Gothedish
Gothedish (Native: Guþþydske /ˈɡuːθʏtskə/) is an East Germanic language. Its most distinctive feature is extensive palatalization, which is most likely due to Slavic influence.
Introduction
Gothedish is a descendant of Gothic. It is named after the Gothedes (Guþþyde), whose name means "Goth people" (gut (Goth) + þyde (people)). By folk etymology, it also means "God's slaves" (Gud (God) + þyde (slave)). As a result of this dual etymology, Guþþyde may either be declined as a strong noun (in which case it is collective and is grammatically feminine) or a weak noun (in which case it refers to a single person and takes the gender of that person).
Phonology
Orthography
Gothedish can be written in various orthographies. The most commonly used is the Latin alphabet, followed by Arabic and Gothic. The Gothic alphabet has two main variations known as Aldgutske (Old Gothic) and Neygutske (New Gothic)
| Latin (Lateinske) | IPA | Dialectal variants | Arabic (Arabske) | Old Gothic (Aldgutske) | New Gothic (Neygutske) | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A a | ʌ, ɑ(ː)1 | – | ــَـ ، ــَا | 𐌰 | A a, Ā ā | hand /hʌnt/ "hand", apel /ɑːpl̩/ "apple" |
| Á á; Â â | ɑ(ː)1 | – | ــَا | Ā ā; Â â | hábde /hɑbdə/, hâde /hɑːdə/ "had" | |
| Ä ä | æ, ɛ(ː)1 | ɛ, e(ː) | ــٰـ ، ــٰا | 𐌰𐌹 | Ai ai, Āi āi | ärþe /ærðə/ "earth", än /ɛn/ "one" |
| Ea ea; Êa êa | ɛ(ː)1 | e(ː) | ــٰا | Āi āi; Âi âi | êan /ɛn/ "property" | |
| Å å | ɒ, ɔ(ː)1 | ɔ, o(ː) | ــٝـ ، ــٝا | 𐌰𐌿 | An an, Ān ān | åster /ɒstr̩/ "east", håbed /hɔːbəþ/ "head" |
| Oa oa; Ôa ôa | ɔ(ː)1 | o(ː) | ــٝا | Ān ān; Ân ân | hôad /hɔːþ/ "head" | |
| B b | b, NN-f, N-p2 | NN-v-V | ب ، ف | 𐌱 | B b | barn /bʌrn/ "child", hläb /ɬɛf/ "bread", lamb /lʌmp/ "sheep" |
| Bj bj | d͡ʒ, NN-ʃ, N-t͡ʃ2 | ʒ | ج ، ش | 𐌱𐌾 | Bg bg | þårbje /θɒrd͡ʒə/ "I/he/she/it need (pres. subj.)" |
| C c3 | k, t͡s | – | – | – | – | calcien /ˈkʌlt͡sin/ "calcium" |
| Ch ch | x | – | خ | 𐍇 | X x | duchan /dʊˈxɑn/ "smoke" |
| D d | d, V-θ, C-t2 | V-ð-V | د ، ث | 𐌳 | D d | dal /dɑl/ "valley", god /goθ/ "good", hund /hʊnt/ "dog" |
| Dj dj | z, V-s, C-t͡s2 | d͡ʒ, V-ʃ, C-t͡ʃ; ʒ, V-ʃ, C-t͡ʃ; d͡z |
ز | 𐌳𐌾 | Dg dg | |
| E e | ɛ, e(ː) 1 | jɛ, je(ː) | ــٖـ ، ــٖا | 𐌴 | E e, Ē ē | |
| ə4 | – | ــَـ ، ــِـ | 𐌰 | Ă ă | ||
| É é; Ê ê | e(ː)1 | je(ː) | ــٖا | 𐌴 | Ē ē; Ê ê | |
| Ei ei | ɛɪ̯ | aɪ̯; əɪ̯; iː | ــَيْ | 𐌴𐌹 | Ei ei | |
| Eu eu | œʏ̯ | ɔɪ̯; aʏ̯; əʏ̯; œɪ̯ | ـٰـوْ | 𐌴𐌿 | En en | |
| Ey ey | œʏ̯ | ɔɪ̯; aʏ̯; əʏ̯; œɪ̯; yː | ــٗيْ | 𐌴𐌹𐌿 | Ein ein | |
| F f | f, VS-v-VS | – | ف | 𐍆 | F f | |
| Fj fj | ʃ | – | ش | 𐍆𐌾 | Fg fg | |
| G g | ɡ, V-x, C-k2 | V-ɣ-V | چ | 𐌲 | Г r | |
| d͡ʒ-, V-j-V, -ʃ2,5 | V-ʒ-V | ج ، ي ، ش | Ѓ ŕ | |||
| Gj gj | d͡ʒ, V-ʃ, C-t͡ʃ | V-ʒ-V; ʒ | ج | 𐌲𐌾 | Гg rg | |
| Gv gv | b, V-f, C-p | V-v-V; ɡw, V-x, C-k; gv, -kf | ب | 𐍁 | Ч ɥ | |
