Thak's Something something scratchpad

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Thakowsaizmu
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Thak's Something something scratchpad

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

I am working on a new(ish) language. It is actually me taking three languages that I like and working them, as well as elements of others, into something I like [:D] The language is agglutinating, with derivational morphology. This is going to be an artlang, in that I have no intention to connect it to a conculture, nor is making it "natural" my goal. The language doesn't have a name yet, so the title is currently the only phrase that this language has. It means "I don't see any bits of fish".

<Củmuscur cūıŋenem>
/kʰɯ̰.mɯ.s̻kʰɯr kʰɯ:.iŋ.ɛ.nɛm/
ɂX-hủm-usc-u-r cū-ı-ŋ-e-nem
PL-fish-bits-3CLASS-PART see-PRES-1ps-INDIC-NEG
Spoiler:
Explanation:
<ɂX> The general marker for pluralized nouns is <ɂX>, the minuscule glottal stop being part of the orthography, with the <X> standing for an anaptyctical duplication of the first vowel in the noun (though it is stripped of length or pulse). However, in nouns beginning in /h/ or /ʔ/ the pluralization marker instead fortifies these phonemes to /kʰ/.

<hủm> Not a valid word in and of itself, this part of a noun connotes the idea of fish.

<usc> A derivational morpheme meaning "item, unit, fragment, small particle of a whole, element".

<u> This is the third classifier for nouns. There are four in total. The third classifier carries the meaning of something inanimate. In this case <hủmu> means a non-animate fish. Probably either dead or for eating.

<r> The partative case. There are a total of five cases, and all cases are marked word finally.

The verb breakdown should be rather self-explanatory, however it should be noted that base verbs are in the Perfective and are modified by tense/aspect and mood.
I won't detail the full phonology just yet, because it's not done, but all the vowels have been agreed upon and are thus:
/i ɯ ɛ ɑ/
<ı u e a>
/i: ɯ: ɛ: ɑ:/
<ī ū ē ā>
/ḭ ɯ̰ ɛ̰ ɑ̰/
<ỉ ủ ẻ ả>

Syllable structure is CV(C)(C)(V)(C) or something along those lines. Point is, no word can begin with a vowel. Also, pulse distinction (creaky voice) is only allowed in base words (either nouns or verbs) and particles. It is not allowed in derivation.

Noun Classes
Human (1) -a
Animate (2)
Inanimate (3) -u
Idea (4) -e

Cases
Nominative -n /n/
Ergative -q /ʜ~x~X/
Accusative -t /tʰ/
Partitive -r /r/
Oblique -0

Instead of calling it Nominative 1 and Nominative 2 or some other such thing, I have decided to just co-opt the Ergative for the purposes of my needs for this language. The language marks volition with certain verbs (if necessary), and when a volic-distinction is required, the language will mark that as ERG. the oblique case is used for everything that isn't related to alignment.

So, aside from a handful of nouns, a couple of derivations and a verb, this is all that I have so far. (Kind of doesn't seem like I spent all day neglecting other work to do this now that I am looking at it [:|] )
Last edited by Thakowsaizmu on 29 May 2015 23:49, edited 1 time in total.
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DesEsseintes
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by DesEsseintes »

I really like this! [:D]

The sample sentence looks really nice, and the vowel inventory is dreamy; [ɯː.i] is a lovely sequence!

I'll stop gushing now.
Thakowsaizmu
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

DesEsseintes wrote:I really like this! [:D]

The sample sentence looks really nice, and the vowel inventory is dreamy; [ɯː.i] is a lovely sequence!

I'll stop gushing now.
Thanks! :mrgreen:

I am still tinkering a little (clearly), but I have a few more things worked out that I'll share soon. I have been toying with that kind of vowel inventory for a while, and the whole point of the language is to be euphonic (for me).
Thakowsaizmu
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

<Neśelu zả neśıttenem ɂıŋīnan>
/nɛɕɛlɯ d͡z̻ɑ̰ nɛɕit:ʰɛnɛm ʔiŋi:nɑn/
neś-el-u zả neś(e)-ı-tt-e-nem ɂX-ŋīn-a-n
house-DIM-3C_OBL at live-PRES-3ps1C-INDIC-NEG PLU-person-1C-NOM
The people don't live in a house

<Lủm źıɂenā neśelu zả dản dỉgenā neśelu zả neśıtte ɂıŋīnan>
/lɯ̰m d͡ʑiʔɛnɑ: nɛɕɛlɯ d͡z̻ɑ̰ tɑ̰n tḭkɛnɑ: nɛɕɛlɯ d͡z̻ɑ̰ nɛɕit:ʰɛ ʔiŋi:nɑn/
lủm źıɂ(e)-nā neś-el-u zả dản dỉg(e)-nā neś-el-u zả neś(e)-ı-tt-e ɂX-ŋīn-a-n
not is_yellow-ADJ house-DIM-3C_OBL at but is_green-ADJ house-DIM-3C_OBL at live-PRES-3pp1C-INDIC PLU-person-1C-NOM
The people don't live in a yellow house, but a green house

The Noun Classes
As stated above, there are four lights! Sorry, rather, there are four noun classes, from here on out noted as 1C for the first class (human), 2C for the second class (animate), 3C for the third class (inanimate) and 4C for the fourth class (idea). The noun classes are marked on every noun, and on verbs in the 3rd person.
Thakowsaizmu
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

Relative Clauses
<Cētlıte śūnā ɂınavan>
cētl-ı-t-e śū-nā ɂın-av-a-n
/kʰɛ:t͡ɬitʰɛ ɕɯ:nɑ: ʔinɑvɑn/
is_cute-PRES-3pH-INDIC sleep-ADJ informal_person-feminine-1CLASS-NOM
The girl, who is sleeping, is cute; the sleeping girl is cute

