...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
ksta ṇi kstü dnïn zdre stìd ksta dnïn splü sïp zäm näntweɦ lab
Pronunciation: /ksta ɳi kstɯ dnɪn zdre stɵd ksta dnɪn splɯ sɪp zəm ˈnəntweɦ lab/
Yzelian word order: and he stood his hat holding and his wet face turned the wind to
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: b d f k l m n p r s t w z ɣ ɦ ɳ ɽ ʎ ʟ
| ↓Manner/Place→ |
Bilabial |
Labiodental |
Alveolar |
Retroflex |
Palatal |
Velar |
Glottal |
| Nasal |
m |
|
n |
ɳ |
|
|
|
| Stop |
p b |
|
t d |
|
|
k |
|
| Fricative |
|
f |
s z |
|
|
ɣ |
ɦ |
| Tap |
|
|
|
ɽ |
|
|
|
| Trill |
|
|
r |
|
|
|
|
| Lateral approximant |
|
|
l |
|
ʎ |
ʟ |
|
Co-articulated phonemes
| ↓Manner/Place→ |
Labial-velar |
| Approximant |
w |
Vowel inventory: a e i u ə ɪ ɯ ɵ ʊ
|
Front |
Central |
Back |
| High |
i |
|
ɯ u |
| Near-high |
ɪ |
|
ʊ |
| High-mid |
e |
ɵ |
|
| Mid |
|
ə |
|
| Low |
a |
|
|
Syllable structure: (C)(C)(C)V(C)
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable
Word initial consonants: b bn d df dn f fl fpr ft kn ks kst l m ml n p pl ps r s sd sk skr sn spl spr sr st str t tr ts z zdr zm zr ɣ ɣl ɦ ɳ ɽ ʎ ʟ
Mid-word consonants: b bd bl bm bn bst bt bw d dd dkw dl ds f fd ff fk fp fst ftl ftr ftw k kf kk kkw km kn kr ks ksf ksk ksm ksp kst ksw kt ktf ktl ktr kts kz kɦ l ldf ldl ldn ldr lfd lfm lft ll lm lmn lp lpf lpl lr lsk lst ltr lts ltz lw lɣ lɦ m mb mbl mbr mfl mft ml mm mn mnd mpf mpl mpt mr mst mw mɦ mɦl n nb nbl nd ndb ndf ndk ndl ndm ndn ndr nds ndt ndz nf nfl nk nkl nkt nkw nl npl nr nsf nsk nsl nsm nsp nst ntb ntf ntk ntl ntm ntr nts ntw nw nzl nzp nɦl p pdr pk plw pp ppl pst pz r rbr rdn rk rkt rl rm rpl rsd rsk rsm rst rt rtk rtn rtr rts rw rz s sb sd sk skl skr sm spl spr sr st stf stk stl stm stn str stw t tbl td tk tkr tlm tp tpr tsd tsm tst tt ttr tts tz w wb wd wl wp ws wsr wts ww wz z zb zl zn zp zw zz zɦ ɣ ɣm ɣn ɣr ɣw ɦ ɳ ɽ ʎ ʎʎ ʟ
Word final consonants: b d f k l m n p t w ɦ ɳ ɽ ʎ ʟ
Spelling rules:
| Pronunciation |
Spelling |
| ʊ |
o |
| ə |
ä |
| ɪ |
ï |
| ɵ |
ì |
| ɯ |
ü |
| ɣ |
g |
| ɳ |
ṇ |
| ɽ |
ṛ |
| ʎ |
y |
| ʟ |
ll |
Grammar
Main word order: Subject Object Verb (Prepositional phrase). “Mary opened the door with a key” turns into
Mary the door opened with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: postpositions
Nouns
Nouns have seven cases:
- Ergative is the doer of a verb, when the verb is done to something: dog bites man.
- Absolutive is used in two scenarios: the doer of a verb when not done to something (dog bites), and the done-to of a verb (man bites dog).