| H h | h, Ø6 | x | هـ | 𐌷 | Һ h | |
| Hj hj | ʃ | ç | ش | 𐌷𐌾 | Һg hg | |
| Hl hl | ɬ, -ːl(-) | xl; -ɬ- | ڛ ، ل | 𐌷𐌻 | Һλ hλ | |
| Hr hr | r̥, -ːr(-) | ʂ; xr; χ; -r̥- | ڗ ، ر | 𐌷𐍂 | Һp hp | |
| Hv hv | f, V-v-V | ʍ; xʷ, -x; xf; kf | ف | 𐍈 | Θ ɵ | |
| I i | ɪ, i(ː)1 | – | ــِـ ، ــِي | 𐌹 | I i, Ī ī | |
| Í í; Î î | i(ː)1 | – | ــِي | Ī ī; Î î | ||
| Ie ie | i(ː)1 | iə̯ | ــِي | 𐌹𐌰 | Iă iă | |
| J j | j | – | ي | 𐌾 | G g | |
| K k | k | – | ك | 𐌺 | K k | |
| t͡ʃ | ʃ | ڭ | Ḱ ḱ | |||
| Kj kj | t͡ʃ | ʃ | ڭ | 𐌺𐌾 | Kg kg | |
| Kv kv | p | kʷ, -k; kf | پ | 𐌵 | U u | |
| L l | l | – | ل | 𐌻 | Λ λ | |
| Lj lj | ʎ | – | ڷ | 𐌻𐌾 | Λg λg | |
| M m | m | – | م | 𐌼 | M m | |
| Mj mj | ɲ | – | ݥ | 𐌼𐌾 | Mg mg | |
| N n | n | – | ن | 𐌽 | N v | |
| Nj nj | ɲ | – | ݧ | 𐌽𐌾 | Ng ng | |
| O o | ɔ, o(ː) | wɔ, wo(ː) | ــٗـ ، ــٗا | 𐍉 | Ω w; Ω̄ w̄ | |
| Ó ó; Ô ô | o(ː) | wo(ː) | ــٗا | Ω̄ w̄; Ω̂ ŵ | ||
| Ö ö | œ, ø(ː) | ɥœ, ɥø(ː) | 7ــٗـ ، ــٗا | 𐍉𐌹 | Ωi wi; Ω̄i w̄i | |
| Eo eo; Êo êo | ø(ː) | ɥø(ː) | 7ــٗا | Ω̄i w̄i; Ω̂i ŵi | ||
| Oi oi | œʏ̯ | ɔɪ̯; aʏ̯; əʏ̯; œɪ̯ː | ــٗيْ | 𐌰𐌿𐌹 | Ani ani | |
| Ou ou | ɔʊ̯ | aʊ̯; əʊ̯; uː | ــٗـوْ | 𐍉𐌿 | Ωw Ωw | |
| P p | p | – | پ | 𐍀 | П ր | |
| Pj pj | t͡ʃ | – | ڭ | 𐍀𐌾 | Пg րg | |
| R r | r | ɹ; ʀ; ʁ | ر | 𐍂 | R r | |
| Rj rj | ʒ | - | ڗ | 𐍂𐌾 | Rg rg |
1 Unmarked vowels are lengthened by default in “unchecked" syllables (i.e. stressed and followed by no more than one consonant) and are shortened otherwise. Short unchecked vowels are indicated by doubling the following consonant, and long checked vowels are indicated with special long forms. The circumflexed long forms are used when a letter (usually "b" or "g") has been dropped. Compound words and loanwords often do not conform to these rules. Note that distinction between long and short vowels is more of a difference in quality rather than duration, with "long" vowels generally being lengthened in stressed, open syllables and shortened otherwise.
2 V = vowel; C = consonant; N = nasal consonant; NN = non-nasal consonant; FV = front vowel; VS = voiced sound
3 In loanwords.
4 Unstressed. Generally dropped when followed by another vowel in the next syllable, unless that leads to a forbidden consonant cluster.
5 "K", "sk", and "g" are palatalized before front vowels (ä, e, i, ö, y, and digraphs beginning in them) and, in the case of "g", after "i", "ei", and "oi". Note that unstressed "e" (/ə/) does not cause palatalization. To prevent palatalization, they may be written with an "h" after (i.e. "kh", "skh", and "gh").
6 Lengthens preceding vowel, even if an intervening consonant is present.
7 Supposed to be under the line.
Consonants
Vowels
Prosody
Stress
Stress is generally on the first syllable in native words, unless the word begins with an unstressed prefix such as be-, fer-, or ge-.
