Ihlleng: Difference between revisions

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226 bytes added ,  2 May 2015
Reworked vowel system
(Went back to old phonology)
(Reworked vowel system)
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=== Vowels ===
=== Vowels ===


There are 7 phonemic vowel qualities /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ (the last two cannot occur word finally). There are 6 diphthongs: /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /ou/, /eu/ and /ou/.
There are 5 phonemic vowel qualities /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/ and /u/. There are 6 diphthongs: /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /ou/, /eu/ and /ou/. However, in word final position, /ei/ and /ou/ cannot occur.
 
In stressed syllables, all vowels and diphthongs contrast for length except /ei/ and /ou/.




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# Voiceless Stop + Voiceless Stop (rare) e.g. /ktaˈnaːi/ - dirty
# Voiceless Stop + Voiceless Stop (rare) e.g. /ktaˈnaːi/ - dirty
# Voiceless Stop + Voiceless Fricative e.g. /ˈtxipːa/ - intestine
# Voiceless Stop + Voiceless Fricative e.g. /ˈtxipːa/ - intestine
# Obstruent + Approximant e.g. /ˈgjoːub/ - world
# Obstruent + Approximant e.g. /ˈgjuːb/ - world
# Nasal + Semivowel (/j/ or /w/) e.g. /ˈmjuːzik/ - music
# Nasal + Semivowel (/j/ or /w/) e.g. /ˈmjuːzjik/ - music


/ŋ/ and /x/ cannot be followed by /j/.
/ŋ/ and /x/ cannot be followed by /j/.
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====Coda Consonants====
====Coda Consonants====


At the end of words, any nasal or obstruent can appear in a coda (other than /h/). However, elsewhere, the only possible coda consonant is a nasal, than must be homorganic with the following consonant e.g. the first person masculine singular present involitional is marked by the circumfix /om/ ... /do/. But when this is added to the verb stem /ˈhleːpjeŋ/ - to sleep, the result is /onˈhleːpjendo/ - I (masculine) sleep (involuntarily), with the /m/ and the /ŋ/ assimilating to /n/.
At the end of words, any nasal or obstruent can appear in a coda (other than /h/). However, elsewhere, the only possible coda consonant is a nasal, than must be homorganic with the following consonant e.g. the first person masculine singular present involitional is marked by the circumfix /um/ ... /di/. But when this is added to the verb stem /ˈhleipjeŋ/ - to sleep, the result is /unˈhleipjendi/ - I (masculine) sleep (involuntarily), with the /m/ and the /ŋ/ assimilating to /n/.




====Restrictions on /h/====
====Restrictions on /h/====


Only one instance of /h/ is allowed in a word. For example, the 3rd person masculine plural present involitional is marked by the circumfix /hja/ ... /do/. But when this is added to a verb root such as /ˈhleːpjeŋ/ - to sleep, then the initial /h/ is lost, yielding /jaˈhleːpjendo/ - they (masculine) sleep (involuntarily).
Only one instance of /h/ is allowed in a word. For example, the 3rd person masculine plural present involitional is marked by the circumfix /hja/ ... /di/. But when this is added to a verb root such as /ˈhleipjeŋ/ - to sleep, then the initial /h/ is lost, yielding /jaˈhleipjendi/ - they (masculine) sleep (involuntarily).




===Suprasegmentals===
===Suprasegmentals===


One syllable in each word is stressed. Each stressed syllable either has a long vowel (e.g. /ˈhleːpjeŋ/ - to sleep), or geminates the consonant or consonant cluster after it (e.g. /ˈihlːeŋ/ - Illheng).
One syllable in each word is stressed. Each stressed syllable either has a long vowel (e.g. /ˈmjuːzjik/ - music), or geminates the consonant or consonant cluster after it (e.g. /ˈihlːeŋ/ - Illheng).




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/baˈnaː/ - banana -> /baˈnaːna/ - bananas
/baˈnaː/ - banana -> /baˈnaːna/ - bananas


/ˈwindːo/ - wind -> /ˈwindːowin/ - winds
/ˈwindːu/ - wind -> /ˈwindːuwin/ - winds




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/ˈmadːle/ - mother -> /ˈmadːlemad/ - mothers
/ˈmadːle/ - mother -> /ˈmadːlemad/ - mothers


/ˈdɔktːa/ - doctor -> /ˈdɔktːaˈdɔk/ - doctors
/ˈdoːkta/ - doctor -> /ˈdoːktaˈdok/ - doctors




However, if the reduplication would cause an illegal consonant cluster, the second member of the clusters is deleted e.g.
However, if the reduplication would cause an illegal consonant cluster, the second member of the clusters is deleted e.g.


