Northeastern Bay Language

To Be Continued... Caleone is still working on this article. The contents are incomplete and likely to undergo changes.

Northeastern Bay Language, Čethax Thaxarevemni [t͡ɕe.tʰɑx tʰɑ.xɑ.ɻe.vem.ni]
Period	c. -1200 YP
Spoken in	Northwestern Tuysáfa, Northeastern Bay, Heneššéme Basin
Total speakers	unknown
Writing system	unknown
Classification	T1 languages   Northeastern Bay
Typology
Basic word order	Topic-Prominent
Morphology	Largely Fusional with some Synthetic Elements
Alignment	NOM-ACC
Credits
Created by	Caleone

The Northeastern Bay Language was a language spoken about -1200 YP in the northwestern reaches of the continent of Tuysáfa, the speakers of which called themselves Thaxarevemni [tʰɑ.xɑ.ɻe.vem.ni], which is thought to have come from the milk drinkers, hearkening back to their semi-nomadic roots and separated themselves from their neighbors who spoke other languages within the T1 language family or the completely unrelated Northeastern languages. It is a T1 language and an ancestor to Black River Aséta & Asséta meaning that it is also related to West Yalan, East Yalan, Omari, Hkətl’ohnim, and Tumetıęk.

Language Name

It's thought that the native name for the language was Čethax Thaxarevemni [t͡ɕe.tʰɑx tʰɑ.xɑ.ɻe.vem.ni]ˌ or "language of the milk drinkers". Alternatively some speakers used Asčethax to name their language and reflexes of that name survive along the coast. Curiously they also used Thaxarevemni for the Omari leading scholars to postulate a closer relationship between the two than between other branches of the same family, though the evidence has so far been inconclusive.

Phonology

Vowels

The Thaxarevemni vowel inventory consists of the following seven distinct sounds all of which can appear long as well as short.

	front	back
high	i y	u
mid	e ø	o
low		ɑ

• The vowels are written as follows: i ü e ö o a
• Long vowels are written with macrons except /y ø/ which are written as ȗ ȏ

Consonants

Thaxarevemni has a fairly average sized consonant inventory compared to it's neighbors and relatives.

	labial	dental	alveolar	postalveolar	palatal	retroflex	velar	glottal
nasal	m		n		ɲ		ŋ
plosive	p pʰ b		t tʰ d				k kʰ ɡ
fricative	f v	θ ð	s z	ɕ ʑ		ʐ	x ɣ	h
affricate			ts tsʰ dz	tɕ tɕʰ dʑ
liquid			l			ɻ	(ɫ)
glide	w				j

• /ɲ ŋ/ are written ñ ng
• /pʰ tʰ tsʰ tɕʰ kʰ/ are written ph th ch čh kh
• /θ ð ɕ ʑ ʐ ɣ/ are written ṭ ḍ š ž ẓ gh
• /ts dz tɕ dʑ/ are written c ď č j
• /ɻ j/ are written r y
• /ɫ/ is an allophone of /l/ at the end of a syllable and intervocallically.

Stress

Unless otherwise noted stress occurs on either the penultimate syllable (for words longer than two syllables) or on the first syllable (for words with one or two syllables) of the word. And though some words may have their final syllable stressed instead stress will never fall on the first syllable for words longer than three syllables.

Phonotactics

This section describes the phonotactics of Thaxarevemni.

Syllable Structure

Analysing the language gives a maximal syllable structure of (C)(C)V(C) with syllables tending towards CV structure. That is up to two consonants may make up the onset with one making up the coda. A vowel is required for all syllables.

Clusters

• sC clusters must be preceded by a vowel. In loans an epenthetic /ɑ-/ is inserted.
• Any combination of stop and fricative is permitted, likewise any combination of nasal and fricative is also permitted but stops may only follow nasals (e.g. /oxko/, /oŋɡo/, /okxo/ are permitted, but /oɡŋo/ is not.
• Likewise a liquid consonant may appear before or after any oral stop or fricative, but may only precede a nasal stop.
• A glide may only appear on its own, or following another consonant.

