Tsaihänni
Intro
Tsaihänni is the first language I've put serious thought into for a while (as of 8 Nov. 2015). This document is a sketchpad of all I've written on it thus far. Many things are missing or incomplete (phoneme frequencies, basic lists for TAM/cases/etc), but I feel that it's ready enough for feedback. Please, once you're done, go back to the thread if that's what brought you here and tell me what you think. If you don't really want to look at the phonology, hover over the sidebar to the left and click on "Grammar Testing Bed" for all sorts of examples.
Tsaihänni
tsai=hä-nni
tsɑ͡içɐnːi
1PL=talk-NMZ
tsai=hä-nni
tsɑ͡içɐnːi
1PL=talk-NMZ
'*our speech*'
Culture
There is no culture yet, but I imagine that there will be soon. (TODO).
Phonology
Phonemes | Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Back | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | Hard | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |
Round | mʷ | nʷ | ɲʷ | ŋʷ | ||
Soft | mʲ | nʲ | ɲʲ | ŋʲ | ||
Plosive | Hard | p b | t d | k g | ||
Round | pʷ bʷ | tʷ dʷ | kʷ gʷ | |||
Soft | pʲ bʲ | tʲ dʲ | kʲ gʲ | |||
Affricate | Hard | t͡s d͡z | t͡ɕ d͡ʑ | |||
Round | bʷ͜vʷ | tʷ͜sʷ dʷ͜zʷ | tʷ͜ɕʷ dʷ͜ʑʷ | |||
Soft | bʲ͜vʲ | tʲ͜ʃʲ dʲ͜ʒʲ | tʲ͜ɕʲ dʲ͜ʑʲ | |||
Fricative | Hard | f v | s z | ɕ ʑ ç | x ʝ~ɣ | χ~ħ ʁ~ʕ |
Soft | fʲ vʲ | ʃʲ ʒʲ | ɕʲ ʑʲ | xʲ ɣʲ | χʲ ʀj~ʀ̆j | |
Approximants | w | l lʲ | ɥ j |
Graphemes | Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Back | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | Hard | m | n | gn | ng | |
Round | mw | nw | gnw | ngw | ||
Soft | mj | nj | gnj | ngj | ||
Plosive | Hard | p b | t d | k g | ||
Round | pw bw | tw dw | kw gw | |||
Soft | pj bj | tj dj | kj gj | |||
Affricate | Hard | ts dz | tsh dzh | |||
Round | bvw | tsw dzw | tshw dzhw | |||
Soft | bvj | tsj dzj | tshj dzhj | |||
Fricative | Hard | f v | s z | sh zh h | kh gh | hh r |
Soft | fj vj | sj zj | shj zhj | khj ghj | hhj rj | |
Approximants | w | l lj | ui j |
Phonemes | Front | Center | Back |
---|---|---|---|
High | i ʏ~y | ɨ | u |
Mid-High | e~ɛ ɪ | o | |
Mid-Low | ɛ̞ œ | ə | ɔ |
Low | æ~a | ɑ | |
Dipthongs | e͡i œ͡y o͡i ɑ͡ɪ ɐ͡i ɑ͡ɔ ɐ͡o |
Graphemes | Front | Center | Back |
---|---|---|---|
High | i ü | ï | u |
Mid-High | e ì | o | |
Mid-Low | ë ö | a | å |
Low | æ | aa | |
Dipthongs | e͡i œ͡y o͡i ɑ͡ɪ ɐ͡i ɑ͡ɔ ɐ͡o |
- For all round consonants, [ʷ] become [ᶣ] before rounded vowels.
- Consonant voicing tends to assimilate with the preceding consonant in the cluster,
where a cluster is a series of two consonants not spanning a syllable boundary (i.e. in an onset or coda position). - /e/ and /ɛ/ are merging. /e/ is almost always [ɛ] in closed syllables.
- Coda palatalisation is sometimes realised as offglide /i̯/.
Syllable Structure
- C: Any Plosive or Nasal
- F: Any Fricative or Affricate
- R: Any Approximant
- V: Any Vowel
The Structure is: (F)(C|R)V(j|ʁ|l|w)(C)(s|ɕ)(t)[1].
TODO: Phoneme frequency.
