Commonthroat: a language that only a dog could probably pronounce

[Arayaz]

My personal opinion on cats is that their reputation for cleverness is largely undeserved. *raises flame shield*

I'm a cat person, but I agree. The real clever animals? Crows. And dolphins. And octopi.

[Khemehekis]

I'm a cat person, but I agree. The real clever animals? Crows. And dolphins. And octopi.

Parrots are awesome too. I have the sapient species known as the parrotpeople on the planet Psittacotia in the Lehola Galaxy ("parrotperson" and "Psittacotia" both being LIE exonyms, obviously). I also have the detrom, who are sapient otters.

[lurker]

rjHrHGfdg

/chuff, early rising weakening growl, chuff, long low weakening growl, short high weakening whine, short low weak growl/

from rjHr (to howl, sing, pray aloud) + -HG (an instance of the verb) + -fd (diminutive suffix)

Noun

A canticle, especially those used by hearthkeepers

[lurker]

Parrots are awesome too. I have the sapient species known as the parrotpeople on the planet Psittacotia in the Lehola Galaxy ("parrotperson" and "Psittacotia" both being LIE exonyms, obviously). I also have the detrom, who are sapient otters.

I'm also a fan of parrots. I don't have the resources to own one as a pet, but I really want to interact with one, a big one like a macaw or a cockatoo.

I've also come to appreciate apes and monkeys thanks to this project of mine. I used to find them gross and disturbing, in an uncanny valley kind of way, but reading up on them has made me warm up to our hairier brethren. I've particularly taken a shine to orangutans. They're quiet and solitary just like me.

[lurker]

rf!

/chuff, short high strong whine/

Verb

to chuff, utter a chuff consonant

Interjection

Hi, hello (sometimes written <rr>)

Chuffing is the yinrih equivalent to a smile or saying hello to a familiar person, or an unfamiliar stranger if they're not formally introducing themselves with the customary introductory greeting "Light shine upon you, friend."

Here's a rough approximation of how it sounds.

[lurker]

Well, I guess it's official: Commonthroat has copulas. I tried to avoid them, but here we are. I guess <nl> (used with prepositions) is technically a copula, so I suppose they've been here all along.

So...

<BD>

/long rising weak whine/

Not to be confused with the interrogative deictic suffix -BD, although the two are likely etymologically related.

Verb

Interrogative copula.

<BD> means "what is...?"

You use the interrogative copula when asking for the sense of a word or phrase. You use the interrogative deictic suffix when you're asking for the referent of a word or phrase.

Code: Select all

rMLcdr-Mr     BD
computer-3P  what_is
What is this computer?

g   rMLcdr-BD
POS computer-INT
Whose computer?

rMLcdr-BD    qbC
computer-INT right
Which computer is the right one?
Which computer is right?

rMLcdr-g    BD
computer-3I what_is
What's a computer?

[lurker]

Here's an updated pronunciation table. I think the last one I did was still using the romanization scheme with vowels. Here's a new one according to the current transliteration scheme. An updated morpheme list is upcoming:

