SHU
LANGUAGE FAMILY: SHU
# SPEAKERS / WORLD RANKING: 100K / #63
SPOKEN IN: Dokeen - 100K
PERIOD OF USE:
SCRIPT USED:
PARENT LANGUAGE:
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: nü mʌyø̃büü døi ügbüü døi cʰüllyb nü pɛ̈büü døi kokt güe te ʔɛ̈b Pronunciation: /nu ˈmʌjø̃ˌbuu ˈtøi ˈugbuu ˈtøi ˈcʰuɮɮyb nu ˈpɛ̈buu ˈtøi kokʰtʰ ˈgue tʰe ʔɛ̈w Shu word order: and stood he holding hat his and turned his face wet to the wind
Co-articulated phonemes
Vowel inventory: /e ẽ ĩ o u y ỹ øi ø̃ ɑ ɛ ɛ̈ ʌ/
Diphthongs: øi
Syllable structure: Custom defined
Stress pattern: Initial — stress is on the first syllable
Word initial consonants: c, cʰ, g, h, j, k, kʰ, l, l̥, m, n, p, pʰ, s, t, ts, tsʰ, tɕ, tɕʰ, tʰ, w, ɕ, ɟ, ɥ, ɲ, ɹ, ɹ̥, ʂ, ʈ, ʈʂ, ʈʂʰ, ʈʰ, ʎ, ʔ
Mid-word consonants: ff, g, gs, gt, gts, gtʰ, gɮ, gʃ, gʧ, j, m, mg, mn, ms, mt, mʧ, mʧɮ, n, ng, ns, nt, nts, nx, nʦʰ, r, rg, rs, rsg, rt, rtɮ, rtʰ, rw, rx, rɮ, rʃ, rʦʰ, rʧʰ, s, sg, sn, sr, ss, stʰ, sɮ, t, tg, tn, tr, tw, tɮ, tʰ, tʰg, tʰɮ, w, ws, wtʰ, wx, wɮ, wʃ, wʦʰ, wʧʰɮ, x, xg, xn, xt, xɮ, ɮ, ɮb, ɮg, ɮs, ɮt, ɮtw, ɮtʰ, ɮtʰg, ɮtʰtʰ, ɮx, ɮɮ, ɮʦʰ, ɮʧ, ɮʧʰɮ, ʃ, ʦ, ʦr, ʦʰ, ʦʰs, ʧ, ʧʰ, ʧʰs
Word final consonants: N/A 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 after the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Shu uses a standalone particle word for future tense:
Progressive aspect
The ‘progressive’ aspect refers to actions that are happening at the time of speaking, such as I am learning.
Shu uses a standalone particle word for progressive:
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).
Shu uses an affix for habitual:
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.
Shu uses an affix for the perfect aspect:
2 - püm
3 - o
4 - nẽl
5 - mem
6 - mɛn
7 - pø̃m
8 - e
9 - yx
10 - y
11 - telgy
12 - lɑbøi
13 - sẽle
14 - memĩ
15 - kĩc 16 - kẽdøi
17 - ɹɛgch
18 - ʎʌbɛ̈sh
19 - negch
20 - mümøib
21 - mümøib nü bo “twenty and one”
400 - tec “fourhundred”
401 - tec bo “fourhundred one”
800 - püm tec “two fourhundred”
8000 - eb “eightthousand”
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɮʲ Else: Suffix -uɮʲ
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -e
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ts- Else: Prefix tse-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -xʲ Else: Suffix -ĩxʲ
Noun to verb = Prefix pʰøi-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -u
Tending to = Suffix -e
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Prefix kʰẽ-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -en
