Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread [2011–2018]

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Shemtov
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Shemtov »

An Indo-Iranian Language, forming a fourth branch, spoken along the Daying River Valley in China and Myanmar:
/p pʰ t tʰ t͡s t͡ɕ k kʰ/ <b p d t c q g k>
/f s ɕ/ <f s x>
/m n -ŋ/ <m n ng>
/l/ <l>
/j w/ <y w>

/i u/ <i u>
/e o/ <ei o>
/ə ɚ/ <e r>
/a/ <a>

/˧ ˥ ˩ ˧˥ ˩˧/ <V V̄ Ṽ V̋ V́>

Example words:

Sĩm-"Snow"
r̄k- "Wolf"
Ōk-"To say"
Xēip- "night"
Ēit- "Eight"
Qa- "and"
Brt- "Brother"
Wāk- "Voice"
Be̋t- "Father"
Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Shemtov »

A isolate language spoken on an island to the west of the Ngǂamian languages.
/p pʲ pˠ t tʲ tˠ c k q/ <p py pp t ty tt c k q>
/ pç px tʰ tç tx cç kx qX/ < pç px th tç tx cc kk qq>
/m mʲ mˠ n nʲ nˠ/ <m my mm n ny nn>
/çm xm ʰn çn xn/ /hm çm xm hn çn xn/
/θ θʲ θˠ s sʲ sˠ ç x X/ <z zy zz s sy ss ç x ẍ>
/l lʲ ɫ/ <l ly ll>
/j ɹ w/ <y r w>

/ə/ <a>
/ə:/ <aa>
/˩ ˧ ˥ ˩˧ ˧˩ ˧˥ ˥˧/ <à a á àa aà aá aá/


The vowel changes based on the initial (the phonotactics are CV(:)). Using the plain stop series:
[pɵ] [pʲø] [pˠo] [tə] [tʲe] [tˠɤ] [ce] [kɤ] [qʌ]
Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by shimobaatar »

It's probably been about 2 years now since I've posted anything in this thread. Anyway, I've been thinking about rebooting Project Steppe. I'd like to call it something else, but the original name of the language, Kwenti, sounds a little too Elvish to me now.

Here's something I've come up with for the new version of the language. I'm not sure if I like it.

/p t k kʷ/ <p t k kw>
/s h/ <s h>
/t͡s/ <c>
/m n ŋ ŋʷ/ <m n g gw>
/j w/ <j w>
/l/ <l>

/i iː u uː/ <i ī u ū>
/ɛ ɛː ɔ ɔː/ <e ē o ō>
/ɑ ɑː/ <a ā>

/ɑ ɑː ˈɑ ˈɑː/ <a ā á ā́>

Phonotactics: (C)V(C)

C = any consonant
V = any vowel
C = any consonant

The sequences /kʷu ŋʷu wu ji/ are all disallowed. Essentially any two consonants can form a cluster. However, /kw ŋw kʷw ŋʷw ts/ are resolved as [kʷ ŋʷ kʷ ŋʷ t͡s]. Vowel clusters are not allowed. Two identical vowels, ignoring length, become a long vowel. For example, /ii iːi iiː/ > [iː iː iː]. When two non-identical vowels come into contact, if the first is /i(ː) ɛ(ː)/, /j/ is inserted between them. If the first is /u(ː) ɔ(ː)/, /w/ is inserted between them. If the first vowel is /ɑ(ː)/, /l/ is inserted between them. For example, /ɛːu ɔi ɑuː/ > [ɛːju ɔwi ɑluː].

Stress is unpredictable. Underlyingly, all roots have a single stressed syllable. Some affixes attract stress, while others are unstressed. Stressed syllables tend to be pronounced with a higher pitch than surrounding syllables.

Allophony:

Before other consonants and word-finally, /kʷ ŋʷ/ are often realized as [kʷʊ̆ ŋʷʊ̆].

/ɛ(ː) ɔ(ː)/ approach [e(ː) o(ː)] word-initially, word-finally, and, for some speakers, in all open syllables.

