Tanenekaho Khi'inimere aka, or Tanenekaho to its friends, is the language spoken by the Tanenekaho people (real shocking, I know). Tanenekaho itself means something like "great clan" because if you asked a Tanenekaho person what ethnicity they are, they'd probably respond with their clan. If you wanted to specify what group includes all Tanenekaho people but no outsiders, "great clan" or "clan of clans" would be the description they'd use.
Tanenekaho's most notable feature lies in its phonology, where the surface-level phones differ greatly from underlying phonemes. To understand what that means, allow me to outline the phonemic inventory:
/n/
/t k kʷ/
/t͈ k͈ k͈ʷ/
/f x xʷ/
/ɑ ə i/
Syllable structure is simply (C)V(n). However, a variety of phonological processes, denoted here in order of application, obscure these underlying forms:
- Fortis stops are only distinct from lenis stops in that they don't voice after /n/ or lenite to [ɾ ʔ w] between vowels. Word-initially, they are not distinguished but the difference is often recoverable due to Tanenekaho's heavily prefixing morphology.
- /nf nx nxʷ/ become [m ŋ ŋʷ].
- [ŋ k g x] become [ɲ c ɟ s] before /i/.
- Labiovelars colour follow /ɑ ə/ to [ɔ u] before dropping their labialisation, with the exception of [xʷ] before [u], which becomes [ɸ], and [w], which stays as-is. They retain their contrast with the plain velars before /i/ by not palatalising.
- Coda [n] assimilates to the place of articulation of following consonants.
- [x] debuccalises to [h] before [ə].
With all that said, the surface-level, phonetic inventory, with accompanying romanisation, is as follows:
[m n ɲ ŋ] <m n ñ-n ñ(h)-n>
[t c k ʔ] <t k k(h) ’>
[d ɟ g] <d g g(h)>
[ɸ f s x h] <f f s h h>
[ɾ w] <r w>
[ɑ ə i ɔ u] <a e i o u>
Velar consonants have a following <h> preceding <i>, as not to be confused with the palatals, and coda [ɲ ŋ] are romanised <n>.
Ophois' Scratchpad
Ophois' Scratchpad
Last edited by ophois on Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
Looks cool so far. Interested to see more.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
The basic syntax of a Tanenekaho sentence is SOV. Verbs agree with both the subject and the object by adding the following prefixes:
Plus a reciprocal in /fɑk(ɑ)-/.
As you can see, Tanenekaho possesses both a proximate/obviate and paucal/plural distinction. The subject prefix naturally precedes the object, and /kʷ(i)-/ is actually optional when the subject of intransitive verbs or the object of transitive ones.
In addition to polypersonal agreement, Tanenekaho verbs also inflect for aspect. The imperfective is marked by /ən(ɑ)-/ (and maybe there are other aspects, too? Still working on this). Aspect markers fit between agreement markers and the root.
Some example sentences:
<Ehonghi konki>
"The horse runs."
<Teti ehonghi khirandi'in>
"The man sees the horse."
<Ehonghi enawonki>
"The horse is running."
| Singular | Paucal | Plural | |
| First person | /xʷ(ə)-/ | /xʷək͈(ɑ)-/ | /xʷən-/ |
| Second person | /kɑf(ə)-/ | /kɑfək͈(ɑ)-/ | /kɑfən-/ |
| Third person | /kʷ(i)-/ | /kʷik͈(ɑ)-/ | /kʷin-/ |
| Fourth person | /tɑn-/ | /tɑnk͈(ɑ)-/ | /tɑnin-/ |
As you can see, Tanenekaho possesses both a proximate/obviate and paucal/plural distinction. The subject prefix naturally precedes the object, and /kʷ(i)-/ is actually optional when the subject of intransitive verbs or the object of transitive ones.
In addition to polypersonal agreement, Tanenekaho verbs also inflect for aspect. The imperfective is marked by /ən(ɑ)-/ (and maybe there are other aspects, too? Still working on this). Aspect markers fit between agreement markers and the root.
Some example sentences:
- /əxʷɑnkʷi kʷɑnk͈i/
- horse to.run
<Ehonghi konki>
"The horse runs."