Nominal Morphology

Nominals fall into three categories that are morphologically distinct: pronouns, true nouns, and descriptive nouns.

True Nouns

True nouns are divided into three categories: animate, inanimate, and collective. Outside of collective nouns true nouns decline for plurality and all nouns decline for case and definiteness.

Animacy & Plurality

Thaxarevemni marks nouns with a fusional prefix that denotes both animacy and plurality

	singular	plural
Inanimate	Ø-	n(e)-
Animate	o-/w-	n(u)-

Case and Definiteness

Thaxarevemni nouns decline for both case and definiteness using a fusional suffix which attaches to the stem. In cases where the stem ends in a vowel the stem vowel deletes, except for long vowels. Likewise, an epenthetic -a- is inserted when the final sound is a consonant except for the consonants /ɻ l m n ɲ ŋ/ which cause voicing on the initial consonant of the suffix.

	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	-fe	-ti
Accusative	-fes	-tis
Dative	-fang	-teng
Genitive	-fax	-tex
Instrumental	-u	-šu

Below are example declension paradigms for the nouns Apsemü, "human, Aprō, "door", Četha, "language", & wic, "mist".

apsemü, "human"	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	apsemve	apsemni
Accusative	apsemves	apsemnis
Dative	apsemvang	apsemneng
Genitive	apsemvax	apsemnex
Instrumental	apsemu	apsemžu

aprō, "door"	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	aprōfe	aprōti
Accusative	aprōfes	aprōtis
Dative	aprōfang	aprōteng
Genitive	aprōfax	aprōtex
Instrumental	aprōu	aprōšu

Četha, "language"	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	čethfe	čēthi
Accusative	čethfes	čēthis
Dative	čethfang	čētheng
Genitive	čethfax	čēthex
Instrumental	češu	čečhu

wic, "mist"	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	wicafe	wicati
Accusative	wicafes	wicatis
Dative	wicafang	wicateng
Genitive	wicafax	wicatex
Instrumental	wišu	wicašu

Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

	1st person
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	tondati	hendati
Accusative	tondatis	hendatis
Dative	tondateng	hendateng
Genitive	tondatex	hendatex
Instrumental	tonu	henu

	2nd Person
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	lendati	jendati
Accusative	lendatis	jendatis
Dative	lendateng	jendateng
Genitive	lendatex	jendatex
Instrumental	lenu	jenu

	3rd Person
	Singular			Plural
	Definite	Indefinite		Definite	Indefinite
Nominative	ondati	onufe		nundati	nunufe
Accusative	ondatis	onufes		nundatis	nunufes
Dative	ondateng	onufang		nundateng	nunufang
Genitive	ondatex	onufax		nundatex	nunufax
Instrumental	onu	onū		nunu	nunū

Demonstratives

		singular	plural
Proximal	Familiar	tüti	šiti
	Unfamiliar	tütu	šitu
Medial		takho	hakho
Distal		tüfe	šife

Interrogatives

šetin = what person (who (animate))

šeṭu = what thing (who (inanimate))

šetnayang = at what time (when)

šisēa = for what reason, by what method (why/how)

hö = at what place (where)

Verbal Morphology

Person & Aspect

	habitual	imperfective	perfective
1	ne+	nī-	niču-
2	re+	ẓi-	ẓiču-
3a	mo+	mi-	moču-
3i	ē+	ē-	eču-

Modality & Tense

	present	past	future
indicative	-möte	-möc	-makaṭat
imperative	-ete	-ec	-ekaṭat
subjunctive	-thwite	-thwic	-thwekaṭat
optative	-lute	-luc	-lokaṭat
negative	-rēte	-rēc	-ẓakaṭat

Adjectives

Adjectives in Thaxarevemni are a class of words in the language that modify the preceding lexeme in a clause. These words behave like verbs in the sense that they take verbal prefixes for aspect and person but have their own set of conjugational suffixes for comparative and superlative forms as well as a relativizer prefix when modifying nouns. In a sense adjectives are used as both adjectives and adverbs and could more properly be called descriptives. Adjectives is used here for ease of use.

