Proto-Dynic: Difference between revisions

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{{construction}}
{{construction}}
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox proto-language
| name = ''Proto-Dynic''
| name       = Proto-Dynic
|-
| creator     = [[User:Gaffney.flancer|Gaffney McCoy Flancer]]
|creator = Gaffney McCoy Flancer
| target      = Dynic
| setting = Veyn
| era        =
|-
| region      = Veyn
| familycolor = #93CCEA
| familycolor = dynic
| fam1 = Dynic language family
}}
}}


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! rowspan="2" | Palatal
! rowspan="2" | Palatal
! colspan="2" | Velar
! colspan="2" | Velar
! rowspan="2" | Glottal
|-
|-
! <small> plain <small>
! <small> plain <small>
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| *ŋ
| *ŋ
| *ŋʷ
| *ŋʷ
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" | Stop
! rowspan="2" | Stop
! <small>voiceless</small>
! <small>voiceless</small>
|
| *p
| *t
| *t
| *č
| *c
| *k
| *k
| *kʷ
| *kʷ
| (*ʔ)
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! <small>voiced</small>
! <small>voiced</small>
| *b
| *b
| *d
| *d
|  
|
| *g
| *g
| *gʷ
| *gʷ
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" | Fricative
! colspan="2" | Fricative
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|
|
|
|
| *h
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" | Liquid
! colspan="2" | Liquid
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|
|
| *w
| *w
|
|}
|}


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|-
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Front
! colspan="3" | Short
! colspan ="2" | Central
! rowspan="6" |
! colspan ="2" | Back
! colspan ="3" | Long
|-
|-
! <small> short <small>
! <small>Front</small>
! <small> long <small>
! <small>Centre</small>
! <small> short <small>
! <small>Back</small>
! <small> long <small>
! <small>Front</small>
! <small> short <small>
! <small>Centre</small>
! <small> long <small>
! <small>Back</small>
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Close
! Close
| *i
| *i
| rowspan="2" | *ë
| rowspan="2" | *u
| *ī
| *ī
| (*ɨ)
| rowspan="2" | *ë̄
|
| rowspan="2" | *ū
| *u
| *ū
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Mid
! Mid
| *e
| rowspan="2" | *e
| *ē
| rowspan="2" | *ē
| *ə
|- style="text-align:center;"
| *ə̄
! Open
|
| colspan="2" | *a
|
| colspan="2" | *ā
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Mid
|
|
| *a
| *ā
|
|
|}
|}
==== Close central vowel ====
Scholars disagree in their reconstruction of an additional short close central vowel /*ɨ/ with no long counterpart.  Some embrace it as a means of explaining the ''bi-moraic rule'' in verbs, wherein the conclusive ending ''*-su'' of bi-moraic verbs, such as ''*daŋʷa'' or ''*ren'', can be dropped before a pausa, whilst in single mora stems such as ''*mi'' it is required; i.e. ''*misu''.  They find it strange that both a coda consonant and a full syllable are both considered moraic given that Proto-Dynic is otherwise forgiving of complex codas, and thus reconstruct a weak filler vowel to convert these moraic consonants into full syllables; e.g. ''*ren'' → ''*renɨ''.  It is also used to explain the resolution of otherwise illegal initial clusters formed by personal agreement prefixes; ''*t-daŋʷa'' → ''*ɨt-daŋʷa''.  The most ardent proponents of /*ɨ/ reconstruct Proto-Dynic as entirely CV, with clusters and coda consonants explained thereby; e.g. ''*sauk'' → ''*sawɨkɨ'', ''*əsk'' → ''*əsɨkɨ'', ''*t-daŋʷa'' → ''*ɨtɨ-daŋʷa''.