- /tət͈i əxʷɑnkʷi kʷi-tɑn-tikin/
- man horse 3.sg-4.sg-to.see
<Teti ehonghi khirandi'in>
"The man sees the horse."
- /əxʷɑnkʷi ənɑ-kʷɑnk͈i/
- horse IMPF-to.run
<Ehonghi enawonki>
"The horse is running."
Last edited by ophois on Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
Cool phonology. Quite Caddoan.
The basic idea is that each cell is enclosed in [cell]contents[/cell], and each row in [row]cells[/row], and then the entire table in [table]rows[table]. And then for the shaded sections you have [cellh][/cellh], and [rowh][/rowh] which turns an entire row shaded.
I feel like the second "velar" here is supposed to be "palatal"
Here you go:
| Singular | Paucal | Plural | |
| First person | /xʷ(ə)-/ | /xʷək͈(ɑ)-/ | /xʷən-/ |
| Second person | /kɑf(ə)-/ | /kɑfək͈(ɑ)-/ | /kɑfən-/ |
| Third person | /kʷ(i)-/ | /kʷik͈(ɑ)-/ | /kʷin-/ |
| Fourth person | /tɑn-/ | /tɑnk͈(ɑ)-/ | /tɑnin-/ |
| Reciprocal | /fɑk(ɑ)-/ |
The basic idea is that each cell is enclosed in [cell]contents[/cell], and each row in [row]cells[/row], and then the entire table in [table]rows[table]. And then for the shaded sections you have [cellh][/cellh], and [rowh][/rowh] which turns an entire row shaded.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
D'oh, corrected.
Thanks! For something reason it wasn't showing up when I tried it myself.Here you go:
Singular Paucal Plural First person /xʷ(ə)-/ /xʷək͈(ɑ)-/ /xʷən-/ Second person /kɑf(ə)-/ /kɑfək͈(ɑ)-/ /kɑfən-/ Third person /kʷ(i)-/ /kʷik͈(ɑ)-/ /kʷin-/ Fourth person /tɑn-/ /tɑnk͈(ɑ)-/ /tɑnin-/ Reciprocal /fɑk(ɑ)-/
The basic idea is that each cell is enclosed in [cell]contents[/cell], and each row in [row]cells[/row], and then the entire table in [table]rows[table]. And then for the shaded sections you have [cellh][/cellh], and [rowh][/rowh] which turns an entire row shaded.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
Finnish meets Japanese
Proto-lang:
/m n/
/p t k/
/s/
/l j w/
/a e i o u/
(C)V(C)
/p t d k/ <p t-ts-ch d-z-j k>
/v s h/ <v s-sh h-f>
/ɾ j/ <r y>
/a e i o u/ <a e i o u>
(C)(j)V(F), where finals can be a place-assimilating nasal or the first part of a geminate.
/ŋ p/ only occur geminated (or, in /ŋ/'s case, as an allophone of the place-assimilating nasal before /k/), and /h/ never does. /ŋ/ is spelled <ng>, not <ngng>, when geminated and <n> in coda position. /j/ never occurs before front vowels. /t d h/ before /u/ are [t͡s d͡z ɸ] <ts z f>. /n t d k g s h/ before /i j/ are [ɲ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ɕ c ɟ ç] <n ch j sh k g h>. /j/ then deletes (partially reflected in orthography after sibilants). /nɾ/ is occasionally pronounced [ndɾ] in more conservative 'lects, but this is stigmatised.