Code: Select all

rom.      timing     tone       strength        phonation  
b          short      low        weak            whine      
B          long       low        weak            whine      
c          short      low        strong          whine      
C          long       low        strong          whine      
d          short      high       weak            whine      
D          long       high       weak            whine      
f          short      high       strong          whine      
F          long       high       strong          whine      
g          short      low        weak            growl      
G          long       low        weak            growl      
h          short      low        strong          growl      
H          long       low        strong          growl      
j          short      high       weak            growl      
J          long       high       weak            growl      
k          short      high       strong          growl      
K          long       high       strong          growl      
l          short      low        weak            grunt      
L          long       low        weak            grunt      
m          short      low        strong          grunt      
M          long       low        strong          grunt      
n          short      high       weak            grunt      
N          long       high       weak            grunt      
p          short      high       strong          grunt      
P          long       high       strong          grunt      
bc         short      low        strengthening   whine      
bC         early      low        strengthening   whine      
bd         short      rising     weak            whine      
bD         early      rising     weak            whine      
bf         short      rising     strengthening   whine      
bF         early      rising     strengthening   whine      
Bc         late       low        strengthening   whine      
BC         long       low        strengthening   whine      
Bd         late       rising     weak            whine      
BD         long       rising     weak            whine      
Bf         late       rising     strengthening   whine      
BF         long       rising     strengthening   whine      
cb         short      low        weakening       whine      
cB         early      low        weakening       whine      
cd         short      rising     weakening       whine      
cD         early      rising     weakening       whine      
cf         short      rising     strong          whine      
cF         early      rising     strong          whine      
Cb         late       low        weakening       whine      
CB         long       low        weakening       whine      
Cd         late       rising     weakening       whine      
CD         long       rising     weakening       whine      
Cf         late       rising     strong          whine      
CF         long       rising     strong          whine      
db         short      falling    weak            whine      
dB         early      falling    weak            whine      
dc         short      falling    strengthening   whine      
dC         early      falling    strengthening   whine      
df         short      high       strengthening   whine      
dF         early      high       strengthening   whine      
Db         late       falling    weak            whine      
DB         long       falling    weak            whine      
Dc         late       falling    strengthening   whine      
DC         long       falling    strengthening   whine      
Df         late       high       strengthening   whine      
DF         long       high       strengthening   whine      
fb         short      falling    weakening       whine      
fB         early      falling    weakening       whine      
fc         short      falling    strong          whine      
fC         early      falling    strong          whine      
fd         short      high       weakening       whine      
fD         early      high       weakening       whine      
Fb         late       falling    weakening       whine      
FB         long       falling    weakening       whine      
Fc         late       falling    strong          whine      
FC         long       falling    strong          whine      
Fd         late       high       weakening       whine      
FD         long       high       weakening       whine      
gh         short      low        strengthening   growl      
gH         early      low        strengthening   growl      
gj         short      rising     weak            growl      
gJ         early      rising     weak            growl      
gk         short      rising     strengthening   growl      
gK         early      rising     strengthening   growl      
Gh         late       low        strengthening   growl      
GH         long       low        strengthening   growl      
Gj         late       rising     weak            growl      
GJ         long       rising     weak            growl      
Gk         late       rising     strengthening   growl      
GK         long       rising     strengthening   growl      
hg         short      low        weakening       growl      
hG         early      low        weakening       growl      
hj         short      rising     weakening       growl      
hJ         early      rising     weakening       growl      
hk         short      rising     strong          growl      
hK         early      rising     strong          growl      
Hg         late       low        weakening       growl      
HG         long       low        weakening       growl      
Hj         late       rising     weakening       growl      
HJ         long       rising     weakening       growl      
Hk         late       rising     strong          growl      
HK         long       rising     strong          growl      
jg         short      falling    weak            growl      
jG         early      falling    weak            growl      
jh         short      falling    strengthening   growl      
jH         early      falling    strengthening   growl      
jk         short      high       strengthening   growl      
jK         early      high       strengthening   growl      
Jg         late       falling    weak            growl      
JG         long       falling    weak            growl      
Jh         late       falling    strengthening   growl      
JH         long       falling    strengthening   growl      
Jk         late       high       strengthening   growl      
JK         long       high       strengthening   growl      
kg         short      falling    weakening       growl      
kG         early      falling    weakening       growl      
kh         short      falling    strong          growl      
kH         early      falling    strong          growl      
kj         short      high       weakening       growl      
kJ         early      high       weakening       growl      
Kg         late       falling    weakening       growl      
KG         long       falling    weakening       growl      
Kh         late       falling    strong          growl      
KH         long       falling    strong          growl      
Kj         late       high       weakening       growl      
KJ         long       high       weakening       growl      
lm         short      low        strengthening   grunt      
lM         early      low        strengthening   grunt      
ln         short      rising     weak            grunt      
lN         early      rising     weak            grunt      
lp         short      rising     strengthening   grunt      
lP         early      rising     strengthening   grunt      
Lm         late       low        strengthening   grunt      
LM         long       low        strengthening   grunt      
Ln         late       rising     weak            grunt      
LN         long       rising     weak            grunt      
Lp         late       rising     strengthening   grunt      
LP         long       rising     strengthening   grunt      
ml         short      low        weakening       grunt      
mL         early      low        weakening       grunt      
mn         short      rising     weakening       grunt      
mN         early      rising     weakening       grunt      
mp         short      rising     strong          grunt      
mP         early      rising     strong          grunt      
Ml         late       low        weakening       grunt      
ML         long       low        weakening       grunt      
Mn         late       rising     weakening       grunt      
MN         long       rising     weakening       grunt      
Mp         late       rising     strong          grunt      
MP         long       rising     strong          grunt      
nl         short      falling    weak            grunt      
nL         early      falling    weak            grunt      
nm         short      falling    strengthening   grunt      
nM         early      falling    strengthening   grunt      
np         short      high       strengthening   grunt      
nP         early      high       strengthening   grunt      
Nl         late       falling    weak            grunt      
NL         long       falling    weak            grunt      
Nm         late       falling    strengthening   grunt      
NM         long       falling    strengthening   grunt      
Np         late       high       strengthening   grunt      
NP         long       high       strengthening   grunt      
pl         short      falling    weakening       grunt      
pL         early      falling    weakening       grunt      
pm         short      falling    strong          grunt      
pM         early      falling    strong          grunt      
pn         short      high       weakening       grunt      
pN         early      high       weakening       grunt      
Pl         late       falling    weakening       grunt      
PL         long       falling    weakening       grunt      
Pm         late       falling    strong          grunt      
PM         long       falling    strong          grunt      
Pn         late       high       weakening       grunt      
PN         long       high       weakening       grunt      

