Ziḥñā'ī

A forum for all topics related to constructed languages
Post Reply
User avatar
Shemtov
runic
runic
Posts: 3283
Joined: 29 Apr 2013 04:06

Ziḥñā'ī

Post by Shemtov »

This is the language of the Ziḥña people, toward the Northeast of the Momṭẓʿālemeōm empire. They are the last independent Ziḥanic people, who are the natives of the territory of the Momṭẓʿālemeōm empire.

Phonology:
/p b ɓ t d t' t͡s' t͡ɬ' t͡ʃ d͡ʒ c͡ç' k g k' k͡p g͡b k͡p' ʔ/ <p b ḅ t d ṭ ṣ ḷ c j c̣ k g q p̂ ǧ q̌ '>
/f v s z ɬ ʃ ʒ x ħ ʕ h/ <f v s z ŀ š ž h̠ ḥ 3 h>
/m n ɲ ŋ m͡ŋ/ <m n ñ ŋ m̂>
/r/ <r>
/w l j/ <w l y>

/e o ɐ ɨ/ <i u a ï>
/i: u: a:/ <ī ū ā>

Nouns are either masculine or feminine. They are marked for definiteness, case and number.

Masculine Noun: 3anïm "snake"
Nominative indefinate: 3anïm
Nominative definate: Pā3anïm
Objective indefinate: Lu3anïm
Objective definate: Ŀū3anïm

Feminine noun: C̣ār "thread"
Nominative indefinate: C̣ār
Nominative definate: Wïc̣ār
Objective indefinate: q̌ic̣ār
Objective definate: ǧāc̣ār

Number is marked by the suffix -īm for masculines, and for feminines, three allomorphs exist: -un for words ending in all consonants except /r j w l/, -ït for those that end in said consonants, and -t for those ending in vowels.
Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
-JRR Tolkien
User avatar
Shemtov
runic
runic
Posts: 3283
Joined: 29 Apr 2013 04:06

Re: Ziḥñā'ī

Post by Shemtov »

The genitive case:
This case takes the nominative definate marker.
Monosyllabic noun roots and some irregular multisyllabics take the suffix ī or 'ī.
Hil "god; deity" Hilī "a god's"

Most multisyllabic roots have the heaviest vowel and lighten it. The heaviness hierachy in vowels is long vowels>short vowels except ï>ï. Multiple vowels of the same heaviness can cause irregularities as to which vowel is lightened.

Thus:
Pā3anïm "The snake" Pā3ïnïm "The snake's"
Naḅāy "Shaman" Naḅay "shaman's"

Other cases:
These take the objective case definite markers if definate. The morphemes are prefixes, that if definate, come after the definate marker.
Dative-Lative: Ri
Locative-instrumental: Vï
Ablative: M̂i (before vowels, M̂in)
Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
-JRR Tolkien
User avatar
Shemtov
runic
runic
Posts: 3283
Joined: 29 Apr 2013 04:06

Re: Ziḥñā'ī

Post by Shemtov »

Verbs:
The Verbal system is made from Biliteral or Triliteral roots.
The Imperfective stem is made from the pattern CāC or CāCiC, and takes person, number, and (in the 2P and 3P) gender prefixes:
Dāṣ "To eat"
1P singular: Īdāṣ
1P Plural: Ñïdāṣ
2P singular masc: Qadāṣ
2P singular fem: C̣adāṣ
2P plr: Qïnadāṣ
3P sing masc: Uwïdāṣ
3P sing fem: Ādāṣ
3P plr: Hadāṣ

M̂āḥil "to sleep"
1P singular: Īm̂āḥil
1P Plural: Ñïm̂āḥil
2P singular masc: Qam̂āḥil
2P singular fem: C̣am̂āḥil
2P plr: Qïnam̂āḥil
3P sing masc: Uwïm̂āḥil
3P sing fem: Ām̂āḥil
3P plr: Ham̂āḥil

The perfective stem is CiC:a or CiC:aC.

Diṣṣa "To have eaten"
1P singular: Īdiṣṣa
1P Plural: Īdiṣṣaw
2P singular masc: Qadiṣṣa
2P singular fem: C̣adiṣṣa
2P plr: Qïdiṣṣaw
3P sing masc: Uwïdiṣṣa
3P sing fem: Ādiṣṣa
3P plr: Hïdiṣṣaw

M̂iḥḥal "to have slept"
1P singular: Īm̂iḥḥal
1P Plural: Īm̂iḥḥalu
2P singular masc: Qam̂iḥḥal
2P singular fem: C̣am̂iḥḥal
2P plr: Qïm̂iḥḥalu
3P sing masc: Uwïm̂iḥḥal
3P sing fem: Ām̂iḥḥal
3P plr: Hïm̂iḥḥalu
Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
-JRR Tolkien
Post Reply