Intonation
Phonotactics
Morphophonology
Morphology
Cases
Gothedish has four cases: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. The genitive can be further declined as an adjective to agree with the noun it modifies/replaces, in which case final post-vocalic -s becomes -z- and genitives ending in a vowel add -z-.
e.g. mag "boy": mages "boy's", mage "boys'" (undeclined genitive) + -es → magezes
Nouns
Nouns may be either strong or weak.
Strong Nouns
| Case | Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masc./Fem. | Neuter | ||
| Nominative/Accusative | -(e) | -es | -e |
| Dative | -e | -em | |
| Genitive | -es | -e | |
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative/Accusative | hläb | hläbes |
| Dative | hläbe | hläbem |
| Genitive | hläbes | hläbe |
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative/Accusative | bråd | bråde |
| Dative | bråde | brådem |
| Genitive | brådes | bråde |
Weak Nouns
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masc./Fem. | Neuter | Masc./Fem. | Neuter | |
| Nominative | -e | -e | -es | -en |
| Accusative | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| Dative | -en | -em | ||
| Genitive | -es | -en | ||
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | kvine | kvines |
| Accusative | kvinen | kvines |
| Dative | kvinen | kvinem |
| Genitive | kvines | kvinen |
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative/Accusative | härte | härten |
| Dative | härten | härtem |
| Genitive | härtes | härten |
Adjectives
Like nouns, adjectives may be strong or weak. Most adjectives have both forms. The strong forms are used attributively (happy people) and predicatively (they are happy), while the weak forms are used nominally (the rich). Adjectives that only have one form use that form in all usages.
Strong Adjectives
Strong adjectives have a special "generic" gender that can be used when the gender is unknown/unspecified/unimportant. In the plural it is identical to the neuter, though the masculine may be used instead.
| Case | Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Neuter | Generic | Feminine | Masculine | Neut./Gener. | Feminine | |
| Nominative | -es | -et | - | -e | -e | -e | -es |
| Accusative | -en | -et | - | -e | -es | -e | -es |
| Dative | -em | -es | -em | ||||
| Genitive | -es | ||||||
| Case | Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Neuter | Generic | Feminine | Masculine | Neut./Gener. | Feminine | |
| Nominative | skånjes | skånjet | skånj | skånje | skånje | skånje | skånjes |
| Accusative | skånjen | skånjet | skånj | skånje | skånjes | skånje | skånjes |
| Dative | skånjem | skånjes | skånjem | ||||
| Genitive | skånjes | ||||||
Weak Adjectives
Declined identically to weak nouns. Weak adjectives have a "generic" form identical to the neuter in both the singular and plural. However, since there is no distinction between masculine and feminine, the masculine/feminine form is often used to refer to persons of unspecified gender.
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine/Feminine | Neuter/Generic | Masculine/Feminine | Neuter/Generic | |
| Nominative | skånje | skånje | skånjes | skånjen |
| Accusative | skånjen | skånje | skånjes | skånjen |
| Dative | skånjen | skånjem | ||
| Genitive | skånjes | skånjen | ||
Pronouns and Determiners
Personal Pronouns
Demonstratives
Verbs
Gothedish verbs fall in three main categories: strong verbs, weak verbs, and preterite-present verbs. Each of these verb types are sub-divided in classes. All verbs form their infinitive in -(e)n and present participle in -(e)nd.
Strong Verbs
Strong verbs form their past tense by vowel change (ablaut). There are seven classes of strong verbs, depending on how the stem changes in the past tense and participle.
Weak Verbs
There are two classes of weak verbs.
Preterite-Present Verbs
Syntax
Constituent order
Noun phrase
Verb phrase
Sentence phrase
Dependent clauses
Example texts
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 1)
Alle manskes wärþen gebårene freie jah ibene in wärde jah rähtem. Fraþje jah miþwist sind behibde, jah skulen hvarjandere in ahmen broþerskepes handelen.
/ʌlə mʌnskəs wærðn̩ gəˈbɔrnə frɛɪ̯ə jɑ ibnə ɪn wærdə jɑ rɛːtm̩. Frʌsə jɑ ˈmɪðwɪst sɪnt bəˈhɪbdə jɑ skuːln̩ ˈfʌʒʌndrə ɪn ɑːmn̩ ˈbroːðr̩ˌskəpəs ˈhʌndln̩/
Gloss:
All-M.NOM.PL human_being-NOM.PL become.PRS-3PL give_birth.PP-M.NOM.PL free-M.NOM.PL and equal-M.PL.NOM in worth-DAT and right-DAT.PL. Reason.ACC and conscience.ACC be.PRS.3PL bestow.PP-M.NOM.PL, and should.PRS-3PL each_other-DAT in spirit-DAT brotherhood-GEN handle-INF.
Literal translation:
All human beings become born free and equal in worth and rights. With reason and conscience they are bestowed, and they should to one another in the spirit of brotherhood behave.
Translation:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.