-# Pre‐Zheshoi
+# Pre⹀Zheshoi
-Pre‐Zheshoi is the hypothetical ancestor language to Zheshoi
- (_ʒeßoı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʑɪɕɵɪ/; Pre‐Zheshoi: /ʒeɘʃɵɪ/),
- providing a lexical and (rudimentary) syntactic base from which the
- latter can be developed.
+Pre⹀Zheshoi is the hypothetical ancestor language to Zheshoi
+ (_ʒeßwi_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} /ʑɪɕwi/; Pre⹀Zheshoi:
+ _ʒeßoı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʒeɘʃɵɪ/), providing a lexical and
+ (rudimentary) syntactic base from which the latter can be developed.
It is one possible synthesis of the Jastu⹀Fizonal languages, which were
developed by [][@:Lady] when she was in high school and college.
## aim and scope
-Pre‐Zheshoi does not aim to be a complete, speakable language.
+Pre⹀Zheshoi does not aim to be a complete, speakable language.
It aims to make the creation of such a language straightforward and
possible.
## sources
-Pre‐Zheshoi is derived “primarily” from
+Pre⹀Zheshoi is derived “primarily” from
[Jastugay][]{title="Jastugay: Documentation and Dictionary"}, which
is to say that Jastugay forms the basis of its phonological system
and grammars.
## orthography
-Pre‐Zheshoi uses a Latin orthography with a few additional letters.
+Pre⹀Zheshoi uses a Latin orthography with a few additional letters.
Ten of these letters are assigned corresponding digits for use in
Ascii environments: schwa (Ə) = 0, lambda () = 1, R⹀rotunda (Ꝛ) =
2, yr (Ʀ) = 3, cuatrillo (Ꜭ) = 4, ezh (Ʒ) = 5, eszett (ẞ) = 6,
### Anglicization
-As noted above, the recommended practice when writing Pre‐Zheshoi words
+As noted above, the recommended practice when writing Pre⹀Zheshoi words
in Ascii environments is to use Ascii digits to encode letters
outside of Basic Latin.
However, there is a separate need for Anglicization rules when
- converting Pre‐Zheshoi words into a form usable with English text.
-Current best‐practice is to leave the original spelling as intact as
+ converting Pre⹀Zheshoi words into a form usable with English text.
+Current best⹀practice is to leave the original spelling as intact as
possible, despite the fact that this will make the pronunciation less
obvious for native speakers.
### consonants
-Pre‐Zheshoi has front, midfront, mid, midback, and back consonants with
+Pre⹀Zheshoi has front, midfront, mid, midback, and back consonants with
nasal, stop, fricative, and approximant articulations.
The front fricative and stop are analysed as a voicing pair, as are the
back stop and fricative (even tho neither of the latter are
All other single nonsonorant consonants are permitted; there are no
valid combinations.
-The mapping of phonemes from ancestor languages into the Pre‐Zheshoi
+The mapping of phonemes from ancestor languages into the Pre⹀Zheshoi
consonant inventory is not always trivial or obvious.
The following sections provide notes on the process.
: _z_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /z/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | s /s/ | |
+
In Jastugay, this consonant was originally realized as /s/, but
became voiced sometime after historic /z/ merged with /ʒ/.
Neither sound is evidenced in Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Jastugay
-
- _s_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /s/
-
: _s_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /s/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | s /s/ | sh /s.h/ | |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_z_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
- : Elrex:
-
- _s_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /s/
-
- : Jastugay:
-
- _sh_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /s.h/
-
: _ƣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʕ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | ħ /x/ | q /ŋ/ |
+
In Jastugay, this consonant was originally pronounced /x/, but it
later became voiced and merged with /ŋ/ in other languages.
The pronunciation has gradually shifted further back, and it is often
articulated as an approximant.
- : Jastugay
-
- _ħ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /x/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _q_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /ŋ/
+ In Zheshoi, this consonant is analysed instead as
+ _g_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} when it appears in the coda position.