/i(ː)j ɛ(ː)j u(ː)w ɔ(ː)w ɑ(ː)l/ often become [iː ɛː uː ɔː ɑː] word-finally and before consonants.

Before /j/ or syllables containing /j/, /kʷ ŋʷ w u ɔ ɑ/ are sometimes realized as [kʉ̯ ŋʉ̯ ʉ ɞ ä]. Similarly, before /w/ or syllables containing /w/, /j i ɛ/ are sometimes realized as [ɥ y œ].

Most consonants are lightly palatalized before /i j/.

Stops are usually unreleased word-finally and before other stops, oral or nasal, and the affricate.

Following nasals, and occasionally when between vowels, obstruents are often voiced. Vowels are lightly nasalized before nasal consonants.

Geminate obstruents tend to be somewhat aspirated, and geminate sonorants are sometimes devoiced.

/l/ is pronounced as a fricative by many speakers when geminated and when adjacent to obstruents. For some speakers, /l/ is more rhotic, but for most, it is something like [ɫ~lˤ], especially around /ɑ(ː)/.

The exact realization of /h/ can vary greatly from speaker to speaker, but it is almost universally post-velar.


Examples:

<tótko> /ˈtɔtkɔ/ [tɔ˥t̚ko] "rope, cord, connection"
<kallúl> /kɑlˈlul/ [kɑɬˈɬˤul˥] "falcon"
<mī́gi> /ˈmijŋi/ [ˈmʲĩː˥ŋʲi] "moon"
Porphyrogenitos
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Porphyrogenitos »

/n/
/t k kʷ ʔ/
/s h/
/w/

/i a o/

syllable structure is (C)V

/ti/ is impermissible and is always replaced by /si/
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by DesEsseintes »

Porphyrogenitos wrote: 02 Aug 2018 23:21 /n/
/t k kʷ ʔ/
/s h/
/w/

/i a o/

syllable structure is (C)V

/ti/ is impermissible and is always replaced by /si/
[+1] [tick]

Reminded me of Núta until I noticed the phonotactics.

Are /kʷo ko/ distinct?
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Birdlang »

/p pʰ t tʰ k kʰ ʔ/ p b t d k g ʾ
/ɓ ɗ ɠ/ ḃ ḋ ġ
/m n ŋ/ m n ŋ
/ɸ β f v s z θ̪͆ ð̪͆ ɕ ʑ ʃ ʒ ç ʝ x ɣ X ʁ ħ ʕ h ɦ/ ᵽ ƀ f v s z þ đ ś ź š ž ŝ ẑ ꝁ ǥ ꝗ ƣ ḥ ʿ h ɦ
/pɸ bβ p̪f b̪v ts dz t̪͆θ̪͆ d̪͆ð̪͆ tɕ dʑ ʧ ʤ cç ɟʝ kx ɡɣ qX ɢʁ ʡʜ ʔh/ꝓ ꞗ ꝑ ḇ c j ꝥ ꞓ ć ȷ́ č ǰ ĉ ĵ ꞣ ꞡ ꝙ ᵹ ꜧ ɦ
/ʋ ɹ j̊ j ɥ ɰ ʍ w/ ỽ r ỿ y ꝡ ꝩ ꝯ w
/l ʎ/ l ɫ
/ɺ/ ƚ
/ɬ ɮ ʎ̝̊ ʎ̝ ʟ̝̊ ʟ̝/ ɬ ⱡ ḷ ḻ ḽ ỻ

/i iː e eː a aː u uː o oː/ i ī e ē a ā u ū o ō
/ã ãː/ ą ą̄
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Void »

Following my love of Caucasian (mostly Northeast) languages and a need for a grim proto-language, I've developed the following two potential proto-phonologies:

