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{{Windermere sidebar}}
{{Windermere sidebar}}
'''Classical Windermere''' ('''CWdm''', native name: ''wănaang Dămee'' /wɔnaʱŋ dɔˈmeʱ/; Modern Wdm.: ''fi cduay Impida'' 'the language of the Pida (Sages)' or 'the pidaic language'; [[Skellan]]: ''a łynǿñ Dymée ryn Byðá'') is a standardized variety of Windermere based on the language of Windermere texts written from ca. fT -300 through fT 500. Alongside its relative [[Classical Tseer]], Classical  Windermere served as a lingua franca of learning, governance, law, and religion in premodern Talma and lent many words to other Talman languages. Later Classical Windermere borrowed many words from Classical Tseer.
'''Classical Windermere''' ('''CWdm''', native name: ''wănaang Dămee'' /wɔnaʱŋ dɔˈmeʱ/; Modern Wdm.: ''fi wănäng Impida'' 'the language of the Pida (Sages)'; [[Skellan]]: ''a łynǿñ Dymée ryn Byðá'') is a standardized variety of Windermere based on the language of Windermere texts written from ca. fT -300 through fT 500. Alongside its relative [[Classical Tseer]], Classical  Windermere served as a lingua franca of learning, governance, law, and religion in premodern Talma and lent many words to other Talman languages. Later Classical Windermere borrowed many words from Classical Tseer.


Why ă more common than ı?
Especially in its religious register, it was influenced by [[Tigol]].
 
== Todo ==
* ăyă/ăy > i


==Status==
==Status==
Classical Windermere is the language of Mărotłite sacred texts, such as the Imθumăytil, other Pidaic writings, and the oldest and most widespread complete edition of the Latlaseekh.
Classical Windermere is the language of Mărotłite sacred texts, such as the Imθumitil and other Pidaic writings.


In Talma Classical Windermere has evolved into various Talman Windermere vernaculars. Classical Windermere is still used as the liturgical language of Mărotłism and is an official language of the city-state [[Verse:Tricin/Yocneam|Yocneam]].
In Talma Classical Windermere has evolved into various Talman Windermere vernaculars. Modern [[Windermere]], on the other hand, is an evolution of revived Classical Windermere. Classical Windermere is still used as the liturgical language of Mărotłism and is an official language of the city-state [[Verse:Tricin/Yocneam|Yocneam]].


==Phonology==
==Phonology==
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! colspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |
!  |Labial
!  |Labial
!  |Dental
!  |Alveolar
!  |Alveolar
!  |Lateral
!  |Palatal
!  |Palatal
!  |Velar
!  |Velar
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|  
|  
| '''ts''' /ts̪/
| '''ts''' /ts̪/
| '''tł''' /ts̺~ʈʂ/
| '''tł''' //
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
| '''s''' /s̪/
| '''s''' /s̪/
| '''ł''' /s̺~ʂ/
| '''ł''' /ɬ/
| '''ș''' /ʃ/
| '''ș''' /ʃ/
|  
|  
Line 99: Line 102:
Late Classical Windermere also had '''ö''' /ø/ in [[Tseer]] loans.
Late Classical Windermere also had '''ö''' /ø/ in [[Tseer]] loans.


In Middle Windermere, the clear vowels '''a e i o u ü''' became RTR vowels /ɑ ɛ ɪ ɔ ʊ ʏ/, while the breathy vowels  '''aa ee ii oo uu üü''' became ATR vowels /æ e i o u y/.
In Middle Windermere, the clear vowels '''a e i o u ü''' became RTR vowels /ɑ ɛ ɪ ɔ ʊ ʏ/, while the breathy vowels  '''aa ee ii oo uu üü''' became ATR vowels /æ e i o u y/. These qualities became the basis for vowel realizations in reading traditions.


