Tinnermockaar: Difference between revisions

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Tinnermockaar (view source)

Revision as of 05:17, 22 September 2024

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Morphology: nominals
(Morphology: verbals)
(Morphology: nominals)
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* Unvoiced stops are very mildly aspirated.
* Unvoiced stops are very mildly aspirated.
* There is some variation in the VOT (voice onset time) for pre-nasalized stops, ''fortis'' might range from moderate aspiration to ''tenuis'' while ''lenis'' might range from almost ''tenuis'' to fully voiced.
* There is some variation in the VOT (voice onset time) for pre-nasalized stops, ''fortis'' might range from moderate aspiration to ''tenuis'' while ''lenis'' might range from almost ''tenuis'' to fully voiced.
* Pre-nasalized stops in final position might result in the allophonic nasalization of the preceding vowel. For instance, '''''amb''''' /amb/ might be realized as something closer to \[ãb̥\].
* Pre-nasalized stops in final position might result in the allophonic nasalization of the preceding vowel. For instance, '''''amb''''' /amb/ might be realized as something closer to [ãb̥].
* The phoneme '''''z''''' /d̥z̥/ is listed under the ''lenis'' prenasalized series since it comes from a historical /ɲɟ/, but its current realization is closer to that of a partially voiced counterpart to '''''ts'''''.
* The phoneme '''''z''''' /d̥z̥/ is listed under the ''lenis'' prenasalized series since it comes from a historical /ɲɟ/, but its current realization is closer to that of a partially voiced counterpart to '''''ts'''''.
* A fully voiced /ɡ/ was dropped except before front vowels, where it turns into /j/ instead.
* A fully voiced /ɡ/ was dropped except before front vowels, where it turns into /j/ instead.
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** Historical pre-nasalized /ɲc/ and /ɲɟ/ first experiences a similar shift, turning briefly into /nts/ and /ndz/ before a second shift turned them into pure affricates, with /nts/ merging with /ts/ while /ndz/ became '''''z''''' /d̥z̥/.  
** Historical pre-nasalized /ɲc/ and /ɲɟ/ first experiences a similar shift, turning briefly into /nts/ and /ndz/ before a second shift turned them into pure affricates, with /nts/ merging with /ts/ while /ndz/ became '''''z''''' /d̥z̥/.  
** The palatal nasal /ɲ/ turned into /j/. A later change would drop it before front vowels.
** The palatal nasal /ɲ/ turned into /j/. A later change would drop it before front vowels.
* A single coronal nasal '''''n''''' /n/ seems to have developed from a merger between a historical dental /n̪/ and an alveolar /n/. Orthographic evidence (in the native Tinnermockaar script) suggests that the two sounds might have first adopted a complementary distribution before being outright merged in a generally alveolar \[n\].
* A single coronal nasal '''''n''''' /n/ seems to have developed from a merger between a historical dental /n̪/ and an alveolar /n/. Orthographic evidence (in the native Tinnermockaar script) suggests that the two sounds might have first adopted a complementary distribution before being outright merged in a generally alveolar [n].
* It is unclear whether the language ever had a labial fricative (/f/ or /ɸ/), if it did, it must have long dropped or merged with another consonant (likely '''''h''''').
* It is unclear whether the language ever had a labial fricative (/f/ or /ɸ/), if it did, it must have long dropped or merged with another consonant (likely '''''h''''').
* The 'dental' fricative '''''s''''' is a laminal /s̻/ while the 'alveolar' '''''ś''''' is an apical /s̺/, with speakers commonly pronounced it as a postalveolar \[ʃ\], especially in word-final position.
* The 'dental' fricative '''''s''''' is a laminal /s̻/ while the 'alveolar' '''''ś''''' is an apical /s̺/, with speakers commonly pronounced it as a postalveolar [ʃ], especially in word-final position.
* The 'palatal' fricative '''''x''''' /ç/ often shifts to \[x\] before back vowels.
* The 'palatal' fricative '''''x''''' /ç/ often shifts to [x] before back vowels.
* The 'velar' fricative '''''h''''' is realized either as a glottal fricative /h/ or outright dropped (especially between non-high vowels).
* The 'velar' fricative '''''h''''' is realized either as a glottal fricative /h/ or outright dropped (especially between non-high vowels).
* A glottal stop \[ʔ\] and a rhotic alveolar approximant \[ɹ\] might occur as allophonic pronunciations for glottalized and rhotacized vowels, respectively.
* A glottal stop [ʔ] and a rhotic alveolar approximant [ɹ] might occur as allophonic pronunciations for glottalized and rhotacized vowels, respectively.