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix o-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -gʃ Else: Suffix -ɑgʃ
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -s Else: Suffix -ĩs
Augmentative = Prefix e-
"...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind..." Translation: nü mʌyø̃büü døi ügbüü døi cʰüllyb nü pɛ̈büü døi kokt güe te ʔɛ̈b Pronunciation: /nu ˈmʌjø̃ˌbuu ˈtøi ˈugbuu ˈtøi ˈcʰuɮɮyb nu ˈpɛ̈buu ˈtøi kokʰtʰ ˈgue tʰe ʔɛ̈w Shu word order: and stood he holding hat his and turned his face wet to the wind
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: /b c cʰ f g h j k kʰ l l̥ m n p pʰ r s sʰ t tʰ w wʲ x xʲ ɕ ɕʰ ɟ ɥ ɮ ɮʲ ɲ ɹ ɹ̥ ʂ ʂʰ ʃ ʈ ʈʰ ʎ ʔ ʦ ʦʰ ʧ ʧʰ/↓Manner/Place→ | Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Palato-alveolar | Retroflex | Alveolo-palatal | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ||||||
Stop | pʰ p b | tʰ t | ʈʰ ʈ | cʰ c ɟ | kʰ k g | ʔ | |||
Affricate | ʦ ʦʰ | ʧ ʧʰ | |||||||
Fricative | f | sʰ s | ʃ | ʂʰ ʂ | ɕʰ ɕ | x xʲ | h | ||
Approximant | ɹ̥ ɹ | j | |||||||
Trill | r | ||||||||
Lateral fricative | ɮ ɮʲ | ||||||||
Lateral approximant | l̥ l | ʎ |
↓Manner/Place→ | Labial-palatal | Labial-velar |
---|---|---|
Approximant | ɥ | w wʲ |
Front | Back | |
---|---|---|
High | ĩ y ỹ | u |
High-mid | e ẽ ø̃ | o |
Low-mid | ɛ̈ ɛ | ʌ |
Low | ɑ |
Stress pattern: Initial — stress is on the first syllable
Word initial consonants: c, cʰ, g, h, j, k, kʰ, l, l̥, m, n, p, pʰ, s, t, ts, tsʰ, tɕ, tɕʰ, tʰ, w, ɕ, ɟ, ɥ, ɲ, ɹ, ɹ̥, ʂ, ʈ, ʈʂ, ʈʂʰ, ʈʰ, ʎ, ʔ
Mid-word consonants: ff, g, gs, gt, gts, gtʰ, gɮ, gʃ, gʧ, j, m, mg, mn, ms, mt, mʧ, mʧɮ, n, ng, ns, nt, nts, nx, nʦʰ, r, rg, rs, rsg, rt, rtɮ, rtʰ, rw, rx, rɮ, rʃ, rʦʰ, rʧʰ, s, sg, sn, sr, ss, stʰ, sɮ, t, tg, tn, tr, tw, tɮ, tʰ, tʰg, tʰɮ, w, ws, wtʰ, wx, wɮ, wʃ, wʦʰ, wʧʰɮ, x, xg, xn, xt, xɮ, ɮ, ɮb, ɮg, ɮs, ɮt, ɮtw, ɮtʰ, ɮtʰg, ɮtʰtʰ, ɮx, ɮɮ, ɮʦʰ, ɮʧ, ɮʧʰɮ, ʃ, ʦ, ʦr, ʦʰ, ʦʰs, ʧ, ʧʰ, ʧʰs
Word final consonants: N/A Phonological changes (in order of application):
- p → k / u_#
- l → ɫ / V_V
- p → b / m_
- h → ʔ / #_
Pronunciation | Spelling |
---|---|
w | b |
t | d / !_ʰ |
tʰ | t |
ʧʰ | ch |
ʧ | ch |
ʦʰ | c |
ʦ | c |
kʰ | k |
ɮ | l |
ʃ | sh |
ɔ | o |
ɵ | ö |
pʰ | p |
u | ü |
ʊ | u |
j | y |
ʲ | ∅ |
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 after the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Nouns
Nouns have two cases:- Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
- Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.
