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   1 # Zheshoi
   2
   3 Zheshoi (_ʒeßoı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʑɪɕɵɪ/) is a language in
   4   the Jastu⹀Fizonal language family, derived from [][:PreZheshoi].
   5
   6 ## phonology
   7
   8 ### syllable structure
   9
  10 The basic Zheshoi syllable is C(w)(ʀ)(y)V(ı)(C).
  11 This is analyzed as follows:8--:
  12
  13 - An initial consonant
  14 - Zero or more medials (_w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
  15     _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, or _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
  16     in that order)
  17 - A vowel (V) or diphthong (Vı)
  18 - Optionally, a final consonant
  19
  20 Details regarding the consonants, medials, and finals are given in the
  21   following sections.
  22
  23 ### consonants
  24
  25 Broadly, the basic consonants in Zheshoi fall into one of five
  26   series:8--:
  27
  28 | Name     |  Base  | Devoiced | Alternate | Devoiced Alternate |
  29 |:---------|:------:|:--------:|:---------:|:------------------:|
  30 | V⹀Series | v /β/  | p /p/    | m /m/     |                    |
  31 | D⹀Series | d /d/  | t /t/    | z /z/     | s /s/              |
  32 | J⹀Series | j /d͡ʑ/ | ꜭ /t͡ɕ/   | ʒ /ʑ/     | ß /ɕ/              |
  33 | G⹀Series | g /ɡ/  | k /k/    | n /n/     |                    |
  34 | Ɂ⹀Series | ɂ /ʔ/  | h /h/    | ƣ /ʕ/     | x /χ/              |
  35
  36 Note that /n/ is equated with the allophonic /ŋ/ for this
  37   categorization, and the nasal alternates have no devoiced forms.
  38
  39 All consonants are valid in both the initial and final position with
  40   two broad exceptions:8--:
  41
  42 - /ʔ/ and /h/ are not permitted as final consonants
  43
  44 - /g/ and /k/ are allophonic with /ʕ/ and /χ/ in the final position.
  45   For simplicity, such consonants are traditionally analysed as
  46     G⹀series, leaving Ɂ⹀series consonants forbidden across the board.
  47
  48 /n/ and /m/ were allophonic in the final position Pre⹀Zheshoi, but
  49   aren¦t in Zheshoi proper.
  50
  51 ### medials
  52
  53 There are three kinds of medial in Zheshoi, all of which may appear in
  54   a single syllable:8--:
  55
  56 - _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} phonemically indicates /w/, but this
  57     may be realized a variety of ways∶8--∶
  58
  59   - /ʔw/ reduces to [w] and /hw/ is realized as [ʍ].
  60
  61   - When followed by another medial, the preceding and following
  62       consonants are labialized and the [w] is dropped, so that /gwƦ/
  63       becomes [ɡʷrʷ], /twƦ/ becomes [tʷɫʷ], and /mwy/ becomes
  64       [mɥ].
  65
  66   - Otherwise, the [w] is pronounced.
  67
  68 - _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is realized as [l] (rounded: [ɫʷ])
  69     after D⹀ or J⹀series consonants and [ɾ] (rounded: [rʷ]) otherwise.
  70
  71 - _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is realized as [j] (rounded: [ɥ]).
  72   Any preceding /ʔ/ or /h/ is dropped.
  73
  74 ### vowels
  75
  76 Zheshoi words exhibit vowel harmony, and accordingly are grouped into
  77   three classes (or polarities): positive, neutral, and negative.
  78 These correspond to open, mid, and close vowel heights, respectively,
  79   altho due to shifts over time some of the neutral vowels have wound
  80   up more close than the negatives.
  81 Within each polarity, there are rounded (+U) and unrounded vowels.
  82 Additionally, each rounded or unrounded vowel can be iotized (+I),
  83   which usually results in a diphthong with /ɪ/, or rhoticized (+R),
  84   which adds R⹀colouring.
  85 The one exception is that there is no neutral vowel which is both
  86   rounded and iotized.
  87
  88 | Polarity |   ∅   |   +U   |   +I    |  +U +I  |   +R    |  +U +R   |
  89 |:---------|:-----:|:------:|:-------:|:-------:|:-------:|:--------:|
  90 | Positive | a /æ/ | ȣ /ɔ/  | aı /aɪ/ | ȣı /ɔɪ/ | aꝛ /ɑ˞/ | ȣꝛ /ɔ˞/  |
  91 | Neutral  | ə /ə/ | u /u/  |  i /i/  |         | əꝛ /ʌ˞/ | uꝛ /ʊ˞/  |
  92 | Negative | e /ɪ/ | o /o/  | eı /eɪ/ | oı /ɵɪ/ | eꝛ /eɚ/ | oꝛ /oʊ˞/ |
  93
  94 In addition to the above, Zheshoi features a syllabic /ɫ̩/, which
  95   functions like a neutral vowel with the following restrictions: it
  96   may not be preceded by a medial, and it may not be followed by a
  97   final consonant.
  98 It is called “lambda”, and written _ꟛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}.
  99
 100 ## future
 101
 102 The following are potential future directions for the language:8--:
 103
 104 - Loss of simultaneous support for all three medials in every syllable.
 105   Loss of phonemic labialization with a corresponding split of
 106     _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} into potentially as many options as
 107     /l/, /ɫ/ (which may merge with the syllabic equivalent), /ɾ/,
 108     and /r/; and of _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} into /j/ and /ɥ/.
 109
 110 - Rhoticization makes a good candidate for evolving into a tonal
 111     system.
 112
 113 - The rounded vowels are a good candidate for a merger.