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|name = Alska
|nativename = Alska
|pronunciation = [ɑls'-kɑ]
|region = Alsland & Dependencies
|states = Alsland, Grøn-in-Norderøy, Jotunsøy, Dependencies of Jansstass & Ragnargråben
|nation = Sovereign Kingdom of Alsland (Soveireinkonngsdøm Alslands)
|speakers = 50 million
|date = 2012
|familycolor = Indo-European
|fam1 = [[w:Indo-European_languages|Indo-European]]
|fam2 = [[w:Germanic_languages|Germanic]]
|fam3 = [[w:West_Germanic_languages|East Scandinavian]]
|fam4 = [[w:Anglo-Frisian_languages|Alslandic]]
|map          =
|mapcaption    = Map of the two dependencies of Alsland, Jansstass and Ragnargråben
|iso1 = al
|iso2 = als
|iso3 = als
|script        = [[w:Latin script|Latin script]]
}}
 
==Background==
 
Alska [ɑls'-kɑ] is a Germanic language originating from the nation of Alsland, a rather large (area-wise) island in the northern sea. Alska is supposed to be somewhat related to the Scandinavian languages, although it's really more of my own take on Scandinavian languages as a whole.  It is <i>very</i> closely related to them, to the point of being mutually intelligible in some cases, although it is just as different from them as Swedish is from Danish, or as Norwegian is from Swedish. 
 
Basically, it has turned out kind of like Esperanto for Scandinavia, even though that isn't its intent.  Alska has a bit more structure when it comes to pronunciation and grammar, and sticks to them pretty well, if not for a few irregularities.   
 
The speakers of Proto-Alska came from an unknown land, banished by their gods, according to legends.  While Alsland itself has a survivable climate, the stories tell of a paradise.  As Alslandic thinking progresses, it has been suggested that the Alslanders are not actually <i>from</i> anywhere, but made these tales up to give a basis for the harsh conditions of Alsland's weather.
 
<!-- ***Phonology*** -->
<!-- What sounds does your language use? -->
<!-- Here are some example sub-/other categories:
 
Vowel inventory
Consonant inventory
Syllable structure
Stress
Intonation
 
-->
 
==Phonology==
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Letters'''
!'''Pronunciation'''
!'''Further information'''
|-
|a
|[ɑ:]
|has no short version
|-
|b
|[b]
| -
|-
|d
|[d]
| -
|-
|e
|[ɛ] / [e:]
| -
|-
|f
|[f]
| -
|-
|g
|[g]
| -
|-
|h
|[h]
| -
|-
|i
|[ɪ]/[i]
|short 'ɪ', long 'i'
|-
|j
|[j]
|corresponds to ''y'' in English ''you''
|-
|k
|[k]
| -
|-
|l
|[l]
| -
|-
|m
|[m]
| -
|-
|n
|[n]
| -
|-
|o
|[o̞]/[o]
| -
|-
|p
|[p]
| -
|-
|r
|[r]
|can be rolled, tapped, trilled, or pronounced non-rhotically, as in most British English dialects.  (depends on Alskan dialect)
|-
|s
|[s]
| -
|-
|t
|[t]
| -
|-
|u
|[ʉ]
|has no short version
|-
|v
|[f]
| -
|-
|w
|[v]
|rarely used, usually replaced with 'v'
|-
|y
|[y:]
|pronounced almost like German 'ü'
|-
|z
|[ts]
|rarely used
|-
|å
|[ɔ]
|pronounced somewhat like English 'aw' Can be pronounced 'ooh', or 'ow' depending on dialect
|-
|ø
|[ø]
| -
|-
|ä
|[ɛ]\[e:]
|short/long.  depends on whether 'ä' is by itself, or near a consonant cluster
|-
|æ
|[aj]
|pronounced as in Latin and Icelandic
|}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===Consonants===
This is a table of the consonantic phonemes in Alska
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Phonemes'''
!'''Bilabial'''
!'''Labiodental'''
!'''Dental'''
!'''Alveolar'''
!'''Postalveolar'''
!'''Palatal'''
!'''Velar'''
!'''Glottal'''
|-
!'''Stop'''
|p b
|
|
|t d
|
|
|k g
|
|-
!'''Affricate'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!'''Nasal'''
|m
|
|
|n
|
|
|(ŋ)
|
|-
!'''Fricative'''
|
|f v
|
|s
|ʃ
|
|ç
|h
|-
!'''Approximant'''
|
|
|
|r
|
|j
|
|
|-
!'''Lateral approximant'''
|
|
|
|l
|
|
|
|
|}
 