Classical Windermere had more vowel contrasts in minor syllables: it had two reduced vowels, '''ă''' /ɔ/ and '''ĭ''' /ə~ɪ/, which merged to '''ă''' /ə/ in Modern Windermere. '''ă''' comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *a, *o, *u, and '''ĭ''' comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *i, *ü, *e. This contrast is retained in [[Pradiul]] as palatalization.
Classical Windermere had two reduced vowels, '''ă''' /ɔ/ and '''ĭ''' /ə~ɪ/, which merged to '''ă''' /ə/ in Modern Windermere. '''ă''' comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *a, *o, *u, and '''ĭ''' comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *i, *ü, *e. This contrast is retained in [[Pradiul]] as palatalization.


===Phonotactics===
===Phonotactics===
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|-  
|-  
! c
! c
| cp
| cp
| cp
| cm
| cht
| cht
| cht
| cn
| ch
| c
| c
| cng
| cs
| cts
| cł
| ctł
| cș
| cht
| c'
| cl
| cr
| cw
| cy
|-  
|-  
! ng
! ng
| ngf
| ngp
| ngb
| ngm
| ngth
| ngt
| ngd
| ngn
| ngch
| ngc
| ngg
| ng
| ngs
| ngts
| ngł
| ngtł
| ngș
| ngt
| ng'
| ngl
| ngr
| ngw
| ngy
|-  
|-  
! s
! s
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====Articles====
====Articles====
There are two articles like in Modern Windermere, but with gender distinctions: the definite article ''fin'' (m sg), ''fis'' (f sg), ''fi'' (pl), from the distal demonstrative ''fi'', and the specific article ''sen'' (m sg), ''ses'' (f sg), ''se'' (pl), from the proximal demonstrative ''se''. Indefinite nonspecific nouns do not take an article.
There are two articles like in Modern Windermere, but with gender distinctions: the definite article ''fin'' (m sg), ''fis'' (f sg), ''fi'' (pl), from the distal demonstrative ''fi'', and the specific article ''sen'' (m sg), ''ses'' (f sg), ''se'' (pl), from the proximal demonstrative ''se''. Indefinite nonspecific nouns do not take an article.
The accusative particle ''ü'' (from the Proto-Lakovic direct case marker ''Hu'') was mandatory, unlike in Modern Windermere.


====Plurals====
====Plurals====
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Concatenative plurals (especially for longer words):
Concatenative plurals (especially for longer words):
*''păltsiφ'' 'merchant' > ''impăltsiφ'' 'merchants'
*''păltsiφ'' 'merchant' > ''impăltsiφ'' 'merchants'
*''neeχ-snooχ'' 'man of learning' > ''luc-snooχ''


====Gender====
====Gender====
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*Exceptions were human nouns, for which the gender followed natural gender.  
*Exceptions were human nouns, for which the gender followed natural gender.  
*Words with certain affixes  
*Words with certain affixes  
**Words with the nominalizer {{angbr|''ăy''}} were masculine.
**Words with the nominalizer {{angbr|''i''}} were masculine.
**Words with nominalizers ''hăl-'' or ''să-'' were feminine.
**Words with nominalizers ''hăl-'' or ''să-'' were feminine.


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Trigger infixes and certain aspects had become derivational in Classical Windermere, but not other aspects or tenses.
Trigger infixes and certain aspects had become derivational in Classical Windermere, but not other aspects or tenses.
====Gender====
====Gender====
The feminine agreement prefix ''u-'' goes before TAM markers. It becomes ''wă-'' before a single consonant that is not the glottal stop, and ''w-'' or ''u-'' replacing an initial glottal stop.
The feminine agreement prefix ''u-'' goes before TAM markers. It becomes ''wă-'' before a single consonant that is not a glottal stop or /h/ beginning a minor syllable. A glottal stop or /h/ initial minor syllable is deleted before applying the rule.