=== Accent ===
=== Accent ===


== Morphology ==
== Morphology ==
=== Nouns ===
The basic, or [[w:Absolutive case|absolutive]], form of a noun is the bare stem, with no affixes or modifications.  To this stem can be added a variety of affixes.  Generally, prefixes are possessives or determinatives, whilst suffixes convert grammatical information such as [[w:Grammatical case|case]].
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Nominal prefixes
|-
! Meaning
! Prefix
! Example
|-
! 1.sg. possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*tə-''
| ''*təbeŋ'' 'my house'
|-
! 1.pl. possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*wə-''
| ''*wəbeŋ'' 'our house'
|-
! 2.sg. possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*nə-''
| ''*nəbeŋ'' 'your house'
|-
! 2.pl. possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*bə-''
| ''*bəbeŋ'' 'y'all's house'
|-
! 3rd person possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*ī-''
| ''*ībeŋ'' 'their house'
|-
! 4th person possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*kə-''
| ''*kəbeŋ'' 'their house'
|-
! Indefinite possessor
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*ā-''
| ''*ābeŋ'' 'someone's house'
|-
! proximal determiner
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*gi-''
| ''*gibeŋ'' 'this house'
|-
! medial determiner
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*egi-''
| ''*igibeŋ'' 'that house near you'
|-
! distal determiner
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*agi-''
| ''*agibeŋ'' 'that house over there'
|}
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Nominal suffixes
|-
! Meaning
! Suffix
! Example
|-
! ergative case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-ŋa''
| ''*dūnəŋa'' 'the person (erg.)'
|-
! dative case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-əi''
| ''*dūnə̄i'' 'to the person'<br>Can also be used with motion to
|-
! locative case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-in''
| ''*beŋin'' 'at the house'<br>Can also be used with motion from
|-
! comitative case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-il''
| ''*kuril'' 'with the chief'
|-
! partitive case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-isāh''
| ''*arkʷisāh'' 'part of the boat'
|-
! vocative case
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-a''
| ''*kura'' 'o chief!'
|-
! honorific
|  style="text-align:center;" | ''*-cin''
| ''*dūnəcin'' 'the person (said with respect)'
|}
A small quirk of morphosyntax; when a prefix is attached to a word, any suffix is not attached after the words itself, but after the prefix, i.e. '''''*wə-ŋa-kur''''' ('our chief (erg.)') not ''**wə-kur-ŋa''.  This includes instances of [[w:Suffixaufnahme|suffixaufnahme]], such as those which commonly occur with the honorific; '''''*wəcinŋa kur''''' not ''**wəŋa kurcin'' or ''**wəcin kurŋa''.
Unmarked nouns can be used as a genitive construct state, wherein the possessor comes before the possessed, e.g. '''''*kurbeŋ''''' ('the chief's house').  Occasionally, the 3rd or 4th person possessive pronouns may come before the main noun, depending on the salience of the possessor within the discourse ('''''*kur ībeŋ''''' or '''''*kur kəbeŋ''''').
=== Verbs ===
==== The verb template ====
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Proto-Dynic verb template
|-
! colspan="6" | conjunct prefixes
! stem
! conjunct suffixes
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1
| 2
| 3a
| 3b
| 4
| 5
| 6
| 7
|- style="text-align:center;"
| <small>direct object</small>
| <small>adverb</small>
| <small>(converb classifier)</small>
| <small>converb</small>
| <small>classifier</small>
| <small>subject</small>
| <small>'''stem'''</small>
| <small>auxiliary</small>
|}
==== Subject and object marking ====
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Pronominal inflection
|-
! rowspan="2" | Number
! colspan="2" | Absolutive
! colspan="2" | Ergative
|-
! <small>singular</small>
! <small>plural</small>
! <small>singular</small>
! <small>plural</small>
|- style="text-align:center;"