In most dialects, 'sj' is pronounced 'ʃ', with the exception of the word 'sjø', which is pronounced 'syø'  The only dialect of Alska that does not follow this rule is the Grøn-in-Norderøy dialect, which pronouces it as it is spelled [sj].  Additionally, the phoneme [ç] corresponds to the 'ch' in German (ich=[iç]) in all dialects, and is spelled 'kj' in words.
 
Additionally, if any consonant directly precedes 'r', that consonant is silent.  For example:
 
*<i>Vadr</i> [fɑ:r] - Father
 
Not all dialects follow this rule; some would pronounce it as [fɑ:tr]
 
===Vowels===
 
This is a table of the vowel phonemes in Alska
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
! rowspan="2" colspan="1"|'''Phonemes'''
! rowspan="1" colspan="2"|'''Short'''
! rowspan="1" colspan="2"|'''Long'''
|-
!'''Front'''
!'''Back'''
!'''Front'''
!'''Back'''
|-
!'''Closed'''
|i
| -
|
|u:/ü:
|-
!'''Mid-closed'''
|ø
| -
|e:
|o:
|-
!'''Mid-open'''
|ɛ
|ɔ
| -
| -
|-
!'''Open'''
|a
| -
| -
| -
|}
 
===Vowel Length===
 
Almost every vowel has a short and a long version, which changes according to whether there is a double consonant cluster immediately following it or not. Any two of the same consonants following a vowel with make it short, with the exceptions of 'a' and 'u'.  For example, 'ok' (and) = 'o:k.  'okk', while not a word, would be pronounced 'o̞k'.  This does not occur when two different consonants follow a vowel, such as 'ng'.
 
===Diphthongs===
 
Alska has three diphthongs, and one digraph. 
 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Diphthongs'''
!'''Pronunciation'''
|-
|ej
|[ei]
|-
|ie
|[i:e]
|-
|au
|[øy]
|-
|ai
|[e:]
|-
|}
 
'ej' is the most common diphthong, while 'ai' is the least common.  There is no 'ow' sound in  Standard Alska, unlike Standard German.  Some dialects, mostly the eastern variants, associate this sound to the letter 'å'.
 
===Stress===
 
Stress usually falls on the first syllable of a noun.  Stress falls on every root sylable of a compound word.  Words that do not follow this pattern are usually loanwords, which follow their original pronunciation rules when adopted, although the spelling is often changed to help integrate them into Alska.
 
==Grammar==
 
===Nouns===
 
Nouns have two genders in Alska, Common and Neuter.  These nouns must always agree with their adjectives gender-wise. 
 
Nouns can come in two numbers, singular and plural.  To make a vowel plural, either the suffix '-er', '-e' or '-ene' is added to the end.  Very few nouns that have a natural fminine gender get the '-e' suffix for their indefinite plural form.  This can cause confusion, since '-er' is also how verbs conjugate for all persons in the present tense.  When a noun is definite, the plural is '-ene'.  When it is not, the plural is '-er'. 
 
====Definite vs. Indefinite====
 
Nouns can be definite or indefinite, and this is decided by the use of an enclitic article.  The common gender has the suffix '-en' to make it definite, the neuter gender has '-et'.  These articles can be separated from their noun.  This transforms them into <i>indefinite</i> articles.   
 