*șroy 'pays' > ușroy
*șroy 'pays' > ușroy
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Example:
Example:
*Present = Perfect: ''plang'' 'stands; (has) stood'; feminine ''uplang''
*Present = Perfect: ''plang'' 'stands; (has) stood'; feminine ''uplang''
*Imperfect: ''plăplang'' 'was standing; had stood' (from PLak reduplication for iterative); feminine ''upınglang''
*Imperfect: ''plăplang'' 'was standing; had stood' (from PLak reduplication for iterative); feminine ''wăpinglang''
*Future: ''hepălang'' 'will stand' (from ''heφ-'' future tense marker + nominal grade ''pälŋ'' of root √''pläŋ''); feminine ''wepălang''
*Future: ''hepălang'' 'will stand' (from ''heφ-'' future tense marker + nominal grade ''pälŋ'' of root √''pläŋ''); feminine ''wepălang''
*Infinitive: ''pălang'' (from nominal grade *pälng)
*Infinitive: ''pălang'' (from nominal grade *pälng)
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*2pl: ''łĭnam'' (m), ''łĭsam'' (f)
*2pl: ''łĭnam'' (m), ''łĭsam'' (f)
*3pl: ''ĭnam'' (m), ''ĭsam'' (f)
*3pl: ''ĭnam'' (m), ''ĭsam'' (f)
Pronouns get cliticized to verbs in Middle Windermere.


====Possessive prefixes====
====Possessive prefixes====
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*1sg: ''rĭ-'' +V
*1sg: ''rĭ-'' +V
*2sg: ''hĭ-'' +V (m), ''hĭ-'' (f)
*2sg: ''hĭ-'' +V (m), ''hĭ-'' (f)
*3sg: ''ĭ-'' +V (m), ''ĭ-'' (f)
*3sg: ''ĭ-'' +V (m), ''ĭs-'' (f)
*1pl exclusive: ''tsă-'' +V
*1pl exclusive: ''tsă-'' +V
*1pl inclusive: ''su-'' +V (from a fossilized ''seew'' 'here')
*1pl inclusive: ''su-'' +V (from a fossilized ''seew'' 'here')
Line 510: Line 564:


====Prepositions====
====Prepositions====
Classical Windermere had inflected prepositions, like [[Tigol]] and most modern Talmic languages and unlike Modern Windermere. Some prepositions had suppletive forms when inflected.
Classical Windermere had inflected prepositions, like [[Tigol]] and most modern Talmic languages. Some prepositions had suppletive forms when inflected.


The regular pronominal affixes:
The regular pronominal affixes:
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Examples:
Examples:
*''mi'' 'in, at': ''mir, mił, miłes, min, mis, mitsa, ming, miłam, miłam, minam, misam''
*''mi'' 'in, at': ''mir, mił, miłes, min, mis, mitsa, ming, miłam, miłam, minam, misam''
*''șa'' 'to, for': ''șar, șał, șăłes, șan, șas, șatsa, șang, șăłam, șăłam, șănam, șăsam''
*''șa'' 'to, for': ''șar, șał, șăłes, șan, șas, șatsa, șbang, șăłam, șăłam, șănam, șăsam''
*''φa'' 'from': ''ăχir, ăχeł, ăχłes, ăχin, ăχis, ăχtsa, ăχang, ăχłam, ăχłam, ăχnam, ăχsam''
*''φa'' 'from': ''ăχir, ăχeł, ăχłes, ăχin, ăχis, ăχtsa, ăχbang, ăχłam, ăχłam, ăχnam, ăχsam''
*''ya'' 'with: ''yăngir, yăngeł, yăngłes, yăngin, yăngis, yăngtsa, yăbang, yăłam; yănam, yăsam''
 
Sometimes variant forms with -ng- show up: e.g. ''șăngłam'' or ''șăngar''


===Derivation===
===Derivation===
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**''da'' (know) -> ''pĭda'' 'sage'
**''da'' (know) -> ''pĭda'' 'sage'
**''tüθ'' (to grasp) -> ''pĭdüθ'' 'meaning, intention'
**''tüθ'' (to grasp) -> ''pĭdüθ'' 'meaning, intention'
*''nu-'' agentive
*''ha-'' (passive)
*''ha-'' (passive)
* {{angbr|i}} nominalization
====Breathy voice====
====Breathy voice====
Words with breathy voice alternations are explained by older affixes which have lost their productivity:
Words with breathy voice alternations are explained by older affixes which have lost their productivity:
Line 541: Line 600:
====Aktionsart====
====Aktionsart====
like Modern Wdm.
like Modern Wdm.
===="Trigger"====