! 1st person
| ''*t-''
| ''*wi-''
| ''*-ti-''
| ''*-wəh-''
|- style="text-align:center;"
! 2nd person
| ''*n-''
| ''*bi-''
| ''*-ni-''
| ''*-bih-''
|- style="text-align:center;"
! 3rd person
| colspan="2" | ''*Ø-''
| colspan="2" | ''*i-''
|- style="text-align:center;"
! 4rd person
| colspan="2" | ''*s-''
| colspan="2" | ''*ki-''
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Indefinite
| colspan="2" | ''*a-''
| colspan="2" | ''*a-''
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Reflexive
| colspan="2" | ''*Ø-''
| colspan="2" | ''*de-''
|}
The third person and fourth person pronominal clitics are used to keep track of multiple third person arguments within discourse, any may also be referred to as the ''third person proximate'' and ''third person obviate'' respectively.  The third person is assigned to the more salient argument, or the argument which has appeared before.
==== Classifiers ====
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Proto-Dynic classifiers
|-
! ''classifier''
! ''transitivity''
! ''example''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-l-''
| style="text-align:center;" | trans.
| ''*təul aŋ'' ('the door opens') → ''*təul ilsaŋ'' ('they open the door')
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-ca-''
| style="text-align:center;" | trans.
| ''*sauk ser'' ('the hawks become fewer') → ''*sauk acaser'' ('someone is making the hawks fewer')
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-ra-''
| style="text-align:center;" | trans.
| ''*t-hī'' ('I breathe') → ''*ŋʷəi wast irashī'' ('fish breathe water')
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-ce-''
| style="text-align:center;" | ditrans.
| ''*sauk it-misu'' ('I see a hawk') → ''*sauk tə̄ima icesmi'' ('they show me the hawk')
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-mak-''
| style="text-align:center;" | intrans.
| ''*n-hur-si'' ('you are tall') → ''*manhur'' ('you get tall')
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''*-mek-''
| style="text-align:center;" | trans.
| ''*n-hur-si'' ('you are tall') → ''*nimehur'' ('you make it tall')
|}
==== Conjugation ====
Proto-Dynic has a rich system of verbal suffixes.  Proto-Dynic verbs use [[w:Inflection|inflection]] for [[w:Linguistic modality|modal]] and [[w:Conjunction (grammar)|conjunctional]] purposes.  Other categories, such as [[w:Voice (grammar)|voice]], [[w:Grammatical tense|tense]], [[w:Grammatical aspect|aspect]] and [[w:Grammatical mood|mood]], are expressed using optional suffixed [[w:Auxiliary verb|auxiliaries]], which are also inflected.  There are six [[w:Principle parts|principle parts]] from which all other conjugations are derived.
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Consonant stem verbs
|-
! Verb class
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Gloss
|-
! C-stem
| ''*rene''
| ''*reni''
| ''*renusu''
| ''*renu''
| ''*rensa''
| ''*renə̄''
| 'take, tug'
|-
! ''s''-stem
| ''*base''
| ''*basi''
| ''*basu''
| ''*basu''
| ''*bāsa''
| ''*basə̄''
| 'hit, strike'
|}
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Semivowel stem verbs
|-
! Verb class
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Gloss
|-
! ''y''-stem regular
| ''*miye''
| ''*mī''
| ''*misu''
| ''*miyu''
| ''*misa''
| ''*mire''
| 'look, see'
|-
! ''y''-stem strong
| ''*waye''
| ''*wai''
| ''*waisu''
| ''*wayu''
| ''*waisa''
| ''*waire''
| 'to dance'
|-
! ''y''-stem weak
| ''*huye''
| ''*hī''
| ''*hīsu''
| ''*huyu''
| ''*hīsa''
| ''*hīre''
| 'to breathe'
|-
! ''w''-stem regular
| ''*cuwe''
| ''*cuwi''
| ''*cusu''
| ''*cū''
| ''*cusa''
| ''*cure''
| 'make, do, place'
|-
! ''w''-stem weak
| ''*iwe''
| ''*iwi''
| ''*īsu''
| ''*ī''
| ''*īsa''
| ''*īre''
| 'to meet, to add'
|-
! ''w''-stem strong
| ''*səwe''
| ''*səwi''
| ''*səusu''
| ''*səu''
| ''*səusa''
| ''*səure''
| 'to scream, to shout'
|}
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Vowel stem verbs
|-
! Verb class
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Gloss
|-
! ''e''-stem
| ''*ē''
| ''*ei''
| ''*esu''
| ''*eu''
| ''*esa''
| ''*ere''
| 'eat'
|-
! ''ə''-stem
| ''*kʷē''
