Introduction
Zuteräce (['ɕʊt̪ɛɾac͡çɛ], anglicised as Zutan, is a language spoken by the indigenous folk of the mid-eastern lowlands of the continent of Orahim. As the tribes are fairly widespread, there are as many dialects of the tongue as there are colours in a rainbow—appropriate, since the Zutans worship a vibrant deity/deities (depending on which group you ask) of colour and magic that they call Caeloc ("the colour of souls) or Zutaloc (something like "colour made words"). SUbsequently, colour is a vital part of the way they see, interpret and interact with the world, and also plays a major role in the functioning of their language.
Phonology
Consonants
m n~n̪~ɲ~ŋ <m n>
p b t~t̪ d~d̪ c͡ç ɟ͡ʝ k g <p b t d q~c g c g>
s~z ɕ~ʑ <s z>
f v θ ð ç~ʝ h <f v t d j h>
l <l>
j w ɾ <y~i w~o r>
Allophony
<t d> are /t d/ are most positions but [t̪ d̪] intervocally and after [n̪]. and [θ ð] word-finally
<c g> are /k g/ in most positions but paletalised to [c͡ç ɟ͡ʝ] before /i y j/ (realised as [tɕ dʑ] in some dialects]
<s z j> are /s ɕ ç/ in most positions but become voiced [z ʑ ɟ] intervocally when followed by a front vowel
<n> is usually /n/ but [n̪] before /t̪ d̪/, [ɲ] when followed by /c͡ç/ and [ŋ] when followed by /k g h/. In the latter case, the /h/ is usually realised as aspiration of the [ŋ], so [ŋʰ]. Word-finally, this aspiration may be lost.
Following the rules about /n̪/ and /t̪ d̪/, <nt nd> are always realised dentally: [n̪t̪ n̪d̪]
All consonants except for /θ ð h j w ɾ/ can be geminated by doubling. When <tt> or <dd> is written intervocally, these are geminated [tt dd] rather than becoming [θ ð]. Word-finally, these are traditionally realised as [θt̪ ðd̪] but in most dialects are pronounced [t̪t̪ d̪d̪]
Vowels
i y <i ï>
ɪ ʏ ʊ <i ï u>
e ɵ o <e u o>
ə
ɛ œ <e ë>
a ɑ ɒ <ä a o>
Allophony
Words beginning with vowels start with [ʔ]
<i ï u o> are /i y ʊ o/ in open syllables but [ɪ ʏ ɵ ɒ] in closed syllables (followed by two consonants or by a word-final consonant)
<e> is usually /ɛ/ but [e] in the diphthong <ei> [ej] and before open vowels /a ɑ ɒ/ <eä ea eo> [eja ejɑ ejo~ejɒ]
/i/ becomes [j] before /ʊ ɵ e o ɛ a ɑ ɒ/
/o/ becomes /w/ after /ɛ a ɑ/
Any unstressed vowel will be realised as [ə] if it is the first instance of two consecutive open syllables containing the same vowel when this repetition occurs for inflectional reasons, e.g. undaca ['ʊn̪d̪əkɑ] — [3ps] took/received, from infinitive unda ['ʊn̪d̪ɑ] - inflectional repetition, unstressed, so [ə]
Vowels are not (usually) distinguished for length.
Phonotactics
(C)(C)(R)V(N)
(R) = /ɾ l w j/
(N) = /m n ŋ θ t̪ k s ɕ l w ɾ/
The colour paradigm
The language's 8 base vowels can be arranged in a sort of wheel as follows:
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
<ë> /œ/ = yellow, hëna
<e> /ɛ/ = green, helua
<ä> /a/ = light blue, vlära
<a> /ɑ/ = dark blue, yetala
<o> /o/ = purple, awora
<u> /ʊ/ = pink/red-purple, äsguta
This arrangement of vowels is a vital part of how words inflect and morph. Furthermore, the colours and their associate vowels are split into two categories, as per the line in the second image above. Above the line are the rufescent colours/vowels, and below are the azure colours/vowels — i.e. colours with more red than blue and those with more blue than red, respectively. This plays a role in the categorisation of nouns and verbs, which we shall see below.