[lurker]

Here's an updated list of morphemes These are roots rather than whole words, so nouns don't have deictic suffixes etc. The best way to look up a morpheme would probably be to copy the whole code block, past it into a text editor, and Ctrl+F to search for what you want.

Code: Select all

Root       Meaning                                                                                                    Category            
rmr        today                                                                                                      adverb              
sjr        tomorrow                                                                                                   adverb              
spr        yesterday                                                                                                  adverb              
B          from                                                                                                       preposition         
b          of (possessive preposition)                                                                                preposition         
G          imperative modal                                                                                           particle            
g          possessive particle                                                                                        preposition         
h          plural                                                                                                     adjective           
j          and                                                                                                        conjunction         
L          modal (wish/hope/desire)                                                                                   particle            
M          sturdy, steadfast, hard                                                                                    adjective           
n          with (preposition indicating means or instrument)                                                          preposition         
P          in                                                                                                         preposition         
p          perch (straddle branch on the belly)                                                                       verb                
l          or                                                                                                         conjunction         
H          no, none, zero                                                                                             numeral             
F          complimentizer (free)                                                                                      particle            
C          another                                                                                                    adjective           
K          time, instance, occasion (spanish vez)                                                                     noun                
-b         nonauthoritative verb suffix                                                                               suffix              
-c         suffix turning nouns into adjectives                                                                       suffix              
-g         3rd person indefinate noun suffix                                                                          suffix              
-l         1st person noun suffix                                                                                     suffix              
-m         customary/agentive verbal suffix                                                                           suffix              
-p         3rd person distal noun suffix                                                                              suffix              
bc         on, upon, for (purpose?)                                                                                   preposition         
BC         all                                                                                                        adjective           
bD         squeeze                                                                                                    verb                
Bd         wet                                                                                                        adjective           
cD         breathe                                                                                                    verb                
CD         over, above, about, concerning                                                                             preposition         
DC         under, below                                                                                               preposition         
dq         forest                                                                                                     noun                
FB         complimentizer (bound)                                                                                     particle            
FD         sand                                                                                                       noun                
Gr         fog                                                                                                        noun                
jk         little                                                                                                     adjective           
jr         big                                                                                                        adjective           
Kq         egg                                                                                                        noun                
Lm         flat                                                                                                       adjective           
nl         to be at, located (Mandarin zài)                                                                           verb                
Np         front, forward (adj)                                                                                       adjective           
nq         with (alongside)                                                                                           preposition         
pL         cloud                                                                                                      noun                
pn         digit                                                                                                      noun                
PN         squat, sit like a dog                                                                                      verb                
Pq         burn                                                                                                       verb                
qg         wide                                                                                                       adjective           
-qN        3rd person medial suffix                                                                                   suffix              
rB         ink                                                                                                        noun                
rf         joint                                                                                                      noun                
rF         name                                                                                                       noun                
rG         rope, cable                                                                                                noun                
rn         know                                                                                                       verb                
sc         liver (analogous organ)                                                                                    noun                
sF         to love                                                                                                    verb                
sG         to (direction)                                                                                             preposition         
sh         flow                                                                                                       verb                
sN         broad, wide                                                                                                adjective           
sn         skin                                                                                                       noun                
rl         to (marks indirect object)                                                                                 preposition         
hG         true, authentic                                                                                            adjective           
GJ         work, make                                                                                                 verb                
-K         dogmatic verb suffix                                                                                       suffix              
-BD        interrogative noun suffix                                                                                  suffix              
-Mr        3rd person proximal noun suffix                                                                            suffix              
-qn        2nd person noun suffux                                                                                     suffix              
-sd        suffix forming female names                                                                                suffix              
-sk        suffix on male names                                                                                       suffix              
BCq        shine upon, illuminate (transitive)                                                                        verb                
cbq        blood                                                                                                      noun                
cdq        ask                                                                                                        verb                
CDq        hold                                                                                                       verb                
dcr        dam (female parent)                                                                                        noun                
Dcr        scratch                                                                                                    verb                
rFB        fly                                                                                                        verb                
fCq        find                                                                                                       verb                
Frk        back (anatomy)                                                                                             noun                
gJq        swim                                                                                                       verb                
gqJ        finally (final?)                                                                                           adjective           
hgq        because                                                                                                    conjunction         
HJq        tree                                                                                                       noun                
jhq        sea                                                                                                        noun                
Jhr        belly                                                                                                      noun                
JKq        push                                                                                                       verb                
kjq        palm, sole                                                                                                 noun                
KJq        three                                                                                                      numeral             
LNr        few                                                                                                        adjective           
lPr        climb                                                                                                      verb                
MLq        tooth                                                                                                      noun                
MNq        day                                                                                                        noun                
MNr        pelage/coat                                                                                                noun                
Mqd        rainbow                                                                                                    noun                
mqM        male (more formal, used in biology, medicine etc.)                                                         noun                
NLr        lick                                                                                                       verb                
nmq        lactation patches                                                                                          noun                