| ''*kʷəi''
| ''*kʷəsu''
| ''*kʷəu''
| ''*kʷəsa''
| ''*kʷə̄''
| 'say, speak'
|-
! ''a''-stem
| ''*daŋʷae''
| ''*daŋʷai''
| ''*daŋʷasu''
| ''*daŋʷau''
| ''*daŋʷasa''
| ''*daŋʷare''
| 'sing, chant'
|}
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Adjectival verbs
|-
! Verb class
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Gloss
|-
! C-stem
| ''*ə̄c-he''
| ''*ə̄c-hi''
| ''*ə̄c-si''
| ''*ə̄c-hu''
| ''*ə̄c-sa''
| ''*ə̄c-həre''
| 'big, large'
|-
! V-stem
| ''*ənə-he''
| ''*ənə-hi''
| ''*ənə-si''
| ''*ənə-hu''
| ''*ənə-sa''
| ''*ənə-həre''
| 'small, little'
|-
! ki-stem
| ''*bura-kihe''
| ''*bura-kihi''
| ''*bura-kisi''
| ''*bura-kihu''
| ''*bura-kisa''
| ''*bura-kihəre''
| 'small, little'
|}
The marked conclusive form may be dropped and the bare stem used to signify a conclusive meaning before a pausa.
==== Auxiliary verbs ====
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Modal auxiliary verbs
|-
! Root
! Attached to
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Meaning
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*cu-''
| Irrealis
| ''*cuwe''
| ''*cuwi''
| ''*cusu''
| ''*cū''
| ''*cusa''
| ''*cure''
| Causative voice
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*kag-''
| Irrealis
| ''*kage''
| ''*kagi''
| ''*kagusu''
| ''*kagu''
| ''*kagsa''
| ''*kagə̄''
| Reciprocal voice
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*səw-''
| Irrealis
| ''*səwe''
| ''*səwi''
| ''*səusu''
| ''*səu''
| ''*səusa''
| ''*səure''
| Passive voice
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*wes-''
| Irrealis
| ''*wese''
| ''*wesi''
| ''*wesu''
| ''*wesu''
| ''*wēsa''
| ''*wesə̄''
| Potential mood
|}
The reciprocal and causative extensions may be used in tandem to create a repetitive aspect, e.g. ''*ara'' ('to search for') → ''*araikagicu'' ('to investigate')
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Aspectual auxiliary verbs
|-
! Root
! Attached to
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Meaning
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*də-''
| Infinitive
| ''*dē''
| ''*dəi''
| ''*dəsu''
| ''*dəu''
| ''*dəsa''
| ''*də̄''
| Perfective aspect • Emphatic
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*n-''
| Infinitive
| ''*ne''
| ''*ni''
| ''*nusu''
| ''*nu''
| ''*nsa''
| ''*nə̄''
| Perfective aspect • Emphatic
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*ar-''
| Infinitive
| ''*are''
| ''*ari''
| ''*arusu''
| ''*aru''
| ''*arsa''
| ''*arə̄''
| Perfective aspect • Continuation
|}
===== Perfective aspect =====
The auxiliary verbs '''''*də-''''' and '''''*n-''''' both convey the [[w:Perfective aspect|perfective aspect]], that is 'I did,' 'I have done,' 'I had done.'  However, they each have their own unique uses.  '''''*də-''''' is used primarily with with intransitive verbs, with the nuance that the action or state that has concluded was volitional.
:{{interlinear | box=yes | top=''*igīn ətə tatāl irasguridə''
| igi-in<nowiki>=</nowiki>ətə ta-tāl i-<ra>-s-gur<nowiki>=</nowiki>i-də
| DIST-LOC<nowiki>=</nowiki>place PL-day 3-<spend>-4-spend<nowiki>=</nowiki>INF-PFV
| 'they spent their days there'}}
In contrast to this, '''''*n-''''' is generally used with intransitive verbs, inferring the expression of a natural action, state, or process.
:{{interlinear | box=yes | top=''*kehmi aŋinusu akaba yabaīn kakadəin''
| kehmi aŋ<nowiki>=</nowiki>i-n<nowiki>=</nowiki>usu akaba yabai-in ka-kadə<nowiki>=</nowiki>i-n
| fall open<nowiki>=</nowiki>INF-PFV<nowiki>=</nowiki>CONCL red_leaf yard-LOC EMP-fall<nowiki>=</nowiki>INF-PFV
| 'fall has come and many red leaves have fallen in the yard'}}
{| class="wikitable"  style="display: inline-table;"
|+caption | Auxiliary verbs
|-
! Root
! Attached to
! Irrealis
! Infinitive
! Conclusive
! Adnominal
! Realis
! Imperative
! Meaning
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*ki-/*s-''
| Infinitive
| ''*kiye''
| ''*kī''
| ''*kisu''
| ''*su''
| ''*sa''
| ''*sə̄''
| Past tense
|- style="text-align:center;"
! ''*l-/*nu-''
| Irrealis
| ''*le''
| ''*li''
| ''*lusu''
| ''*nū''
| ''*nusa''
| ''*nure''
| Negative
|}