==Syntax==
==Syntax==
The usual word order was VSO, unlike Modern Windermere's SVO.
The usual word order is VOS (assuming the topic is the subject), unlike Modern Windermere's SVO. The syntax is generally Mishnaic Hebrew-like but it's topic-final.


==Sample texts==
==Sample texts==
==="The Round Table", from the ''Imθumăytil''===
==="The Round Table", from the ''Imθumitil''===
The following story is from the [[Verse:Tricin/Imθumăytil|Imθumăytil]], a major Talman religious text.
(The following story is from the [[Verse:Tricin/Imθumitil|Imθumitil]], a major Talman religious text.)
 
Ngiiθ dur mogor se taχ χaaθ. "Măra łĭnam?" tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid.
 
Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: "Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts sălmeχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ."
 
"Ǎna mee ra, srü hĭdeen croθ năθa?" tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid.
 
"Op cănga, φin Pĭda: tsor pădiχ φnărtaang, te ămsaχ păχwădiχ năθa ya φin croθ φi!" eφθooc φin χaaθ.


''Ngiiθ dur se taχ χaaθ mogor. Tăbiits φin Pĭda Brăwid: "Măra łĭnam?" Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts mălsaaχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ." Tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid: "Ǎna mee ra, srü hĭdeen croθ năθa?" Eφθooc φin χaaθ, "Op cănga, φin Pĭda: tsor pădiχ φnărtaang, te ămsaχ păχwădiχ năθa ya φin croθ φi!" Esngim φin Pĭda Brăwid șa φin χaaθ șa-ngiil, "Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw."''
"Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw." esngim
șa φin χaaθ φin Pĭda Brăwid.


====Gloss====
====Gloss====
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Once, six children were in a round table. Master Brăwiid asked them: "How many of you are here?"
Once, six children were in a round table. Master Brăwiid asked them: "How many of you are here?"


''Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts mălsaaχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ."''
''Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: "Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts mălsaaχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ."''


in-PROG-count other PFV-call SP.M one: 63: six individual, 15 pair, 20 triad, 15 tetrad, 6 pentad, 1 hexad
in-PROG-count other PFV-call SP.M one: 63: six individual, 15 pair, 20 triad, 15 tetrad, 6 pentad, 1 hexad
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PFV-answer DEF.M child "lo, clear DEF.M Master all team previous, and add PL-team other with-person that"
PFV-answer DEF.M child "lo, clear DEF.M Master all team previous, and add PL-team other with-person that"


The child nonchalantly responded: "It is plain, Master: all of the old teams, as well as another set of teams with the new person!"
The child responded: "It is plain, Master: all of the old teams, as well as another set of teams with the new person!"


''Esngim φin Pĭda Brăwid șa φin χaaθ șa-ngiil, "Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw."''
''Esngim φin Pĭda Brăwid șa φin χaaθ șa-ngiil, "Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw."''
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==Poetry==
==Poetry==
===Early Classical poetry===
===Early Classical poetry===
Early Classical Windermere poetry, such as poetic parts of the Imθumăytil, was a form of rhymed prose. (cf. saj3 in the Qur'an)
Early Classical Windermere poetry, such as poetic parts of the Imθumitil, was a form of rhymed prose. (cf. saj3 in the Qur'an)


===Later Classical poetry===
===Later Classical poetry===
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''Răwoł hĭspeel / tsor pĭχăngdiis.''
''Răwoł hĭspeel / tsor pĭχăngdiis.''
''Da hĭtsărüüng, / woch hogăsgiis,''
''Da hĭtsărüüng, / woch hogăsgiis,''
''Hĭdgun cămbey, / heneeb θăyφiis.''
''Hĭdgun cămbey, / heneeb θiφiis.''
</poem>
</poem>
<poem>
<poem>

