Far East Semitic

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Revision as of 20:52, 23 July 2019 by IlL (talk | contribs) (→‎Grammar)
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Inspiration: Old Chinese

Family tree

  • Proto-Far East Semitic
    • literally read Hmoob gib, possibly with tones? (greeting: Schlaub lag!)

Phonology

Consonants:

  • p b t ṭ d k q g ħ ʕ -> pʰ b tʰ t d kʰ k g x ɣ~ɢ
  • m n l r w y -> m n l r w y
  • θ θ̣ ð s ṣ z ś ṣ́ š x ɣ h -> θ θ ð s ts z~dz l̥ l̥~ts (from koineization) š qʰ q h

Vowels: i ɨ u e ə o a

Grammar

Verbs

verb stems:

  • G-stem: xtab "wrote", yə·xtub "writes" (all persons and numbers)
  • D-stem: kʰətʰab "dictated? took notes?", yə·kʰətʰɨb (present tense form)
  • N- and Š-stems: nə·xtab, šə·xtab etc.

the pa'al / pi'el distinction surfaces as initial clusters vs minor syllables

particles for aspects like Wdm