=== Reduplication ===
=== Reduplication ===
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* ''*kel'' ('island') → ''*kekel'' ('islands')
* ''*kel'' ('island') → ''*kekel'' ('islands')
* ''*dūnə'' ('person') → ''*dudūnə'' ('people')
* ''*dūnə'' ('person') → ''*dudūnə'' ('people')
* ''*sauk'' ('hawk') → ''*sasauk'' ('hawks')
* ''*sawk'' ('hawk') → ''*sasawk'' ('hawks')
Reduplication can also be used with uncountable or collective nouns to refer to large or otherwise extreme or emphatic versions of a noun.  The same is true of adjectives:
Reduplication can also be used with uncountable or collective nouns to refer to large or otherwise extreme or emphatic versions of a noun.  The same is true of adjectives:
* ''*sēl'' ('the ocean') → ''*sesēl'' ('the vast ocean')
* ''*sēl'' ('the ocean') → ''*sesēl'' ('the vast ocean')
Line 664: Line 118:


Reduplication is used in verbs to form mediopassive verbs from active transitive ones.  Due to the ''bi-moraic rule'', the conclusive verb ending is dropped before a pausa in verbs with single mora stems.
Reduplication is used in verbs to form mediopassive verbs from active transitive ones.  Due to the ''bi-moraic rule'', the conclusive verb ending is dropped before a pausa in verbs with single mora stems.
* ''*misu'' ('to see') → ''*mimi'' ('to be visible')
* ''*mīh'' ('to see') → ''*mimīh'' ('to be visible')
*: ex. ''*sauk it-misu'' ('I see a hawk') vs. ''*sauk mimi'' ('the hawk is visible/the hawk sees')
*: ex. ''*sawk ti-mīh'' ('I see a hawk') vs. ''*sawk mimīh'' ('the hawk is visible')
* ''*bura'' ('to protect') → ''*bubura'' ('to be safe, to be protected')
* ''*bura'' ('to protect') → ''*bubura'' ('to be safe, to be protected')
* ''*ag'' ('to raise') → ''*aʔag'' ('to rise')


== Development ==
== Development ==
Line 673: Line 126:
Diphthongs ending in a palatal glide become long monophthongs, some merging with original ''*ē'', whilst others becoming a new, perhaps more closed version, such as {{IPA-all|ɛː|}}, written ''*ē₂''.
Diphthongs ending in a palatal glide become long monophthongs, some merging with original ''*ē'', whilst others becoming a new, perhaps more closed version, such as {{IPA-all|ɛː|}}, written ''*ē₂''.
* ''*ē'' → ''*ē₁''; e.g. ''*sēl'' ('sea') → ''*sē₁l''
* ''*ē'' → ''*ē₁''; e.g. ''*sēl'' ('sea') → ''*sē₁l''
* ''*ei'' → ''*ē₁''; e.g. ''*iteidə'' ('I ate it') → ''*itē₁d''
* ''*ey'' → ''*ē₁''; e.g. ''*itʔeyn'' ('I ate it') → ''*ittē₁n''
* ''*əi'' → ''*ē₂''; e.g. ''*-dəiarusu'' (''{{interlinear|PFV}} suffix'') → ''*-dē₂arusu''
* ''*əy'' → ''*ē₂''; e.g. ''*ŋʷəy'' (''fish'') → ''*ŋʷē₂''
* ''*ai'' → ''*ē₂''; e.g. ''*t-daŋʷaidə'' ('I sang') → ''*ī-daŋʷē₂d''
* ''*ay'' → ''*ē₂''; e.g. ''*daŋʷay'' ('song') → ''*daŋʷē₂''
A similar change occurred with ''*ə̄'' and ''*əu'', however ''*eu'' and ''*au'' were unaffected.
A similar change occurred with ''*ə̄'' and ''*əu'', however ''*eu'' and ''*au'' were unaffected.
* ''*ə̄'' → ''*ō₁''; e.g. ''*nkʷə̄'' (''speak!'') → ''*inkʷō₁''
* ''*ə̄'' → ''*ō₁''; e.g. ''*ə̄č-si'' (''big'') → ''*ō₁čsi''
* ''*əu'' → ''*ō₂''; e.g. ''*kʷəidəu'' (''the one who spoke'') → ''*kʷē₂dō₂'' (perhaps {{IPA-all|kʷɛ̂ː.dɔː|}})
* ''*əw'' → ''*ō₂''; e.g. ''*dəwl'' (''door'') → ''*dō₂l''
Word final /*ə/ is dropped in most cases, except before a case suffix.  Elsewhere, it becomes /*o/.
Word final /*ə/ is dropped in most cases, except before a case suffix.  In root initial cases, it becomes, it becomes /*o/, and elsewhere it becomes /*e/.
* ''*dūnə'' ('person') → ''*dūn'', but ''*dūnə-ŋa'' → ''*dūno-ŋa''
* ''*ənə-si'' ('small') → ''*onesi''
* ''*dūnə'' ('person') → ''*dūn'', but ''*dūnə-ŋa'' → ''*dūne-ŋa''