Latest revision as of 17:17, 27 July 2022

Classical Windermere
wănaang Dămee
Pronunciation[wɔnaʱŋ dɔˈmeʱ]
Created byIlL, Praimhín
SettingVerse:Tricin
Native toTalma
Lakovic
  • Ashanic
    • Classical Windermere
  • Windermere script
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

Template:Windermere sidebar Classical Windermere (CWdm, native name: wănaang Dămee /wɔnaʱŋ dɔˈmeʱ/; Modern Wdm.: fi wănäng Impida 'the language of the Pida (Sages)'; Skellan: a łynǿñ Dymée ryn Byðá) is a standardized variety of Windermere based on the language of Windermere texts written from ca. fT -300 through fT 500. Alongside its relative Classical Tseer, Classical Windermere served as a lingua franca of learning, governance, law, and religion in premodern Talma and lent many words to other Talman languages. Later Classical Windermere borrowed many words from Classical Tseer.

Especially in its religious register, it was influenced by Tigol.

Todo

  • ăyă/ăy > i

Status

Classical Windermere is the language of Mărotłite sacred texts, such as the Imθumitil and other Pidaic writings.

In Talma Classical Windermere has evolved into various Talman Windermere vernaculars. Modern Windermere, on the other hand, is an evolution of revived Classical Windermere. Classical Windermere is still used as the liturgical language of Mărotłism and is an official language of the city-state Yocneam.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Lateral Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m /m/ n /n/ ng /ŋ/
Plosive voiced b /b~β/ d /d~ð/ g /g~ɣ/
tenuis p /p⁼/ t /t⁼/ c /k⁼/ ' /ʔ/
aspirated φ /pʰ/ θ /tʰ/ χ /kʰ/
Affricate ts /ts̪/ /tɬ/
Fricative s /s̪/ ł /ɬ/ ș /ʃ/ h /h/
Resonant w /w/ r /r/ l /l/ y /j/

The glottal stop is not transcribed word-initially.

Vowels

Classical Windermere had six stressed vowels a e i o u ü /a e i o u ü/ (ü was central unlike in Modern Windermere). It also had breathy voiced vowels aa ee ii oo uu üü /aʱ eʱ iʱ oʱ uʱ üʱ/.

Late Classical Windermere also had ö /ø/ in Tseer loans.

In Middle Windermere, the clear vowels a e i o u ü became RTR vowels /ɑ ɛ ɪ ɔ ʊ ʏ/, while the breathy vowels aa ee ii oo uu üü became ATR vowels /æ e i o u y/. These qualities became the basis for vowel realizations in reading traditions.

Classical Windermere had two reduced vowels, ă /ɔ/ and ĭ /ə~ɪ/, which merged to ă /ə/ in Modern Windermere. ă comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *a, *o, *u, and ĭ comes from Proto-Ashanic unstressed *i, *ü, *e. This contrast is retained in Pradiul as palatalization.

Phonotactics

CWdm allowed initial bd bg db dg gb gd.

Morphophonology

Sandhi

Classical Windermere had a complex sandhi system (somewhere between Biblical Hebrew and Sanskrit) which is no longer productive in Modern Windermere; most notably it affected plurals and verb forms, making them less predictable.

  • th + fric → fric + t
    • θs → st, as in sèφ 'go' → *θsèφsteeφ 'to drive' (Modern binsteaf 'energy', sămteaf 'to energize')
    • θφ → φθ, e.g. tăφi 'laugh' → *tiθφitiφθi 'to mock' (Classical and Modern Wdm. tăfi, tifti)
    • θχ → χθ e.g. Proto-Windermere àrθχarăχθa 'to die'
    • θł, θș → łt, șt
  • χ + φ, s, θ, ł, ș → χw, ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
  • s + φ, θ, χ → sp, st, sc
  • rC, lC > Cr, Cl
  • ps pn png → sp φn φng
  • tp θp tsp kp χp → tw θw tsw cw χw; Proto-Windermere breathy vowel + tp tsp kp > dw tsw gw
  • tsc cts tsp pts sts ts > sc sc sp sp st st

