From 4a177d7828ee7e58f51197ed605fc4bf70801e7d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Rhiannon Morris Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2021 12:37:57 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] =?UTF-8?q?unnamed=20volap=EA=9E=9Fk=20language?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit --- pages/index.md | 1 + pages/vol/index.md | 289 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ pages/vol/words.yaml | 36 ++++++ 3 files changed, 326 insertions(+) create mode 100644 pages/vol/index.md create mode 100644 pages/vol/words.yaml diff --git a/pages/index.md b/pages/index.md index 20882b1..9fef26f 100644 --- a/pages/index.md +++ b/pages/index.md @@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ couple of buzzwords each: a conlang in an hour" challenge thing but then I got kind of attached to it. It has nine genders and vowel harmony. +* [an unnamed language with a volapük-ass aesthetic](vol) diff --git a/pages/vol/index.md b/pages/vol/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc8d82e --- /dev/null +++ b/pages/vol/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,289 @@ +--- +title: unnamed volapük style language +... + + +What if Volapük didn't see the world +through an extremely 19^th^ century lens? +(And also what if it wasn't trying to be an IAL +so I can put some interesting stuff in there if I want to) + +# Phonology + +## Vowels + +:::figure + +   Front Back +------------- ----------------- ----------------- + High `{i ü}` `/i y/` `{ï u}` `/ɯ u/` + High central `{e ö}` `/e ø/` `{o}` `/o/` + Low `{ä}` `/æ/` `{a}` `/ɑ/` + +::: + +- You can write `{ü ö ä ï}` as `{ᵫ œ æ ꜵ}` if you want. + - Lowercase `{ᵫ}` is `U+1D6B`. + Capital `{}` is not in the unicode standard (yet?), but some specialist + medievalist fonts, such as [the one I'm using here][Junius], have it in the + private use area at `U+E8C8` following the + [[MUFI]]{title="Medieval Unicode Font Initiative"}. + - `{Œ œ}` are `U+0152` and `U+0153`. + - `{Æ æ}` are `U+00C6` and `U+00E6`. + - `{Ꜵ ꜵ}` are `U+A734` and `U+A735`. +- In unstressed syllables, + high vowels become lax, + high central vowels become lax low central, + and `/ɑ/` becomes `[ə]`. +- Word-initially before another vowel, + `/i y u ɯ/` become `[j ɥ w ɰ]`. +- If, after applying the above rule, + a vowel follows another, + an approximant or fricative is inserted + based on the second vowel: +
+ - `[ʝ]` before `/i y/`; + - `[ɣ]` before `/u ɯ/`; + - `[j]` before `/e/`; + - `[w]` before `/ø o/`; + - `[ʢ]` (approximant) before `/æ ɑ/`. +
+- **TODO** expand this + +[Junius]: https://github.com/psb1558/Junicode-New +[MUFI]: https://mufi.info + +## Consonants + +:::figure + +   Labial Alveolar Velar, etc +---------- --------- ---------- ------------ + Plosive `/p b/` `/t d/` `/k ɡ/` + Fricative `/f v/` `/s/` `/h/` + Nasal `/m/` `/n/` + Lateral `/l/` + +::: + +Consonants are all written with the same letter as in IPA. + +- An `/s/` becomes `/z/` next to a voiced consonant + other than `/l v/`. +- `/v/` becomes `[f]` after one of `/s k/`. +- `/n/` becomes `[ŋ]` before `/k ɡ/`. +- `/h/` becomes `[ɣ]` between two vowels. +- `/l/` is velarised when it is + after a back vowel or `/æ/` and + either before another consonant or at the end of a word. + It is palatalised at the end of a word (only) when after a front vowel. +- The sequences `/ks ts/` are written `{x z}` + when they are not interrupted by a morpheme boundary. +- A `[ʔ]` is inserted between a word ending with a vowel + and a word beginning with one + (unless the latter becomes a glide). + - `{te ob}` `[te ʔob]`; `{ni ob}` `[ni ʔob]`; `{la iäm}` `[lɑ jæm]`\ + **TODO** examples with actual words +- **TODO** expand this + + +## Phonotactics + +This description is written in [EBNF]. +Basically, parts in +[\[]{.ebnf-brack}square brackets[\]]{.ebnf-brack} +are optional, and parts in +[{]{.ebnf-brack}braces[}]{.ebnf-brack} +can be repeated (or skipped). A vertical bar +[|]{.ebnf-punc} separates alternatives and a comma +[,]{.ebnf-punc} just indicates a sequence of things. + +[EBNF]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Backus-Naur_form + +:::figure + +```ebnf +word = [init cons], ?vowel?, {[inner cons], ?vowel?}, [final cons]; + +init cons + = ?consonant? + | 's', ?plosive? + | ?plosive?, 'l' + | 's', ('f' | 'v' | 'l') + | ('f' | 'v'), 'l' + | ('p' | 'b' | 'k' | 'ɡ'), 'n' + | ('t' | 'd' | 'k' | 'ɡ'), 'm' + | ('kv' | 'gv') +; + +inner cons + = ?consonant? + | 's', ?consonant? - ('s' | 'h') + | ['m'], ('p', ['s'], 't' | 'b', ['s'], 'd') + | ['n'], ('k', ['s'], 't' | 'ɡ', ['s'], 'd') + | sonorant-plosive, ['s'] + | ['m' | 's'], ('p' | 'b'), 'n' + | ['n' | 's'], ('k' | 'ɡ'), 'n' + | ['n' | 's'], ('t' | 'd' | 'k' | 'ɡ'), 'm' + | ['n' | 's'], ('kv' | 'gv') +; + +final cons + = ?consonant? - ('h' | 's'), ['s'] + | sonorant-plosive, ['s'] + | 's' +; + +sonorant-plosive + = 'm', ('p' | 'b') + | 'n', ('t' | 'd' | 'k' | 'ɡ') + | ['l'], ?plosive? +; +``` + +::: + +In most cases a syllable break is between the first and second consonant of a +cluster, but in cases like `/–nk.s–/` it is between the second and third. The +exact rules are: + +1. If there is only one consonant, then the break is before it. +2. If there are more than one, then there is at least one consonant either side + of the break. +3. The cluster after the break is accepted by [init cons]{.ebnf-nt}. +4. As many consonants are placed after the break as possible while still + following the other rules. + +Example words: + +:::twocol +- `{aeia}` `/ɑ.e.iˈɑ/` `[ə.je.