Proto-Rathmosian: Difference between revisions

Proto-Rathmosian (view source)

Revision as of 19:58, 19 October 2017

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Psammead

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 ==Phonotactics==
-===Roots===
+The basic building block of most Proto-Rathmosian words is the '''primary root''', a simple morpheme which cannot be broken down further. Most primary roots are verbal stems though some nominal elements such as body parts, landscape and family terms are primary.
-Most lexical items in Proto-Rathmosian (particularly inflected words) consist of a root plus various derivational and/or morphological affixes. Roots are monosyllabic and must have the minimal form '''VC''' in which '''V''' represents any primary vowel (''a, e, i, u'') and '''C''' any consonant. Most roots will also have an initial consonant (vowel-initial roots are relatively rare and may have developed from the loss of an initial /h/ or glottal stop /ʔ/, e.g. */had, ʔad/ > ''ad-'').
-Consonant clusters are limited to '''CL''' in onset position, in which '''L''' represents a liquid (''l'' or ''r'') and '''C''' any consonant except ''l, r, w'' or ''y''. In coda position the only consonant cluster permitted is '''GC''', in which '''G''' represents a glide (''w'' or ''y'') and '''C''' any other consonant. Within root boundaries, geminates are permitted only in coda position as a result of the process known as '''diminutive gemination'''.
+Primary roots may be formed into other words by (a) the direct addition of derivational and morphological affixes; (b) internal changes within the root to create a '''secondary''' or '''derived root'''; (c) a combination of both.
-The vowels of primary roots are always short. However, vowel length may be altered by derivation or morphology in predictable ways, either lengthened to create a double vowel ('''VV''' or /Vː/), or deleted. In some cases, deletion of a root vowel results in an unpronouncable syllable which is filled by the reduced vowel ''ə'' /ə/. Vowels followed by glides ''y'' or ''w'' effectively create diphthongs. These vowels may also undergo lengthening (e.g. ''reyk-'' > ''reeyk-'') or deletion. In the latter case, the semivowel is treated as either ''i'' /i/ or ''u'' /u/ (e.g. ''reyk-'' > ''rik-'').
+A number of grammatical words or particles are not considered roots and do not follow the rules set out below.
+===Primary Roots===
+Primary roots are monosyllabic and must have the minimal form '''VC''', in which '''V''' represents a single primary vowel (''a, e, i'' or ''u'') and '''C''' any consonant. Most roots will also have an initial consonant (vowel-initial roots are relatively rare and may have developed from the loss of an initial /h/ or glottal stop /ʔ/, e.g. */had, ʔad/ > ''ad-'').
+Consonant clusters within roots are limited to '''CL''' in onset position, in which '''L''' represents a liquid (''l'' or ''r''). The initial consonant in these clusters cannot be ''l, r, w'' or ''y''. In coda position the only consonant cluster permitted is '''GC''', in which '''G''' represents a glide (''w'' or ''y'').
+The vowels of primary roots are always short. Diphthongs are not considered to occur and in the combination of vowel + ''w'' or ''y'' the second element is analysed as a consonant.
+Primary roots may take one of the following forms:
 * '''CVC''', e.g. ''ret-'' "go, move", ''ker-'' "rule"
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 * '''CLVGC''', e.g. ''trayh-'' "strangle, choke", ''sluyn-'' "seep, ooze".
 * '''VC''', e.g.
 * '''VGC''', e.g.
+===Secondary Roots===
+Secondary roots are derived from primary ones by one of three clearly defined and mostly predictable phonological processes:
+* '''Vowel Lengthening''' doubles the vowel of the primary root, e.g. ''ret-'' > ''reet-'', ''tiyk-'' > ''tiiyk''.
+* '''Vowel deletion''' removes the primary vowel enitrely, e.g. ''ker-'' > ''Vkr-'', ''hed-'' > ''Vhd-''. Where this creates an impossible consonant cluster, the reduced vowel ''ə'' /ə/ is inserted (its position depends on the order of the consonants), e.g. ''mlak-'' > ''Vməlk-'', ''dreh-'' > ''Vdərh-''. Where a glide ''w'' or ''y'' remains after the deletion of a vowel, it becomes vocalic ''u'' or ''i'', e.g. ''reyk-'' > ''Vrik-'', ''trayh-'' > ''Vtrih''.
+* '''Reduplication''' involves the addition of the first consonant plus the reduced vowel ''ə'' to the beginning of a word, e.g. ''ret-'' > ''rəret-'', ''sluyn-'' > ''səsluyn-''.
-Vowels for basic roots are always short, but derivational and morphological processes can result in vowel lengthening or deletion.
+===Affixes===
+Affixes may take any of the forms: V, VC, C, CV, CVC. They may also be combined into more complex structures. The addition of affixes sometimes requires the insertion of the reduced vowel ''ə'' between consonants, or of a linking glide ''w'' or ''y'' between vowels.
-Exceptions to the strict criteria for roots are grammatical words such as conjunctions and particles, plus a number of onomatopeic or child-talk words (see below).
+The following processes of assimilation occur when certain sounds come into contact across syllables:
+* voiced plosives /b, d, g/ are devoiced before voiceless plosives or fricatives /p, t, k, ɸ, s, x/.
+* voiceless plosives /p, t, k/ are voiced before voiced plosives and nasals /b, d, g, n, m/.
+* /t/ and /d/ assimilate to any following plosive or /n/
+* /n/ assimilates to a following liquid /l, r/.
 ==Syllables and Roots==