Katebá

[conlang-creature]

It's time to try to figure out documentation.

Katebá
Phonology:
m n̼ <m n>
p b t̼ d̼ k g <p b t d k g>
s z x ɣ <s z x h>
j <j>

ɑ ə i <a e i>

Syllable Structure:
(C)V

Stress:
Stress always lands on the second syllable, unless it is the latter half of a dipthong. Most affixes do not affect stress. In cases where the stress is not immediately clear, the stressed vowel will be marked, as in Spanish.

Word Order:
SOV is standard, though passive sentences are (arguably) VS

Grammar:
Grammar in Kateba is quite simple. Verbs and nouns do not decline. Adjectives decline for animacy.

Animacy:
The animacy distinction is rather simple. For concrete nouns, the ending (of a root word) will help denote whether it is animate or inanimate. -a denotes animate nouns, while -e and -i denote inanimate nouns. Adjectives swap endings based on animacy: -a for animate nouns, and -e for inanimate nouns. Also, inanimate nouns cannot be used as a subject except for with linking verbs/verbs of existence.

Passive Constructions:
To make a verb passive, use the gerundive (ka-) form of the verb followed by (or more properly, modified by) the subject. Follow with any prepositional phrases. Example: Kataye papi i ma. The rock was delivered to me. (Lit. The delivery of the rock to me.)

Abstract nouns:
Abstract nouns are treated as animate in generalizations, and intransitive elsewhere. For example, "Love conquers all." would be translated in the same way, while "Love benefits me." would be translated as: "I am benefited by love."

[Khemehekis]

Looks good so far. Reminds me of the indigenous tongues of Soith America.

[Arayaz]

KTB spotted! A coincidence?

[DV82LECM]

Labiolinguals? You chose violence.

[conlang-creature]

Labiolinguals are one of the few non-english sounds I feel confident pronouncing.

[Omzinesý]

ɑ ə i <a e i>

That looks like a vertical vowel system. They are cool! (Actually a 45 degrees vowel system.)

Usually consonants in such languages have coarticulations, e.g. labialization, that cause the vowels have more allophones.

[conlang-creature]

Usually consonants in such languages have coarticulations, e.g. labialization, that cause the vowels have more allophones.

I've only just now started to understand what coartiiculation is, do you mind explaining how that would lead to vowel allophony?

[conlang-creature]

Usually consonants in such languages have coarticulations, e.g. labialization, that cause the vowels have more allophones.

I've only just now started to understand what coartiiculation is, do you mind explaining how that would lead to vowel allophony?

[Arayaz]

Usually consonants in such languages have coarticulations, e.g. labialization, that cause the vowels have more allophones.

I've only just now started to understand what coartiiculation is, do you mind explaining how that would lead to vowel allophony?

Well, take a sequence like /kʷɑ/. The rounding of /kʷ/ (that's what labialization is, roughly) could simply spread to the /ɑ/, producing [kʷɒ]. Or in /kʲa/, the raising/fronting (palatalization) of /kʲ/ could spread to the /a/ and produce [kʲɛ].

[conlang-creature]

Hmmm...
I was thinking perhaps s/z would be pronounced as sʲ/zʲ... perhaps that could cause some allophony...
Something like: ɑ/ə -> ɐ/ɪ ?
I definitely could see stops undergoing labializatian before ə, but I'm not sure that would change anything.

[conlang-creature]

Tense:
Tense is typically marked with time constructions (tomorrow, already, when I get back, etc.). However when no time constructions are used,
-jadi is used to mark past tense. This is also used if a time construction is unclear on whether the time indicated is future or past. The only way to specifically mark future tense is to form a passive construction and add the verb bine, which is obsolete outside this construction. Habituals have their own system, which has not been developed yet.

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Using passivization in the future tense is a really cool idea! I might have to try something like that in a lang soon.