Bearlandic

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Revision as of 19:20, 11 June 2013 by Dē Graut Bʉr (talk | contribs) (→‎Syntax: An attempt to explain this mess)
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Background

Bearlandic is one of many languages of the planet which is called Virrolt in Bearlandic. The language belongs to the Berilonian language family, which in its turn is a branch of the Iropo-Antilonian language family.



Phonology

Consonants

Bilabial Labio-dental Alveolar Post-alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive p b t d k kw
Fricative f v s z (ʃ) (ç) x ~ ɣ h
Approximant ʋ j
Trill r
Lateral app. l

In specific circumstances, some dialects use /ʃ/ and /ç/ instead of /s/ and /x, ɣ/.

Vowels

Front Near-front Central Near-back Back
Close i y u
Near-close ɪ ʏ
Close-mid e o
Mid ə
Open-mid ɛ œ ɔ
Near-open
Open a ɑ

Phonotactics

Orthography

Morphology

Nouns

Nouns don't have cases or genders, only numbers. The plural is usually made by adding -s to the end of the word. If it already ends in -s, -enn is added instead. However, a few nouns don't follow these rules and add -er instead, or don't change at all.

Adjectives

The comparative is formed by adding -err to the end of the adjective, while the superlative ends in -iss. If the adjective ends in a vowel, a -t- is inserted between the stem and the ending.

Verbs

Regular verbs

"walk" "shoot"
Present lop sgit
Past lop-ti sgit-i
Perfect gi-lop-t gi-sgit
Byform lop-ē sgit-ē
Present participle lop-nē sgit-nē
Past participle gi-lop-t-nē gi-sgit-nē

Unfortunately, I don't know how the byform is called in English.

Irregular verbs

"be" "have" "eat" "go"
Present iss heppt et ga
Past wast haptē ati gigti
Perfect giassit gihapt giotē gigisst
Byform zyt, zyti hypē ytē gatē
Present participle zytnē hepptnē etnē gatnē
Past participle - hassnē giotnē -

Pronouns

Number Person Subject Object/Reflexive Possessive
Singular 1st ig mi miess
2nd ji ji jiess
3rd masculine hi emm, zigg hiess
3rd feminine zy, zigg zess
3rd neuter dē, zigg dess
Plural 1st wi oss oss
2nd jis jis jisiss
3rd zess hunn, zy hʉn

Articles

There are two articles, the definite article and the indefinite article a.

Syntax

Bearlandic normally has a SVO word order, but questions have a VSO order. If there is more than one verb in the sentence, there are two possibilities (the verbs are bold):

  • Dē jaggter will sgit dē konin. (The hunter wants to shoot the rabbit.)
  • Dē jaggter will dē konin sgitē.

In subordinate clauses there are generally the same two possibilities:

  • Ig wet dass dē jaggter sgit dē konin. (I know the hunter shoots the rabbit.)
  • Ig wet dass dē jaggter dē konin sgitē.

However, sometimes this would change the meaning:

  • Dē jaggter sgit dē konin ossiss hiess verking. (The hunter shoots the rabbit if it's his job.)
  • Dē jaggter sgit dē konin oss dē hiess verking zyt. (The hunter shoots the rabbit because it's his job.)

Sample

Dē fillgikentnē mann hermakti miess aut enn itig mojj bot nat dē pabrúr oss a stoppig mys dē oss pegging oss a aut zworrt zwart gisgat haptē.

The well-known man repaired my old and quite beautiful boat after a stupid girl's uncle by accident had damaged it with an old black sword.