The native orthography in the Tinnermockaar script still makes some distinctions that are not preserved in the spoken language:
The native orthography in the Tinnermockaar script still makes some distinctions that are not preserved in the spoken language:
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Only a short '''''ə''''' is allowed to be simultaneously rhotacized and glotalized: '''''ə̀r''''' for /ɜˀɹ̆/. Historically, '''''v̀r''''' /ʊˀɹ̆/ was also allowed, although it later merged with '''''ə̀r''''' (the distinction is preserved in the native orthography, though).
Only a short '''''ə''''' is allowed to be simultaneously rhotacized and glotalized: '''''ə̀r''''' for /ɜˀɹ̆/. Historically, '''''v̀r''''' /ʊˀɹ̆/ was also allowed, although it later merged with '''''ə̀r''''' (the distinction is preserved in the native orthography, though).


Some speakers (particularly those in the peripheries of the language, in contact with non-native speakers who might struggle with rhoticity and glottalization) might pronounce rhotacized vowels as plain vowels followed by a rhotic such as \[ɹ\] or \[ɾ\] and pronounce glotalized vowels as plain vowels followed by a glottal stop \[ʔ\].
Some speakers (particularly those in the peripheries of the language, in contact with non-native speakers who might struggle with rhoticity and glottalization) might pronounce rhotacized vowels as plain vowels followed by a rhotic such as [ɹ] or [ɾ] and pronounce glotalized vowels as plain vowels followed by a glottal stop [ʔ].


===Phonotactics===
===Phonotactics===
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* Inanimate third person plural (3p.INAN) - more than one distinct objects or animals. Not distinguished from 3s.INAN for transitive subjects.
* Inanimate third person plural (3p.INAN) - more than one distinct objects or animals. Not distinguished from 3s.INAN for transitive subjects.


Further distinctions in number (such as contrasting 1.EXCL as used for singular 'I' or for plural 'we \[me and others\]') might be made by including an overt pronoun (as discussed within the section for nominals) but that is relatively uncommon.
Further distinctions in number (such as contrasting 1.EXCL as used for singular 'I' or for plural 'we [me and others]') might be made by including an overt pronoun (as discussed within the section for nominals) but that is relatively uncommon.


Definiteness is contrasted for third person inanimate themes, contrasting sentences such as ''enav̀kàccəń'' ('they hunted it', where the animal that was hunted refers to a known individual) and ''eenəkàccəń'' ('they hunted one', where the animal that was some previously undefined individual).
Definiteness is contrasted for third person inanimate themes, contrasting sentences such as ''enav̀kàccəń'' ('they hunted it', where the animal that was hunted refers to a known individual) and ''eenəkàccəń'' ('they hunted one', where the animal that was some previously undefined individual).
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The '''reciprocal''' or '''mutual''' marker ''-ubbàm'' has a similar usage except that it indicates that individuals within a group do something to each other (but not to themselves). For instance, ''əmàccəńubbàm'' translates to 'they hunted each other'. This would indicate that there were at least two parties, one hunting the other and vice-versa, as opposed to reflexive ''əmàccəńas'' 'they hunted themselves'. Informally, however, it would be relatively common for native Tinnermockaar speakers themselves to use both forms interchangeable, indicating that this distinction is seemingly falling out of use.
The '''reciprocal''' or '''mutual''' marker ''-ubbàm'' has a similar usage except that it indicates that individuals within a group do something to each other (but not to themselves). For instance, ''əmàccəńubbàm'' translates to 'they hunted each other'. This would indicate that there were at least two parties, one hunting the other and vice-versa, as opposed to reflexive ''əmàccəńas'' 'they hunted themselves'. Informally, however, it would be relatively common for native Tinnermockaar speakers themselves to use both forms interchangeable, indicating that this distinction is seemingly falling out of use.


For verbals with a distinct subject and object, the '''passive''' and '''antipassive''' voices allow for one of those arguments to be dropped. '''Passive''' ''-it'' converts a transitive verb into a syntactically intransitive one with the original object as its theme as in ''ookàccəńit'' for 'it was hunted', '\[someone\] hunted it'. Conversely, '''antipassive''' ''-àk'' allows the subject alone to to be marked, also becoming the theme of a syntactically intransitive verb as in ''ikàccəńàk'' for 'they hunted \[something]'.
For verbals with a distinct subject and object, the '''passive''' and '''antipassive''' voices allow for one of those arguments to be dropped. '''Passive''' ''-it'' converts a transitive verb into a syntactically intransitive one with the original object as its theme as in ''ookàccəńit'' for 'it was hunted', '[someone] hunted it'. Conversely, '''antipassive''' ''-àk'' allows the subject alone to to be marked, also becoming the theme of a syntactically intransitive verb as in ''ikàccəńàk'' for 'they hunted [something]'.