: _x_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /χ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:----------:|:----------:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | h /x/\~/h/ | h /x/\~/h/ | ħh /x.h/ | |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_ƣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
It was common in most Jastu⹀Fizonal languages but not present in
Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Eho
-
- _h_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qho} /x/\~/h/
-
- : Elrex
-
- _h_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /x/\~/h/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _ħh_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /x.h/
+ In Zheshoi, this consonant is analysed instead as
+ _k_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} when it appears in the coda position.
: _d_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /d/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | n /n/ | t /t/ | n /n/ |
+
In Jastugay, this consonant was originally pronounced /t/, but it
later became voiced and merged with /n/ in other languages.
-
- : Elrex
-
- _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /n/ (except when followed by another
- coronal consonant)
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _t_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /t/ (except when followed by another
- coronal consonant)
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /n/ (except when followed by another
- coronal consonant)
+ When followed by another coronal consonant, the shift to /d/ was left
+ incomplete.
: _t_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /t/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | t /t/ | th /t.h/ | t /t/ |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_d_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
Most languages included this phoneme.
- : Elrex
-
- _t_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /t/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _th_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /t.h/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _t_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /t/
-
: _j_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /d͡ʒ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | j /d͡ʒ/ | d /d/ |
+
This consonant has persisted largely unmodified from Jastugay.
- From Proto⹀Fizonal, it is adapted from /d/, as Pre‐Zheshoi did not
+ From Proto⹀Fizonal, it is adapted from /d/, as Pre⹀Zheshoi did not
have a /d/ phoneme at the time.
- : Jastugay
-
- _j_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /d͡ʒ/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _d_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /d/
+ By the time of Zheshoi, it has shifted to /d͡ʑ/.
: _ꜭ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /t͡ʃ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | ds /d.s/ | |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_j_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
This is an exceedingly rare consonant, developing from Jastugay /d.s/
in the course of the shift from /d/ to /ɾ/.
- : Jastugay
-
- _ds_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /d.s/
+ By the time of Zheshoi, it has shifted to /t͡ɕ/.
: _ʒ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʒ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | ʒ /ʒ/ | ʒ /ʒ/ | zh /ʒ/ |
+
In Jastugay, this consonant was historically either /z/ or /ʒ/.
It has persisted largely unmodified from Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Elrex
-
- _ʒ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /ʒ/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _ʒ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /ʒ/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _zh_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /ʒ/
+ By the time of Zheshoi, it has shifted to /ʑ/.
: _ß_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʃ/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | st /s.t/ | sh /ʃ/ |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_ʒ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
In Jastugay, it developed as a simplification of /s.t/.
It has persisted largely unmodified from Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Jastugay
-
- _st_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /s.t/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _sh_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /ʃ/
+ By the time of Zheshoi, it has shifted to /ɕ/.
: _g_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /g/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | g /g/ | g /g/ |
+
This consonant has persisted largely unmodified from both Jastugay
and Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Jastugay
-
- _g_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /g/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _g_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /g/
-
: _k_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /k/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | k /k/ | | k /k/ |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_g_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
It did not appear in Jastugay, but was persisted largely unmodified
from Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Elrex
-
- _k_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /k/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _k_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /k/
-
: _v_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /β/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | b /b/ | v /v/ | f /f/ | b /b/ |
+
In Jastugay, this consonant was historically either /f/ or /v/.
It originally merged to /f/, but later became voiced and merged with
/v/ and /b/ in other languages.
- : Eho
-
- _b_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qho} /b/
-
- : Elrex
-
- _v_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /v/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _f_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /f/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _b_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /b/
-
: _p_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /p/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | p /p/ | p /p/ |
+
This consonant is the devoiced variant of
_v_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
It has persisted largely unmodified from both Jastugay and
Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Jastugay
-
- _p_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /p/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _p_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /p/
-
: _ɂ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʔ/
This is the null initial consonant; it was not marked in ancestor
: _h_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /h/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:------:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | wh /ʍ/ | h /h/ | |
+
This consonant is often analysed as a “devoiced” glottal stop.
It has persisted largely unmodified from both Jastugay, but was
sometimes dropped in favour of devoicing a preceding consonant.
It was not phonemic in Proto⹀Fizonal.