Stress and Isochrony
Primary stress almost always falls on the penultimate syllable. Secondary stress is more finicky and needs to be sorted out (TODO).
TODO: The rest.
Basic Grammar and Syntax
The default word order is SVO, but parts can shift around in a non-configurationalmanner, with less important or older elements dropping toward the end of the sentence.
There are no noun classes, save a vestigial class for animate females and endeared terms, with its usage transitioning toward only the latter.
Verbs
Ye Table of Declensions
A | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
1 | mä- | - |
2 | - | |
3 | e- | |
3F | ta- | tü- |
A | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
3F |
Some ideas
- Logophoricity, f ye!
Grammar Testing Bed
Sample Sentences
Dao gwöügn.
dao
dɑ͡ɔ
man[ABS]
gwöü-gn
gʷœ͡yɲ
[3S.A]eat-ANTIP
dao gwöü-gn
dɑ͡ɔ gʷœ͡yɲ
man[ABS] [3S.A]eat-ANTIP
The man eats (it).
Daom egwöü må.
dao-m
dɑ͡ɔm
man-ERG
e-gwöü
ˈe.gʷœ͡y
3S.ERG-eat[3S.P]
må
mɔ
bread[ABS]
dao-m e-gwöü må
dɑ͡ɔm ˈe.gʷœ͡y mɔ
man-ERG 3S.ERG-eat[3S.P] bread[ABS]
The man eats the bread.
Må gwöüyn.
må
mɔ
bread[ABS]
gwöü-yn
gʷœ͡yɥn
eat[3S.P]-PASS
må gwöü-yn
mɔ gʷœ͡yɥn
bread[ABS] eat[3S.P]-PASS
The bread is eaten.
Tshïh legwöügn.
tshï-h
tɕɨç
3[ABS]-PL
le-gwöü-gn
ˈle.gʷœ͡yɲ
3PL.A-eat-ANTIP
tshï-h le-gwöü-gn
tɕɨç ˈle.gʷœ͡yɲ
3[ABS]-PL 3PL.A-eat-ANTIP
They are eating (something, e.g. a meal).
Gwöükwä!
gwöü-kwä
gʷœ͡ykʷa
gwöü-kwä
gʷœ͡ykʷa
Eat!
Vrom tapit sä.
vro-m
vʁom
3S.F-ERG
ta-pi-t
ˈtɑ.pɪt
3S.F.A-set[3S.P]-PST
sä
sɐ
it[ABS]
vro-m ta-pi-t sä
vʁom ˈtɑ.pɪt sɐ
3S.F-ERG 3S.F.A-set[3S.P]-PST it[ABS]
She set it down.
Vro tapisht.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-sh-t
ˈtɑ.pɪɕt
3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST
vro ta-pi-sh-t
vʁo ˈtɑ.pɪɕt
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST
She set herself down. (She sat down.)
Vro tapishtign.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-sh-t-(i)gn
ˈtɑ.pɪɕ.tɪɲ
3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST-ANTIP
vro ta-pi-sh-t-(i)gn
vʁo ˈtɑ.pɪɕ.tɪɲ
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST-ANTIP
Reflexive verbs are always intransitive, and thus cannot be antipassive.
Vrom tapisht.
vro-m
vʁom
3S.F-ERG
ta-pi-sh-t
ˈtɑ.pɪɕt
3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST
vro-m ta-pi-sh-t
vʁom ˈtɑ.pɪɕt
3S.F-ERG 3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST
Reflexive verbs are always intransitive, and thus cannot take an ergative argument.
Vro tapimt.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-m-t
ˈtɑ.pɪmt
3S.F.A-set-STAT-PST
vro ta-pi-m-t
vʁo ˈtɑ.pɪmt
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-STAT-PST
She sat. (She was sitting.)
Vro tapimtign.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-m-t(i)-gn
tɑˈpɪm.tɪɲ
3S.F.A-set-STAT-PST-ANTIP
vro ta-pi-m-t(i)-gn
vʁo tɑˈpɪm.tɪɲ
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-STAT-PST-ANTIP
Stative verbs are always intransitive, and thus cannot be antipassive.
