Anthologica Universe Atlas / Forums / Department of Creativity / Kansan Algonquian Scratchpad / <!>Kansan Algonquian Scratchpad (2016-02-19 10:05:39)
There are too many schwas in the above system, so I'm going to unshitten the diachronics a bit.
1) If you think Proto-Algonquian had *we and *ye sequences, they simplify to *o and *i as everywhere but Eastern: *nekwetwi > nikut.
2) There is a shift of *e to *i in word-initial syllables: nemene > nimen
3) Short vowels are lengthened before clusters starting in *h or *ʔ, which then drop.
4) Word-final short vowels drop in words of more than two syllables. All but the first consonant of a preceding cluster drops with compensatory lengthening of the preceding vowel, except for (now phonemic) -kw. Word-final long vowels shorten.
5) *r merges with *n and *θ becomes l; this is also true in clusters: *maθkwa > malpa
6) *ŏ and *ă merge as *a. *ō becomes u, and *ā becomes o: *oθkoni > alkan.
7) Long front vowels undergo a lowering process: *ē becomes ɛ, and *ī merges with *ĕ as e.
8) Further cluster reduction: *čC/*šC/*sC become hC, and *rC becomes nC. Sequences of CR, where R is a semivowel, geminate the preceding consonant except for /kw/, which phonemicizes as /kʷ/ <q>.
9. Vowel harmony. The six-vowel system is treated as a rectangle, with low /ɛ a/, mid /e o/, and high /i u/. No two vowels in adjacent syllables can be separated by more than one degree. The vowel of the initial syllable cannot change, but can drag a following vowel up or down as needed; this continues throughout the word.
10) *s becomes /h/ in all contexts unless geminated; *š becomes /s/ in a chain shift.
11) *kʷ merges with *p.
The resulting phonology looks something like this:
Consonants: /p t ts~tʃ k m n s h w l j/ <p t c k m n s h w l y>
Vowels: /i e ɛ ɒ o u/ <i e ɛ a o u>, with no length distinction.
Nouns may be animate or inanimate: animate malpa 'bear', inenniw 'man', alɛm 'dog'; inanimate pempi 'dust', wopon 'dawn'.
Animate nouns are pluralized with -ak; inanimates with -an, which also serves as the animate obviative ending. Often there is a stem change: alemmak 'dogs', wopankan 'dawns'.
Nouns may also be possessed. (to be continued; need dinner.)
1) If you think Proto-Algonquian had *we and *ye sequences, they simplify to *o and *i as everywhere but Eastern: *nekwetwi > nikut.
2) There is a shift of *e to *i in word-initial syllables: nemene > nimen
3) Short vowels are lengthened before clusters starting in *h or *ʔ, which then drop.
4) Word-final short vowels drop in words of more than two syllables. All but the first consonant of a preceding cluster drops with compensatory lengthening of the preceding vowel, except for (now phonemic) -kw. Word-final long vowels shorten.
5) *r merges with *n and *θ becomes l; this is also true in clusters: *maθkwa > malpa
6) *ŏ and *ă merge as *a. *ō becomes u, and *ā becomes o: *oθkoni > alkan.
7) Long front vowels undergo a lowering process: *ē becomes ɛ, and *ī merges with *ĕ as e.
8) Further cluster reduction: *čC/*šC/*sC become hC, and *rC becomes nC. Sequences of CR, where R is a semivowel, geminate the preceding consonant except for /kw/, which phonemicizes as /kʷ/ <q>.
9. Vowel harmony. The six-vowel system is treated as a rectangle, with low /ɛ a/, mid /e o/, and high /i u/. No two vowels in adjacent syllables can be separated by more than one degree. The vowel of the initial syllable cannot change, but can drag a following vowel up or down as needed; this continues throughout the word.
10) *s becomes /h/ in all contexts unless geminated; *š becomes /s/ in a chain shift.
11) *kʷ merges with *p.
The resulting phonology looks something like this:
Consonants: /p t ts~tʃ k m n s h w l j/ <p t c k m n s h w l y>
Vowels: /i e ɛ ɒ o u/ <i e ɛ a o u>, with no length distinction.
Nouns may be animate or inanimate: animate malpa 'bear', inenniw 'man', alɛm 'dog'; inanimate pempi 'dust', wopon 'dawn'.
Animate nouns are pluralized with -ak; inanimates with -an, which also serves as the animate obviative ending. Often there is a stem change: alemmak 'dogs', wopankan 'dawns'.
Nouns may also be possessed. (to be continued; need dinner.)