- : Elrex
-
- _wh_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /ʍ/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _h_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /h/
-
#### nasal consonants
Only _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} may appear in the coda of a
syllable, where it may be realized as /m/, /n/, or /ŋ/ depending on
the sound which follows.
+By the time of Zheshoi, however, _m_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} has
+ split off from _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} in syllable codas.
: _m_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /m/
- Jastugay formerly had an /m/ sound, but it merged with /w/.
- Consequently, only Proto⹀Fizonal /m/ survived to Pre‐Zheshoi.
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | | | m /m/ |
- _m_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /m/
+ Jastugay formerly had an /m/ sound, but it merged with /w/.
+ Consequently, only Proto⹀Fizonal /m/ survived to Pre⹀Zheshoi.
: _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /n/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | n /n/ | t /t/ | n /n/ |
+
The historic /n/ sound in Jastugay was lost to vowel nasalization.
A new /n/ developed from /t/ in the process of voicing it as /d/ when
the following consonant was also coronal.
/n/ in other languages like·wise merged to /d/ in the general case,
but was preserved as /n/ when a coronal consonant followed.
- : Elrex
-
- _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /n/ (when followed by another coronal
- consonant)
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _t_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /t/ (when followed by another coronal
- consonant)
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _n_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /n/ (when followed by another coronal
- consonant)
-
#### medial consonants
These consonants follow the initial consonant in a syllable, which must
be either a stop, fricative, or nasal.
+All three may be specified on the same syllable, in the order
+ _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}, _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx},
+ _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
: _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ɾ/\~/l/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | r /ɹ/ | r /ɹ/ | d /d/ | r /ɾ/ |
+
The realization of this consonant depends on the consonant which
- precedes it; it can be either /ɾ/ or /l/.
+ precedes it; unlabialized, it can be either /ɾ/ or /l/, and
+ labialized, it can be either /rʷ/ or /ɫʷ/.
In Jastugay, it descends from /d/, and descends from /r/ in most
other languages.
- : Eho
-
- _r_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qho} /ɹ/
-
- : Elrex
-
- _r_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /ɹ/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _d_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /d/
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _r_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /ɾ/
-
: _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /w/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | w /w/ | w /w/ | |
+
In Jastugay, this sound was historically either /m/ or /w∕.
It did not exist in Proto⹀Fizonal at the time that words were adopted
- into Pre‐Zheshoi.
-
- : Elrex
-
- _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /w/
+ into Pre⹀Zheshoi.
- : Jastugay
-
- _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /w/
+ Although this sound phonemically indicates /w/, when followed by
+ another medial, it instead is dropped and labializes the remaining
+ consonant cluster, so that /gwƦ/ becomes [ɡʷrʷ], /twƦ/ becomes
+ [tʷɫʷ], and /mwy/ becomes [mɥ].
: _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /j/
+ | Eho | Elrex | Jastugay | Proto⹀Fizonal |
+ |:-----:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------------:|
+ | | y /j/ | ē /i/ | gj /gj/ |
+
This consonant was not phonemic in Jastugay, but developed from /i/.
In Proto⹀Fizonal, it was preceded by a velar stop (/gj/), which was
reduced to a glottal stop and eliminated on adoption into
- Pre‐Zheshoi.
-
- : Elrex
+ Pre⹀Zheshoi.