NPq        dirty                                                                                                      adjective           
Plq        dig                                                                                                        verb                
PMq        muzzle                                                                                                     noun                
qbC        correct                                                                                                    adjective           
qbc        false, pseudo-                                                                                             adjective           
qBd        river                                                                                                      noun                
qbf        if                                                                                                         conjunction         
qBf        two                                                                                                        numeral             
qBq        exhale through the nose (sigh?)                                                                            verb                
qcb        narrow                                                                                                     adjective           
qcB        rear up (hind feet on the ground and abdomen exposed)                                                      verb                
qcD        fruit                                                                                                      noun                
qCq        see                                                                                                        verb                
qCr        mouth                                                                                                      noun                
qDc        and                                                                                                        conjunction         
qDC        mountain                                                                                                   noun                
qfr        at                                                                                                         preposition         
qFr        fire                                                                                                       noun                
qGH        die                                                                                                        verb                
qgj        fight                                                                                                      verb                
qGq        to warm (transitive)                                                                                       verb                
qGr        play (a game)                                                                                              verb                
qhg        full                                                                                                       adjective           
qhq        sire                                                                                                       noun                
qHr        laugh                                                                                                      verb                
qkg        smoke                                                                                                      noun                
qKq        split                                                                                                      verb                
qln        manner, way                                                                                                noun                
rln        pant                                                                                                       verb                
qMP        wash                                                                                                       verb                
sfq        earth, soil, the planet Yih                                                                                noun                
qNP        ice                                                                                                        noun                
qpq        put, place                                                                                                 verb                
rBq        turn                                                                                                       verb                
rCf        dry                                                                                                        adjective           
rDB        say                                                                                                        verb                
rdF        an electric shock                                                                                          noun                
rDq        female religious superior                                                                                  noun                
rdr        one                                                                                                        numeral             
rfc        guts, viscera (symbolic seat of emotion)                                                                   noun                
rFD        claw, nail                                                                                                 noun                
rgJ        stab                                                                                                       verb                
rGq        bring                                                                                                      verb                
rgr        bark (tree)                                                                                                noun                
rHg        male                                                                                                       noun                
rJh        throat, language                                                                                           noun                
rkh        right                                                                                                      adjective           
rkH        rub                                                                                                        verb                
rkq        sharp                                                                                                      adjective           
rmK        hearth                                                                                                     noun                
rml        bite                                                                                                       verb                
rML        think                                                                                                      verb                
rmn        long                                                                                                       adjective           
rnL        not (negative adverb)                                                                                      adverb              
rnP        live                                                                                                       verb                
rnq        paw                                                                                                        noun                
rpM        small                                                                                                      adjective           
sbc        flesh, meat (as food), gore                                                                                noun                
sBC        table, counter                                                                                             noun                
sCF        new                                                                                                        adjective           
scr        star                                                                                                       noun                
sDc        heavy                                                                                                      adjective           
sdF        rodent analog                                                                                              noun                
sdq        throw                                                                                                      verb                
sFb        vomit                                                                                                      verb                
sfc        child                                                                                                      noun                
sFq        news, tidings                                                                                              noun                
sGh        freeze                                                                                                     verb                
sGH        womb-nest                                                                                                  noun                
sgH        thin                                                                                                       adjective           
sGk        eye                                                                                                        noun                
sGr        hunt                                                                                                       verb                
sgr        Planetary ring                                                                                             noun                
sHq        dull (not sharp)                                                                                           adjective           
sjH        sky                                                                                                        noun                
sJq        short                                                                                                      adjective           
sKh        tongue                                                                                                     noun                
sLq        salutations (used in letters)                                                                              interjection        
sPL        salt                                                                                                       noun                
sCb        ship, craft, vehicle                                                                                       noun                
qCb        bright                                                                                                     adjective           
lNr        heal                                                                                                       verb                
lNq        look for, seek                                                                                             verb                
rGr        guide                                                                                                      verb                
qBC        storm                                                                                                      noun                
sjg        lie, deceive                                                                                               verb                
rMP        feel (emotion), smell like                                                                                 verb                
lmq        speed                                                                                                      noun                
rhK        wheel                                                                                                      noun                
sPl        dew, condensation                                                                                          noun                
sb-        verbal prefix meaning to cover with (cf Englsih be-)                                                       prefix              
-HG        suffix turning a verb into a noun with the meaning of “an event of”                                        suffix              
rLr        personal space, vicinity, sphere, realm, domain                                                            noun                
Lmq        fix, repair                                                                                                verb                
fCq        lose                                                                                                       verb                
sJK        choose, vote                                                                                               verb                
-plr       suffix creating transitive verbs from nouns                                                                suffix              
qBCr       flesh (as opposed to spirit)                                                                               noun                
qcDr       give                                                                                                       verb                
qCFq       female                                                                                                     noun                
