Nashwabit*
LANGUAGE FAMILY: ISHADIC
PERIOD OF USE:
SCRIPT USED:
PARENT LANGUAGE:
DESCENDANT LANGUAGES: Soreb-Ket*
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: cheph tshu thamapa hhuhapa si beyham cheph daapa si ndlim bhimssa chephssa nge Pronunciation: ǀʰɛpʰ ʧʼu tʰɒˈmapa ɦuˈhapa si ˈbɛjham ǀʰɛpʰ dɒˈapa si nɮim ˈbʼimssa ˈǀʰɛpʰssa ngɛ Nashwabit word order: and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face the wind to
Co-articulated phonemes
Vowel inventory: /i u ɒ ɔ ɛ/
Syllable structure: Custom defined
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable
Word initial consonants: b, bj, bʼ, d, f, g, h, j, k, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mf, mkʰ, ml, mn, mp, ms, mz, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, n, nd, ng, nt, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, p, pl, pʰ, s, t, tʰ, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ǀ, ǀʰ, ǂ, ǂʰ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǃʼ, ᶢǀʼw
Mid-word consonants: b, bʼ, d, dw, f, g, h, hw, j, k, ks, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mbʼ, mf, mg, mgw, mh, mk, mkʰ, ml, mn, mnd, mng, mntw, mp, mpʰ, ms, mtʰ, mv, mz, mǀ, mǃ, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, mʃ, n, nd, ndz, ng, ngw, ns, nstr, nt, ntf, ntw, nw, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, nʦʼ, p, pl, pʰ, r, s, sw, t, tf, tʰ, tʰr, tʰw, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ŋkw, ǀ, ǀtr, ǀʰ, ǀʰw, ǂ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɬw, ɮ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ɲʤw, ɲʧʼ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǀʼ, ᵑǂʼ, ᵑǃ, ᵑǃʼ, ᶢǀʼ, ᶢǀʼw, ᶢǃʼ
Word final consonants: N/A Phonological changes (in order of application):
"Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Mary opened the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: postpositions
Imperfective aspect
The ‘imperfective’ aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as I am learning and habitual actions, such as I learn (something new every day).
Nashwabit uses a standalone particle word for imperfective:
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.
Nashwabit uses the word for ‘already’ cam for the perfect aspect.
2 - nku
3 - ngqob
4 - njiva
5 - nax
6 - byu
7 - si
8 - nkut͡s
9 - kam
10 - plinhla
11 - loh
12 - mhlosh
13 - khuhil
14 - mbeʔ
15 - donsu
16 - mhlos
17 - ndlib
18 - dontsan
19 - vikh
20 - ax
21 - ax cheph mhlol “twenty and one”
400 - mhlol qikh “one fourhundred”
401 - mhlol qikh mhlol “one fourhundred one”
800 - nku qikh “two fourhundred”
8000 - mhlol ngim “one eightthousand”
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix jɒ-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix nd- Else: Prefix ndi-
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Prefix i-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ng- Else: Prefix ngi-
Noun to verb = If starts with vowel: Prefix ǃ- Else: Prefix ǃɛ-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix kw- Else: Prefix kwɛ-
Tending to = If starts with vowel: Prefix kʰw- Else: Prefix kʰwu-
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɲ- Else: Prefix ɲɛ-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If starts with vowel: Prefix v- Else: Prefix vi-
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix u-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Prefix kɒ-
Diminutive = If starts with vowel: Prefix ᵑǀw- Else: Prefix ᵑǀwɔ-
Augmentative = Prefix i-