For example: 
 
*<i>Flyge</i> - Woman + '-en' = <i>Flyg<b>en</b></i> - The Woman.  (The extra 'e' is combined)
 
Here is a chart showing a selection of nouns in their indefinite and definite forms, as well as the plurals for each. 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Singular'''
!'''Plural'''
!'''Gender'''
!'''Meaning'''
!'''Definite'''
!'''Definite Plural'''
!'''Gender'''
!'''Meaning'''
|-
!mann
|manner
|common
|man
!foten
|fotene
|common
|foot
|-
!land
|lander
|neuter
|land
!hemmellen
|hemmellene
|common
|sky, heaven
|-
!sju
|sjuer
|common
|shoe
!ligtet
|ligtene
|neuter
|light
|-
!live
|liver
|common
|life
!sprokken
|sprokkene
|common
|language
|-
!tir
|tirer
|neuter
|animal
!boket
|bokene
|neuter
|book
|-
!elske
|elsker
|common
|love
!vulfen
|vulfene
|common
|wolf
|-
!lørdin
|lørdin<i>e</i>
|common
|lady
!lørd
|lørdene
|common
|lord
|-
|}
 
Note how all definite plural suffixes are the same, no matter the gender of the word itself.
 
====Articles====
 
With definite and indefinite nouns come definite (demonstrative) and indefinite articles.  Gender applies to these articles in both the definite and indefinite form. 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Definite article'''
!'''Common'''
!'''Neuter'''
!'''Plural'''
!'''Indefinite Article'''
!'''Common'''
!'''Neuter'''
!'''Plural'''
|-
!'''Nom. / Acc.'''
|den
|det
|denne/dette
!'''Nom./Acc.'''
|en
|et
| -
|-
!'''Dat.'''
|dan
|dat
|danne/datte
!'''Dat.'''
|an
|at
| -
|}
 
There are no plural forms for indefinite articles, as the are only ever used to refer to singular things.  <i>Denne</i> and <i>dette</i> can also be used for 'this'.
 
Demonstrative articles are used when
 
a) referring directly to something or someone. 
*  For example: <i>Den mann</i> - That man
b) referring back to the subject of the sentence of something previously mentioned. 
*  For example: <i>Tirer er alltid duf. Det er ikke bestimmer</i> - Animals are always stupid. This is not true.  Here 'det' is referring to the previous mentioned concept of animals being stupid.
c) an adjective precedes the noun it stems from. 
*  For example: <i>en mann -> den strungen mann</i>
 
Often the demonstrative article is used instead of the enclitic article in speech because saying 'den strungen mann' is also the same as saying 'strungen mannen'
 
===Personal Pronouns===
 
Personal pronouns change depending on the case they are used in.  (Nominative, Accusative, Dative, or Genitive)  Possessive Pronouns change depending on the gender of the noun they possess. 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!rowspan="2"|'''Case'''
!colspan="4"|'''1st person'''
|-
!colspan="2"|'''Singular'''
!colspan="2"|'''Plural'''
|-
!'''Nominative'''
|colspan=2|jeg
|colspan="2"|vi
|-
!'''Accusative'''
|colspan="2"|mig
|colspan="2"|oss
|-
!'''Dative'''
|colspan="2"|mig
|colspan="2"|oss
|-
!'''Genitive'''
|colspan="2"|minn
|colspan="2"|osser
|-
!rowspan="2"|'''Case'''
!colspan="4"|'''2nd person'''
|-
!colspan="2"|'''Singular'''
!colspan="2"|'''Plural'''
|-
!'''Nominative'''
|colspan="2"|du
|colspan="2"|i
|-
!'''Accusative'''
|colspan="2"|dig
|colspan="2"|ig
|-
!'''Dative'''
|colspan="2"|dig
|colspan="2"|ig
|-
!'''Genitive'''
|colspan="2"| -
|colspan="2"| -
|-
!rowspan="2"|'''Case'''
!colspan="4"|'''3rd person'''
|-
!'''Masculine'''
!'''Feminine'''
!'''Neuter'''
!'''Plural'''
|-
!'''Nominative'''
|han
|hun
|den / det
|disse / disse
|-
!'''Accusative'''
|hans
|huns
|dens / dets
|disse / disse
|-
!'''Dative'''
|ham
|hum
|dan / dat
|dasse / dasse
|-
!'''Genitive'''
| -
| -
| -
| -
|}
 