Edit: Might make it so that the proto-lang has (C)(j w)V(C)
Proto-lang:
/m n/
/p t k/
/s/
/l j w/
/a e i o u/
(C)V(C)
- w > v
- l > j / C_
- {e i} > 0 / _j
- j > 0 / _{e i}
- {p t k s} {m l} > ʔ n / _$
- p > ɸ
- {ɸ m} t k s > β ð ɣ ɹ / V_(j)V ! _(j)V{ʔ #}
- t k s > d g d͡z / n_ ! _(j)V{ʔ #}
- ʔ > 0 / ! _C(j)V{ʔ #}
- ʔC > Cː
- β ð ɣ > v d h
- t d > t͡s d͡z / _{i j u}
- ng > ŋː
- ɸː > pː
- ɸ > h / ! _u
- h > ɸ / _u
- {l ɹ} > ɾ
- {nm nɸ} nh nk > mː nː ŋk
- n t͡s d͡z s k g h > ɲ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ɕ c ɟ ç / _i
- nj t͡sj d͡zj sj kj gj hj > ɲ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ɕ c ɟ ç
- d͡z > (d)ɾ / ! _u
/p t d k/ <p t-ts-ch d-z-j k>
/v s h/ <v s-sh h-f>
/ɾ j/ <r y>
/a e i o u/ <a e i o u>
(C)(j)V(F), where finals can be a place-assimilating nasal or the first part of a geminate.
/ŋ p/ only occur geminated (or, in /ŋ/'s case, as an allophone of the place-assimilating nasal before /k/), and /h/ never does. /ŋ/ is spelled <ng>, not <ngng>, when geminated and <n> in coda position. /j/ never occurs before front vowels. /t d h/ before /u/ are [t͡s d͡z ɸ] <ts z f>. /n t d k g s h/ before /i j/ are [ɲ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ɕ c ɟ ç] <n ch j sh k g h>. /j/ then deletes (partially reflected in orthography after sibilants). /nɾ/ is occasionally pronounced [ndɾ] in more conservative 'lects, but this is stigmatised.
Edit: Might make it so that the proto-lang has (C)(j w)V(C)
Last edited by ophois on Mon Sep 09, 2024 11:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
I spend too much time making up random inventories instead of actually conlanging.
Páthani [pa˥t̪a˩ni˩] - aka minimalist Australian with tones
/m n̪ n ɳ ɲ ŋ/ <m nh n rn ny ng>
/p t̪ t ʈ c k/ <p th t rt ty k>
/ɾ ɻ j w/ <r rr y w>
/a i-ə-u/ <a i-e-u>
/V˩ V˥/ <a á>
CV syllable structure
The non-low vowel is [i] following /n ɲ t c j/, [u] following /m ŋ p k w/, and [ə] following /n̪ ɳ t̪ ʈ ɾ ɻ/. /ɻ/ deletes word-initially. High tones cannot occur in adjacent syllables.
Páthani [pa˥t̪a˩ni˩] - aka minimalist Australian with tones
/m n̪ n ɳ ɲ ŋ/ <m nh n rn ny ng>
/p t̪ t ʈ c k/ <p th t rt ty k>
/ɾ ɻ j w/ <r rr y w>
/a i-ə-u/ <a i-e-u>
/V˩ V˥/ <a á>
CV syllable structure
The non-low vowel is [i] following /n ɲ t c j/, [u] following /m ŋ p k w/, and [ə] following /n̪ ɳ t̪ ʈ ɾ ɻ/. /ɻ/ deletes word-initially. High tones cannot occur in adjacent syllables.
Re: Ophois' Scratchpad
Yet another new project. Notes dump:
Proto-lang:
/m n/
/p b t d k g/
/ɸ s x/
/l r j w/
VdV {VgV VxV} > diphthongs
b > β / V_V
w > β
V > Vː / _CV (also before resonant + voiced stop clusters at the same POA, i.e. /mb nd ŋg ld rd/)
C[-vcd] > C[+vcd] / V_V
Vs > Vː / _C
Cː > C
Palatalisation (blocked in trilling environments)