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: cheph tshu thamapa hhuhapa si beyham cheph daapa si ndlim bhimssa chephssa nge Pronunciation: ǀʰɛpʰ ʧʼu tʰɒˈmapa ɦuˈhapa si ˈbɛjham ǀʰɛpʰ dɒˈapa si nɮim ˈbʼimssa ˈǀʰɛpʰssa ngɛ Nashwabit word order: and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face the wind to
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: /b bʼ d f g h j k kʰ l m n p pʰ r s t tʰ t͡s t͡sʰ v w x z ŋ ǀ ǀʰ ǂ ǂʰ ǃ ǃʰ ɦ ɬ ɮ ɲ ɾ ʃ ʔ ʤ ʦʼ ʧʼ ᵑǀ ᵑǀʼ ᵑǂʼ ᵑǃ ᵑǃʼ ᶢǀʼ ᶢǃʼ/| ↓Manner/Place→ | Bilabial | Labiodental | Dental | Alveolar | Palato-alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | ||||
| Stop | pʰ p b bʼ | tʰ t d | k kʰ g | ʔ | ||||
| Affricate | ʦʼ | ʧʼ ʤ | ||||||
| Fricative | f v | s z | ʃ | x | h ɦ | |||
| Approximant | j | |||||||
| Tap | ɾ | |||||||
| Trill | r | |||||||
| Lateral fricative | ɬ ɮ | |||||||
| Lateral approximant | l | |||||||
| Click | ǀ ᵑǀ ǀʰ ᶢǀʼ ᵑǀʼ | ǃʰ ǃ ᵑǃʼ ᵑǃ ᶢǃʼ | ǂ ǂʰ ᵑǂʼ |
| ↓Manner/Place→ | Labial-velar |
|---|---|
| Approximant | w |
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | i | u |
| Low-mid | ɛ | ɔ |
| Low | ɒ |
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable
Word initial consonants: b, bj, bʼ, d, f, g, h, j, k, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mf, mkʰ, ml, mn, mp, ms, mz, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, n, nd, ng, nt, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, p, pl, pʰ, s, t, tʰ, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ǀ, ǀʰ, ǂ, ǂʰ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǃʼ, ᶢǀʼw
Mid-word consonants: b, bʼ, d, dw, f, g, h, hw, j, k, ks, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mbʼ, mf, mg, mgw, mh, mk, mkʰ, ml, mn, mnd, mng, mntw, mp, mpʰ, ms, mtʰ, mv, mz, mǀ, mǃ, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, mʃ, n, nd, ndz, ng, ngw, ns, nstr, nt, ntf, ntw, nw, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, nʦʼ, p, pl, pʰ, r, s, sw, t, tf, tʰ, tʰr, tʰw, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ŋkw, ǀ, ǀtr, ǀʰ, ǀʰw, ǂ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɬw, ɮ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ɲʤw, ɲʧʼ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǀʼ, ᵑǂʼ, ᵑǃ, ᵑǃʼ, ᶢǀʼ, ᶢǀʼw, ᶢǃʼ
Word final consonants: N/A Phonological changes (in order of application):
- t → k / _j
- t → k / _r
| Pronunciation | Spelling |
|---|---|
| bʱ | bh |
| ᵑǀʱ | ngc |
| ᵑǃʱ | ngq |
| ᵑǂʱ | ngx |
| ɲʧʼ | ntsh |
| ʧʼ | tsh |
| ᶢǃʱ | gq |
| ᶢǂʱ | gx |
| ᶢǀʱ | gc |
| ᵑǂ | nx |
| ǂʰ | xh |
| ᵑǃ | nq |
| kʰ | kh |
| ǃʰ | qh |
| ǃ | q |
| ǂ | x |
| ŋk | nk |
| ᵑǀ | nc |
| ǀʰ | ch |
| ǀ | c |
| ɮ | dl |
| j | y |
| ɲʤ | nj |
| ʤ | j |
| ɲ | ny |
| ɦ | hh |
| ɬ | hl |
| pʰ | ph |
| ʃ | sh |
| tʰ | th |
| ʦʼ | ts |
| ɒ | a |
| ɛ | e |
| ɔ | o |
Grammar
Main word order: Subject Verb Object (Prepositional phrase)."Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Mary opened the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: postpositions
Nouns
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | No affix ndlishssa /ˈnɮiʃssa/ man | No affix gakham /ˈgɒkham/ woman |
| Plural | If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bɛ- bendlishssa /bɛnˈɮiʃssa/ men | Prefix kwɛ- kwegakham /kwɛˈgɒkham/ women |
Articles
| Definite | Indefinite | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | nko /ŋkɔ/ the | e /ɛ/ a |
| Plural | wuɾ /wuɾ/ the | la /lɒ/ some |
Pronouns
| 1st singular | byu /bju/ I, me, mine |