Sandhi table

Initial
Consonant
Final Consonant
f p b m th t d n ch c g ng s ts ł ș h ' l r w y
f f p sp fn ft ft ft fn fch pc pc fng ps fts ftł f f' fl fr f fy
p f p sp fn ft ft ft fn pc pc pc fng ps fts ftł f p' pl pr p py
b f p sp fn fth ft ft fn fch pc pc fng ps fts ftł f p' bl br b by
m mf mp/mb mp/mb m mth mt/md mt/md mn mch mc/mg mc/mg mng ms mts mtł mh m' ml mr m my
th ft ft sp thm th t st thn cht cht cht thng st tst łt tłt șt th t' thl thr thw thy
t ft ft sp tm th t st tn cht cht cht tng st tst łt tłt șt th t' tl tr tw ty
d ft ft sp tm th t st tn cht cht cht tng st tst łt tłt șt th d' dl dr dw dy
n mp mp nf nm nth nt nt nn nch ngc ngc nng ns nts ntł nth n' l r nw ny
ch chp chp chp chm cht cht cht chn ch c c chng chs chts chł chtł chș cht ch' chl chr chw chy
g cp cp cp cm cht cht cht gn ch g c cng cs cts ctł cht g' gl gr gw gy
c cp cp cp cm cht cht cht cn ch c c cng cs cts ctł cht c' cl cr cw cy
ng ngf ngp ngb ngm ngth ngt ngd ngn ngch ngc ngg ng ngs ngts ngł ngtł ngș ngt ng' ngl ngr ngw ngy
s
ts
ł
ș
h
'
l
r
w
y

Grassmann's law

Grassmann's law was productive in Classical Windermere: when there were two aspirated consonants before a stressed vowel in a word, the first was deaspirated. e.g. *χăφol > căφol 'to turn'.

Morphology

Nouns

Articles

There are two articles like in Modern Windermere, but with gender distinctions: the definite article fin (m sg), fis (f sg), fi (pl), from the distal demonstrative fi, and the specific article sen (m sg), ses (f sg), se (pl), from the proximal demonstrative se. Indefinite nonspecific nouns do not take an article.

The accusative particle ü (from the Proto-Lakovic direct case marker Hu) was mandatory, unlike in Modern Windermere.

Plurals

Classical Windermere had many irregular plurals due to the effects of sandhi.

Examples:

Regular reduplicated plurals:

  • cnul 'leaf' > nălcnul 'leaves'

Sandhi plurals:

  • drong 'kernel' > tăngrădong 'kernels'

Suppletive plurals:

  • croθ 'person' > hĭngüs 'people'

Concatenative plurals (especially for longer words):

  • păltsiφ 'merchant' > impăltsiφ 'merchants'
  • neeχ-snooχ 'man of learning' > luc-snooχ

Gender

Classical Windermere had grammatical gender, with masculine and feminine genders.

  • For "basic" words, nouns with breathy voice were generally feminine: φin tger /pʰin tger/ 'the voice' was masculine, while φis trămaay 'the rain' was feminine.
  • Exceptions were human nouns, for which the gender followed natural gender.
  • Words with certain affixes
    • Words with the nominalizer i were masculine.
    • Words with nominalizers hăl- or să- were feminine.

Verbs

Trigger infixes and certain aspects had become derivational in Classical Windermere, but not other aspects or tenses.

Gender

The feminine agreement prefix u- goes before TAM markers. It becomes wă- before a single consonant that is not a glottal stop or /h/ beginning a minor syllable. A glottal stop or /h/ initial minor syllable is deleted before applying the rule.

