Meoka

Phonology

Sounds

Romanization	IPA
a	a
aa	a:
b	b
c	ɨ
cc	ɨ:
d	d
e	e
ee	e:
f	f
g	g
h	h, ç
i	i
ii	i:
y	j
j	ʒ
k	k
l	l
ll	ɬ
m	m
n	n
nn	ŋ
o	o
oo	o:
p	p
q	q
s	s
ss	ʃ
t	t
u	u
uu	u:
w	w
v	v
z	z
'	ʔ

Stress

Stress defaults to the first syllable of a word. Occasionally, a word with a modifying prefix will retain its stress on the first syllable of the root word, but words thought of as individual words will stress the first syllable, even when that is a prefix.

Intonation

The long vowels in Meoka are normally pronounced with a falling tone. In some contexts, such as a formal speech, in poetry, or in music, the long vowel may rise, or simply be held steady, but in everyday usage, it is only slightly longer than a short vowel, and falls in tone.

Phonotactics

Allowable initial consonant clusters

dj tss

dz ts

kll

s + voiceless stop

Diphthongs

diphthongs occur in nearly all incidences of i or u adjacent to another vowel. Otherwise, the vowels are pronounced as separate syllables. In Meoka's script, the i and u glyphs are modified with a dot to indicate they are acting as a glide.

h

H is pronounced as h before a, u, or o, and as ç before i or e.

'

The glottal stop is phonemic, however, it is not allowed in a word initial position, word final position, or in any consonant cluster.

Morphology

Nouns

Nouns are inflected for number and case in three grammatical genders, correlating roughly to an animacy category.

Locational Prepositions

Locational prepositions may precede a noun modified with the locative case to indicate a position or motion such as inside, toward, or near.

Adjectives

The final vowel changes to match the grammatical gender of the noun it modifies.

Verbs

Verbs are inflected for tense, aspect, and mood, but not person or number.

Adverbs

The final vowel of the adverb changes to match the category of verb it modifies.

Particles

Questions

too preceding a phrase marks it as a question.

Negation

le negates whatever element of a sentence it precedes.

Commands

tay precedes a verb to form a command.
let or letay precedes a verb to form a negative command.

Syntax

Constituent order

Meoka is an inflecting nominative–accusative language. Word order is relatively flexible, although the verb often comes first or last in a phrase. Some conjunctions require the verb of one phrase to precede it and the verb of another phrase to follow it.

Noun phrase

Adjectives follow the noun, and a locational preposition may precede it.

Verb phrase

Adverbs follow verbs and a few particles may precede them.

Dependent clauses

Dependent clauses are set off with the word tis.

I burned the letter that came from the city.
burn+PAST I+CAUSAL letter+OBJ [tis] come+PAST out-of city+LOC.*
Tscchyo lodo nnijass tis kcdyo goa abe'afe.

The only dog with a bow is Fido.
Dog+SUBJ one [tis] have+ongoing bow+OBJ [tis] is Fido+OBJ.*
Ezo to'o tis kuugusi laabass tis fake Fidoss.

I have my own way of writing a gloss since, until recently, I have been the only person to ever look at them. I know it isn't the typical way you might see a linguist do it. Let me know if you want an explanation.*

Conjunction a

The conjunction a, often translates well as "that." it joins two verbs (and the verbs must be adjacent to a on both sides), for example:

I think that we will run in the park.
I+SUBJ think [a] run+FUT we+SUBJ park+LOC.
lo zide a kidya mo qopeafe.

I know that he likes cheese.
I+SUBJ know [a] like he/she cheese+OBJ.
Lo luusi a ine ke bajass.

Writing System

Meoka is written vertically, using an alphabet, top to bottom, left to right.