{mp mb} {nt nd} {ɲc ɲɟ} {ŋg ŋk} > ᵐb ⁿd ᶮɟ ᵑg
Syncope, followed by metathesis of non-velar + velar and click genesis (prenasalised stops give nasal clicks)
ᵑg > ŋ
ᵐb ⁿd > b͡ʙ d͡r > ʙ ɖ / trilling environments (back vowels?) (c.f. Nias)
{ɸ x} > h
t > k > ʔ (chain shift)
p c k > f ɕ kʰ
b d ɖ ɟ g > p t ʈ t͡ɕ k
ᵐb ⁿd ᶮɟ > b d d͡ʑ
As for vowels: height mutation a la Tangut and Great Vowel Shift a la English
/m n ɲ ŋ/
/p b t d ʈ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ k kʰ ʔ/
/f s ɕ h/
/β z l j/
/ʙ r/
/k͡ʘ k͡ǀ k͡ǂ/
/g͡ʘ g͡ǀ g͡ǂ/
/ŋ͡ʘ ŋ͡ǀ ŋ͡ǂ/
+ possibly /t͡ɬ d͡ɮ ɬ/ and lateral clicks (derived from /dl n(d)l tl/ etc.), uvulars and uvular clicks (inherited from protolang, t > k > ʔ shift is probably a t > k > q > ʔ)
Maybe also have the Grimm’s Law-esque shift in the plosives happen to the clicks as well, with tenuis clicks becoming implosives via an ejective stage (*k͡ǁ q͡ǁ became /l/)
Here’s what it would look like with all that:
/m n ɲ ŋ ɴ/
/p b ɓ t d ɗ t͡ɬ d͡ɮ ʈ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ʄ k kʰ q ʔ/
/f s ɬ ɕ χ h/
/β z l j/
/ʙ r/
/k͡ʘ k͡ǀ k͡ǁ k͡ǂ q͡ʘ q͡ǀ q͡ǁ q͡ǂ/
/ŋ͡ʘ ŋ͡ǀ ŋ͡ǁ ŋ͡ǂ ɴ͡ʘ ɴ͡ǀ ɴ͡ǁ ɴ͡ǂ/
And then dump a heavily historical orthography akin to Nort’s Arve on top of that.
Proto-lang:
/m n/
/p b t d k g/
/ɸ s x/
/l r j w/
VdV {VgV VxV} > diphthongs
b > β / V_V
w > β
V > Vː / _CV (also before resonant + voiced stop clusters at the same POA, i.e. /mb nd ŋg ld rd/)
C[-vcd] > C[+vcd] / V_V
Vs > Vː / _C
Cː > C
Palatalisation (blocked in trilling environments)
{mp mb} {nt nd} {ɲc ɲɟ} {ŋg ŋk} > ᵐb ⁿd ᶮɟ ᵑg
Syncope, followed by metathesis of non-velar + velar and click genesis (prenasalised stops give nasal clicks)
ᵑg > ŋ
ᵐb ⁿd > b͡ʙ d͡r > ʙ ɖ / trilling environments (back vowels?) (c.f. Nias)
{ɸ x} > h
t > k > ʔ (chain shift)
p c k > f ɕ kʰ
b d ɖ ɟ g > p t ʈ t͡ɕ k
ᵐb ⁿd ᶮɟ > b d d͡ʑ
As for vowels: height mutation a la Tangut and Great Vowel Shift a la English
/m n ɲ ŋ/
/p b t d ʈ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ k kʰ ʔ/
/f s ɕ h/
/β z l j/
/ʙ r/
/k͡ʘ k͡ǀ k͡ǂ/
/g͡ʘ g͡ǀ g͡ǂ/
/ŋ͡ʘ ŋ͡ǀ ŋ͡ǂ/
+ possibly /t͡ɬ d͡ɮ ɬ/ and lateral clicks (derived from /dl n(d)l tl/ etc.), uvulars and uvular clicks (inherited from protolang, t > k > ʔ shift is probably a t > k > q > ʔ)
Maybe also have the Grimm’s Law-esque shift in the plosives happen to the clicks as well, with tenuis clicks becoming implosives via an ejective stage (*k͡ǁ q͡ǁ became /l/)
Here’s what it would look like with all that:
/m n ɲ ŋ ɴ/
/p b ɓ t d ɗ t͡ɬ d͡ɮ ʈ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ʄ k kʰ q ʔ/
/f s ɬ ɕ χ h/
/β z l j/
/ʙ r/
/k͡ʘ k͡ǀ k͡ǁ k͡ǂ q͡ʘ q͡ǀ q͡ǁ q͡ǂ/
/ŋ͡ʘ ŋ͡ǀ ŋ͡ǁ ŋ͡ǂ ɴ͡ʘ ɴ͡ǀ ɴ͡ǁ ɴ͡ǂ/
And then dump a heavily historical orthography akin to Nort’s Arve on top of that.