qdBq       lap (drink using the tongue)                                                                               verb                
qDCq       sleep (torpor)                                                                                             verb                
qfBq       red                                                                                                        adjective           
qFdq       ear                                                                                                        noun                
qfdr       stand                                                                                                      verb                
qgHr       rain                                                                                                       noun                
qgJr       many                                                                                                       adjective           
qgKq       yinrih (analgous to “human”)                                                                               noun                
qGKq       night                                                                                                      noun                
qjHr       left                                                                                                       adjective           
qJKq       bad                                                                                                        adjective           
qjkq       dust                                                                                                       noun                
qjkr       pull                                                                                                       verb                
qKgr       heart (analogous organ)                                                                                    noun                
qkGr       white                                                                                                      adjective           
qlnr       thick                                                                                                      adjective           
qLPq       hear                                                                                                       verb                
qMLq       five                                                                                                       numeral             
qmLr       neck                                                                                                       noun                
qMNr       sun                                                                                                        noun                
qMqm       human                                                                                                      noun                
qNLr       lake                                                                                                       noun                
qNmq       stick                                                                                                      noun                
qnpq       count                                                                                                      verb                
rbCq       cold                                                                                                       adjective           
rBfq       hit                                                                                                        verb                
rbfq       old                                                                                                        adjective           
rBFr       four                                                                                                       numeral             
rCFq       eat                                                                                                        verb                
rdBq       write                                                                                                      verb                
rDFr       near                                                                                                       preposition         
rFbr       bone                                                                                                       noun                
rfBr       afraid                                                                                                     adjective           
rfbr       walk                                                                                                       verb                
rFcq       straight                                                                                                   adjective           
rFDq       tie                                                                                                        verb                
rGKq       come                                                                                                       verb                
rhGr       rotten                                                                                                     adjective           
rHqP       missionary                                                                                                 noun                
rjHr       Howl, sing, pray publicly                                                                                  verb                
rKgq       other                                                                                                      adjective           
rLmq       animal                                                                                                     noun                
rlnq       cut                                                                                                        verb                
rLPq       light                                                                                                      noun                
rNlr       good                                                                                                       adjective           
rpLq       wind                                                                                                       noun                
rPNq       lie on the back                                                                                            verb                
sbfr       far                                                                                                        adjective           
sbrP       custodian, guardian                                                                                        noun                
scBq       water                                                                                                      noun                
sCfr       smell (perceive via olfaction)                                                                             verb                
scfr       smooth                                                                                                     adjective           
sCsC       joyful                                                                                                     adjective           
sdbq       fat                                                                                                        noun                
sDbr       yellow                                                                                                     adjective           
sdFr       some                                                                                                       adjective           
sFsF       friend                                                                                                     noun                
sgHq       grass                                                                                                      noun                
sGhq       swell                                                                                                      verb                
sGKq       road                                                                                                       noun                
sGkq       wipe                                                                                                       verb                
sHGq       milk                                                                                                       noun                
sHJr       ashes                                                                                                      noun                
shkq       year                                                                                                       noun                
sHKr       root                                                                                                       noun                
sjgq       head                                                                                                       noun                
sJhq       sew (agriculture?)                                                                                         verb                
sJkr       lie down on the belly                                                                                      verb                
sKGq       stone                                                                                                      noun                
sKHq       seed                                                                                                       noun                
slnr       green                                                                                                      adjective           
slPq       tail                                                                                                       noun                
smnr       leaf                                                                                                       noun                
sMPq       black                                                                                                      adjective           
smpr       fall                                                                                                       verb                
sNLr       leg                                                                                                        noun                
sNMq       kill                                                                                                       verb                
sPlr       float                                                                                                      verb                
sPlq       rhinarium                                                                                                  noun                
spLr       round                                                                                                      adjective           
sPnq       snow                                                                                                       verb                
sPNq       warm                                                                                                       adjective           
qnlq       sick                                                                                                       adjective           
rBCq       peace                                                                                                      noun                
sBCq       empty                                                                                                      adjective           
qGKq       outer space                                                                                                noun                
rKGr       the surface of a planet                                                                                    noun                
qJGr       letter, glyph                                                                                              noun                
-sfsf      mirative verb suffix                                                                                       suffix              
HKsHK      book                                                                                                       noun                
jk         little                                                                                                     adjective           
khqkh      male (guy, dude, chap, bloke etc)                                                                          noun                
sD         go                                                                                                         verb                
rD         stray, err                                                                                                 verb                
rcF        harbor, shelter, haven                                                                                     noun                
sMp        step, tread                                                                                                verb                
sCDr       flavor, taste                                                                                              verb                
rdc        poor, pitiable                                                                                             adjective           
spm        odor, emotion                                                                                              noun                
