Najwat
LANGUAGE FAMILY: ISHADIC
# SPEAKERS / WORLD RANKING: 200K / #52
SPOKEN IN: Sekh Anoob (Najwati) - 200K
PERIOD OF USE:
SCRIPT USED:
PARENT LANGUAGE:
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: ɭdo' kkik e ŋyoniʋ nyil ɭdotra ɭdo' ŋmatro nyil nhishte ŋyozdui nmoh ŋmashma Pronunciation: ɭdoʔ kkik e ˈŋjoniʋ njil ˈɭdotʁa ɭdoʔ ˈŋmatʁo njil ˈnhiʃte ŋjozˈdui nmoh ˈŋmaʃma Najwat word order: and stood he holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind
Co-articulated phonemes
Vowel inventory: /a e i o u/
Syllable structure: Custom defined
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable
Word initial consonants: d, g, gj, gw, h, hj, j, k, kk, kkj, kpj, kpʰ, ks, kt, kw, kʨ, kʰ, m, md, mg, mh, mj, mm, mn, mnj, mp, mpʰj, ms, mt, mʨ, mʨʰ, n, nd, ng, ngj, nh, nj, nk, nm, nmj, nn, np, ns, nt, ntʰ, nʨ, nʨʰ, p, pj, pk, ps, pt, pʨ, pʨʰ, pʰ, pʰj, s, t, tk, tt, tʨ, tʨʰ, tʰ, w, ŋ, ŋd, ŋg, ŋgj, ŋh, ŋhj, ŋj, ŋk, ŋm, ŋmj, ŋn, ŋp, ŋpʰ, ŋpʰj, ŋs, ŋʨʰ, ɭd, ɭg, ɭgj, ɭgw, ɭk, ɭm, ɭp, ɭpʰ, ɭpʰj, ɭs, ɭt, ɭtʰ, ɭɭ, ɾ, ɾh, ɾj, ɾw, ʨ, ʨʰ
Mid-word consonants: b, d, f, fʃ, g, gm, h, j, jf, jl, k, kn, kʁ, l, lm, m, mh, mk, mn, mʁ, mʔ, mʦ, n, nχʁ, p, s, sχ, t, ts, tʁ, v, vχ, x, z, zd, ʁ, ʁb, ʃ, ʃb, ʃl, ʃm, ʃp, ʃt, ʔ, ʕ, ʦ, χ, χn, χt
Word final consonants: h, k, l, m, n, p, ʋ, ʔ Phonological changes (in order of application):
"Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Opened Mary the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
2 - a
3 - ɭdop
4 - ŋpʰoʋ
5 - mhamki
6 - ɾal
7 - kpʰih
8 - kpʰiʋ
9 - ɾyu
10 - ɭmip
11 - ŋgep ɭdo' ɭmip “one and ten”
100 - ŋgep kpʰik “one hundred”
101 - ŋgep kpʰik ŋgep “one hundred one”
200 - a kpʰik
1000 - ŋgep ŋhye “one thousand”
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -oh
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -a
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -a
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -a Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -an
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -oʋ
Tending to = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -im
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -u
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -ok
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -up
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -ap
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -il
Augmentative = Suffix -a
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: ɭdo' kkik e ŋyoniʋ nyil ɭdotra ɭdo' ŋmatro nyil nhishte ŋyozdui nmoh ŋmashma Pronunciation: ɭdoʔ kkik e ˈŋjoniʋ njil ˈɭdotʁa ɭdoʔ ˈŋmatʁo njil ˈnhiʃte ŋjozˈdui nmoh ˈŋmaʃma Najwat word order: and stood he holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: /b d f g h j k kʰ l m n p pʰ s t tʰ v w x z ŋ ɭ ɾ ʁ ʃ ʋ ʔ ʕ ʦ ʨ ʨʰ χ/| ↓Manner/Place→ | Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Palato-alveolar | Retroflex | Alveolo-palatal | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Pharyngeal | Glottal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ŋ | ||||||||
| Stop | p pʰ b | tʰ t d | kʰ k g | ʔ | |||||||
| Affricate | ʦ | ʨ ʨʰ | |||||||||
| Fricative | f v | s z | ʃ | x | χ ʁ | ʕ | h | ||||
| Approximant | ʋ | j | |||||||||
| Tap | ɾ | ||||||||||
| Lateral approximant | l | ɭ |
| ↓Manner/Place→ | Labial-velar |
|---|---|
| Approximant | w |
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | i | u |
| High-mid | e | o |
| Low | a |
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable
Word initial consonants: d, g, gj, gw, h, hj, j, k, kk, kkj, kpj, kpʰ, ks, kt, kw, kʨ, kʰ, m, md, mg, mh, mj, mm, mn, mnj, mp, mpʰj, ms, mt, mʨ, mʨʰ, n, nd, ng, ngj, nh, nj, nk, nm, nmj, nn, np, ns, nt, ntʰ, nʨ, nʨʰ, p, pj, pk, ps, pt, pʨ, pʨʰ, pʰ, pʰj, s, t, tk, tt, tʨ, tʨʰ, tʰ, w, ŋ, ŋd, ŋg, ŋgj, ŋh, ŋhj, ŋj, ŋk, ŋm, ŋmj, ŋn, ŋp, ŋpʰ, ŋpʰj, ŋs, ŋʨʰ, ɭd, ɭg, ɭgj, ɭgw, ɭk, ɭm, ɭp, ɭpʰ, ɭpʰj, ɭs, ɭt, ɭtʰ, ɭɭ, ɾ, ɾh, ɾj, ɾw, ʨ, ʨʰ