Person & Aspect

Adjectives when modifying verbs must take a person/aspect prefix, these are the same as used on the verbs themselves and are as follows:

	habitual	imperfective	perfective
1	ne+	nī-	niču-
2	re+	ẓi-	ẓiču-
3a	mo+	mi-	moču-
3i	ē+	ē-	eču-

Relativization

When modifying nouns adjectives take the prefix fo- instead of the person/aspect prefix.

Comparatives & Superlatives

Comparatives and superlatives take a suffix to modify the adjective which are as follows:

	comparative	superlative
	-nim	-ak

Syntax

Basic word order in Thaxarevemni is SOV with modifiers coming after their antecedents. The language is also pro-drop, that is pronouns are only used when introducing a subject or for emphasis.

Noun Phrases

Noun phrases consist of a noun-head, which is inflected for case and definiteness, followed by its modifier, generally an adjective but also post-positions:

wūdi

w-ūno-ti

ANI.SNG-cow.NOM.DEF

fürad

fo-ürad

REL-be_black

the black cow

nefosti

ne-fosta-ti

INAM.PLU-boat.NOM.DEF

fohang

fo-hang

REL.be_small

the small boats

Numerals

1.	no	11.	aneta ši no
2.	nec	12.	aneta ši nec	20.	nedna
3.	ha	13.	aneta ši ha	30.	hena
4.	kap	14.	aneta ši kap	40.	kabna
5.	re	15.	aneta ši re	50.	rena
6.	takh	16.	aneta ši takh	60.	takhna
7.	mul	17.	aneta ši mul	70.	murna
8.	fe	18.	aneta ši fe	80.	fena
9.	ola	19.	aneta ši ola	90.	orna
10.	aneta			100.	anetena
				1000.	noma

Compound numbers higher than 100 can be formed by linking the numbers with ši "and", as follows:

110 anetena ši aneta

270 nednetena ši murna

1275 noma ši nednetena ši murna ši re

Basic Clauses

Intransitive Verbs: this construction consists of an intransitive or adjectival verb and a single noun.

ngaxtafe

Ø-ngaxta-fe

INAM.SIN.storm.NOM.INDF

ečušicamöte

eču-šic-möte

3.INAM.PFV.move_upwards.PRE.IND

A storm moves upwards (away).

nafmordi

nu-afmolu-ti

ANI.PLU.animal.NOM.DEF

methörmöte

mo+ethöle-möte

3.ANI.HAB.tell_a_story.PRE.IND

The animals were telling stories.

Transitive Verbs take an additional argument, and take agreement with the modified argument in regards to person. The second argument takes the accusative case.

wakafe

o-ak-fe

ANI.SIN.fire.NOM.INDF

ečüṭimöc

eču-üṭima-möc

3.INAM.PFV.to_destroy.PST.IND

keṭakatis

Ø-keṭak-tis

INAM.SIN.house.ACC.DEF

A fire destroyed the house.

Ditransitive Verbs are similar to transitive verbs, receiving another argument in the form of an indirect object or instrument, inflected in the dative case.The indirect object takes its place after the subject/topic of a clause.

tondati

tonda-ti

1.NOM.SIN

oyaxfang

o-yaxö-fang

ANI.SIN.pig.DAT.INDF

ẓičužinžimakaṭat

ẓiču-žinži-makaṭat

2.PFV.to_give.FUT.IND

lendatis

lenda-tis

2.ACC.SIN

I will give you a pig.