Verbals corresponding to an ''intransitive'' verb might take the '''causative''' marker ''-eeś'' which turns them into a transitive verb where the subject influences the theme to reach the state normally marked by the intransitive verb. For instance, ''oodeìkvvrm'' 'it was hot' might be used to derive ''enav̀deìkvvrmeeś'', 'they made it hot'. It should be noted, however, that many intransitive verbs have a transitive counterpart that will usually be preferred to a causative form; thus to specify an agent responsible for the state of being hot indicated by ''oodeìkvvrm'' a separate transitive verb, ''enav̀-aakvvr'', 'they heated it'.
Verbals corresponding to an ''intransitive'' verb might take the '''causative''' marker ''-eeś'' which turns them into a transitive verb where the subject influences the theme to reach the state normally marked by the intransitive verb. For instance, ''oodeìkvvrm'' 'it was hot' might be used to derive ''enav̀deìkvvrmeeś'', 'they made it hot'. It should be noted, however, that many intransitive verbs have a transitive counterpart that will usually be preferred to a causative form; thus to specify an agent responsible for the state of being hot indicated by ''oodeìkvvrm'' a separate transitive verb, ''enav̀-aakvvr'', 'they heated it'.
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See the sections on noun copula and relatives under the ''Syntax'' header for more information.
See the sections on noun copula and relatives under the ''Syntax'' header for more information.
===Nominals===
Tinnermockaar nominals include nouns, certain verb forms such gerunds used in present-tense constructions as well as adverbs, determiners and, arguably, even pronouns. Tinnermockaar's own (intrafictional) tradition would also include conjunctions and prepositions under this category.
The structure of nominals is not as rigid as that of verbals, but it's often composed of the following elements:
{| class="wikitable"
! Component !! Optional / Mandatory !! Default (if not present)
|-
| '''Secondary root prefix''' || Optional || -
|-
| '''Root''' || Mandatory || -
|-
| '''Derivational suffix''' || Mandatory<br>Multiple suffixes may be used || -
|-
| '''Definiteness marking''' || Optional || Indefinite
|-
| '''Number marking''' || Optional || Singular or collective<br>(depending on the noun)
|-
| '''Case marking''' || Optional || Absolutive
|}
Nominals are typically consonant-initial (as are most roots, primary or secondary) and are very commonly vowel-final although exceptions to this are not uncommon.
The citation form of a nominal is the one without definiteness, number and case markers.
====Derivational suffixes====
Tinnermockaar nominals require at least one derivational suffix to be added to the primary or secondary root. These suffixes typically hint at the intended meaning of the nominal, although some derivations might be unexpected.
The language has a wide array of derivational suffixes including:
* '''-aa''' - a noun denoting an action or an event, as in ''ccəńaa'', 'hunt'.
* '''-avr''' - groups, as in ''bankumbavr'', 'crowd'.
* '''-eemə''' - materials, as in ''havpeemə'', 'copper'.
* '''-eer''' - Animals or plants, as in ''ddebbeer'' for 'bird' (from ''ooddebb'', 'to fly')
* '''-i''' - an animate actor, as in ''ccəńi'', 'hunter'.
* '''-ò''' - a patient of a concluded transitive action, as in ''ccəńò'' (game, prey that has been hunted).
* '''-v''' - a person who is characterized by an intransitive verb as in ''mindv'', 'visitor' (from ''imind'', 'to arrive').
=====Verb nominals: participles and gerunds=====
Certain derivational suffixes are used for nominals related to verbs. This includes two forms dubbed 'participles' used in relative clauses (the active participle  ''-yrbba'' and the passive participle ''-àkka'') and a number of gerunds used for present and future tense constructions whose derivational suffixes encode the verb's voice:
* '''-eynər''' - active voice gerund (also used for reciprocal voice).
* '''-eeccər''' - passive voice gerund (also used for reflexive voice).
* '''-aettsər''' - antipassive voice gerund.
Verbal stems might also form nominals using a gerundive suffix '''''-ae''''' which indicates purpose and which might be required to be used along modal verbs.
