Modern Manish: Difference between revisions

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'''Modern Manish''' (''kîndokâkosthev'' [ˌkɪn.doˌkɑ.kosˈθev]) is a language spoken in the fictional world of [[Verse:Aior|Aior]]. It is the most widely spoken language on Aior, both by number of native speakers and by total number of speakers. Work on the language began in 2017, and it continues to be updated.
'''Modern Manish''' (''kîndokâkosthev'' [ˌkɪn.doˌkɑ.kosˈθev]) is a [[Manish Languages|Manish]] language spoken in the fictional world of [[Verse:Aior|Aior]]. It is the most widely spoken language on Aior, both by number of native speakers and by total number of speakers. Work on the language began in 2017, and it continues to be updated.


==Introduction==
==Introduction==


Modern Manish as a native language is spoken primarily in Cartondin and Terithius. In addition, there is a group of Katorian pirates that use it. In addition to its use as a native language, the prominence of Cartondin in the world as a military and economic power has led to the use of Manish as a lingua franca in many interactions by educated people from nearly all nations. Typically, this usage is heavily influenced by the native language of the speaker.
Modern Manish as a native language is spoken primarily in [[Verse:Aior/Cartondin|Cartondin]] and [[Verse:Aior/Terithius|Terithius]]. In addition, there is a group of [[Verse:Aior/Katorias|Katorian]] pirates that use it. In addition to its use as a native language, the prominence of Cartondin in the world as a military and economic power has led to the use of Manish as a lingua franca in many interactions by educated people from nearly all nations. Typically, this usage is heavily influenced by the native language of the speaker.


===Origin===
===Origin===


The Modern Manish language as spoken in Cartondin and Terithius traces its origins back to [[Old Manish]], which in turn derives from [[Ancient Manish]], one of the five languages given to Aior by the gods near the time of the creation. Since then, several languages have branched off from the original tongue, but none has such a large group of speakers as Modern Manish.
The Modern Manish language as spoken in Cartondin and Terithius traces its origins back to [[Old Manish]], which in turn derives from [[Ancient Manish]], one of the five languages given to Aior by the gods near the time of the [[Verse:Aior/Creation|creation]]. Since then, several languages have branched off from the original tongue, but none has such a large group of speakers as Modern Manish.
Over the course of just over two thousand years, various groups have used Manish either as a native language or even more commonly as a lingua franca. This has led to the simplification of many of the morphological and phonological features of the language.
 
Over the course of just over two thousand years, various groups have used Manish either as a native language or even more commonly as a [[w:Lingua franca|lingua franca]]. This has led to the simplification of many of the morphological and phonological features of the language.


===Typology===
===Typology===


Some of the typological features of Modern Manish include:
Some of the typological features of Modern Manish include:
*The phoneme inventory consists of fifteen consonants and seven vowels.
*The [[w:Phoneme|phoneme]] inventory consists of fifteen consonants and seven vowels.
*Syllable structure is fairly simple. Every vowel is considered the nucleus of its own syllable, optionally followed by a consonant and optionally preceded by a consonant or a cluster consisting of a stop, /v/, or /s/ and a liquid.
*[[w:Syllable|Syllable]] structure is fairly simple. Every [[w:Vowel|vowel]] is considered the nucleus of its own syllable, optionally followed by a [[w:Consonant|consonant]] and optionally preceded by a consonant or a cluster consisting of a [[w:Stop consonant|stop]], /v/, or /s/ and a [[w:Liquid consonant|liquid]].
*The basic constituent order is Subject -- Verb -- Object. The language is almost entirely head-initial.
*The basic [[w:Word order|constituent order]] is [[w:subject–verb–object|subject–verb–object]]. The language is almost entirely [[w:Head-directionality parameter|head-initial]].
*The language is mostly agglutinative, but there are also a few fusional aspects.
*The language is mostly [[w:Agglutinative language|agglutinative]], but there are also a few [[w:Fusional language|fusional]] aspects.
*Verbs are inflected for gender of the subject, tense/aspect, mood, and voice. Each element is marked with an agglutinative prefix.
*[[w:Verb|Verbs]] are [[w:Inflection|inflected]] for [[w:Grammatical gender|gender]] of the subject, [[w:Grammatical tense|tense]]/[[w:Grammatical aspect|aspect]], [[w:Grammatical mood|mood]], and [[w:Voice (grammar)|voice]]. Each element is marked with an agglutinative [[w:Prefix|prefix]].
*Nouns and pronouns are marked for gender and number but not for case.
*[[w:Noun|Nouns]] and [[w:Pronoun|pronouns]] are marked for gender and [[w:Grammatical number|number]] but not for [[w:Grammatical case|case]].