Comparatives & Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives are formed by modifying adjectives with either of two suffixes as listed earlier. The structure of the phrase is similar to a transitive verb phrase, with the comparative taking the place of the normal verb. Superlatives, in contrast are most similar to intransitive clauses.

dēthi

Ø-adeo-ti

SIN.INAM.paint.NOM.DEF

fuhakhranim

fo-hakhra-nim

REL.be_weak.COMP

tondatex

tonda-tex

1.SIN.GEN

This paint is weaker than mine.

herjegmoti

Ø-herjegmo-ti

SIN.INAM.country.NOM.DEF

fothopasak

fo-thopas-ak

REL.be_strong.SUPR

This country is the strongest.

Interrogatives

Questions take the question particle, ha which is placed after the verb.

Yes-No Questions

Yes-No questions are asked based on the expected answer with a rise in intonation on the final lexeme. Verbs take the negative mood if the expected answer is negative and in the indicative for positive answers as seen below:

lendati

lenda-ti

2.SIN.NOM

ẓičutōxamöte

ẓiču-tōxa-möte

2.PFV.to_take.PRE.IND

ha

ha

INT

othaxtis

o-thaxta-tis

ANI.SIN.milk.ACC.DEF

Did you take the milk?

To answer a yes-no question you would either reply in the positive or negative, matching or contradicting the question as shown:

tondati

tonda-ti

1.SIN.NOM

ničutōxamöte

niču-tōxa-möte

1.PFV.to_take.PRE.IND

othaxtis

o-thaxta-tis

ANI.SIN.milk.ACC.DEF

I took the milk.

or:

tondati

tonda-ti

1.SIN.NOM

ničutōxarete

niču-tōxa-rete

1.PFV.to_take.PRE.NEG

othaxtis

o-thaxta-tis

ANI.SIN.milk.ACC.DEF

I did not take the milk.

You can also answer with the verb, dropping its arguments, in either indicative or negative.

Sample Text

The Young Lion

Ophaxti Fofčo

Ophaxti motengmöc wafmordis ba ši orefemnex nenirdis fokap, tho ondatex jetis fophasak ši fothopasak, athreti fokak, nastakhutis mohȗmöc moškak.

Da! Ophaxti fofčo movemöc! Apthis asta moanamöc ši nafmorvang fak moakpharmöc ondatex thopsateng. Ši maptiṭtamöte. Wafmordi ethormotis moendatimöte ophaxteng, ši nundatis matengmöte.

Gloss

Ophaxti

o-phaxa-ti

SIN.ANI.lion.NOM.DEF

Fofčo

fo-afčo

REL.be_young

The Young Lion

Ophaxti

o-phaxa-ti

SIN.ANI.lion.NOM.DEF

motengmöc

mo-ateng-möc

3.ANI.HAB.to_rule.PST.IND

wafmordis

o-afmolu-tis

SIN.ANI.beast.ACC.DEF

ba

ba

be_all

The lion was the ruler of all beasts

ši

ši

and

orefemnex

o-refeme-tex

SIN.ANI.ruler.GEN.DEF

nenirdis

n-nil-tis

PLU.INAM.country.ACC.DEF

fokap,

fo-kap

REL.be_four

and lord of the four countries,

tho

tho

because

ondatex

onda-tex

3.SIN.GEN

jetis

Ø-je-tis

SIN.INAM.chest.ACC.DEF

fophasak

fo-phas-ak

REL.be_thick.SUPR

ši

ši

and

fothopasak,

fo-thopas-ak

REL.be_strong.SUPR

athreti

Ø-athre-ti

SIN.INAM.waist

fokak,

fo-ka-ak

REL.be_thin.SUPR

nastakhutis

n-astakhu-tis

PLU.INAM.leg.ACC.DEF

ehȗmöc

e-ṭün-möc

3.INAM.HAB.to_run.PST.IND

eškak.

e-aška-ak

3.INAM.HAB.be_quick.SUPR

because his chest was thick, waist was thin, and (his) legs ran fast.

Lexicon

A basic lexicon of Thaxarevemni.