Mid-word consonants: b, d, f, fʃ, g, gm, h, j, jf, jl, k, kn, kʁ, l, lm, m, mh, mk, mn, mʁ, mʔ, mʦ, n, nχʁ, p, s, sχ, t, ts, tʁ, v, vχ, x, z, zd, ʁ, ʁb, ʃ, ʃb, ʃl, ʃm, ʃp, ʃt, ʔ, ʕ, ʦ, χ, χn, χt
Word final consonants: h, k, l, m, n, p, ʋ, ʔ Phonological changes (in order of application):
- o → ∅ / _u
- e → i / _(C)i
- ʔ → ∅ / _j
- t → d / #_
- di → ʣ / _V
- o → u / _[+nasal]
- ŋ → n / V_V
- t → r / tV_
- sk → kː / _a
- i → a / _t
- l → ɾ / V_V
- ʔ → ∅ / #_
- j → w / _o
| Pronunciation | Spelling |
|---|---|
| j | y |
| χ | kk |
| ʦ | tz |
| ʁ | r |
| ʃ | sh |
| ʔ | ' |
Grammar
Main word order: Verb Subject Object (Prepositional phrase)."Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Opened Mary the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Nouns
Nouns have seven cases:- Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
- Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.
- Genitive is the possessor of something: dog’s tail hits man.
- Dative is the recipeint 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.
Singular
| Animate | Inanimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -ah mpalah /ˈmpalah/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -im tʨʰamrunim /tʨʰamˈʁunim/ |
| Accusative | Suffix -e mpale /ˈmpale/ | Suffix -eh tʨʰamruneh /tʨʰamˈʁuneh/ |
| Genitive | Suffix -oʔ mpalo' /ˈmpaloʔ/ | Suffix -am tʨʰamrunam /tʨʰamˈʁunam/ |
| Dative | Suffix -eʋ mpaleʋ /ˈmpaleʋ/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ap tʨʰamrunap /tʨʰamˈʁunap/ |
| Locative | Suffix -a mpala /ˈmpala/ | Suffix -ip tʨʰamrunip /tʨʰamˈʁunip/ |
| Ablative | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʔ Else: Suffix -iʔ mpali' /ˈmpaliʔ/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -up tʨʰamrunup /tʨʰamˈʁunup/ |
| Instrumental | Suffix -iʔ mpali' /ˈmpaliʔ/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -em tʨʰamrunem /tʨʰamˈʁunem/ |
Plural
| Animate | Inanimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Suffix -i mpali /ˈmpali/ | Suffix -o tʨʰamruno /tʨʰamˈʁuno/ |
| Accusative | Suffix -u mpalu /ˈmpalu/ | Suffix -el tʨʰamrunel /tʨʰamˈʁunel/ |
| Genitive | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -iʋ mpaliʋ /ˈmpaliʋ/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -ol tʨʰamrunol /tʨʰamˈʁunol/ |
| Dative | If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -ul mpalul /ˈmpalul/ | Suffix -ah tʨʰamrunah /tʨʰamˈʁunah/ |
| Locative | If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -uk mpaluk /ˈmpaluk/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʔ Else: Suffix -uʔ tʨʰamrunu' /tʨʰamˈʁunuʔ/ |
| Ablative | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -uʋ mpaluʋ /ˈmpaluʋ/ | Suffix -il tʨʰamrunil /tʨʰamˈʁunil/ |
| Instrumental | Suffix -uh mpaluh /ˈmpaluh/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -op tʨʰamrunop /tʨʰamˈʁunop/ |
Articles
| Definite | Indefinite | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ɭdop /ɭdop/ the | ttu /ttu/ a |
| Plural | ʨa /ʨa/ the | seʋ /seʋ/ some |
Pronouns
| Nominative | Accusative | Genitive | Dative | Locative | Ablative | Instrumental | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | mpʰyi /mpʰji/ I | kkya /kkja/ me | ŋo /ŋo/ mine | ŋnem /ŋnem/ to me | wi /wi/ at me | msil /msil/ from me | pi /pi/ with/using me |
| 2nd singular | tʨʰap /tʨʰap/ you (masc) | pʰe /pʰe/ you | mhaʋ /mhaʋ/ yours | ŋyon /ŋjon/ to you | ɾheʋ /ɾheʋ/ at you | tʨʰah /tʨʰah/ from you | pʰyih /pʰjih/ with/using you |
| 3rd singular masc | e /e/ he, it | hyu /hju/ him, it | nyil /njil/ his, its | mʨe /mʨe/ to him, at it | ŋkom /ŋkom/ at him, at it | gwum /gwum/ from him, from it | ɭpo /ɭpo/ with/using him/it |
| 3rd singular fem | pseh /pseh/ she, it | nteh /nteh/ her, it | mgi' /mgiʔ/ hers, its | tko /tko/ to her, at it | ŋpʰol /ŋpʰol/ at her, at it | pʨʰo /pʨʰo/ from her, from it | kʰu' /kʰuʔ/ with/using her/it |