====Definiteness====
Nominals corresponding to nouns may be made definite by applying the following sound changes on their final vowel:
* Non-glottalized short vowels are lengthened.
* The resulting vowel or diphthong is replaced by a 'rhotic counterpart' when one exists, as shown below:
{| class="wikitable"
! '''Original''' !! '''Definite''' !! '''Original''' !! '''Definite''' !! '''Original''' !! '''Definite''' !! '''Original''' !! '''Definite'''
|-
| ''a'', ''aa'' || '''''əər''''' || ''à'' || '''''ə̀r''''' || ''aà'' || '''''aà''''' || ''ar'', ''aar'' || '''''əər'''''
|-
| ''e, ee'' || '''''yyr''''' || ''è'' || '''''è''''' || ''eè'' || '''''eè''''' || ''er'', ''eer'' || '''''eer'''''
|-
| ''i, ii'' || '''''ii''''' || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| ''o, oo'' || '''''vvr''''' || ''ò'' || '''''ə̀r''''' || ''oò'' || '''''oò''''' || ''or'', ''oor'' || '''''oor'''''
|-
| ''u, uu'' || '''''uu''''' || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| ''v, vv'' || '''''vvr''''' || ''v̀'' || '''''ə̀r''''' || ''vv̀'' || '''''vv̀''''' || ''vr, vvr'' || '''''vvr'''''
|-
| ''y, yy'' || '''''yyr''''' || ''ỳ'' || '''''ỳ''''' || ''yỳ'' || '''''yỳ''''' || ''yr, yyr'' || '''''yyr'''''
|-
| ''ə, əə'' || '''''əər''''' || ''ə̀'' || '''''ə̀r''''' || ''əə̀'' || '''''əə̀''''' || ''ər, əər'' || '''''əər'''''
|-
| ''ae'' || '''''aer''''' || ''aè'' || '''''aè''''' || - || - || ''aer'' || '''''aer'''''
|-
| ''av'' || '''''avr''''' || ''av̀'' || '''''av̀''''' || - || - || ''avr'' || '''''avr'''''
|-
| ''ey'' || '''''yyr''''' || ''eỳ'' || '''''eỳ''''' || - || - || - || -
|-
| ''ov'' || '''''vvr''''' || ''ov̀'' || '''''ov̀''''' || - || - || - || -
|-
| ''əi'' || '''''əir''''' || ''əì'' || '''''əì''''' || - || - || ''əir'' || '''''əir'''''
|}
#### Number
By default, Tinnermockaar nouns might be either singular (referring to a single object) or collective (referring to a group of non-distinct objects or to an uncountable substance); this is a lexical property that cannot be determined from affixes alone.
For non-collective nouns (singular by default), three additional grammatical numbers can be formed through suffixes:
* '''Partitive''' (suffix ''-dər'') - indicates a group of elements drawn from a larger group.
* '''Paucal''' (suffix ''-bà'') - indicates a small number of elements.
* '''Plural''' (suffix ''-ga'') - indicates a large number of elements.
The distinction between paucal and plural is a fuzzy one, groups below 3 or 4 objects will generally be marked as paucal while groups above 5 or 6 will usually be marked as plural but the paucal vs plural distinction might also reflect a contrast with expectations. For instance, if a mythological creature had 4 eyes, those might be referred in plural to highlight the anomaly, while a garrison of 10 soldiers where several dozen would be expected might be referred to in the paucal. The partitive number, on the other hand, does not distinguish whether the number of elements is high or low, it only focuses on the fact that only some of the elements (in an otherwise unstated group) are relevant.
Plural marking is mandatory, even when a numeral is given.
Collective nouns, meanwhile, may also take the '''partitive''' suffix (''-dər'') to indicate fraction of the collective or substance, or a '''singulative''' (''-ceèt'' if word final, ''-ceè'' if followed by a case suffix) for indicating a single element drawn from the collective (not applicable to substances).
Finally, nouns of either type (but more usually non-collective ones) might take a '''negative''' suffix ''xoòt'' (or ''-xoò'' if followed by a case suffix) indicating a null quantity.
As an example, consider ''ccəńi'' ('hunter'), a countable noun, which might take the following suffixes:
{| class="wikitable"
! '''Number''' !! '''Example''' !! '''Translation'''
|-
| Singular || ''ccəńi'' || a hunter
|-
| Partitive || ''ccəńi'''dər''''' || some of the hunters
|-
| Paucal || ''ccəńi'''bà''''' || some hunters
|-
| Plural || ''ccəńi'''ga''''' || many hunters
|-
| Negative || ''ccəńi'''xoòt''''' || no hunters
|}
Meanwhile, collective nouns might be exemplified by ''bankumbavr'' (crowd) and ''havpeemə'' (copper) as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
