Mahal s'Aentoui (First real conlang, feedback appreciated!)
Posted: 12 Aug 2010 05:04
I posted this in the old forum, but I've done some revamps then and it's taking on a lot more structure. I hope it's not against from rules for me to post several times in succession so I have different posts for different sections, e.g. phonology, grammar, etc.
Please also remember that I am not a linguist, and the most grammar education I have is whatever they're teaching this year at my high school. I'd appreciate clarification and corrections to my incorrect or non-technical terms.
--
Backstory
Mahal s'Aentoui (the Aentoui language) is a dead language, created for the purposes of a conworld and novel that I'm writing. In the first years of the world it was the original proto-language of all Creation, but in the aeons that have passed it has branched into various families, spawning many descendants. It's current use is preserved only in holy writings and as a sacred language for the priests and the highly educated.
Orthography and Pronunciation
Consonant Ortography
XSAMPA
(in no particular order)
b - /b/
k - /x/ OR /k/
kk - /x'/ OR /k'/
f - /f/
t - /T/ OR /t/
tt - /T'/ OR /t'/
s - /s/
j** - /S/
l - /l/
ll - /l'/
h - /h/
m - /m/
n - /n/
nn - /n'/
g - /N/
gg - /N'/
r - /4/
The usage of <g> and <j> is simply for convenience when typing on a keyboard. The proper orthography should be the IPA symbol for /N/ (the hooked n) and the S-cedilla respectively, neither of which the board seems to render properly.
a - /A/ ei @ 7 i u/ /j w/
æ - /ei/
e - /@/
i - /i/ (/j/ before vowels)
o - /7/
u - /u/ (/w/ before vowels)
Vowel Length
Aentoui grammarians recognize three vowel lengths: short, ordinary, and long. Our linguists, however, would probably prefer to categorize the "short" vowel as a diphthong.
Any given syllable can have up to three vowels (see Sylllable below). /j/ and /w/ are considered short vowels. The second vowel in clusters such as "ao", "ai", etc., are also considered short. It is important to remember here that the nucleus vowel remains 'ordinary' length.
Ordinary vowels are pronounced with ordinary length. Not much to say here.
Long vowels are represented by doubling the nucleus vowel. The pronunciation of this varies between the various schools of language study, but there are two most commonly accepted ways. The first is holding the vowel length for double the amount of time, showing the difference by changing the pitch from the first vowel to the second. The second method is by inserting a light glottal stop between the two ordinary vowels. It is important to remember here that only two of the same ordinary-length vowels = one long vowel.
I'm having trouble explaining this part, perhaps someone with more linguistic experience can help me? Thanks!
Syllable Pattern/Constraints
(C)(*r,l,w,y)V(V)(C**)(C***)
*The consonant preceding this cannot be any of the four listed.
**Has to be a nasal, unless the second consonant is a fricative. The nasal shifts to the position of the second consonant.
***This cannot be a k, h, or any palatalized consonant
Stress
Stress is generally not marked in First Tongue texts. While not adhering to any strict rules, there are a couple guidelines to guessing the which syllable the stress lays on.
For 2 syllable words, the stress can often go on either one, with a preference for the first syllable. For these words, memorization is the best way to remember.
3 syllable words almost always have the stress on the middle syllable. (An obvious exception is the word "Aentoui", pronounced AEN-to-UI.)
4+ syllable words almost always have the stress on the first syllable and the penultimate syllable.
Those syllables with lengthened or doubled vowels will almost always have the closest stress moved to that syllable, or added to the current stress.
Misc.
• <b> can only be in a medial consonant position except for rare occurences (e.g. loanwords)
• /k/ and /k'/ exist as allophonic variants of /x/ and /x'/ respectively, which is why they are represented with identical orthography
• /t/ and /t'/ are in a similar situation as the above
• the /h/ sound is often omitted or weakened
Please also remember that I am not a linguist, and the most grammar education I have is whatever they're teaching this year at my high school. I'd appreciate clarification and corrections to my incorrect or non-technical terms.
--
Backstory
Mahal s'Aentoui (the Aentoui language) is a dead language, created for the purposes of a conworld and novel that I'm writing. In the first years of the world it was the original proto-language of all Creation, but in the aeons that have passed it has branched into various families, spawning many descendants. It's current use is preserved only in holy writings and as a sacred language for the priests and the highly educated.
Orthography and Pronunciation
Consonant Ortography
XSAMPA
(in no particular order)
b - /b/
k - /x/ OR /k/
kk - /x'/ OR /k'/
f - /f/
t - /T/ OR /t/
tt - /T'/ OR /t'/
s - /s/
j** - /S/
l - /l/
ll - /l'/
h - /h/
m - /m/
n - /n/
nn - /n'/
g - /N/
gg - /N'/
r - /4/
The usage of <g> and <j> is simply for convenience when typing on a keyboard. The proper orthography should be the IPA symbol for /N/ (the hooked n) and the S-cedilla respectively, neither of which the board seems to render properly.
a - /A/ ei @ 7 i u/ /j w/
æ - /ei/
e - /@/
i - /i/ (/j/ before vowels)
o - /7/
u - /u/ (/w/ before vowels)
Vowel Length
Aentoui grammarians recognize three vowel lengths: short, ordinary, and long. Our linguists, however, would probably prefer to categorize the "short" vowel as a diphthong.
Any given syllable can have up to three vowels (see Sylllable below). /j/ and /w/ are considered short vowels. The second vowel in clusters such as "ao", "ai", etc., are also considered short. It is important to remember here that the nucleus vowel remains 'ordinary' length.
Ordinary vowels are pronounced with ordinary length. Not much to say here.
Long vowels are represented by doubling the nucleus vowel. The pronunciation of this varies between the various schools of language study, but there are two most commonly accepted ways. The first is holding the vowel length for double the amount of time, showing the difference by changing the pitch from the first vowel to the second. The second method is by inserting a light glottal stop between the two ordinary vowels. It is important to remember here that only two of the same ordinary-length vowels = one long vowel.
I'm having trouble explaining this part, perhaps someone with more linguistic experience can help me? Thanks!
Syllable Pattern/Constraints
(C)(*r,l,w,y)V(V)(C**)(C***)
*The consonant preceding this cannot be any of the four listed.
**Has to be a nasal, unless the second consonant is a fricative. The nasal shifts to the position of the second consonant.
***This cannot be a k, h, or any palatalized consonant
Stress
Stress is generally not marked in First Tongue texts. While not adhering to any strict rules, there are a couple guidelines to guessing the which syllable the stress lays on.
For 2 syllable words, the stress can often go on either one, with a preference for the first syllable. For these words, memorization is the best way to remember.
3 syllable words almost always have the stress on the middle syllable. (An obvious exception is the word "Aentoui", pronounced AEN-to-UI.)
4+ syllable words almost always have the stress on the first syllable and the penultimate syllable.
Those syllables with lengthened or doubled vowels will almost always have the closest stress moved to that syllable, or added to the current stress.
Misc.
• <b> can only be in a medial consonant position except for rare occurences (e.g. loanwords)
• /k/ and /k'/ exist as allophonic variants of /x/ and /x'/ respectively, which is why they are represented with identical orthography
• /t/ and /t'/ are in a similar situation as the above
• the /h/ sound is often omitted or weakened