Exlocative	owneσan	owneσamen	owneσanær	owneσanψr
Instrumental	rψneσan	rψneσamen	rψneσanær	rψneσanψr
Abessive	tsψneσan	tsψneσamen	tsψneσanær	tsψneσanψr
Equative	λψneσan	λψneσamen	λψneσanær	λψneσanψr
Anti-equative	ψdneσan	ψdneσamen	ψdneσanær	ψdneσanψr
Vocative	neσa	neσame	neσanæ	neσanψ

Masculine nouns

First declension

First declension masculine nouns end in consonants and the genitive stem is identical to the nominative stem, unless the final consonant is th, dh, s or z, in which case this final consonant is replaced with sj, zj, sj or zj respectively. The accusative stem is formed from the nominative stem as follows:

• If the final consonant is th or dh, it's replaced with t or d respectively.
• If the final consonant is a voiced fricative that is not dh, -dh is suffixed.
• Otherwise, -th is suffixed.

The paradigm is:

Case	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	[nom stem]	[nom stem]+me	[nom stem]+æ	[nom stem]+ψ
Genitive	[gen stem]	[nom stem]+men	[nom stem]+ær	[nom stem]+ψr
Accusative	[acc stem]	[nom stem]+meth	[nom stem]+æth	[nom stem]+ψth
Dative	æn+[gen stem]	æn+[nom stem]+men	æn+[nom stem]+ær	æn+[nom stem]+ψr
Locative	me+[lenited gen stem]	me+[lenited nom stem]+men	me+[lenited nom stem]+ær	me+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Exlocative	ow+[lenited gen stem]	ow+[lenited nom stem]+men	ow+[lenited nom stem]+ær	ow+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Instrumental	rψ+[lenited gen stem]	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+ær	rψ+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Abessive	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+ær	tsψ+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Equative	λψ+[lenited gen stem]	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+men	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+ær	λψ+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Anti-equative	ψd+[lenited gen stem]	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+men	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+ær	ψd+[lenited nom stem]+ψr
Vocative	[lenited nom stem]	[lenited nom stem]+me	[lenited nom stem]+æ	[lenited nom stem]+ψ

Here's an example:

newæth 'root'	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	newæth	newæthme	newæthæ	newæthψ
Genitive	newæsj	newæthmen	newæthær	newæthψr
Accusative	newæt	newæthmeth	newæthæth	newæthψth
Dative	ænnewæsj	ænnewæthmen	ænnewæthær	ænnewæthψr
Locative	menewæsj	menewæthmen	menewæthær	menewæthψr
Exlocative	ownewæsj	ownewæthmen	ownewæthær	ownewæthψr
Instrumental	rψnewæsj	rψnewæthmen	rψnewæthær	rψnewæthψr
Abessive	tsψnewæsj	tsψnewæthmen	tsψnewæthær	tsψnewæthψr
Equative	λψnewæsj	λψnewæthmen	λψnewæthær	λψnewæthψr
Anti-equative	ψdnewæsj	ψdnewæthmen	ψdnewæthær	ψdnewæthψr
Vocative	newæth	newæthme	newæthæ	newæthψ

Second declension

Second declension masculine nouns end in vowels. The genitive stem is formed by:

• suffixing -r if the last vowel is preceded immediately by a consonant cluster ending in a consonant that's not p, t, c, b, d, g, f, th, ch, v, dh or gh;
• otherwise, replacing the last vowel with -r.

The paradigm is as follows:

Case	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	[nom stem]	[gen stem]+em	[gen stem]+æ	[gen stem]+ψ
Genitive	[gen stem]+e	[gen stem]+emen	[gen stem]+ær	[gen stem]+ψr
Accusative	[gen stem]+th	[gen stem]+emeth	[gen stem]+æth	[gen stem]+ψth
Dative	æn+[gen stem]+e	æn+[gen stem]+emen	æn+[gen stem]+ær	æn+[gen stem]+ψr
Locative	me+[lenited gen stem]+e	me+[lenited gen stem]+emen	me+[lenited gen stem]+ær	me+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Exlocative	ow+[lenited gen stem]+e	ow+[lenited gen stem]+emen	ow+[lenited gen stem]+ær	ow+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Instrumental	rψ+[lenited gen stem]+e	rψ+[lenited gen stem]+emen	rψ+[lenited gen stem]+ær	rψ+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Abessive	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]+e	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]+emen	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]+ær	tsψ+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Equative	λψ+[lenited gen stem]+e	λψ+[lenited gen stem]+emen	λψ+[lenited gen stem]+ær	λψ+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Anti-equative	ψd+[lenited gen stem]+e	ψd+[lenited gen stem]+emen	ψd+[lenited gen stem]+ær	ψd+[lenited gen stem]+ψr
Vocative	[lenited nom stem]	[lenited gen stem]+em	[lenited gen stem]+æ	[lenited gen stem]+ψ

