Yhát

Yhát is the descendant language of E'át, which descended from Aθá and Adāta. It was created as part of a language change relay on zompist bboard.

Phonology Morphology Syntax Sample Text Lexicon

Phonology


Phonemic Inventory

Consonants:

labial alveolar palatal velar uvular glottal
plosives p t k q
fricatives f s kh qh h
v z gh
affricates pf ts
dz
nasals m n ng
lateral l
trill r
approximant w j

Vowels:

  front back
close i        u   
near-close y       
mid e        o   
open a       

y is pronounced [Y]. Others have their standard IPA value: i = [i], e= [e], a = [a], u = [u], o = [o].

The approximants /j,w/ can form dipthongs as glides both before or after the vowels.

Stressed syllables are marked with an accent on the vowel like so: lizáq  'to celebrate' is stressed on the second syllable -záq.

Allophones

Unstressed /a/ is usually pronounced [@].

Double voiced consonants are pronounced geminate, held slightly longer that normal. This can occur occasionally by the addition of affixes.

Word final /r/ realized as a schwa-glide [@], except after /a/ where it remains [R\]. Thus qhóter  'alert'  is pronounced [Xote@]. Certain non-standard dialects extend this to all final /r/, even after /a/.

Word initial /N/ is pronounced [n], however when the word is prefixed it reverts to [N]. Thus ngar  'prostitute' is pronounced [naR\], but the plural hangára  'prostitutes'  is pronouced [h@NaR\@].

Velar obstuents ( /k, x, G/ ) are palatalized ( /kj, xj, Gj/ ) when the next consonant is an uvular obstruent ( /q, X/ ). For instance, kaq  'red'  is pronounced [kjaq]. Some non-standard dialects extend this to velars followed by r [R\] as well, thus khárin  'stone'  becomes pronounced [xjaR\in].


Sound Changes from E'át

Yhát developed from a dialect of E'át where palatal plosive shifted to velar ( c > k ) and velar shifted to uvular ( k > q ). This shift was generalised to all the obstruents, and induced vowel changes as well.

Vowel Shifts: Assimilation: Obstruents shift backwards: More Vowel Shifts: Loss of Glottal Stop: Affricates: Liquids and Trills: Final Loss:

Changes are detailed in this .sc file used with Geoff's Sound Change Applier. This file is a bit of a mess and might not make sense to anyone but it creator, but you may look at it if you wish.