LANGNAME

LANGNAME is an isolating, head-initial (VOS) OGTRTA language.

Pronunciation and Spelling

Phonology

/m/   /n/
/p/   /t/     /k/
    /d/ [r]
    /s/ [z]             (/h/ [ʔ])
      /l/     /j/

iː     uː
   ɪ
 eː    o
    ɐ
  Ɛ    aː

Spelling

The consonants are written m, n, p, t, k, d, z, h, l, and y.

The short/lax vowels are written i, e, o, a. The long/tense vowels are written ī, ē, u, ā.

The long vowels with a macron can also be written with a following h: ih, eh, ah. Word-medially before a stop, they may also be written with a following n (see the section on Sandhi below).

Stress

Primary stress falls on the last syllable with a long vowel, or on the penult if there are no long vowels.

Sandhi

Secondary stress cascades outward from the primary stress and falls on alternate syllables.

Long vowels are usually nasalized before a voiceless stop /p/ /t/ /k/.

Syntax

As an OGTRTA language, LANGNAME has two open classes of words: nouns and verbs. Verbs fill the roles of adjectives and prepositions in English.

Sentences

A sentence consists of:

• zero or more modifier phrases
• an optional subject noun phrase
• a tense particle
• a main verb phrase

Noun Phrases

A noun phrase consists of a noun followed by zero or more modifier phrases.

Modifier Phrases

A modifier phrase is simply a verb phrase that modifiers a noun by following it.

Adverbial Phrases

An adverbial phrase is a verb phrase headed by the verb ADV1, which takes a nominalized verb (or, in a few expressions, a noun) as its complement.

• ADV1 in1#NOM hole in1 ground ^hobbit PROX dwell0 "In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit."

Nominalization

Verbs are nominalized by lengthening their final vowel (all verb stems end in short vowels). Nominalized verbs retain all their complement slots.

Prospective and Perfect aspects

Prospective and perfect aspects are formed via the auxiliary verbs ALL1 and ABL1:

• bread ABL1 PASS1 fry1#NOM "fried bread"