An example:

mæλnψ 'love'	Indefinite Singular	Indefinite Plural	Definite Singular	Definite Plural
Nominative	mæλnψ	mæλnψrem	mæλnψræ	mæλnψrψ
Genitive	mæλnψre	mæλnψremen	mæλnψrær	mæλnψrψr
Accusative	mæλnψrth	mæλnψremeth	mæλnψræth	mæλnψrψth
Dative	ænmæλnψre	ænmæλnψremen	ænmæλnψrær	ænmæλnψrψr
Locative	mewæλnψre	mewæλnψremen	mewæλnψrær	mewæλnψrψr
Exlocative	owwæλnψre	owwæλnψremen	owwæλnψrær	owwæλnψrψr
Instrumental	rψwæλnψre	rψwæλnψremen	rψwæλnψrær	rψwæλnψrψr
Abessive	tsψwæλnψre	tsψwæλnψremen	tsψwæλnψrær	tsψwæλnψrψr
Equative	λψwæλnψre	λψwæλnψremen	λψwæλnψrær	λψwæλnψrψr
Anti-equative	ψdwæλnψre	ψdwæλnψremen	ψdwæλnψrær	ψdwæλnψrψr
Vocative	wæλnψ	wæλnψrem	wæλnψræ	wæλnψrψ

Verbal nouns ending in -ψ are always second declension masculine.

• deλψ 'to rest', genitive stem deλr-
• ithψ 'to eat', genitive stem ithr-
• mærthψ 'to sit', genitive stem mærthr-

Syntax

Constituent order

The Rencadian word order is TSVO (tense-subject-verb-object) or TSOV (tense-subject-object-verb). The tense is indicated by a particle:

co = present progressive pæ = past sjin = future cψvo = simple present pænwæ = past habitual (the equivalent of "used to" in English)

Tense particles, like prepositions, may fuse with pronouns.

(yet to create tables)

Noun phrase

Noun phrases are consistently head-initial.

There are no adjectives per se in Rencadian, only abstract nouns whose genitives can function as adjectives:

zjær = 'smallness' (genitive zjære) doasc ære = small number zaweth zjære = small ant

Adjectives lenite after feminine nouns but not after masculine nouns.

Relative clauses are marked with the words 're' or 'tje' (both meaning 'of', but 're' is used when the complement is definite). Rencadian uses resumptive pronouns a lot -- so "the man who the wolf ate" literally translates as "the man of the wolf eating him"

the man who the wolf ate: λanæ tje porew menithre cæwth (insert gloss)

the man from Frichorsj (a place) = λanæ re nFrichorsjnæ

the man in Frichorsj = λanæ tje menFrichorsjnær (there's polyagglutination)

Numerals

Number	Rencadian symbol	Word
0	Ψ	dira
1	I	æth
2	V	slonw
3	N	dænr
4	M	stjiw
5	E	dhasjtur
6	IΨ	mæch
7	II	æthach
8	IV	slonwach
9	IN	dænrach
10	IM	stjiwach
11	IE	dhasjturach
12	VΨ	slonwæσ
13	VI	slonwæσ a næth
14	VV	slonwæσ a hlonw
15	VN	slonwæσ a dhænr
16	VM	slonwæσ a htjiw
17	VE	slonwæσ a ndhasjtur
18	NΨ	dænræσ
35	EE	dhasjturæσ a ndhasjtur
36	IΨΨ	rægh
1295	EEEE	dhasjturæσ a ndhasjtur rægh a dhasjturæσ a ndhasjtur
1296	IʼΨΨΨΨ	dmozj
2592	VʼΨΨΨΨ	slonw dmozj
3888	NʼΨΨΨΨ	dænr dmozj
5184	MʼΨΨΨΨ	stjiw dmozj
6480	EʼΨΨΨΨ	dhasjtur dmozj
7776	IΨʼΨΨΨΨ	mæch dhmozj
9072	IIʼΨΨΨΨ	æthach dhmozj
1679616	IʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨ	dmozjir
2176782336	IʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨ	tsifed
2821109907456	IʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨ	tsifedir
3656158440062976	IʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨ	verσiw
4738381338321616896	IʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨʼΨΨΨΨ	verσiwir

Other resources

Rencadian/Lexicon