+
+In Zheshoi, medial combinations are simplified to a single medial
+ according to the following rules:8--:
+
+| Initial | Medial (Pre⹀Zheshoi) | Medial (Zheshoi) |
+|:----------:|:--------------------:|:-----------------|
+| p, v, m | w /w/ | w /w/ |
+| p, v, m | wʀ /rʷ/, ʀ /ɾ/ | ʀ /ɾ/ |
+| p, v, m | wy /ɥ/, y /j/ | y /j/ |
+| p, v, m | wʀy /rʷɥ/, ʀy /ɾj/ | ʀiɂj /ɾi.j/ |
+| ƣ, x, ɂ, h | w /w/, wy /ɥ/ | w /w/ |
+| ƣ, x, ɂ, h | wʀ /rʷ/, ʀ /ɾ/ | ʀ /r/ |
+| ƣ, x, ɂ, h | wʀy /rʷɥ/, ʀy /ɾj/ | ʀiɂy /ri.j/ |
+| ƣ, x, ɂ, h | y /j/ | y /j/ |
+| All others | w /w/ | w /w/ |
+| All others | ʀ /l/ | ʀ /l/ |
+| All others | wy /ɥ/, y /j/ | y /j/ |
+| All others | wʀ /ɫʷ/ | ɂ /ɫ̩.ʔ/ |
+| All others | wʀy /ɫʷɥ/ | ɂy /ɫ̩.j/ |
+| All others | ʀy /lj/ | ʀiɂy /li.j/ |
- _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qlr} /j/
-
- : Jastugay
-
- _ē_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjt} /i/ before vowels
-
- : Proto⹀Fizonal
-
- _gj_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qpt} /gj/
### vowels
-Vowels in Pre‐Zheshoi are categorized across several different axes.
-Pre‐Zheshoi exhibits vowel harmony, and the polarity of the vowel
+Vowels in Pre⹀Zheshoi are categorized across several different axes.
+Pre⹀Zheshoi exhibits vowel harmony, and the polarity of the vowel
indicates which vowels it harmonizes with.
As a general rule, positive vowels are more open and negative vowels
are more close.
Vowels may also be rounded or unrounded, and they may be iotized to
form a diphthong with /ɪ/.
-Finally, there are two nasal vowels in Pre‐Zheshoi, one which is
+Finally, there are two nasal vowels in Pre⹀Zheshoi, one which is
rounded and positive, and one which is unrounded and negative.
-In addition to the above distinctions, Pre‐Zheshoi exhibits a front
+In addition to the above distinctions, Pre⹀Zheshoi exhibits a front
(①) ⧵ back (②) split in its positive and neutral vowels, and it
features a syllabic /ɫ̩/ which is vowel·like in most situations.
### known shifts and changes
The following phonological changes are known to occur between
- Pre‐Zheshoi and Zheshoi proper:8--:
+ Pre⹀Zheshoi and Zheshoi proper:8--:
- _ä_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} merges with
_ȣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} after midback consonants, and
Similarly, _å_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} merges with
_a_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} after front consonants, and
_ȣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} otherwise.
+ (Note:
+ Pre⹀Zheshoi _ȣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} is written
+ _å_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} in Zheshoi.)
- _æ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} merges to the base vowel (positive or
negative) which harmonizes with the word, favouring
- _e_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} shifts to /ɪ/.
-- The nasal vowels become R‐coloured:
- _eꝛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} becomes /ɚ/ and
+- The nasal vowels become R⹀coloured:
+ _eꝛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} becomes /eɚ/ and
_ȣꝛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} becomes /ɔ˞/.
- In so doing, they lose their polarity and become generic rhotic
- unrounded and rounded vowels.
-- __{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} is realized as /n/ consonantally.
- After unrounded vowels, it shifts to /ɚ/, and after rounded vowels it
- shifts to /ɔ˞/.
+- The iotized rounded vowels are lost:
+ _oı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} becomes
+ _wi_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}, labializing the precending
+ consonant(s).
+ _ȣı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} merges with
+ _aı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx}.
+
+- __{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} is realized as /n/ consonantally, and
+ adds R⹀colouring when it follows terminal, non‐iotized vowels.
(It persists unmodified in other cases.)
- When an rounded, non·iotized vowel is followed by a glottal consonant
fricative ∣ approximant, the iotization is moved preceding the
vowel as /j/.
+- Medials are merged when multiple appear in the same syllable (see
+ that section for more information).
+
- The mid consonants move further back: /ʒ/ becomes /ʑ/ and /ʃ/ becomes
/ɕ/.
# Zheshoi
-Zheshoi (_ʒeßoı_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʑɪɕɵɪ/) is a language in
+Zheshoi (_ʒeßwi_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjx} /ʑɪɕwi/) is a language in
the Jastu⹀Fizonal language family, derived from
[][:Languages/PreZheshoi].