- Genitive is the possessor of something: dog’s tail hits man.
- Dative is the recipient of something: man gives ball to dog.
- Locative is the location of something: man goes to town.
- Ablative is movement away from something: man walks from town.
- Instrumental is the use of something: man writes with (using) pen.
Nouns form plural with separate plural word:
| Plural |
Particle before the noun: sni -
sni knarki /sni ˈknarki/
dogs |
| Ergative |
If starts with vowel: Prefix p-
Else: Prefix pe-
peknarki /pekˈnarki/
dog (doing the verb to something) |
| Absolutive |
No affix
knarki /ˈknarki/
dog (doing the verb, but not to something) |
| Genitive |
Prefix fprɵ-
fprìknarki /fprɵkˈnarki/
dogʼs |
| Dative |
If starts with vowel: Prefix fl-
Else: Prefix fle-
fleknarki /flekˈnarki/
to (the/a) dog |
| Locative |
Prefix fpre-
fpreknarki /fprekˈnarki/
near/at/by (the/a) dog |
| Ablative |
If starts with vowel: Prefix t-
Else: Prefix tɵ-
tìknarki /tɵkˈnarki/
from (the/a) dog |
| Instrumental |
Prefix e-
eknarki /ekˈnarki/
with/using (the/a) dog |
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
| Definite |
No affix
skraṛ /skraɽ/ |
No affix
düp /dɯp/ |
| Indefinite |
If starts with vowel: Prefix str-
Else: Prefix strɪ-
strïskraṛ /ˈstrɪskraɽ/ |
Prefix sɪ-
sïdüp /ˈsɪdɯp/ |
Articles
Yzelian encodes definite article ‘the’, and indefinite article ‘a’ in noun affixes. See Noun section.
Pronouns
|
Ergative |
Absolutive |
Genitive |
Dative |
Locative |
Ablative |
Instrumental |
| 1st singular |
skaɦ /skaɦ/
I |
bo /bʊ/
me, I |
stra /stra/
mine |
ta /ta/
to me |
sdu /sdu/
at me |
spla /spla/
from me |
splä /splə/
with/using me |
| 2nd singular |
tü /tɯ/
you |
bu /bu/
you |
ksì /ksɵ/
yours |
trì /trɵ/
to you |
psi /psi/
at you |
skräl /skrəl/
from you |
ṛìl /ɽɵl/
with/using you |
| 3rd singular masc |
ṇi /ɳi/
he, it |
pläw /pləw/
him, it |
dnïn /dnɪn/
his, its |
gun /ɣun/
to him, at it |
kse /kse/
at him, at it |
mìp /mɵp/
from him, from it |
i /i/
with/using him/it |
| 3rd singular fem |
tsä /tsə/
she, it |
zmud /zmud/
her, it |
sra /sra/
hers, its |
pluk /pluk/
to her, at it |
mi /mi/
at her, at it |
dfu /dfu/
from her, from it |
stri /stri/
with/using her/it |
| 1st plural |
nay /naʎ/
we |
ɦi /ɦi/
us, we |
sprib /sprib/
ours |
llïl /ʟɪl/
to us |
su /su/
at us |
dap /dap/
from us |
ṇed /ɳed/
with/using us |
| 2nd plural |
sni /sni/
you all |
llä /ʟə/
you all |
plaw /plaw/
yours (pl) |
ṛìy /ɽɵʎ/
to you all |
bna /bna/
at you all |
la /la/
from you all |
kstï /kstɪ/
with/using you all |
| 3rd plural masc |
gaf /ɣaf/
they (masc) |
splìɦ /splɵɦ/
them (masc), they (masc) |
fï /fɪ/
theirs (masc) |
ple /ple/
to them (masc) |
be /be/
at them (masc) |
yu /ʎu/
from them (masc) |
fü /fɯ/
with/using them (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
du /du/
they (fem) |
ska /ska/
them (fem), they (fem) |
pup /pup/
theirs (fem) |
tï /tɪ/
to them (fem) |
dfïṛ /dfɪɽ/
at them (fem) |
pä /pə/
from them (fem) |
uṛ /uɽ/
with/using them (fem) |
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular |
stra /stra/
my |
| 2nd singular |
ksì /ksɵ/
your |
| 3rd singular masc |
