Bet Language
Bet, derived from its ancient form Bǝt, is a descendant of the Proto-Šabǧūl language branch of the Proto-ʔināši family. Its speakers are primarily concentrated in specific regions of southwestern Ausalon, where the language has significantly shaped local customs and societal structures.
Bet is recognized for its elaborate system of honorifics, a linguistic feature that showcases the society's deep-rooted values of respect and social hierarchy. This system employs a variety of linguistic strategies, such as affixes, alternative verb forms, and specialized vocabulary to denote various degrees of formality, humility, and respect towards the addressee or the subject of the conversation. Honorifics are used to reflect the relative status of speakers based on factors such as age, rank, relationship, or even the context of the conversation.
Phonologically, Bet has undergone significant changes from Proto-Šabǧūl, marked by a series of sound shifts, including the loss of final vowels, the voicing of initial consonants, the unrounding of rounded vowels, and the deletion of unstressed syllables. This has led to the evolution of a unique and complex sound system that distinguishes it from its linguistic relatives.
The writing system of Bet is adapted from the ancient Šabǧūl script and is written from right to left. Consonant characters are supplemented with diacritic marks to indicate vowels, a feature that has remained consistent throughout its evolution.
As a language, Bet is considered a symbol of cultural identity, linking its speakers to their rich historical and cultural heritage. The continuity of the language in a rapidly globalizing world testifies to the resilience of its speakers and their commitment to preserving their linguistic legacy. Efforts are being undertaken to encourage the use of Bet and ensure its survival for future generations.
Sound Change
Here are the sound changes from Proto-Šabǧūl to Bǝt:- Loss of Final Vowels: All final vowels are dropped.
- Voicing of Initial Consonants: Initial voiceless consonants become voiced.
- Unrounding of Rounded Vowels: Rounded vowels /u/, /o/ become unrounded to /i/, /e/ respectively.
- Deletion of Unstressed Syllables: Unstressed syllables are dropped.
- Nasalization: Vowels before nasal consonants become nasalized.
- Lenition: Stops become fricatives between vowels.
- Vowel Raising: Vowels /a/, /e/ raise to /æ/, /i/ in closed syllables.
- Gemination: Consonants double when following a short vowel.
- Final Devoicing: Voiced consonants are devoiced in word-final position.
- Diphthongization: /e/, /o/ become /ei/, /ou/ before a single consonant.
- Syllabic Nasals: Nasals become syllabic when followed by a consonant.
- Loss of Glottal Stop: The glottal stop /ʔ/ is lost in all positions.
- Loss of Labials in Coda Position: Labial consonants /p/, /b/, /m/ are lost in coda position.
- Assimilation of Adjacent Consonants: Adjacent consonants become identical, creating geminates.
- Harmonization: Vowels in a word tend to harmonize for backness.
Root Languages