  • șroy 'pays' > ușroy
  • ămșroy 'paid' > umșroy
  • tășăyșroy 'pays in installments' > wătășăyșroy

Tense

Verbs have the following principal parts: present, imperfect, perfect, future I, and verbal noun, which are marked with reduplication, ablaut, and/or prefixes. This complex and irregular system is probably a relic of transitioning from Proto-Lakovic aspects to tenses.

  • Present: present or present progressive
  • Imperfect: Past incomplete or ongoing action; sometimes like the English pluperfect
  • Perfect: Past completed action
  • Future/Subjunctive I: future imperfective
  • Future/Subjunctive II: future perfective
  • Imperative: Present or Subjunctive II

The exact paradigm depends on the verb. For stative verbs like plang 'to stand', present and perfect forms are identical.

Example:

  • Present = Perfect: plang 'stands; (has) stood'; feminine uplang
  • Imperfect: plăplang 'was standing; had stood' (from PLak reduplication for iterative); feminine wăpinglang
  • Future: hepălang 'will stand' (from heφ- future tense marker + nominal grade pälŋ of root √pläŋ); feminine wepălang
  • Infinitive: pălang (from nominal grade *pälng)

Personal pronouns

Pronouns were similar to later Windermere, but with feminine plural pronouns, possessive pronouns, and inflected prepositions.

Independent pronouns

The independent pronouns were used as subjects and direct objects.

  • 1sg: ri
  • 2sg: łen (m), łes (f)
  • 3sg: in (m), is (f)
  • 1pl exclusive: tsa
  • 1pl inclusive: bang
  • 2pl: łĭnam (m), łĭsam (f)
  • 3pl: ĭnam (m), ĭsam (f)

Pronouns get cliticized to verbs in Middle Windermere.

Possessive prefixes

+V represents a voicing mutation on a following noun: /p t k/ > /b d g/.

  • 1sg: rĭ- +V
  • 2sg: hĭ- +V (m), hĭ- (f)
  • 3sg: ĭ- +V (m), ĭs- (f)
  • 1pl exclusive: tsă- +V
  • 1pl inclusive: su- +V (from a fossilized seew 'here')
  • 2pl: łăm-/łăn- (both m and f)
  • 3pl: năm-/năn- (m), săm-/săn- (f)

Prepositions

Classical Windermere had inflected prepositions, like Tigol and most modern Talmic languages. Some prepositions had suppletive forms when inflected.

The regular pronominal affixes:

  • 1sg: -ir
  • 2sg: -eł (m), -łes (f)
  • 3sg: -in (m), -is (f)
  • 1pl.ex: -tsa
  • 1pl.in: -ang
  • 2pl: -łam (both genders)
  • 3pl: -nam (m), -sam (f)

Examples:

  • mi 'in, at': mir, mił, miłes, min, mis, mitsa, ming, miłam, miłam, minam, misam
  • șa 'to, for': șar, șał, șăłes, șan, șas, șatsa, șbang, șăłam, șăłam, șănam, șăsam
  • φa 'from': ăχir, ăχeł, ăχłes, ăχin, ăχis, ăχtsa, ăχbang, ăχłam, ăχłam, ăχnam, ăχsam
  • ya 'with: yăngir, yăngeł, yăngłes, yăngin, yăngis, yăngtsa, yăbang, yăłam; yănam, yăsam

Sometimes variant forms with -ng- show up: e.g. șăngłam or șăngar

Derivation

(Anything else?)

  • *θ-/θă- (causative; denominal verbs)
  • θu- = intensive
  • pĭ- (agentive; triggers voicing of following voiceless stops p t c to b d g)
    • da (know) -> pĭda 'sage'
    • tüθ (to grasp) -> pĭdüθ 'meaning, intention'
  • nu- agentive
  • ha- (passive)
  • i nominalization

Breathy voice

Words with breathy voice alternations are explained by older affixes which have lost their productivity:

  • feminine *-s for nouns, which often derives instruments from verbs: snar < *snär 'catch' (Modern Wdm. snar 'to know'), snaar < *snär-s 'trap, snare' (Modern Wdm. snär).
  • an infix *H for verbs?