<Mētıre hủmunā củvur saunā wēsıq>
mēt-ı-r-e hủm-u-nā củv-u-r sau-nā wēs-ı-q
/mɛ:tʰirɛ hɯ̰mɯnɑ: kʰɯ̰vɯr sɑɯnɑ: ɰɛ:six/
is_fat-PRES-3pA-INDIC fish-3C-ADJ head-3C-ADJ cat-2C-ERG
The cat who is eating the fish’s head is fat
When a base noun usually refers to something living (class 1 and 2) takes class 3, it is generally understood that it was a once living though now dead entity. For example: Ŋīna "person", Ŋīnu "corpse"

In "unnamed language", relative clauses are essentially analysed as adjectives that modify a noun.
Last edited by Thakowsaizmu on 21 Oct 2013 22:00, edited 2 times in total.
Prinsessa
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Prinsessa »

What a nice.

That adjectival thing is awesome. Classlessness for the win.
Ambrisio
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Ambrisio »

Great! I especially love the hook diacritic (in 'Củmuscur').
Thakowsaizmu
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Thak's Something something scratchpad

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

Experimenting with Austronesian / trigger alignment and order of animacy in the same language. No name yet, but some examples.

I see the cat - <ɂakana ɂaŋgak ɂewezı>
/ʔɑ.kɑ.nɑ ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑk ʔe̞.we̞.s̪i/
ɂa-k-an-a ɂX-ŋga-k ɂX-wez-ı
PRES-agent_trigger-see-INDIC SING-1p-agent SING-cat-animate

The cat sees me - <ɂanana ɂaŋgan ɂewezı>
/ʔɑ.nɑ.nɑ ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑn ʔe̞.we̞.s̪i/
ɂa-n-an-a ɂX-ŋga-n ɂX-wez-ı
PRES-patient_trigger-see-INDIC SING-1p-patient SING-cat-animate

I see you - <ɂakana ɂaŋgak ɂata / ɂanana ɂatan ɂaŋga>
/ʔɑ.kɑ.nɑ ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑk ʔɑ.tɑ/ /ʔɑ.nɑ.nɑ ʔɑ.tɑn ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑ/
ɂa-k-an-a ɂX-ŋga-k ɂX-ta
PRES-agent_trigger-see-INDIC SING-1p-agent SING-2p
ɂa-n-an-a ɂX-ta-n ɂX-ŋga
PRES-patient_trigger-see-INDIC SING-2p-patient SING-1p

I read a book - <ɂakosoma ɂaŋgak ɂosomo>
/ʔɑ.ko̞.s̻o̞.mɑ ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑk ʔo̞.s̻o̞.mo̞/
ɂa-k-osom-a ɂX-ŋga-k ɂX-som-o
PRES-agent_trigger-read-INDIC SING-1p-agent SING-book-inanimate

I read a book to you - <ɂakosomea ɂaŋgak ɂatan ɂosomo>
/ʔɑ.ko̞.s̻o̞.me̞.ɑ ʔɑ.ᵑɡɑk ʔɑ.tɑn ʔo̞.s̻o̞.mo̞/
ɂa-k-osom{e}-a ɂX-ŋga-k ɂX-ta-n ɂX-som-o
PRES-agent_trigger-read-INDIC{APP} SING-1p-agent SING-2p-patient SING-book-inanimate

(the <X> stands for an anaptyctical duplication of the first vowel in the noun, and is used to mark singular or countable nouns)
Order of animacy is (idea) > Human > animate > inanimate > idea/intangible

The verb will always agree with order of animacy, so if a human is the patient, the patient trigger is used. In cases where humans are the agent and patient, the speaker is free to emphasize either. (Same with similar noun classes.)

Also, because I am basically reworking the language presented, I didn't feel the need to create a new thread just yet. I changed the vowels, though. And like everything else.
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Man in Space
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Re: Củmuscur cūıŋenem

Post by Man in Space »

Thakowsaizmu wrote:In "unnamed language", relative clauses are essentially analysed as adjectives that modify a noun.
That's where the adjectives came from in Teyetáti—relativized verbs.
Thakowsaizmu wrote: Experimenting with Austronesian / trigger alignment and order of animacy in the same language. No name yet, but some examples.
Your marking seems a bit redundant for Austronesian—you're marking the agent/patient on both the verb and the NP. What you might want to do is make some sort of "direct" case for the NP that basically tells you to look at the verb for its role, and mark everything else as "indirect". If you haven't done so already, you may want to look at this topic on Austronesian alignment.
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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
HoskhMatriarch
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Re: Thak's Something something scratchpad

Post by HoskhMatriarch »

Thakowsaizmu wrote: Instead of calling it Nominative 1 and Nominative 2 or some other such thing, I have decided to just co-opt the Ergative for the purposes of my needs for this language. The language marks volition with certain verbs (if necessary), and when a volic-distinction is required, the language will mark that as ERG. the oblique case is used for everything that isn't related to alignment.
So it's active-stative? If it's active-stative, you just need agentive and patientive (or whatever other terms you may want to use for them).
No darkness can harm you if you are guided by your own inner light
Thakowsaizmu
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Re: Thak's Something something scratchpad

Post by Thakowsaizmu »

HoskhMatriarch wrote:
Thakowsaizmu wrote: Instead of calling it Nominative 1 and Nominative 2 or some other such thing, I have decided to just co-opt the Ergative for the purposes of my needs for this language. The language marks volition with certain verbs (if necessary), and when a volic-distinction is required, the language will mark that as ERG. the oblique case is used for everything that isn't related to alignment.
So it's active-stative? If it's active-stative, you just need agentive and patientive (or whatever other terms you may want to use for them).
That aspect of the language is no longer relevant to the current incarnation.
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