Nominative | No affix dyr /tyr/ dog (doing the verb) |
Accusative | If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gu- güdyr /ˈgutyr/ (verb done to) dog |
Animate | Inanimate | |
---|---|---|
Singular | If ends with vowel: Suffix -mʧ Else: Suffix -ɛ̈mʧ nümchøimɛ̈mch /ˈnumʧøˌimɛ̈mʧ/ | If ends with vowel: Suffix -g Else: Suffix -øig øinbüüg /ˈøinˌbuug/ |
Plural | Suffix -em nümchøimem /ˈnumʧøˌimem/ | Suffix -e øinbüüe /ˈøinˌbuue/ |
Articles
Definite | pøis /pʰøis/ the |
Indefinite | ʂø̃ /ʂø̃/ a, some |
Pronouns
Nominative | Accusative | |
---|---|---|
1st singular | te /tʰe/ I | mĩ /mĩ/ me |
2nd singular | møi /møi/ you (masc) | møich /møiʧ/ you |
3rd singular masc | døi /tøi/ he, it | dse /tse/ him, it |
3rd singular fem | üm /um/ she, it | me /me/ her, it |
1st plural | lɑb /lɑw/ we | ẽd /ẽt/ us |
2nd plural | müg /mug/ you all | døid /tøit/ you all |
3rd plural | dɕɛ̈ /tɕɛ̈/ they | ɲỹ /ɲỹ/ them |
Possessive determiners
1st singular | te /tʰe/ my |
2nd singular | møich /ˈmøiʧ/ your |
3rd singular masc | døi /ˈtøi/ his |
3rd singular fem | üm /um/ her |
1st plural | lɑb /lɑw/ our |
2nd plural | døid /ˈtøit/ your (pl) |
3rd plural | dɕɛ̈ /tɕɛ̈/ their |
Verbs
Present | Past | Remote past | |
---|---|---|---|
1st singular | Prefix e- epymbüü /ˈepʰymˌbuu/ (I) learn | Prefix øi- øipymbüü /ˈøipʰymˌbuu/ (I) learned | If starts with vowel: Prefix ʂ- Else: Prefix ʂẽ- ʂẽpymbüü /ˈʂẽpʰymˌbuu/ (I) learned (long ago) |
2nd singular | Suffix -øi pymbüüøi /ˈpʰymbuˌuøi/ (you) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -w Else: Suffix -ĩw pymbüüb /ˈpʰymbuuw/ (you) learned | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -um pymbüüm /ˈpʰymbuum/ (you) learned (long ago) |
3rd singular | Suffix -ẽx pymbüüẽx /ˈpʰymbuˌuẽx/ (he/she/it) learns | If starts with vowel: Prefix p- Else: Prefix pø̃- pø̃pymbüü /ˈpø̃pʰymˌbuu/ (he/she/it) learned | Suffix -o pymbüüo /ˈpʰymbuˌuo/ (he/she/it) learned (long ago) |
1st plural | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -ĩm pymbüüm /ˈpʰymbuum/ (we) learn | If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -ø̃n pymbüün /ˈpʰymbuun/ (we) learned | If ends with vowel: Suffix -kʰ Else: Suffix -ekʰ pymbüük /ˈpʰymbuukʰ/ (we) learned (long ago) |
2nd plural | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦʰ Else: Suffix -øiʦʰ pymbüüc /ˈpʰymbuuʦʰ/ (you all) learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix p- Else: Prefix pɛ- pɛpymbüü /ˈpɛpʰymˌbuu/ (you all) learned | Suffix -ur pymbüüür /ˈpʰymbuˌuur/ (you all) learned (long ago) |
3rd plural | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -em pymbüüm /ˈpʰymbuum/ (they) learn | Suffix -øib pymbüüøib /ˈpʰymbuˌuøib/ (they) learned | Suffix -ĩm pymbüüĩm /ˈpʰymbuˌuĩm/ (they) learned (long ago) |
Future | Particle before the verb: øi - øi pymbüü /øi ˈpʰymbuu/ will learn |
Progressive | Particle before the verb: ɲe - ɲe pymbüü /ɲe ˈpʰymbuu/ is learning |
Habitual | If ends with vowel: Suffix -s Else: Suffix -ys pymbüüs /ˈpʰymbuus/ learns |
Perfect | If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -ẽm pymbüüm /ˈpʰymbuum/ have learned |
Numbers
Shu has a base-20 number system: 1 - bo2 - püm
3 - o
4 - nẽl
5 - mem
6 - mɛn
7 - pø̃m
8 - e
9 - yx
10 - y
11 - telgy
12 - lɑbøi
13 - sẽle
14 - memĩ
15 - kĩc 16 - kẽdøi
17 - ɹɛgch
18 - ʎʌbɛ̈sh
19 - negch
20 - mümøib
21 - mümøib nü bo “twenty and one”
400 - tec “fourhundred”
401 - tec bo “fourhundred one”
800 - püm tec “two fourhundred”
8000 - eb “eightthousand”
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -ʌmAdjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɮʲ Else: Suffix -uɮʲ
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -e
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ts- Else: Prefix tse-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -xʲ Else: Suffix -ĩxʲ
Noun to verb = Prefix pʰøi-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -u
Tending to = Suffix -e
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Prefix kʰẽ-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -en
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix o-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -gʃ Else: Suffix -ɑgʃ
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -s Else: Suffix -ĩs
Augmentative = Prefix e-
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