Aktionsart

like Modern Wdm.

Syntax

The usual word order is VOS (assuming the topic is the subject), unlike Modern Windermere's SVO. The syntax is generally Mishnaic Hebrew-like but it's topic-final.

Sample texts

"The Round Table", from the Imθumitil

(The following story is from the Imθumitil, a major Talman religious text.)

Ngiiθ dur mogor se taχ χaaθ. "Măra łĭnam?" tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid.

Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: "Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts sălmeχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ."

"Ǎna mee ra, srü hĭdeen croθ năθa?" tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid.

"Op cănga, φin Pĭda: tsor pădiχ φnărtaang, te ămsaχ păχwădiχ năθa ya φin croθ φi!" eφθooc φin χaaθ.

"Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw." esngim șa φin χaaθ φin Pĭda Brăwid.

Gloss

Ngiiθ dur se taχ χaaθ mogor. Tăbiits φin Pĭda Brăwid: "Măra łĭnam?"

time sit.STAT SP six child circle. ask.PFV DEF.M Master B.: "how_many 2PL?"

Once, six children were in a round table. Master Brăwiid asked them: "How many of you are here?"

Mi-ăngnuung căχθaaθ năθa emrĭtsal sen doon: "Șrüχ te-stiiw: taχ mognas, θaφ te-müts θraaφ, liw stăliiw, θaφ te-müts mălsaaχ, taχ mălüüts, doon tălaχ."

in-PROG-count other PFV-call SP.M one: 63: six individual, 15 pair, 20 triad, 15 tetrad, 6 pentad, 1 hexad

While the others were still counting, one child replied: "Sixty-three: 6 individuals, 15 teams of two, 20 teams of 3, 15 teams of 4, 6 teams of 5, and one team of 6."

Tăbits φin Pĭda Brăwid: "Ǎna mee ra, srü hĭdeen croθ năθa?"

PFV-ask DEF.M Master B.: "then many what, if enter person other"

Now Master Brăwiid asked: "Well then, how many people will be there if another person enters?"

Eφθooc φin χaaθ, "Op cănga, φin Pĭda: tsor pădiχ φnărtaang, te ămsaχ păχwădiχ năθa ya φin croθ φi!"

PFV-answer DEF.M child "lo, clear DEF.M Master all team previous, and add PL-team other with-person that"

The child responded: "It is plain, Master: all of the old teams, as well as another set of teams with the new person!"

Esngim φin Pĭda Brăwid șa φin χaaθ șa-ngiil, "Ăruy șa-χaaθ ses tsărüng te sen θăpal φănaw φănaw."

PFV-praise DEF.M Master B. to DEF.M child to-say, "exist wisdom and understanding to DEF.M child this true true"

Master Brăwied praised the child saying, "This child has wisdom and understanding indeed."

Poetry

Early Classical poetry

Early Classical Windermere poetry, such as poetic parts of the Imθumitil, was a form of rhymed prose. (cf. saj3 in the Qur'an)

Later Classical poetry

Classical Tseer poetry (which used both rhyme and meter) introduced meter to Windermere poetry. As in Tseer prosody, a meter was determined by the number of syllables per line and the placement of the caesura. The notation "m+n" denotes a meter of m syllables + caesura + n syllables.

Some meters were:

  • 4+4
  • 4+6
  • 5+5
  • 6+4
  • 4+7
  • 6+5
  • 6+6
  • 7+7

4+4

An average early Late-Classical philosophical poem:

Hay croθ φnărooχ / χĭrał mi-tliis,
Răwoł hĭspeel / tsor pĭχăngdiis.
Da hĭtsărüüng, / woch hogăsgiis,
Hĭdgun cămbey, / heneeb θiφiis.

O fleeting man / swept by desire,
Your maw dissolves / all fine repast. (lit. your ear forgets all pĭχăngdiis, a type of joyful dance music)
Know your good sense / and light your fire;
Consume your food; / your life won't last.