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=== Tones === | === Tones === | ||
Láadan is a [[tone (linguistics)|tonal language]]. It utilises two distinct tones: | Láadan is a [[tone (linguistics)|tonal language]]. It utilises two distinct tones: | ||
* ''lo'' | * ''lo'' – {{IPA|/lō/}} or {{IPA|/lò/}}, a short, medium or low tone, represented by a single unmarked vowel | ||
* ''ló'' | * ''ló'' – {{IPA|/ló/}}, a short, high tone, represented by a single marked vowel | ||
The word "Láadan" has three syllables: "lá-" with the short vowel /a/ plus high tone; "-a" with the short vowel /a/ and no tone; and "-dan". | The word "Láadan" has three syllables: "lá-" with the short vowel /a/ plus high tone; "-a" with the short vowel /a/ and no tone; and "-dan". | ||
Láadan does not allow any double [i.e. long] phonemes. Whenever two identical short vowels would occur side by side in a single morpheme, one of them has to be marked for high tone. When adding an affix would result in two identical vowels side by side, an epenthetic /h/ is inserted to prevent the forbidden sequence. The language will allow either "máa" or "maá," but not "maa". These combinations can be described as: | Láadan does not allow any double [i.e. long] phonemes. Whenever two identical short vowels would occur side by side in a single morpheme, one of them has to be marked for high tone. When adding an affix would result in two identical vowels side by side, an epenthetic /h/ is inserted to prevent the forbidden sequence. The language will allow either "máa" or "maá," but not "maa". These combinations can be described as: | ||
* ''loó'' | * ''loó'' – {{IPA|/lǒː/}}, a long, low-rising tone, represented by a double vowel, the second of which is marked | ||
* ''lóo'' | * ''lóo'' – {{IPA|/lôː/}}, a long, high-falling tone, represented by a double vowel, the first of which is marked | ||
(Some people analyze these tone sequences as tonemic as well, for a total of four tones.) | (Some people analyze these tone sequences as tonemic as well, for a total of four tones.) | ||