== Lexicon ==
== Lexicon ==

Latest revision as of 19:08, 14 April 2022

Proto-Dynic
Created byGaffney McCoy Flancer
Reconstruction ofDynic
RegionVeyn

Proto-Dynic is a naturalistic constructed language made for the world of Veyn Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. It is intended to serve as the common ancestor to the largest language family in Veyn, the Dynic family. The language and the family are both named after the shared root for the word 'person' in many Dynic languages, in Aryval, the most common Dynic language; dyn.

Proto-Dynic is a non-diegetic reconstructed conlang; that is, it does not exist within world of Veyn, but rather is framed as a hypothetical reconstruction that linguists may arrive at after studying the Dynic languages of Veyn. Although most of the in-world peoples of Veyn may have a basic understanding that the Dynic languages share a multitude of similarities, and understand the concept that they may have split from a single language in the distant past, they have yet to develop a model of Proto-Dynic. Although it is in fact not a reconstructed language—it was created before/along with it's descendants, it is presented as though it were, for stylistic reasons.

Phonology

Consonants

Proto-Dynic consonant phonemes
Labial Dental Palatal Velar
plain labial
Nasal *m *n *ń *ŋ *ŋʷ
Stop voiceless *p *t *c *k *kʷ
voiced *b *d *g *gʷ
Fricative *s
Liquid *r *l *y *w

Vowels

Proto-Dynic vowel phonemes
Short Long
Front Centre Back Front Centre Back
Close *i *ë *u *ī *ë̄ *ū
Mid *e *ē
Open *a *ā

Accent

Morphology

Reduplication

Proto-Dynic makes extensive use of reduplication to form the plural of nouns. Generally, the first onset and nucleus of a word are reduplicated, with any long vowels shortened in the reduplicated syllable:

  • *kel ('island') → *kekel ('islands')
  • *dūnə ('person') → *dudūnə ('people')
  • *sawk ('hawk') → *sasawk ('hawks')

Reduplication can also be used with uncountable or collective nouns to refer to large or otherwise extreme or emphatic versions of a noun. The same is true of adjectives:

  • *sēl ('the ocean') → *sesēl ('the vast ocean')
  • *hur-si ('tall, high') → *huhur-si ('very tall, very high')
  • *ə̄c-si ('large, big') → *əʔə̄c-si ('huge, enormous')

Occasionally a reduplicated term may carry both of these meanings. For example, *kekel may have the plural meaning 'islands,' or the collective 'land, all the islands, great island, continent.'

Reduplication is used in verbs to form mediopassive verbs from active transitive ones. Due to the bi-moraic rule, the conclusive verb ending is dropped before a pausa in verbs with single mora stems.

  • *mīh ('to see') → *mimīh ('to be visible')
    ex. *sawk ti-mīh ('I see a hawk') vs. *sawk mimīh ('the hawk is visible')
  • *bura ('to protect') → *bubura ('to be safe, to be protected')

Development

To Proto-Central Dynic

Diphthongs ending in a palatal glide become long monophthongs, some merging with original *ē, whilst others becoming a new, perhaps more closed version, such as [ɛː], written *ē₂.

  • *ē → *ē₁; e.g. *sēl ('sea') → *sē₁l
  • *ey → *ē₁; e.g. *itʔeyn ('I ate it') → *ittē₁n
  • *əy → *ē₂; e.g. *ŋʷəy (fish) → *ŋʷē₂
  • *ay → *ē₂; e.g. *daŋʷay ('song') → *daŋʷē₂

A similar change occurred with *ə̄ and *əu, however *eu and *au were unaffected.

  • *ə̄ → *ō₁; e.g. *ə̄č-si (big) → *ō₁čsi
  • *əw → *ō₂; e.g. *dəwl (door) → *dō₂l

Word final /*ə/ is dropped in most cases, except before a case suffix. In root initial cases, it becomes, it becomes /*o/, and elsewhere it becomes /*e/.

  • *ənə-si ('small') → *onesi
  • *dūnə ('person') → *dūn, but *dūnə-ŋa → *dūne-ŋa

Lexicon

Proto-Dynic Lexicon

Footnotes

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