dnïn /dnɪn/
his |
| 3rd singular fem |
sra /sra/
her |
| 1st plural |
sprib /sprib/
our |
| 2nd plural |
plaw /plaw/
your (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc |
fï /fɪ/
their (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
pup /pup/
their (fem) |
Verbs
Present
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
| 1st singular |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ft-
Else: Prefix ftʊ-
ftosdu /ˈftʊsdu/
(I) learn |
Prefix du-
dusdu /ˈdusdu/
(I) learn |
| 2nd singular |
Prefix u-
usdu /ˈusdu/
(you) learn |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ʟ-
Else: Prefix ʟɯ-
llüsdu /ˈʟɯsdu/
(you) learn |
| 3rd singular masc |
If starts with vowel: Prefix skr-
Else: Prefix skrɪ-
skrïsdu /ˈskrɪsdu/ |
Prefix plʊ-
plosdu /ˈplʊsdu/ |
| 3rd singular fem |
Prefix ɵ-
ìsdu /ˈɵsdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix pl-
Else: Prefix ple-
plesdu /ˈplesdu/ |
| 1st plural |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ɳ-
Else: Prefix ɳe-
ṇesdu /ˈɳesdu/
(we) learn |
Prefix ɣɪ-
gïsdu /ˈɣɪsdu/
(we) learn |
| 2nd plural |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ks-
Else: Prefix ksɵ-
ksìsdu /ˈksɵsdu/
(you all) learn |
Prefix pe-
pesdu /ˈpesdu/
(you all) learn |
| 3rd plural masc |
Prefix spla-
splasdu /ˈsplasdu/ |
Prefix ʎu-
yusdu /ˈʎusdu/ |
| 3rd plural fem |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ʎ-
Else: Prefix ʎi-
yisdu /ˈʎisdu/ |
Prefix bnu-
bnusdu /ˈbnusdu/ |
Past
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
| 1st singular |
Prefix ɣlɵ-
glìsdu /ˈɣlɵsdu/
(I) learned |
Prefix ksta-
kstasdu /ˈkstasdu/
(I) learned |
| 2nd singular |
Prefix ɦi-
ɦisdu /ˈɦisdu/
(you) learned |
If starts with vowel: Prefix tr-
Else: Prefix trɵ-
trìsdu /ˈtrɵsdu/
(you) learned |
| 3rd singular masc |
Prefix pu-
pusdu /ˈpusdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix m-
Else: Prefix mu-
musdu /ˈmusdu/ |
| 3rd singular fem |
If starts with vowel: Prefix bn-
Else: Prefix bna-
bnasdu /ˈbnasdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix sn-
Else: Prefix snu-
snusdu /ˈsnusdu/ |
| 1st plural |
Prefix zɯ-
züsdu /ˈzɯsdu/
(we) learned |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ɣ-
Else: Prefix ɣe-
gesdu /ˈɣesdu/
(we) learned |
| 2nd plural |
Prefix ɣlu-
glusdu /ˈɣlusdu/
(you all) learned |
If starts with vowel: Prefix fl-
Else: Prefix fla-
flasdu /ˈflasdu/
(you all) learned |
| 3rd plural masc |
If starts with vowel: Prefix b-
Else: Prefix be-
besdu /ˈbesdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix sk-
Else: Prefix skə-
skäsdu /ˈskəsdu/ |
| 3rd plural fem |
Prefix ʊ-
osdu /ˈʊsdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix n-
Else: Prefix nɵ-
nìsdu /ˈnɵsdu/ |
Future
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
| 1st singular |
Prefix e-
esdu /ˈesdu/
(I) will learn |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ts-
Else: Prefix tsu-
tsusdu /ˈtsusdu/
(I) will learn |
| 2nd singular |
If starts with vowel: Prefix f-
Else: Prefix fu-
fusdu /ˈfusdu/
(you) will learn |
Prefix bə-
bäsdu /ˈbəsdu/
(you) will learn |
| 3rd singular masc |