This is one of the only times that defined masculine and feminine category appears in Alska, as it is a can of natural gender.
 
There are no genitive forms for 'du', and 'han/hun/det'.  Their corresponding possessives are used instead. 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Person'''
!'''Singular'''
!'''Plural'''
|-
!'''jeg'''
|minn
|minnene
|-
!'''du'''
|dinn
|dinnene
|-
!'''den''' / '''det'''
|sinn
|sinnene
|-
!'''hun'''
|sinn
|sinnene
|-
!'''we'''
|osser
|osser
|-
!'''i'''
|ier
|ierne
|-
|}
 
Possessives can have '-et' suffixed on to them, if the noun they possess is neuter in gender.  There is no suffix for common:
 
*<i>Minnet hus</i> - My house
*<i>Minn hund</i> - My dog
 
===Adjectives===
 
Adjectives come in their root form, and are inflected for gender and number, with the same two endings used for making nouns definite, '-en', and '-et'.  The plural ending is '-ene'  An adjective does not, however, have to be inflected if it comes <i>after</i> the noun it describes.
 
Here are some examples:
 
*<i>En strungen mann</i> - A strong man
*<i>Et lillet hus</i> - A little house (Can also be formed through the diminutive)
*<i>Den er en smuken flyge</i> - That is a pretty girl
*<i>Den flyge er <b>smuk</b></i> - That girl is pretty
*<i>Disse lillene huser</i> - These little houses
 
====Comparative====
 
The comparative form of adjectives is formed by adding '-ere' to the adjective itself.  The word 'ennd' precedes the noun being compared. 
 
For example:
 
*<i>Den mann er strungere ennd den flyge</i> -  The man is stronger than that girl. 
 
If something is being compared on the same level, 'somm' is used before and after the adjective.
 
*<i>Den mann er somm strung somm den flyge</i> - The man is as strong as the girl.
 
If something is being compared as less than something, 'minntre' is used before the adjective, and 'somm' is used before the other noun.
 
*<i>Den mann er minntre strung somm den flyge</i> - The man is weaker than the woman.  (This can also be formed with the adjective weak, or by using 'ikke' before 'minntre', making 'not as strong')
 
====Irregular Adjectives====
 
Irregular adjectives are normal until they reach the comparative stage.  Instead of adding the suffix 'ere', these irregular adjectives are usually put into the comparative by changing the entire word (compare to English 'good', 'better', 'best') 
 
Here is an example of an irregular adjective being used comparatively. 
 
*<i>Det hus er godt</i> - The house is good
*<i>Det hus er bettre</i> - The house is better
*<i>Dette hus er betre ennd det hus</i> - This house is better than that house
 
====Superlative====
 
The superlative form of an adjective is used when saying something is the 'best'.  For regular adjectives, the superlative ending is '-est'.  Irregular verbs usually end in '-est', but it is part of the stem, or root. In other words, the adjective changes twice, once for comparative, again for superlative, and the superlative version ends in '-est'.
 