rC         flick with the tail                                                                                        verb                
jHr        thump the ground with the tail                                                                             verb                
kHr        strike with the tail                                                                                       verb                
rGk        plain                                                                                                      adjective           
B          try, attempt                                                                                               verb                
mp         question particle                                                                                          particle            
Bdq        valley, dale                                                                                               noun                
rj         passive coverb (acted upon by)                                                                             verb                
pr         reciprical coverb (acted upon each other)                                                                  
sHJq       thagomizer                                                                                                 noun                
Ln         hortative particle (“Let’s”)                                                                               particle            
rgj        grow, become                                                                                               verb                
BD         What is?                                                                                                   verb                
ML         thing                                                                                                      noun                
-GH        -ness (also turns verbs into nouns meaning "the concept of")                                               suffix              
-Cb        cause to become (forms transitive verbs from nouns or adjectives)                                          suffix              
rpMr       happy                                                                                                      adjective           
rfCr       sad                                                                                                        adjective           
rkHr       angry                                                                                                      adjective           
qdB        remember, recall                                                                                           verb                
snp        holy                                                                                                       adjective           
sm-        un- (opposite)                                                                                             prefix              
sL         body heat, soul                                                                                            noun                
-cdr       indicates a tool used to perform the action of the verb or which makes or acts upon a noun                 suffix              
-PL        group of, forms collective nouns                                                                           suffix              
pM         must, have to (modal indicating obligation or necesity)                                                    particle            
qF         merely, only, no more than                                                                                 adverb              
rBF        cry, weep                                                                                                  verb                
qCD        male litter mate                                                                                           noun                
qDB        female litter mate                                                                                         noun                
rGhq       home                                                                                                       noun                
rHJq       morning                                                                                                    noun                
sCBr       evening                                                                                                    noun                
CF         middle                                                                                                     noun                
rKg        opine                                                                                                      verb                
sBc        spend, pass, waste                                                                                         verb                
cDq        time (Spanish tiempo)                                                                                      noun                
-dB        tending to, apt to (cf Latin -ax)                                                                          suffix              
rfDq       interest                                                                                                   noun                
rp         reflexive/middle coverb (act upon onself)                                                                  verb                
Fq         whine                                                                                                      verb                
Kq         growl                                                                                                      verb                
Pq         grunt                                                                                                      verb                
qf         huff                                                                                                       verb                
rf         chuff                                                                                                      verb                
sf         yip                                                                                                        verb                
sfcr       sign, symbol                                                                                               noun                
-sfb       re-                                                                                                        suffix              
sFDr       bless                                                                                                      verb                
rhJ        bend                                                                                                       verb                
rCF        look at, consider, behold                                                                                  verb                
fb         stop,cease                                                                                                 verb                
-k         authoritative verb suffix?                                                                                 suffix              
spM        spread                                                                                                     verb                
-Jq        Indicates a resident of a place or member of a group                                                       suffix              
rFb        reason, cause                                                                                              noun                
sFB        reason, motive                                                                                             noun                
sfB        mind                                                                                                       adjective           
sNL        behind                                                                                                     preposition         
rN         lore, body of knowledge                                                                                    noun                
rMq        bridge                                                                                                     noun                
rFCr       ansible                                                                                                    noun                
qcq        kiss (touch the nose to something and quickly exhale)                                                      verb                
rcBr       life                                                                                                       noun                
dFr        prove, demonstrate, show                                                                                   verb                
sMlr       dear, beloved, expensive                                                                                   adjective           
rkG        dozen                                                                                                      number              
qbF        gross (144)                                                                                                number              
rDBq       token, coin, unit of currency, point                                                                       noun                
FDr                                                                                                                   verb                
qCDr       just, fair                                                                                                 adjective           
rNPq       spring, well, source, font                                                                                 noun                
sMPr       forst flyer (flying animal)                                                                                noun                
cB         outside                                                                                                    adverb              
-db        -able                                                                                                      suffix              
rBD        walk on two legs, hobble, waddle                                                                           verb                
sPM        to boil                                                                                                    verb                
GJq        still, yet                                                                                                 adverb              
HKr        notch, chip                                                                                                noun                
FBr        moon, natural satellite                                                                                    noun                
NPr        odd, funny, strange, rare                                                                                  adjective           
-fd        diminuative suffix                                                                                         suffix              
-DF        augmentative suffix                                                                                        suffix              
qNL        cloaca                                                                                                     noun                
slm        cream, butter                                                                                              noun                
splq       dawn                                                                                                       noun                
rBc        pass, pass by, succeed at                                                                                  verb                
dBq        learn                                                                                                      verb                
Dbr        research, study, meditate                                                                                  verb                
-lN        indicates a place charactarized by the root                                                                suffix              
qMlr       last final                                                                                                 adjective           
qgJ        operate, use                                                                                               verb                
sMnr       bulk, girth, mass                                                                                          noun                
qNMr       quench, douse, extinguish, deactivate                                                                      verb                
sJHq       nuzzle, scrutinize, examine closely                                                                        verb                
rBFq       to cover, surround                                                                                         verb                
qMn        comrade, ally, partner                                                                                     noun                
rMNq       light, ignite, turn on, activate                                                                           verb                
rCB        hope                                                                                                       verb                
sGJ        strong                                                                                                     adjective           