### syllable structure
-The basic Zheshoi syllable is C(w)(ʀ)(y)V(ı)(C).
+The basic Zheshoi syllable is CHV(ı)(C).
This is analyzed as follows:8--:
-- An initial consonant
-- Zero or more medials (_w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
- _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, or _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
- in that order)
+- An initial consonant (C)
+- Zero or one medials (H; _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
+ _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, or _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz})
- A vowel (V) or diphthong (Vı)
- Optionally, a final consonant
All consonants are valid in both the initial and final position with
two broad exceptions:8--:
-- /ʔ/ and /h/ are not permitted as final consonants
+- /ʔ/ and /h/ are not permitted as final consonants.
- /g/ and /k/ are allophonic with /ʕ/ and /χ/ in the final position.
For simplicity, such consonants are traditionally analysed as
### medials
-There are three kinds of medial in Zheshoi, all of which may appear in
- a single syllable:8--:
+There are three kinds of medial in Zheshoi.
+Although multiple of these could appear in a single syllable in
+ Pre⹀Zheshoi, in Zheshoi only one is allowed:8--:
-- _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} phonemically indicates /w/, but this
- may be realized a variety of ways∶8--∶
+- _w_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, realized as [w] after voiced
+ consonants and [ʍ] after devoiced consonants.
- - /ʔw/ reduces to [w] and /hw/ is realized as [ʍ].
+- _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, realized as [ɾ] after V⹀series
+ consonants, [l] after D⹀, J⹀, or G⹀series consonants, and [r] after
+ Ɂ⹀series consonants.
- - When followed by another medial, the preceding and following
- consonants are labialized and the [w] is dropped, so that /gwƦ/
- becomes [ɡʷrʷ], /twƦ/ becomes [tʷɫʷ], and /mwy/ becomes
- [mɥ].
-
- - Otherwise, the [w] is pronounced.
-
-- _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is realized as [l] (rounded: [ɫʷ])
- after D⹀ or J⹀series consonants and [ɾ] (rounded: [rʷ]) otherwise.
-
-- _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is realized as [j] (rounded: [ɥ]).
- Any preceding /ʔ/ or /h/ is dropped.
+- _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, realized as [j] in all cases.
### vowels
altho due to shifts over time some of the neutral vowels have wound
up more close than the negatives.
Within each polarity, there are rounded (+U) and unrounded vowels.
-Additionally, each rounded or unrounded vowel can be iotized (+I),
- which usually results in a diphthong with /ɪ/, or rhoticized (+R),
- which adds R⹀colouring.
+Additionally, each rounded or unrounded vowel can be rhoticized (+R),
+ which adds R⹀colouring, and the unrounded vowels can be iotized (+I),
+ which usually results in a diphthong with /ɪ/.
The one exception is that there is no neutral vowel which is both
rounded and iotized.
-| Polarity | ∅ | +U | +I | +U +I | +R | +U +R |
-|:---------|:-----:|:------:|:-------:|:-------:|:-------:|:--------:|
-| Positive | a /æ/ | ȣ /ɔ/ | aı /aɪ/ | ȣı /ɔɪ/ | aꝛ /ɑ˞/ | ȣꝛ /ɔ˞/ |
-| Neutral | ə /ə/ | u /u/ | i /i/ | | əꝛ /ʌ˞/ | uꝛ /ʊ˞/ |
-| Negative | e /ɪ/ | o /o/ | eı /eɪ/ | oı /ɵɪ/ | eꝛ /eɚ/ | oꝛ /oʊ˞/ |
+| Polarity | ∅ | +U | +I | +R | +U +R |
+|:---------|:-----:|:------:|:-------:|:-------:|:--------:|
+| Positive | a /æ/ | å /ɔ/ | aı /aɪ/ | aꝛ /ɑ˞/ | åꝛ /ɔ˞/ |
+| Neutral | ə /ə/ | u /u/ | i /i/ | əꝛ /ʌ˞/ | uꝛ /ʊ˞/ |
+| Negative | e /ɪ/ | o /o/ | eı /eɪ/ | eꝛ /eɚ/ | oꝛ /oʊ˞/ |
+
+The letter _æ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is used to indicate either
+ _a_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} or _e_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}
+ (depending on vowel harmony), and likewise for the letter
+ _ȣ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} and _å_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} or
+ _o_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}.