Here is a table showing regular and irregular adjectives in their three forms:
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Regular Adjective'''
!'''Comparative'''
!'''Superlative'''
!'''Meaning'''
!'''Irregular Adjective'''
!'''Comparative'''
!'''Superlative'''
!'''Meaning'''
|-
!strung
|strungere
|strungest
|strong
!godt
|betre
|best
|good
|-
!lille
|lillere
|lillest
|little, small
!hog
|højer
|højest
|high
|-
!ung
|ungere
|ungest
|young
!gamell
|elt
|eltest
|old
|-
|}
 
===Numbers===
 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Number'''
!'''Cardinal'''
!'''Ordinal'''
!'''Number'''
!'''Cardinal'''
!'''Ordinal'''
|-
!0
|null
| -
!1
|ein
|vørste
|-
!2
|tø
|sekunde
!3
|tre
|trede
|-
!4
|fjyr
|fjyrede
!5
|fimm
|fimmede
|-
!6
|sex
|sexede
!7
|sjø
|sjøede
|-
!8
|atte
|attede
!9
|nan
|nanede
|-
!10
|tan
|tanede
!11
|ellfu
|ellfede
|-
!12
|tolfu
|tolfede
!13
|tretan
|tretanede
|-
!14
|fjyrtan
|fjyrtanede
!15
|fimmtan
|fimmtanede
|-
!16
|sextan
|sextanede
!17
|sjøtan
|sjøtanede
|-
!18
|attjan
|attjanede
!19
|nantan
|nantanede
|-
!20
|Tjoi
|Tjoede
!21
|Tjoen
|Tejoenede
|-
!22
|Tjoitø
|Tjoitøede
!30
|treti
|tretede
|-
!31
|treen (tre-en)
|treenede
!40
|fjyrti
|fjyrtide
|-
!50
|fimmti
|fimmtide
!60
|sexti
|sextide
|-
!70
|sjøti
|sjøtide
!80
|jåtti
|jåttit
|-
!90
|nanti
|nantide
!100
|hundre
|hundrede
|}
 
Note that in some numbers, certain letters are omitted, such as the 'i' in 'tjoen'.
 
Ordinal numbers are created by adding '-ede' onto the end.  In some cases, just'-de' is added. 
 
Counting is relatively simple in Alska.  To make two digit numbers, one simply puts two numbers together.  Numbers after one hundred work in the same way:
 
*<i>tjoi</i> + <i>en</i> = <i>tjoen</i> - twenty-one
*<i>hundre</i> + <i>fimmti</i> - one hundred-fifty
 
The word for thousand is '<i>tusennd</i>; it's ordinal form is '<i>tusennede</i>'.  Million is '<i>milliard</i>'/'<i>milliarde</i>'
 
===Interrogatives===
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Interrogatives'''
|-
!Who
|hvemm
|-
!What
|hvad
|-
!Where
|hver
|-
!Why
|hvørfer
|-
!How
|hvorden
|-
!When
|nør
|}
 
===Adverbs===
 
Adverbs are never declined or inflected, can be placed before or after the verb.
 
*<i>Jeg vil lufe i dag</i> - I want to run <b>today</b>
 
Here, today is being used adverbially because it shows when I want to run.  The reason 'vil' is not conjugated is because it is a modal verb, which do not receive the '-r' suffix.  'lufe' is still in the infinitive because any verb after a modal verb must stay that way.
 
===Verbs===
 
Verbs in the infinitive form are accompanied by 'ett', and 'e' on the end.  For example:  <i>Kyk</i> - Cook, <i>ett Kyke</i> - to cook.  There are almost no irregular verbs, and conjugation of most verbs is done by adding the suffix '-r' to the infinitive. 
 
'-r' is used for <i>all</i> pronouns
 
*<i>Jeg kyker i dag</i> - I cook today/I'm cooking today
*<i>Du kyker i dag</i> - You cook today/You're cooking today
 
<i>Er</i> is used only in the context of 'to be', not as an auxiliary verb, as in English 'I am writing'.  In Alska this would be <i>Jeg skriver</i>, NOT <i>Jeg er ett skrive</i>. 
 