[lurker]

I haven't done a good job making sure the glossing abbreviations are consistent. Here's a set of abbreviations that I think work that I'll try to stick to:

Code: Select all

Verbal inflections
-0      AUTH    authoritative mood
-b      NAUTH   nonauthoritative mood
-sfsf   MIR     mirative mood
-K      DOG     dogmatic mood

Nominal inflections
-l      1   First Person
-qn     2   Second Person
-g      3I  Third Person Indefinate
-Mr     3P  Third Person Proximal
-qN     3M  Third Person Medial
-p      3D  Third Person Distal
-BD     INT Interrogative

particles
L       OPT     Optative modal
G       IMP     Imperative modal
pM      NEC     Necesitative modal
Ln      HORT    Hortative modal
mp      INP     Interrogative particle (yes/no questions)
g       POS     possessive particle

[lurker]

A few words I've had to coin for the analysis swap game:

<DB>

/long falling weak whine/

related to -DB "-able"

Verb

can, be able to

Code: Select all

B    sCFq-Mr  0    DB-0     qCq-0    g   rGhq-Mr
from place-3P [I]  can-AUTH see-AUTH POS home-3P
I can see my house from here.
here = "this place/this location"

---

<rgJfd>

/chuff, early rising weak growl, short high weakening whine/

from rgJ (to stab) + -fd (diminutive suffix)

1. to sting
2. to prick
3. to puncture

[lurker]

The Necessitative mood expresses need or requirement. It is formed with the modal particle <pM>, /early falling strong grunt/ along with an authoritative verb. It differs from the imperative/jussive (which uses the particle <G>) in that it's not directly commanding that the statement come to fruition. It also differs from the optative, which uses <L>, in that the speaker may not necessarily WANT what he's expressing, but he does NEED it.

Code: Select all

pM  sG rGhq-p 0    sD 
NEC to home-3D [I] go.
I need to go home.
I must go home.

[lurker]

qDbg

/huff, late falling weak whine, short low weak growl/

Noun

1. a small town
2. (tree dwellers and presapient yinrih) a shire, a social group consisting of childermoots, their litters, and empty-nesters, lead by a group of patriarchs, and, after yinrih achieve sapience, by female shamans. (info

Derived terms:

qDb-DF-g

from qDbg (small town) + -DF (augmentative suffix)

A large city, a metropolis

---

LMrg
/long low strengthening grunt, chuff, short low weak growl/

1. assembly, moot.
2. (Terran religion) a church or synagogue--specifically refers to the community and not the building, a calque of Greek ἐκκλησία (assembly).

Often forms compounds with a suffixed noun referring to either the members composing the group or to the purpose of the group.

Derived terms:

LMr-sfc-g

from LMrg (moot) + sfcg (pup).
A group of yinrih sires and dams, a childermoot.