/ˈgjoːub/ - world -> /ˈgjoːubjoub/ - worlds (not */ˈzloːubgjoub/)
/ˈgjuːb/ - world -> /ˈgjuːbjub/ - worlds (not */ˈgjuːbgjub/)
 
/ˈzwɛbːit/ - rabbit -> /ˈzwɛbːitwɛb/ - rabbits (not */ˈzwɛbːitzwɛb/)
 
/ˈmɛdːik/ - spell (magic) -> /ˈmɛdːikɛd/ - spells (not */ˈmɛdːikmɛd/)


/aˈlaːm/ - booby trap -> /aˈlaːmam/ - booby traps (not */aˈlaːmlam/)
/ˈzwebːjit/ - rabbit -> /ˈzwebːjitweb/ - rabbits (not */ˈzwebːjitzweb/)


/ˈzwekːod/ - record -> /ˈzwekːodwek/ - records (not */ˈzwekːodzwek/)
/ˈzwekːod/ - record -> /ˈzwekːodwek/ - records (not */ˈzwekːodzwek/)
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If the reduplication would create a word that ends in /l/, then the final /l/ is deleted e.g.
If the reduplication would create a word that ends in /l/, then the final /l/ is deleted e.g.


/osiˈbolːi/ - hand towel -> /osiˈbolːibo/ (not */osiˈbolːibol/)
/osjiˈbolːji/ - hand towel -> /osjiˈbolːjibo/ (not */osjiˈbolːjibol/)




If the reduplication involves duplicating a /h/ phoneme, then the /h/ phoneme in the root is deleted. This is due to the restriction that only one /h/ phoneme is allowed in a word. e.g.
If the reduplication involves duplicating a /h/ phoneme, then the /h/ phoneme in the root is deleted. This is due to the restriction that only one /h/ phoneme is allowed in a word. e.g.


/ˈhonːe/ - bone -> /ˈonːehon/ - bones (not */ˈhonːehon/)
/ˈhunːe/ - bone -> /ˈunːehun/ - bones (not */ˈhunːehun/)


/ˈthestːo/ - test -> /ˈtestːothes/ - tests (not */ˈthestːothes/)
/ˈthetːso/ - test -> /ˈtetːsothet/ - tests (not */ˈthetːsothet/)


/ˈhjoːka/ - mark / grade / score -> /ˈjoːkahjok/ - marks / grades / scores (not */ˈhjoːkahjok/)
/ˈhjuːka/ - mark / grade / score -> /ˈjuːkahjuk/ - marks / grades / scores (not */ˈhjuːkahjuk/)




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If the noun root ends with a nasal, then it assimilates to the place of articulation of any following consonant in the reduplication e.g.
If the noun root ends with a nasal, then it assimilates to the place of articulation of any following consonant in the reduplication e.g.


/ˈbɔtːan/ - button -> /ˈbɔtːambɔt/ - buttons
/aˈlaːm/ - booby trap -> /aˈlaːnlam/ - booby traps (not */aˈlaːmlam/)




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If the stressed syllable is an initial syllable without an onset consonant, then there is a possibility of the reduplication forming diphthongs e.g.
If the stressed syllable is an initial syllable without an onset consonant, then there is a possibility of the reduplication forming diphthongs /ai/, /au/, /eu/ or /oi/ e.g.


/ˈunːja/ - fingernail -> /ˈunːjaun/ - fingernails
/ˈunːja/ - fingernail -> /ˈunːjaun/ - fingernails
/ˈumːo/ - fume -> /ˈumːoum/ - fumes


/ˈimːa/ - moment -> /ˈimːaim/ - moments
/ˈimːa/ - moment -> /ˈimːaim/ - moments
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If a diphthong cannot be formed (i.e. the two vowels combine to give something other than /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /ou/, /eu/ or /ou/), then some kind of contraction occurs. If the two vowels are identical, then they contract to one vowel e.g.
If one of the above four diphthongs cannot be formed, then some kind of contraction occurs. If the two vowels are identical, then they contract to one vowel e.g.