Verbs appear in their full infinitive form in a sentence when another primary verb is being used, often preceded by <i>for</i>, but not always.  The verb+e version of the infinitive can appear after a modal verb.
 
Here is an example of all three forms:
 
*<i>Jeg skriver</i> - I write
*<i>Jeg vil skrive</i> - I want to write
*<i>Jeg skriver over for ett kyke</i> - I write about cooking
 
====Past Tense====
 
Past tense of verbs is usually done through suffixing, although a small portion of them go through stem vowel changes. 
 
The suffixes for most words are '-dde', or '-te'. 
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Verb'''
!'''Present'''
!'''Past'''
!'''Meaning'''
|-
!'''Ett Skrive'''
|skriver
|skrivte
|to write
|-
!'''Ett Kyke'''
|kyker
|kykte
|to cook
|-
!'''Ett Lufe'''
|lufer
|lufte
|to run
|-
!'''Ett Finne'''
|finner
|finnedde
|to find
|-
!'''Ett Spise'''
|spiser
|spisedde
|to eat
|-
!'''Ett Gå'''
|går
|gir
|to go
|}
 
====Irregular Past Tense====
 
There is a very short list of verbs that undergo a stem-vowel change for their past tense form, although there is order to this and if one learns what each vowel changes to, they must simply remember the specific word it occurs in.
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Vowel'''
!'''Changes To'''
|-
!'''a'''
|e
|-
!'''e/ä'''
|a
|-
!'''i'''
|u
|-
!'''o/å/ø'''
|i
|-
!'''u'''
|o
|-
|}
 
'Æ' does not go through a vowel change.
 
 
Here is a table showing the stem vowel changes for certain verbs:
 
{| {{Table/bluetable}} style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle"
!'''Verb'''
!'''Present'''
!'''Past Tense'''
!'''Meaning'''
|-
!'''Ett gå'''
|går
|gir (gikk in some dialects)
|to go
|-
!'''Ett väre
|er
|var
|to be
|-
!'''Ett hive'''
|hiver
|huver
|to heave, lift
|-
|}
 
Note how the '-r' is not changed, even when the verb is in the past tense.
 
====Past Participle====
 
The past participle form of a verb always comes with the verb <i>ha</i> - to have.  <i>Ha</i> is always conjugated in the present tense, but the verb main verb is always in the past tense.  Past participle forms retain the same suffixes they had in their regular past tense form.
 
For example:
 
*<i>Jeg har gir till Alsland</i> - I have gone to Alsland (before)
 
The main verb, or the verb in the past tense, does not have to be in any specific place in the sentence as long as it is after <i>ha</i>; It is just as acceptable to say <i>Jeg har till Alsland gir</i>
 
===Syntax===
 
Syntax in Alska has a rather straightfoward, SVO pattern, like most Germanic langauages.  Also like most Germanic languages is the switch to VSO for interrogative statements.
 
*<i>Jeg vil lufe</i> - I want to run
*<i>Vil jeg lufe?</i> - (Do) I want to run?
 
Notice how there is no auxiliary verb in the second example.  Translated literally, it means 'Want I run?'.
 
 
 
[[Category:Conlangs]]
 
==Examples==
 
Here is the Lord's prayer translated from English into Alska:
 
 
    Our Father in heaven,                            Osser vadr i hemmell,
    hallowed be your name.                            helighet er din Nafn.
    Your kingdom come,                                din konngdøm kommer,
    your will be done,                                din will gør,
    on earth as it is in heaven.                      på jorden hvorden det er i hemmell.
    Give us this day our daily bread,                giver oss disse dagligen brød,
    and forgive us our debts,                        ok tillgive oss osser skulder,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.            hvorden vi har tilgivedde osser skuldmanner.
    And lead us not into temptation,                  ok leder oss ikke i på frissthellse,
    but deliver us from evil.                        men tillever oss fra ande.

Revision as of 10:53, 14 January 2013

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