LMr-qCFq-g

From LMr (moot) + qCFq (woman, female yinrih).
The Wifemoot, the upper legislative house of the planet Hearthside, consisting only of clergy, and thus only of women.

LMr-rHg-g

from LMr (moot) + rHg (man, male yinrih).
The Weremoot, the lower legislative house of the planet Hearthside, representing the laity. Not technically male-only, but Hearthsider women who get into politics generally start out as clerics.

More info on Hearthside's political system

[lurker]

A possessive phrase using <g> can be the object of the possessive preposition <b> (of).

Code: Select all

G   rnL rkqCb-0       sJHq-p                b  g   smsFsF-qN
IMP not sharpen-AUTH  spiked_tail_weapon-3D of POS enemy-3M
"Do not sharpen your enemy's weapon."

A more Terran way to say the above proverb is "If any stick is good enough to beat you with, don't hand your enemy a flail." Meaning if you've already got bad publicity, don't make it worse by giving your enemies legitimate reasons to go after you.

The word <sJHqg> refers to a spiked tube or ring that is wielded in the tail. It's often referred to as a "thagomizer" in English, as it's used in the same way as a stegosaurus's tail spikes. It may hold similar symbolic value to yinrih as swords do to humans.

[lurker]

So, I've made a big deal about how the yinrih rely on non visual sensory information much more than humans. I've so far avoided elaborating on this concept in Commonthroat. In my never ending quest to do literally anything besides what I should be doing (yay ADHD!) I went searching for information on how human languages treat olfactory experience in order to get some inspiration.

I should preface this by saying that I am not a professional linguist. I did minor in linguistics in college, but do not consider myself more than an amateur in the field.

I ran across This academic paper, which expounds on exactly this topic, specifically as it relates to the Maniq language of southern Thailand, which has a set of what I'm going to call "odor colors".

I'm too cheap and lazy to buy a copy of the full paper, but here's what I got out of the abstract:

Conventional linguistic wisdom says that language cannot encode odors in the same way that it does colors. By this I take to mean that the word "green" describes a subjective sensory experience independent of any physical object that happens to evoke the sensation we call "green". Grass may be green, but there's nothing about the word green that inextricably links it to grass or any other green thing. In contrast, words describing odors are all bound to specific things that emit those odors. flowers smell "floral", fruits smell "fruity", earth smells "earthy", etc.

This paper challenges that notion, saying that the assumption that language cannot encode odors is based on data from languages of the developed world, and that an examination of a more diverse sample of languages seems to suggest that these "odor colors" as I call them, do indeed exist in at least some languages.

Various other scraps I can dig up about the above-mentioned article mention things like encoding axes or volumes of a conceptual space. I suppose like how tastes are more or less bitter, sour, savory, sweet, or salty, as though each of the five taste words are axes in a multidimensional spectrum.

I've also mentioned that I rely heavily on odors to get around, especially in places like shopping malls. Furthermore, I think it's pretty well known now that olfaction is very strongly tied to memory.


Anyway, right now Commonthroat heavily associates odor with emotion. You don't say "I feel sad", you say "I smell sad." When commenting on others' emotions, you also say "you smell sad" not "you look sad", because the speaker gathers that the listener is sad through the pheromones they're emitting rather than visual body language or facial expressions.

Commonthroat already has a few odor words, in addition to the basic emotions "happy", "sad", "angry", afraid", there's at least one word tying smell to memory, specifically nostalgia, and a word describing a lack of odor which doubles as a word for stoic or unemotional.

Just thinking out loud...

[lurker]

qmPr

/huff, early rising strong grunt, chuff/

Verb.

1. to catch
2. to arrest someone/something mid-fall

derived terms:

qmPrHGg: a catch, an act of catching
rjqmPrg: something caught, quarry, hunting trophy

---

rp-qmPr-HG

from rp (reflexive coverb) + qmPr (to catch) + -HG (an act or event of)

Coined by analogy with the idiomatic expression <B _____ smpr> meaning both "I fell from ____" and "I failed at ____".

an <rpqmPrHG> literally "an act of catching oneself" refers to picking oneself up after a significant failure.

Somewhat analogous to the English expression "It's not how many times you fall off the horse, it's how many times you get back on."

[lurker]

rjrCFqslPqg

/chuff, short high weak growl, chuff, long rising strong whine, huff, yip, early rising strengthening grunt, huff, short low weak growl/

from rjrCFqg (food) + slPqg (tail) "Tail food"

Noun

Small snacks or hors d'oeuvres meant to be eaten while standing or when the paws are otherwise occupied, leaving the tail as the means of grasping the food.