/ˈotːxo/ - other -> /ˈotːxot/ - others
/ˈotːxo/ - other -> /ˈotːxot/ - others
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/ˈasːa/ - morning -> /ˈasːas/ - mornings
/ˈasːa/ - morning -> /ˈasːas/ - mornings


If the two vowels are /a/ plus either /e/ or /o/ (in any order), then they contract to give /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ respectively e.g.


/ˈembːa/ - ember -> /ˈembːɛm/ - embers (not */ˈembːaem/)
Likewise /e/ + /i/ contracts to /i/, and /o/ + /u/ contracts to /u/ e.g.
 
/ˈumːo/ - fume -> /ˈumːum/ - fumes (not */ˈumːoum/)
 


/ˈantːjo/ - wilderness -> /ˈantːjɔn/ - wildernesses (not */ˈantːjoan/)
If the two vowels are not identical, but are both front vowels or both back vowels, then they contract to give /ei/ and /ou/ respectively e.g.


/ˈembːa/ - ember -> /ˈembeim/ - embers (not */ˈembːaem/)


If the two vowels are /ɛ/ plus either /a/ or /e/, then they contract to /ɛ/ e.g.
/ˈeːŋka/ - anchor -> /ˈeːŋkeiŋ/ - anchors (not */eːŋkaeŋ/)


/ˈɛŋkːa/ - anchor -> /ˈɛŋkːɛŋ/ - anchors
/ˈoːna/ - achievement -> /ˈoːnoun/ - achievements (not */ˈoːnaon/)




Likewise, if the two vowels are /ɔ/ plus either /a/ or /o/, then they contract to /ɔ/ e.g.
If other illegal vowel sequences are formed, the first member of them is deleted e.g.


/ˈɔnːa/ - achievement -> /ˈɔxːɔx/ - achievements
/ˈasːji/ - leg -> /ˈasːjas/ - legs (not */ˈasːjias/)


/ˈiŋkːwu/ - ink -> /ˈiŋkːwiŋ/ - inks (not */ˈiŋkːwuiŋ/


If one of the above assimilation rules doesn't apply, then the first vowel of the two vowel sequence becomes a semivowel e.g.
/ˈonːlwe/ - man -> /ˈonːlwon/ - men


/ˈasːi/ - leg -> /ˈasːjas/ - legs
/ˈantːju/ - wilderness -> /ˈantːjan/ - wildernesses


/ˈiŋkːu/ - ink -> /ˈiŋkːwiŋ/ - inks


/ˈɛːnto/ - ant -> /ˈɛːntwɛn/ - ants
If the stressed syllable contains long // or // followed by a consonant, then they become /ei/ and /ou/ in the reduplication e.g.


/ˈmeːdjik/ - spell (magic) -> /ˈmeːdjikeid/ - spells (not */ˈmeːdjiked/)


However, if the above rule would put two semivowels together, the first vocalises to become a vowel e.g.
/ˈeːnto/ - ant -> /ˈeːntwein/ - ants (not */ˈeːntwen/)


/ˈonːlwe/ - man -> /ˈonːlujon/ - men
/ˈboːtan/ - button -> /ˈboːtambout/ - buttons (not */ˈboːtambot/)


/ˈenlːjo/ - a gift that is refused because of politeness -> /ˈenlːiwen/ - gifts that are refused because of politeness (not */ˈenlːjwen/)
The reason for this irregularity is that, in an earlier stage of the language, Ihlleng also had the vowel phonemes /ɛi/ and /ɔu/. However, these phonemes underwent a split. In stressed syllables, they became /eː/ and /oː/. Elsewhere, they became /ei/ and /ou/. So in reduplications, they became different vowels.




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/x/ and /h/ both lenit to /b/ e.g.
/x/ and /h/ both lenit to /b/ e.g.


/siŋˈxilːo/ - club (weapon) -> /siŋˈxilːobi/ - clubs (weapon)
/sjiŋˈxilːo/ - club (weapon) -> /sjiŋˈxilːobi/ - clubs (weapon)




However, voiceless obstruents do not undergo lenition if there is another voiced obstruent nearby (separated by nothing more than sonorants) e.g.
However, voiceless obstruents do not undergo lenition if there is another voiced obstruent nearby (separated by nothing more than sonorants) e.g.


/ˈsoudːja/ - soldier -> /ˈsoudːjasoud/ - soldiers (not */ˈsoudːjazoud/)
/ˈsuːdja/ - soldier -> /ˈsuːdːjasud/ - soldiers (not */ˈsuːdjazud/)

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