Vro tapimsht.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-m-sh-t
ˈtɑ.pɪmɕt
3S.F.A-set-STAT-REFL-PST
vro ta-pi-m-sh-t
vʁo ˈtɑ.pɪmɕt
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-STAT-REFL-PST
A verb cannot be both stative and reflexive.
Vro tapisht shönen.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
ta-pi-sh-t
tɑˈpɪɕt
3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST
shön-en
ˈɕœn.ɛn
quick-ADV
vro ta-pi-sh-t shön-en
vʁo tɑˈpɪɕt ˈɕœn.ɛn
3S.F[ABS] 3S.F.A-set-REFL-PST quick-ADV
She sat quickly.
Vro natapishät shönen.
vro
vʁo
3S.F[ABS]
na-ta-pi-sh-ät
nɑ.tɑˈpɪɕ.ɐt
EVID-3S.F.A-set-REFL-FUT
shön-en
ˈɕœn.ɛn
quick-ADV
vro na-ta-pi-sh-ät shön-en
vʁo nɑ.tɑˈpɪɕ.ɐt ˈɕœn.ɛn
3S.F[ABS] EVID-3S.F.A-set-REFL-FUT quick-ADV
She will sit quickly.
Dzjï napishätkja shönen fiyenës
dzjï
dʑʲɨ
2S[ABS]
na-pi-sh-ät-kja
nɑ.piˈɕɐt.kʲa
EVID-[2S.A]set-REFL-FUT-IMP
shön-en
ˈɕœn.ɛn
quick-ADV
fiy-ën=ës
fiˈjɛn.ɛs
smooth-ADV=and
dzjï na-pi-sh-ät-kja shön-en fiy-ën=ës
dʑʲɨ nɑ.piˈɕɐt.kʲa ˈɕœn.ɛn fiˈjɛn.ɛs
2S[ABS] EVID-[2S.A]set-REFL-FUT-IMP quick-ADV smooth-ADV=and
You will sit quickly and smoothly.
Em mähät i vro
e-m
em
1S-ERG
mä-hä-t
mɐˈçɐt
1S.A-say[3S.O]-PST
i
i
PREP
vro
vʁo
3S.F
e-m mä-hä-t i vro
em mɐˈçɐt i vʁo
1S-ERG 1S.A-say[3S.O]-PST PREP 3S.F
I said (it) to her.
Em mähänwäsjt i sä
e-m
em
1S-ERG
mä-hä-gnj-äsj-t
mɐçɐɲjɐi̯ʃʲtʲ
1S.A-say-APL-3S.F.O-PST
i
i
PREP
sä
sɐ
it
e-m mä-hä-gnj-äsj-t i sä
em mɐçɐɲjɐi̯ʃʲtʲ i sɐ
1S-ERG 1S.A-say-APL-3S.F.O-PST PREP it
I told (her) it.
Phrasebook
Erlä hhaf!
erlä
eʁlɐ
morning[ABS]
hhaf
ħɑf
hello
erlä hhaf
eʁlɐ ħɑf
morning[ABS] hello
Good morning!
Colloquially “Ëlläkhakh!”, a corruption of the original phrase.
Tshja, tshja. Mïnyi ghunnje is.
tshja
tɕʲɑ
yes
tshja
tɕʲɑ
yes
mïn-yi
ˈmɨn.ji
very
ghun-nje
ˈɣun.nʲe
big-GEN
is
is
[3S.A]be[3S.O]
tshja tshja mïn-yi ghun-nje is
tɕʲɑ tɕʲɑ ˈmɨn.ji ˈɣun.nʲe is
yes yes very big-GEN [3S.A]be[3S.O]
[Yes, yes. It's very big.](https://www.reddit.com/r/conlangs/comments/3s3m9s/how_many_words_are_in_your_conlangs/cwtzlgv)
Sentences for Testing Conlang Syntax
Tjæ såkhäng.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh-äng
sɔxɐŋ
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-GNO
tjæ så-kh-äng
tʲæ sɔxɐŋ
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-GNO
The sun illuminates. (*gnomic*)
Tjæ såkh.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh
sɔx
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
tjæ så-kh
tʲæ sɔx
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
The sun illuminates. (The sun is shining.)
Tjæ såkht.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh-t
sɔxt
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-PST
tjæ så-kh-t
tʲæ sɔxt
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-PST
The sun illuminated. (The sun shone.)