===Changes since Old Manish===
===Changes since Old Manish===


Partly due to its usage as an international lingua franca, Modern Manish has lost much of the complexity of the Old Manish verbal and nominal systems. However, it has also innovated various new features. Phonetically, it is one of the more conservative Manish languages. A list of various changes and innovations includes:
Partly due to its usage as an international lingua franca, Modern Manish has lost much of the complexity of the Old Manish verbal and nominal systems. However, it has also innovated various new features. Phonetically, it is one of the more conservative Manish languages. A list of various changes and innovations includes:
#Change of unmarked constituent order from Subject-Object-Verb to Subject-Verb-Object
#Change of unmarked constituent order from [[w:subject–object–verb|subject–object–verb]] to subject–verb–object
#Loss of vowel length
#Loss of [[w:vowel length|vowel length]]
#Loss of /ə/ in all positions
#Loss of /ə/ in all positions
#Debuccalization of /f/ to /h/ followed by loss of /h/ in all positions
#[[w:debuccalization|Debuccalization]] of /f/ to /h/ followed by loss of /h/ in all positions
#Redistribution of the phonemes /ɾ/ and /l/
#Redistribution of the phonemes /ɾ/ and /l/
#Simplification of syllable structure
#Simplification of syllable structure
#Regularization of syntax such that the language is almost entirely head-initial
#Regularization of [[w:Syntax|syntax]] such that the language is almost entirely head-initial
#Loss of the dual marker in all but the most formal speech and the Royal dialect
#Loss of the [[w:Dual number|dual]] marker in all but the most formal speech and the Royal dialect
#Development of the prepositions ''perte'' and ''perite'' 'of' to replace the older construct state
#Development of the [[w:Preposition and postposition|prepositions]] ''perte'' and ''perite'' 'of' to replace the older [[w:Construct state|construct state]]
#Loss of the construct state except in very formal speech and the Royal dialect
#Loss of the construct state except in very formal speech and the Royal dialect
#Reanalysis of the definite state marker ''ra-'' as a definite article ''la''
#Reanalysis of the definite state marker ''ra-'' as a definite [[w:Article (grammar)|article]] ''la''
#Change of most postpositions to prepositions following loss of the construct state
#Change of most postpositions to prepositions following loss of the construct state
#Loss of case on nouns and the simplification of case on pronouns
#Loss of case on nouns and the simplification of case on pronouns
#Change of the remote and recent past tenses into past perfective and past imperfective
#Change of the [[w:Past tense|remote and recent past tenses]] into past [[w:Perfective aspect|perfective]] and past [[w:Imperfective aspect|imperfective]]
#Reduplication of the past perfective to produce a habitual aspect
#[[w:Reduplication|Reduplication]] of the past perfective to produce a [[w:Habitual aspect|habitual aspect]]
#Change of  the middle voice prefix ''pef-'' to mean passive and loss of older ''tôqâ-''
#Change of  the middle voice prefix ''pef-'' to mean [[w:Passive voice|passive]] and loss of older ''tôqâ-''
#Use of particle ''po'' (from Old Manish ''pô'' 'yes') to ask questions
#Use of [[w:Grammatical particle|particle]] ''po'' (from Old Manish ''pô'' 'yes') to ask questions


===Major dialects===
===Major dialects===
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====Cartondish====
====Cartondish====


The Cartondish dialect (more specifically, the dialect as spoken in Rowesburg and surrounding areas) is typically considered the standard. As such, except when otherwise noted, descriptions of the language in this work refer specifically to the Cartondish dialect. While most common people write the way they pronounce words, scholars and other trained writers typically follow Cartondish orthography.
The Cartondish dialect (more specifically, the dialect as spoken in [[Verse:Aior/Rowesburg|Rowesburg]] and surrounding areas) is typically considered the standard. As such, except when otherwise noted, descriptions of the language in this work refer specifically to the Cartondish dialect. While most common people write the way they pronounce words, scholars and other trained writers typically follow Cartondish orthography.
====Royal====
====Royal====
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====Terithian====
====Terithian====


The Terithian dialect is mostly very similar to the Cartondish dialect, but it has typically been more open to external influences. Relations with Aidenvelle have opened the way for many of the sound changes of Aiden to begin to affect Terithian Manish as well, particularly those that have affected the pronunciation of diphthongs. Some Terithians may not pronounce syllable-final nasals, instead nasalizing and slightly lengthening preceding vowels.
The Terithian dialect is mostly very similar to the Cartondish dialect, but it has typically been more open to external influences. Relations with [[Verse:Aior/Aidenvelle|Aidenvelle]] have opened the way for many of the sound changes of [[Aiden]] to begin to affect Terithian Manish as well, particularly those that have affected the pronunciation of [[w:Diphthong|diphthongs]]. Some Terithians may not pronounce syllable-final nasals, instead [[w:Nasalization|nasalizing]] and slightly lengthening preceding vowels.
====Southern====
====Southern====


The Southern dialect is characterized by heavy use of loanwords and calques from other languages, especially the various Manish and Elvish languages of Katorias. This dialect tends to be very innovative, but due to its perceived lack of prestige most of its innovations never carry back to the other dialects, making it at times difficult to understand. Despite this, it is generally still considered to be a dialect of Modern Manish as it has been shown that speakers of Southern Manish can understand the other dialects very well. Phonologically, the Southern dialect is simpler than other dialects. /a/ and /ɑ/ have merged into /a/, and /i/ and /ɪ/ have merged into /i/. /θ/ is pronounced by some speakers as a dental stop, but others pronounce it as [t], losing the phonemic distinction. Speakers who use a dental stop often pronounce /t/ as post-alveolar. In addition, Southern speakers sometimes aspirate voiceless stops.
The Southern dialect is characterized by heavy use of loanwords and calques from other languages, especially the various Manish and Elvish languages of Katorias. This dialect tends to be very innovative, but due to its perceived lack of prestige most of its innovations never carry back to the other dialects, making it at times difficult to understand. Despite this, it is generally still considered to be a dialect of Modern Manish as it has been shown that speakers of Southern Manish can understand the other dialects very well. Phonologically, the Southern dialect is simpler than other dialects. /a/ and /ɑ/ have merged into /a/, and /i/ and /ɪ/ have merged into /i/. /θ/ is pronounced by some speakers as a dental stop, but others pronounce it as [t], losing the phonemic distinction. Speakers who use a dental stop often pronounce /t/ as post-alveolar. In addition, Southern speakers sometimes [[w:Aspirated consonant|aspirate]] voiceless stops.


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