ʝiˈʢɑ]` +- `{gnolbs}` `/ɡnolbs/` `[ɡnoɫbz]` +- `{bünz}` `/bynts/` `[bynts]` +- `{svihel}` `/sviˈhel/` `[sfɪˈɣelʲ]` +- `{hänxtis}` `/hænkˈstis/` `[hæŋkˈstis]` +::: + +- **TODO** real words for examples + + +# Verbs + +Verb stems begin with one or more consonants, and end with exactly one. + +- zero prs copula + - "\ is \" attaches the pronoun (not the verb subject marker) + to the noun + + +## Person & number + +If the subject and/or [primary] object are pronouns, they are instead marked on +the verb as suffixes. +(**TODO** link to secundativity section) +For first and second person, the subject marker is the pronoun itself, and the +object marker is the pronoun with the initial `{o–}` replaced with `{i–}`. These +vowels change to `{u– ä–}` respectively for the dual or plural. For third person +it is just the vowel with no consonant. In this case, independent third-person +pronouns can be used instead of verb markers if it makes the sentence less +confusing. + +:::figure + +   `!SG!` `!DU/PL!` +-------- ---------- ------------- + `!SBJ!` `{o–}` `{u–}` + `!OBJ!` `{i–}` `{ä–}` + +::: + +If the subject or object are a noun phrase other than a single pronoun, they +are not reflected on the verb at all. + +:::twocol +- `{böl gelb pülku}` the lizard sees the dog +- `{böl{ob} pülku}` I see the dog +- `{böl{ib} gelb}` the lizard sees me +- `{böl{obit}}` I see you +::: + +## Tense & aspect + +Verbs have a distinction between past & nonpast, and [imperfective] +& [perfective]. The tense/aspect marker comes directly after the person markers. +blah blah blah + +[imperfective]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperfective_aspect +[perfective]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfective_aspect + +:::figure + +   `!IPFV!` `!PFV!` +--------- ---------- ----------- + `!NPST!` `{–}` `{–n–}` + `!PST!` `{–e}` `{–n–ö}` + +::: + + +For the perfective, an `{n}` is inserted before the last consonant of the stem. +It interacts with the consonant already there in a few ways: + +- It is `{m}` before a labial consonant. +- After this new `{n}`/`{m}`, the letters `{f}`, `{v}`, `{l}` become + `{p}`, `{b}`, `{n}`. +- A double `{nn}` or `{mm}` produced this way is pronounced the same as a + single one. + +:::twocol + +- `{pnumob}` I am sleeping/will be sleeping/etc +- `{pnumo{m}b}` I slept/will sleep +- `{pnumob{e}}` I was sleeping +- `{pnumo{m}b{ö}}` I slept + +::: + + +# Nouns + +Noun roots end in either a vowel or a consonant other than `{s}` +(or `{x}`/`{z}`). They have no restriction on what they begin with. + +- dual number. why not + - dual is `{–di}` after vowel or just `{–i}` after consonant + - plural is `{s}` like in v, so nouns don't end in that +- 4–5 cases, but not *those* ones. maybe nom, acc+loc+all, ins+thm, gen+abl + - acc/loc/all sg is `{-u}` + - list acc in the table last like people do with latin for some reason +- ~~dechticaetiative~~ secundative +- vocative prefix, probably sth like `{iä–}`. + - i guess that's a sixth case but i was thinking suffixes for the others +- fuck regularity this isn't an IAL any more +- indefinite article but no definite. maybe from 'this'. maybe a prefix + +# Pronouns + +Personal pronouns have a distinction between inclusive/exclusive `!(I/E)!` first +person, e.g. `{ov}` means "you and me", but `{om}` means "me and someone else". +The third person singular is listed as `{ok}`, but that is only a default. +People can choose to be referred to with `{o–}` plus any consonant or cluster +that isn't already another pronoun. `{Ok}` is used for strangers or objects, or +for people who just want to be called `{ok}`. + +:::figure + +   `!1;E!` `!1;I!` `!2!` `!3!` +--------- --------- --------- --------- -------- + `!SG!` `{ob}` --- `{ot}` `{ok}` + `!DU!` `{om}` `{ov}` `{ond}` `{ong}` + `!PL!` `{oms}` `{obs}` `{oz}` `{ox}` + +::: + +**TODO** yes i know this isnt the only type of pronoun obviously + +# Word order etc + +- VSOX by default but NPs can be shuffled around +- head initial NPs, prepositions [mostly?] diff --git a/pages/vol/words.yaml b/pages/vol/words.yaml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..61d6084 --- /dev/null +++ b/pages/vol/words.yaml @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +böl: + t: v + d: see + +gelb: + t: n + d: lizard + +pülk: + t: n + d: dog + +käld: + t: n + d: dragon + +mel: + t: v + d: love + +gek: + t: n + d: gecko + +pnum: + t: v + d: sleep + +sä-: + t: {pfx: [v, v]} + d: begin to + +# vea–: + +# ituk: +