Tjæ nasåkhät.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
na-så-kh-ät
nɑˈsɔx.ɐt
EVID-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
tjæ na-så-kh-ät
tʲæ nɑˈsɔx.ɐt
sun[ABS] EVID-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
The sun will shine. (The speaker knows this to be true.)
Also:Tjæ såkhätnäng.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh-ätn-äng
sɔˈxɐt.nɐŋ
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT-GNO
tjæ så-kh-ätn-äng
tʲæ sɔˈxɐt.nɐŋ
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT-GNO
The sun will shine. (It is general knowledge so.)
Tjæ nuiösåkhät.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
nuiö-så-kh-ät
nɥœˈsɔ.xɐt
HSY-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
tjæ nuiö-så-kh-ät
tʲæ nɥœˈsɔ.xɐt
sun[ABS] HSY-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
The sun will shine. (The speaker has heard this to be true.)
Tjæ nusåkhät.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
nu-så-kh-ät
nuˈsɔ.xɐt
INFER-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
tjæ nu-så-kh-ät
tʲæ nuˈsɔ.xɐt
sun[ABS] INFER-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
The sun will shine. (The speaker infers.)
Tjæ maisåkhät
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
mai-så-kh-ät
mɑ͡iˈsɔ.xɐt
UNSURE-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
tjæ mai-så-kh-ät
tʲæ mɑ͡iˈsɔ.xɐt
sun[ABS] UNSURE-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
The sun will shine. (The speaker is uncertain, but thinks it likely.)
Tjæ sååkhëni
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så~å-kh-ëni
ˈsɔːx.ɛni
[3S.A]illuminate~PERF.CONT-IMPRS-PERF.CONT
tjæ så~å-kh-ëni
tʲæ ˈsɔːx.ɛni
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate~PERF.CONT-IMPRS-PERF.CONT
The sun has been shining.
Tjæ såkh mïn
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh
sɔx
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
mïn
mɨn
more
tjæ så-kh mïn
tʲæ sɔx mɨn
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS more
The sun is shining again.
Tjæ nasåkhät erläb.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
na-så-kh-ät
nɑˈsɔ.xɐt
EVID-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT
erlä-b
eʁlɐb
morning-ESS
tjæ na-så-kh-ät erlä-b
tʲæ nɑˈsɔ.xɐt eʁlɐb
sun[ABS] EVID-[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS-FUT morning-ESS
The sun will shine tomorrow.
Tjæ såkh hhlien.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
så-kh
sɔx
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
hhli-en
ˈħli.e̞n
blind-ADV
tjæ så-kh hhli-en
tʲæ sɔx ˈħli.e̞n
sun[ABS] [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS blind-ADV
The sun shines brightly. (The sun shines blindingly.)
Tjæ hhliyi såkh.
tjæ
tʲæ
sun[ABS]
hhli-yi
ˈħli.ji
blind[ABS]-PTCP
så-kh
sɔx
[3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
tjæ hhli-yi så-kh
tʲæ ˈħli.ji sɔx
sun[ABS] blind[ABS]-PTCP [3S.A]illuminate-IMPRS
The bright sun shines. (The blinding sun shines.)
Ghjoh immje sigaltign.
ghjo-h
ɣʲoç
person[ABS]-PL
im-nje
imːʲe̞
all-GEN
si-gal-t(i)-gn
siˈgɑl.tɪɲ
3PL.A-shout-PST-ANTIP
ghjo-h im-nje si-gal-t(i)-gn
ɣʲoç imːʲe̞ siˈgɑl.tɪɲ
person[ABS]-PL all-GEN 3PL.A-shout-PST-ANTIP
All the people shouted.
Ghjoh sunnje sigaltign.
ghjo-h
ɣʲoç
person[ABS]-PL
sun-nje
sunːʲe̞
some-GEN
si-gal-t(i)-gn
siˈgɑl.tɪɲ
3PL.A-shout-PST-ANTIP
ghjo-h sun-nje si-gal-t(i)-gn
ɣʲoç sunːʲe̞ siˈgɑl.tɪɲ
person[ABS]-PL some-GEN 3PL.A-shout-PST-ANTIP
Some of the people shouted.
The final (t) only appears when not preceeded by a /t/ or /d/. ↩︎