| 2nd singular | but /but/ you, yours |
| 3rd singular masc | tshu /ʧʼu/ he, him, his, it, its |
| 3rd singular fem | ndli /nɮi/ she, her, hers, it, its |
| 1st plural | eh /ɛh/ we, us, ours |
| 2nd plural | mfo /mfɔ/ you all, yours (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc | ikh /ikʰ/ they (masc), them (masc), theirs (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem | doph /dɔpʰ/ they (fem), them (fem), theirs (fem) |
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular | a /ɒ/ my |
| 2nd singular | dob /dɔb/ your |
| 3rd singular masc | si /si/ his |
| 3rd singular fem | nget͡sʰ /ngɛt͡sʰ/ her |
| 1st plural | ze /zɛ/ our |
| 2nd plural | kah /kɒh/ your (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc | zwi /zwi/ their (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem | mpu /mpu/ their (fem) |
Verbs
| 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Prefix ᵑǀwɔ- ncwonyeapa /ˌᵑǀwɔɲɛˈapa/ (I/we) learn | Prefix u- unyeapa /ˌuɲɛˈapa/ (you/you all) learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix v- Else: Prefix vɛ- venyeapa /ˌvɛɲɛˈapa/ (he/she/it/they) learn |
| Past | Prefix ʤɔ- jonyeapa /ˌʤɔɲɛˈapa/ (I/we) learned | Prefix i- inyeapa /ˌiɲɛˈapa/ (you/you all) learned | If starts with vowel: Prefix w- Else: Prefix wɔ- wonyeapa /ˌwɔɲɛˈapa/ (he/she/it/they) learned |
| Remote past | If starts with vowel: Prefix mf- Else: Prefix mfɔ- mfonyeapa /ˌmfɔɲɛˈapa/ (I/we) learned (long ago) | Prefix jɒ- yanyeapa /ˌjɒɲɛˈapa/ (you/you all) learned (long ago) | Prefix zwi- zwinyeapa /ˌzwiɲɛˈapa/ (he/she/it/they) learned (long ago) |
| Future | If starts with vowel: Prefix nd- Else: Prefix ndi- ndinyeapa /ˌndiɲɛˈapa/ (I/we) will learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix m- Else: Prefix mi- minyeapa /ˌmiɲɛˈapa/ (you/you all) will learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix ms- Else: Prefix msɒ- msanyeapa /ˌmsɒɲɛˈapa/ (he/she/it/they) will learn |
| Imperfective | Particle before the verb: gɒ - ga nyeapa /gɒ ɲɛˈapa/ learns/is learning |
Numbers
Nashwabit has a base-20 number system: 1 - mhlol2 - nku
3 - ngqob
4 - njiva
5 - nax
6 - byu
7 - si
8 - nkut͡s
9 - kam
10 - plinhla
11 - loh
12 - mhlosh
13 - khuhil
14 - mbeʔ
15 - donsu
16 - mhlos
17 - ndlib
18 - dontsan
19 - vikh
20 - ax
21 - ax cheph mhlol “twenty and one”
400 - mhlol qikh “one fourhundred”
401 - mhlol qikh mhlol “one fourhundred one”
800 - nku qikh “two fourhundred”
8000 - mhlol ngim “one eightthousand”
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = If starts with vowel: Prefix ᵑǃʼ- Else: Prefix ᵑǃʼɔ-Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix jɒ-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix nd- Else: Prefix ndi-
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Prefix i-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ng- Else: Prefix ngi-
Noun to verb = If starts with vowel: Prefix ǃ- Else: Prefix ǃɛ-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix kw- Else: Prefix kwɛ-
Tending to = If starts with vowel: Prefix kʰw- Else: Prefix kʰwu-
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɲ- Else: Prefix ɲɛ-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If starts with vowel: Prefix v- Else: Prefix vi-
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix u-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Prefix kɒ-
Diminutive = If starts with vowel: Prefix ᵑǀw- Else: Prefix ᵑǀwɔ-
Augmentative = Prefix i-
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