! '''Number''''' !! '''Example 1''' !! '''Translation''' !! '''Example 2''' !! '''Translation'''
|-
| Collective || ''bankumbavr'' || a crowd || ''havpeemə'' || (some) copper
|-
| Singulative || ''bankumbavr'''ceèt''''' || a person in the crowd || - || -
|-
| Partitive || ''bankumbavr'''dər''''' || part of the crowd || ''havpeemə'''dər''''' || part of the copper
|-
| Negative || ''bankumbavr'''xoòt''''' || no crowd || ''havpeemə'''xoòt''''' || no copper
|}
====Cases====
Tinnermockaar nouns inflect for three cases: absolutive (unmarked), marked nominative (or 'ergative', suffix ''-cə'') and benefactive (suffix ''-ngeè''). Unlike other suffixes, case markers are separated from the nominal with a hyphen in Latin script orthography, so the benefactive form of ''ccəńi'' will be spelled as ''ccəńi-ngeè'' rather than ''ccəńingeè''.
The ergative case, which perhaps could be better deemed as 'marked nominative' case, is ''optionally'' required for subjects. Its marker, ''-cə'', is generally found in subjects of transitive verbs although it is often left out for subjects occurring in a fronted position (moved to the beginning of the sentence for emphasis).
More unusually, the suffix might ''-cə'' may be occasionally found in intransitive subjects for verbs with which also have an oblique argument and in present-tense constructions (where the primary verb gerund could also be considered to act as an oblique argument to the auxiliary).
Pronouns seldom bear the ''-cə'' marker, regardless of the situation.
The benefactive case marker, ''-ńgeè'', may be used to indicate an argument other than a subject or theme that benefits or has commanded the action. This case is also used for indirect objects in verbs such as ''eynđ'' ('to give').
All other roles are expressed with the unmarked absolutive case, possibly in combination with prepositions such as locative ''byr'' ('in').
====Pronouns====
Pronouns are used sparingly in Tinnermockaar as they are made largely redundant due to the polypersonal agreement in verbs. They will commonly occur for oblique roles that wouldn't be marked otherwise, though.
Since Tinnermockaar pronouns work largely in the same way as nouns, they might be inflected for number, allowing for finer distinctions than the ones shown in verb prefixes. For instance, while first person exclusive markers don't distinguish between singular "I, me" and plural "we ~ me and others", the overt pronoun ''haańà'' can specify the argument as singular, while the addition of number-marking suffixes can yield more precise plural meanings such as ''haańàdər'' (only some of us), ''haańàbà'' (me and a few others), ''haańàga'' (me and many others) and ''haańàxoòt'' (none of us). It should be noted, however, that it's usually more idiomatic for a Tinnermockaar speaker to drop pronouns.
Tinnermockaar personal pronouns are as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
!  !! '''Singular''' !! '''(Dual)''' !! '''Paucal''' !! '''Plural''' !! '''Partitive''' !! '''Negative'''
|-
| '''First person exclusive'''<br>(me [and others]) || ''haańa'' ||  || ''haańabà'' || ''haańaga'' || ''haańadər'' || ''haańàxoòt''
|-
| '''First person inclusive'''<br>(you and me [and others]) ||  || ''hàmyy'' || ''hàmyybà'' || ''hàmyyga'' || ''hàmyydər'' || ''hàmyyxoòt''
|-
| '''Second person'''<br>(you [and others]) || ''tsidi'' ||  || ''tsidibà'' || ''tsidiga'' || ''tsididər'' || ''tsidixoòt''
|-
| '''Third person animate'''<br>(he/she/they) || ''hee-i'' ||  || ''heerbà'' || ''heerga'' || ''heerdər'' || ''heerxoòt''
|-
| '''Third person inanimate'''<br>(it/they) || ''ccy'' ||  || ''ccybà'' || ''ccyga'' || ''ccydər'' || ''ccyxoòt''
|}
Number marking is largely regular aside from unmarked 'singular' ''hàmyy'' actually referring to two people ('you and me') and the third person animate pronoun using different roots for singular ''hee-i'' (which doesn't accept any number markings) and plural ''*heer'' (which requires a number marker).
Other than that, Tinnermockaar pronouns only differ from nouns in that they hardly ever take the 'ergative' ''-cə'' marker.


[[Category:Tinnermockaar]]
[[Category:Tinnermockaar]]
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[[Category:Languages]]
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