Jheurłachi
Spoiler:
Nasals: /m n ŋ/ ⟨m n ṇ⟩

Voiceless plosives: /p pˤ t tˤ k kˤ q qˤ/ ⟨p ṗ t ṭ k ḳ q q̇⟩

Voiced plosives: /b bˤ d dˤ g gˤ ɢ ɢˤ/ ⟨b ḅ d ḍ g ġ gh ġh⟩

Aspirated plosives: /pʰ pˤʰ tʰ tˤʰ kʰ kˤʰ qʰ qˤʰ/ ⟨ph ṗh th ṭh kh ḳh qh q̇h⟩

Ejective plosives: /pʼ pˤʼ tʼ tˤʼ kʼ kˤʼ qʼ qˤʼ/ ⟨p’ ṗ’ t’ ṭ’ k’ ḳ’ q’ q̇’⟩

Voiceless and voiced affricates: /ts tsˤ dz dzˤ tʃ tʃˤ dʒ dʒˤ/ ⟨c c̣ j jh č č̣ ǰ ǰh⟩

Aspirated and ejective affricates: /tsʰ tsˤʰ tsʼ tsˤʼ tʃʰ tʃˤʰ tʃʼ tʃˤʼ/ ⟨ch c̣h cʼ c̣ʼ čh č̣h čʼ č̣ʼ⟩

Voiceless fricatives: /s sˤ ʃ ʃˤ x xˤ χ χˤ/ ⟨s ṣ š ṣ̌ x x̣ xh x̣h⟩

Voiced fricatives: /z zˤ ʒ ʒˤ ɣ ɣˤ ʁ ʁˤ/ ⟨z ẓ ž ẓ̌ ǧ ǧh ř řh⟩

Approximants, laterals, and trills: /w j l lˤ ɬ ɬˤ ɮ ɮˤ r rˤ/ ⟨w y l ḷ lh ḷh ł łh r ṙ⟩

Monophthongs: /i iː u uː ə əː a aː/ ⟨i ī u ū e ē a ā⟩

Diphthongs: /ai̯ au̯ ui̯ əi̯ əu̯ ɛː ɔː iː ɨː ʉː/ ⟨ay au uy ey eu ē ō ī ey eu⟩
Something more sensible and friendly to my ears:
Spoiler:
Nasals: /mˤ m n nˤ ŋ ŋˤ/ ⟨m ṃ n ṇ ŋ ꜧ⟩

Voiceless plosives: /p pˤ t tˤ k kˤ/ ⟨p ṗ t ṭ k ḳ⟩

Voiced plosives: /b bˤ d dˤ g gˤ/ ⟨b ḅ d ḍ g ġ⟩

Ejective plosives: /pʼ pˤʼ tʼ tˤʼ kʼ kˤʼ/ ⟨p’ ṗ’ t’ ṭ’ k’ ḳ’⟩

Affricatives: /ts dz tsʼ tʃ dʒ tʃʼ/ ⟨c j cʼ č ǰ čʼ⟩

Voiceless fricatives: /s sˤ ʃ x xˤ/ ⟨s ṣ š x x̣⟩

Voiced fricatives: /z zˤ ʒ ɣ ɣˤ/ ⟨z ẓ ž ǧ ǧʼ⟩

Approximants, laterals, and trills: /w j l lˤ ɬ ɬˤ ɮ ɮˤ r rˤ/ ⟨w y l ḷ ł ł̣ ꝣ ꝣʼ r ṙ⟩

Monophthongs: /i iː u uː ɨ ɨː ɛ ɛː ɔ ɔː a aː/ ⟨i ī u ū ï î e ē o ō a ā⟩

Diphthongs: /ai̯ au̯ ɔi̯ ɛu̯/ ⟨ai au oi eu⟩
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by k1234567890y »

consonants:
/m n nˤ ŋ/
/ɓ t tˤ ɗ k qˤ ʔ/
/f v s sˤ z x ɣ ʕ/
/r l j/

vowels:
/ɑ ɛ ɪ i ɔ u/

syllable structure: CV(C)(C)
I prefer to not be referred to with masculine pronouns and nouns such as “he/him/his”.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Porphyrogenitos »

DesEsseintes wrote: 03 Aug 2018 05:31 [+1] [tick]

Reminded me of Núta until I noticed the phonotactics.

Are /kʷo ko/ distinct?
Yep, they are.

I'm thinking it maybe ought to have one additional syllable template, since the possibilities are currently very restrictive. (In fact, I created it to satisfy my 26-syllable challenge, but now I'm thinking it deserves a little more.)

