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Wistanian: Difference between revisions
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→Phonology: Added a section of dialectal variation!
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* All vowels lengthen when stressed. | * All vowels lengthen when stressed. | ||
* All vowels become breathy after /ɦ/. | * All vowels become breathy after /ɦ/. | ||
# /i/ and /a/ shift to [ɪ] and [ə] whenever unstressed. The only exception is when /i/ follows /j/, /w/, or /l/ or is at the end of a word. | # /i/ and /a/ shift to [ɪ] and [ə] whenever unstressed. The only exception is when /i/ follows /j/, /w/, or /l/ or is at the end of a word. | ||
# /ɯ/ and /ɑ/ shift to [u] and [ɒ] after /w~βʷ/. | # /ɯ/ and /ɑ/ shift to [u] and [ɒ] after /w~βʷ/. | ||
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Like the lexicon and grammar, Daly redesigned the Wistanian script multiple times - three, to be exact. The original script was an alphabet, but it did not capture the "spirit" of Wistanian, so it was scrapped for an abugida. The abugida, which was beautiful, was also difficult to learn and write, prompting yet another redesign. The original design is now considered as the old Diwa alphabet, while the abugida is an alternative script used by the Nati. | Like the lexicon and grammar, Daly redesigned the Wistanian script multiple times - three, to be exact. The original script was an alphabet, but it did not capture the "spirit" of Wistanian, so it was scrapped for an abugida. The abugida, which was beautiful, was also difficult to learn and write, prompting yet another redesign. The original design is now considered as the old Diwa alphabet, while the abugida is an alternative script used by the Nati. | ||
===Dialectal Variation=== | |||
Wistanian has three main dialects: Standard (Central), Western, and Northern. | |||
The Standard dialect is explained as above and is required to be spoken by all government officials, messengers, and professional educators. This dialect is influenced heavily by the Taliv and Nati languages, and as a result is spoken predominately and naturally by those two people groups in addition to the Uzin in the northwest. However, some variation is still present, primarily in regards to word-final plosive dropping (e.g. '''alaudd''' (tall, high) <code>[əˈlɑt] > [əˈlɑ]</code>), a habit present in most children and domestic laborers. Uzin speakers have a similar shift, <code> {p t k} > [ʔ] / _#</code>, including <code>a > æ</code> and <code>j > ʎ / V_V</code>. Regardless, this is only considered a "variation" of the Standard Dialect that government officials and messengers ought to train against. | |||
The Western Dialect, spoken predominately by the Bwolotil, has several distinguishing factors, specifically the complete rounding of /ɯ ɑ/ to /u ɒ/ and the rounding of /i e/ to /y ø/ after /w/. Schwas are commonly dropped in between consonants, and /n/ is dropped before /ɡ k/. This dialect also has several lexical differences, such as different kinship terms, specialized vocabulary, unique figures of speech, and the lack of honorifics. This dialect also features a formal register, spoken among Bwolotil strangers, where VSO word order is replaced with SOV word order. | |||
The Northern Dialect, spoken by many Katapu, is primarily distinguished through extensive devoicing in both fricatives and plosives so that words such as '''vigaz''' /viɡaz/ are pronounced [fikas]. Standard /p t k/ are ejectivized as /p' t' k'/. This dialect also tends to put nasals and voiced plosives as interchangeable so that '''ani''' could be pronounced as [ani] or [adi]. Vowels also undergo a number of shifts, such as <code>ɯ, ɑ > ʊ, o</code>. Like the Western Dialect, the Northern dialect features different kinship terms, specialized vocabulary, unique figures of speech, and a formal register. In contrast, the Katapu has a large collection of honorifics which are based on age, sex, and occupation. | |||
==Syntax== | ==Syntax== | ||