In addition to the above, Zheshoi features a syllabic /ɫ̩/, which
functions like a neutral vowel with the following restrictions: it
- may not be preceded by a medial, and it may not be followed by a
- final consonant.
+ may only be preceded by a voiced consonant (with no medial), and it
+ may not be followed by a final consonant.
It is called “lambda”, and written __{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}.
## morphology
_verbals_{as=dfn} correspond roughly to English verbs;
_articles_{as=dfn} are a somewhat unique word class whose role lies
somewhere between that of English articles and determiners
- (_the_{as=i}, _a_{as=i}, <i>some</i>…) and that of a pronoun.
+ (_the_{as=i}, _a_{as=i}, _some_{as=i}…) and that of a pronoun.
In addition to these three categories of word, Zheshoi also features a
number of other morphemes, including inflections, determiners, and
adpositions.
The verbal lexical stem consists of a single root.
+Verbal stems are classified into three groups, depending on their final
+ syllable:8--:
+
+- Those which end with a voiced consonant and R⹀coloured vowel,
+- Those which end with a devoiced consonant and R⹀coloured vowel, and
+- Those which end with a voiced consonant and lambda.
+
+This classification is maintained thru derivations and impacts the form
+ of the inflections.
+
+All verbals also have a definitite (positive or negative) assigned
+ vowel harmony, even when the verbal contains only neutral vowels.
+This harmony will influence derivations and inflections.
+
#### derived stem
```=html
<mspace width=mediummathspace />
<mover accent=false>
<mstyle scriptlevel=+1>
- <mi><abbr title=Out‐of‐control>OOC</abbr></mi>
+ <mi><abbr title=Verbalizer>VBZ</abbr></mi>
</mstyle>
<mover accent=true>
<mo stretchy=true>⏞</mo>
- <mi><abbr title=Control>CTR</abbr></mi>
+ <mi><abbr title=Class change>CC</abbr></mi>
</mover>
</mover>
<mspace width=mediummathspace />
</math>
```
-Verbals may be lexically marked for aspect and control.
+Verbals may be lexically marked for aspect in two places:
+A partially⹀reduplicative prefix indicates the habitual or
+ developmental aspects, and a suffix indicates perfectivity.
+These affixes can be combined.
(This analysis of aspect as “lexical”, and not “grammatical”, is a
morphological argument, not a syntactic one.)
-The marking of aspect is split between a possible reduplicative prefix
- (indicating habitual or “developmental” aspects) and a possible
- perfective suffix.
+
+The habitual prefix is _Cæ‐_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}, where
+ _C_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is the initial consonant in the word.
+The develompental prefix is _Caı‐_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} for
+ positive verbals and _Cwi‐_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} for negative
+ ones.
+
+The perfective suffix can take the following forms:8--:
+
+- On verbals which end with a voiced consonant and R⹀coloured vowel,
+ the R⹀colouring is dropped and _‐ɂwæꝛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}
+ is added.
+
+- On verbals which end with a devoiced consonant and R⹀coloured vowel,
+ the R⹀colouring is dropped and _‐hwæꝛ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz}
+ is added.
+
+- On verbals which end with a voiced consonant and lambda, the final
+ syllable is replaced with _‐Cʀæı.ɂ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz},
+ where _C_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} is the _devoiced_ form of the
+ consonant.
#### inflected stem
The following are potential future directions for the language:8--:
-- Loss of simultaneous support for all three medials in every syllable.
- Loss of phonemic labialization with a corresponding split of
- _ʀ_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} into potentially as many options as
- /l/, /ɫ/ (which may merge with the syllabic equivalent), /ɾ/,
- and /r/; and of _y_{as=i lang=art-Latn-x-qjz} into /j/ and /ɥ/.
-
- Rhoticization makes a good candidate for evolving into a tonal
system.