Maybe sCV or hCV, or perhaps (C)Vʔ or (C)Vh, or even CʔV. Any opinions?
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by k1234567890y »

Porphyrogenitos wrote: 03 Aug 2018 14:26
DesEsseintes wrote: 03 Aug 2018 05:31 [+1] [tick]

Reminded me of Núta until I noticed the phonotactics.

Are /kʷo ko/ distinct?
Yep, they are.

I'm thinking it maybe ought to have one additional syllable template, since the possibilities are currently very restrictive. (In fact, I created it to satisfy my 26-syllable challenge, but now I'm thinking it deserves a little more.)

Maybe sCV or hCV, or perhaps (C)Vʔ or (C)Vh, or even CʔV. Any opinions?
maybe all of them? (:

btw, the proposals remind me of Khmer
I prefer to not be referred to with masculine pronouns and nouns such as “he/him/his”.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by LinguoFranco »

I'm trying to design a personal language, but I'm still figuring out a lot of the phonemes. Here's what I have so far:

/m n ɲ/
/p b t d k g c/
/s ɕ ʑ ɸ x/
/l r j w~ʋ ʍ ʟ/
/t͡ɕ d͡ʑ/

/a ã e ẽ i ĩ o õ u ũ/

I really like palatals and liquids and semi-vowels, and I think my plosive inventory may be a bit too bulky for my tastes, but I won't do anything to it just yet. I'm also unsure of my fricative inventory. Nasals can occur word final, even /ɲ/. Other consonants are permitted as well, since the language is mora timed and there is syllable weight.

Thoughts, opinions, or suggestions?
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by k1234567890y »

looks fine by me
I prefer to not be referred to with masculine pronouns and nouns such as “he/him/his”.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by DesEsseintes »

This is Čawač, an idea for an a priori Algonquianino that I came up with because I can’t sleep.

/n/ n
/t t͡s t͡ʃ k/ t c č k
/θ s ʃ/ θ s š
/r j w/ r y w

/a e i o u/ a e i o u
/aː eː iː oː uː/ ā ē ī ō ū

Fairly free clustering, normally restricted to two consonants.
Last edited by DesEsseintes on 06 Aug 2018 05:15, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by k1234567890y »

Phonology of Culet:

/m n ɲ ŋ/
/p pʰ t tʰ c cʰ k kʰ/
/f v s z ʃ x ɣ/
/w r l j/

/a ie i o ɤ u/

consonants can form initial and final clusters

also, there are consonant mutations related to morphological processes.
DesEsseintes wrote: 05 Aug 2018 20:25 This is Čawač, an idea for an a priori Algonquianino that I came up with because I can’t sleep.

/n/ n
/t t͡s t͡ʃ k/ t c č k
/θ s ʃ/ θ s š
/r j w/ r y w

/a e i o u/ a e i o u
/a e i o u/ ā ē ī ō ū

Fairly free clustering, normally restricted to two consonants.
nice (:

seems that Čawač is a language without labials? (:
I prefer to not be referred to with masculine pronouns and nouns such as “he/him/his”.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by sangi39 »

k1234567890y wrote: 06 Aug 2018 00:02 Phonology of Culet:

/m n ɲ ŋ/
/p pʰ t tʰ c cʰ k kʰ/
/f v s z ʃ x ɣ/
/w r l j/

/a ie i o ɤ u/
Was this inspired by Nivkh at all? The vowels are really familiar.
You can tell the same lie a thousand times,
But it never gets any more true,
So close your eyes once more and once more believe
That they all still believe in you.
Just one time.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by k1234567890y »

sangi39 wrote: 06 Aug 2018 00:35
k1234567890y wrote: 06 Aug 2018 00:02 Phonology of Culet:

/m n ɲ ŋ/
/p pʰ t tʰ c cʰ k kʰ/
/f v s z ʃ x ɣ/
/w r l j/

/a ie i o ɤ u/
Was this inspired by Nivkh at all? The vowels are really familiar.
yes

it is inspired by Nivkh
I prefer to not be referred to with masculine pronouns and nouns such as “he/him/his”.
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Man in Space »