| 1st plural inclusive | ɭgwoʋ /ɭgwoʋ/ we (including you) | en /en/ us (including you) | nko /nko/ ours (including you) | a /a/ to us (including you) | ŋhye /ŋhje/ at us (including you) | msik /msik/ from us (including you) | msip /msip/ with/using us (including you) |
| 1st plural exclusive | myo /mjo/ we (excluding you) | wi' /wiʔ/ us (excluding you) | gwuʋ /gwuʋ/ ours (excluding you) | kpʰi /kpʰi/ to us (excluding you) | in /in/ at us (excluding you) | mnye /mnje/ from us (excluding you) | iʋ /iʋ/ with/using us (excluding you) |
| 2nd plural | eʋ /eʋ/ you all | mpa /mpa/ you all | ɭpʰyu /ɭpʰju/ yours (pl) | kʨi /kʨi/ to you all | ŋge /ŋge/ at you all | a' /aʔ/ from you all | nʨʰup /nʨʰup/ with/using you all |
| 3rd plural | tʰi /tʰi/ they | kki /kki/ them | i /i/ theirs | ttu /ttu/ to them | kti /kti/ at them | ɭɭa /ɭɭa/ from them | ɾwi /ɾwi/ with/using them |
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular | ŋo /ŋo/ my |
| 2nd singular | mhaʋ /mhaʋ/ your |
| 3rd singular masc | nyil /njil/ his |
| 3rd singular fem | mgi' /mgiʔ/ her |
| 1st plural inclusive | nko /nko/ our (including you) |
| 1st plural exclusive | gwuʋ /gwuʋ/ our (excluding you) |
| 2nd plural | ɭpʰyu /ɭpʰju/ your (pl) |
| 3rd plural | i /i/ their |
Verbs
| Present | Past | Future | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -ol galol /ˈgalol/ (I) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -am galam /ˈgalam/ (I) learned | Suffix -uh galuh /ˈgaluh/ (I) will learn |
| 2nd singular | Suffix -ak galak /ˈgalak/ (you) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -uʋ galuʋ /ˈgaluʋ/ (you) learned | Suffix -un galun /ˈgalun/ (you) will learn |
| 3rd singular | Suffix -o galo /ˈgalo/ (he/she/it) learns | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -om galom /ˈgalom/ (he/she/it) learned | Suffix -i gali /ˈgali/ (he/she/it) will learn |
| 1st plural inclusive | Suffix -a gala /ˈgala/ (we) learn (including you) | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -oʋ galoʋ /ˈgaloʋ/ (we) learned (including you) | If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -ah galah /ˈgalah/ (we) will learn (including you) |
| 1st plural exclusive | Suffix -el galel /ˈgalel/ (we) learn (excluding you) | If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ep galep /ˈgalep/ (we) learned (excluding you) | If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -uh galuh /ˈgaluh/ (we) will learn (excluding you) |
| 2nd plural | Suffix -up galup /ˈgalup/ (you all) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʔ Else: Suffix -eʔ gale' /ˈgaleʔ/ (you all) learned | Suffix -eʔ gale' /ˈgaleʔ/ (you all) will learn |
| 3rd plural | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -im galim /ˈgalim/ (they) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -ak galak /ˈgalak/ (they) learned | Suffix -il galil /ˈgalil/ (they) will learn |
Numbers
Najwat has a base-10 number system: 1 - ŋgep2 - a
3 - ɭdop
4 - ŋpʰoʋ
5 - mhamki
6 - ɾal
7 - kpʰih
8 - kpʰiʋ
9 - ɾyu
10 - ɭmip
11 - ŋgep ɭdo' ɭmip “one and ten”
100 - ŋgep kpʰik “one hundred”
101 - ŋgep kpʰik ŋgep “one hundred one”
200 - a kpʰik
1000 - ŋgep ŋhye “one thousand”
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʔ Else: Suffix -eʔAdjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -oh
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -a
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -a
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -a Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -an
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʋ Else: Suffix -oʋ
Tending to = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -im
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -u
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -ok
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -up
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -ap
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -il
Augmentative = Suffix -a
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