Prefix ɳu-
ṇusdu /ˈɳusdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix fl-
Else: Prefix fle-
flesdu /ˈflesdu/ |
| 3rd singular fem |
If starts with vowel: Prefix tr-
Else: Prefix tru-
trusdu /ˈtrusdu/ |
Prefix ə-
äsdu /ˈəsdu/ |
| 1st plural |
If starts with vowel: Prefix ks-
Else: Prefix kse-
ksesdu /ˈksesdu/
(we) will learn |
If starts with vowel: Prefix tr-
Else: Prefix trɯ-
trüsdu /ˈtrɯsdu/
(we) will learn |
| 2nd plural |
Prefix ʟʊ-
llosdu /ˈʟʊsdu/
(you all) will learn |
If starts with vowel: Prefix r-
Else: Prefix ra-
rasdu /ˈrasdu/
(you all) will learn |
| 3rd plural masc |
If starts with vowel: Prefix sk-
Else: Prefix ska-
skasdu /ˈskasdu/ |
If starts with vowel: Prefix l-
Else: Prefix lu-
lusdu /ˈlusdu/ |
| 3rd plural fem |
If starts with vowel: Prefix fpr-
Else: Prefix fpra-
fprasdu /ˈfprasdu/ |
Prefix skrə-
skräsdu /ˈskrəsdu/ |
Progressive aspect
The ‘progressive’ aspect refers to actions that are happening at the time of speaking, such as
I am learning.
Zrukten uses a standalone particle word for progressive:
| Progressive |
Particle before the verb: bə -
bä sdu /bə sdu/
is learning |
Habitual aspect
The ‘habitual’ aspect refers to actions that happen habitually, such as
I learn (something new every day), as opposed to actions that happen once (
I learned something).
Yzelian uses a standalone particle word for habitual:
| Habitual |
Particle before the verb: tsep -
tsep sdu /tsep sdu/
learns |
Perfect aspect
The perfect aspect in English is exemplified in ‘I have read this book’, which expresses an event that took place before the time spoken but which has an effect on or is in some way still relevant to the present.
Yzelian uses an affix for the perfect aspect:
| Perfect |
Prefix u-
usdu /ˈusdu/
have learned |
Numbers
Yzelian has a base-10 number system:
- 1 - ɦip
- 2 - mub
- 3 - psa
- 4 - strï
- 5 - bnuṛ
- 6 - plìkfu
- 7 - psü
- 8 - fta
- 9 - tse
- 10 - ge
- 11 - ɦip ksta ge “one and ten”
- 80- fta ge "eight ten"
- 100 - ɦip knud “one hundred”
- 101 - ɦip knud ksta ɦip “one hundred and one”
- 200 - mub knud
- 1000 - ɦip ma “one thousand”
Derivational morphology
- Adjective → adverb = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɳ- Else: Prefix ɳu-
- Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix z- Else: Prefix zɪ-
- Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix bn- Else: Prefix bnə-
- Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bu-
- Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɽ -Else: Prefix ɽi-
- Noun to verb = Prefix ba-
- Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix spl- Else: Prefix splɵ-
- Tending to = Prefix ri-
- Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ps-Else: Prefix pse-
- Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Prefix ta-
- One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix ə-
- Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Prefix u-
- Diminutive = If starts with vowel: Prefix ʟ- Else: Prefix ʟi-
- Augmentative = Prefix i-
- Number → Position (one → first, ɦip → hipdram) = Suffix -dram
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