1. Phonology & Orthography

Consonants

Nasal Stop Fricative Lat. Fric. Lat. Approx. Flap
v. u. v. u.
Bilabial m b p
Labiodental v f
Dental d t tt
Alveolar n d t z s hl l
Retroflex r
Platal j c
Velar k x
Glottal h

tsc = The affricate /tS/.

Doubled consonants are lengthened.

The `Northern' Vowel System

This is the first system I came up with for the language. This one makes the language look scarily like Finnish. This is the system I use throughout the rest of the book and is normal system.

a /&/ ...as in... sad
o /o:/ ...as in... cold
e /@/ ...as in... hell or Nietzsche
ä /e:/ ...as in... came
ö /u:/ ...as in... do
ë /i:/ ...as in... been

Sample

Salossa Kattolt önä Vassö kallendäö ërës cezöën de. Colanös rëndä bässoans önä ëlo anvalarën de. ëlo andana önä vellën dëda: äsöskä önä kallendä ardansö önä colanös ërel rëndäan ërës valsan dëaneda. Salossatö estär däloan dë, löa kallendäa ardansö önä dälöan ërës el räansäa ardansö önä rëndä ahlett! Salossatö andana önä kassëlan dëda. Vassötö värar andan dë: bässä ërës vallën dë'l colanös ahlar rëndäan ahlett valsan dë. "Vassö la, äsötö önä kallendä ardansö önä däma!", Salossatö cëonnan dë.

The `Western' Vowel System

This was an alternative orthography I came up with when the comments about it looking like Finnish appeared. The orthographic system is the same as the `Northern' system except for the following:

Northern Western
ä é
ö u
ë i

Sample

Salossa Kattolt uné Vassu kallendéu iris cezuin de. Colanus rindé béssoans uné ilo anvalarin de. ilo andana uné vellin dida: ésuské uné kallendé ardansu uné colanus irel rindéan iris valsan dianeda. Salossatu estér déloan di, lua kallendéa ardansu uné déluan iris el réanséa ardansu uné rindé ahlett! Salossatu andana uné kassilan dida. Vassutu vérar andan di: béssé iris vallin di'l colanus ahlar rindéan ahlett valsan di. "Vassu la, ésutu uné kallendé ard ansu uné déma!", Salossatu cionnan di.

The `Eastern' Vowel System

I created this system for use in email. The only difference with the `Western' system is the use of y in place of é.

Sample

Salossa Kattolt uny Vassu kallendyu iris cezuin de. Colanus rindy byssoans uny ilo anvalarin de. ilo andana uny vellin dida: ysusky uny kallendy ardansu uny colanus irel rindyan iris valsan dianeda. Salossatu estyr dyloan di, lua kallendya ardansu uny dyluan iris el ryansya ardansu uny rindy ahlett! Salossatu andana uny kassilan dida. Vassutu vyrar andan di: byssy iris vallin di'l colanus ahlar rindyan ahlett valsan di. "Vassu la, ysutu uny kallendy ardansu uny dyma!", Salossatu cionnan di.


This is a counter © Keith Gaughan, 2001
Next: Verbs