/m n/
/p b t d tʲ dʲ k g/
/ɾ j w/
/ʎ ʟ/

/i e a ɨ o u/
/ь ъ m̩ n̩/ (I guess the nasals here are considered yers)

(K)(X)(C)(R)V(U) syllable structure, where:
  • K = One of /k g j w ʎ ʟ ь ъ/
  • X = One of /p t tʲ k n ɾ m w j ь ъ/
  • C = Any consonant, or /ь ъ/
  • R = One of /ɾ j w ʎ ʟ/
  • U = One of /p b t d tʲ dʲ k g ɾ j w ʎ ʟ/
Other stuff:
  • Before /ʎ j i ь/, /t d/ become [tʲ dʲ].
  • Most initial geminate sequences simply degeminate. With coronals, it's a bit more complex. There's some progressive voicing assimilation for coronal stops that happens, and then the sequences /ttʲ ddʲ tʲt dʲd/ become [stʲ zdʲ ʃt ʒd].
  • The yers tend to signify that something has screwed up, especially when /r/ gets involved as it is low on this language's sonority hierarchy—more plosive-like than resonant-like. In the typical case the yers crop up due to a violation of the sonority hierarchy, but are technically phonemic because there's only really four of them, and even then most of the time [m̩] assimilates to [n̩]. Palatal phones become /ь/, while velars become /ъ/, and the nasals just syllabify and assimilate to a following labial or coronal.
The yers do various things in various languages. In some they are reflected as spirantization or voicing. In others, you end up with palatalization or labialization/velarization, as appropriate. In still others they simply drop, while they are "promoted" to full vowels in others still. Add vowel dissimilation or centering into the mix in some languages and you have a recipe for disaster awesomeness.
Twin Aster megathread

AVDIO · VIDEO · DISCO

CC = Common Caber
CK = Classical Khaya
CT = Classical Ĝare n Tim Ar
Kg = Kgáweq'
PB = Proto-Beheic
PO = Proto-O
PTa = Proto-Taltic
STK = Sisỏk Tlar Kyanà
Tm = Təmattwəspwaypksma
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by shimobaatar »

DesEsseintes wrote: 05 Aug 2018 20:25 This is Čawač, an idea for an a priori Algonquianino that I came up with because I can’t sleep.

/n/ n
/t t͡s t͡ʃ k/ t c č k
/θ s ʃ/ θ s š
/r j w/ r y w

/a e i o u/ a e i o u
/a e i o u/ ā ē ī ō ū

Fairly free clustering, normally restricted to two consonants.
Looks like a good start. Are there initial and/or final clusters, or are clusters exclusively word-internal? Does "Algonquianino" mean anything specific, or is it just a random corruption of "Algonquian"? Also, if you'll excuse my nit-picking, I assume you meant something like /aː eː iː oː uː/ for ā ē ī ō ū?
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by Man in Space »

shimobaatar wrote: 06 Aug 2018 04:06Does "Algonquianino" mean anything specific, or is it just a random corruption of "Algonquian"?
If I may interject: I don't think it's a "random corruption", it looks like a diminutive (cf. neutrino, plutino).
Twin Aster megathread

AVDIO · VIDEO · DISCO

CC = Common Caber
CK = Classical Khaya
CT = Classical Ĝare n Tim Ar
Kg = Kgáweq'
PB = Proto-Beheic
PO = Proto-O
PTa = Proto-Taltic
STK = Sisỏk Tlar Kyanà
Tm = Təmattwəspwaypksma
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Re: Random phonology/phonemic inventory thread

Post by shimobaatar »

Linguifex wrote: 06 Aug 2018 04:28
shimobaatar wrote: 06 Aug 2018 04:06Does "Algonquianino" mean anything specific, or is it just a random corruption of "Algonquian"?
If I may interject: I don't think it's a "random corruption", it looks like a diminutive (cf. neutrino, plutino).
Sure. Just making sure it's not an establish term in English that I'm not familiar with.
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