Old Shax

General Information
Shax is the main Lingua Franca of the country of Mauritania (note: the Mauritania is not the real-world Mauritania, the Islamic Republic of, but the Republic of Mauritania, a con-state, with its English name, Mauritania, coming after the ancient Roman province of the same name. In this universe, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania is called the Islamic State of Agawej, after the berber name for it.).

Mauritania consists of, in modern day terms, Morocco, the provinces of Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate, Oriental, Fès-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarfa-Béni Hssen, Meknès-Tafilalet, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer, Grand Casablanca, Doukkala-Abda, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Tadla-Azilal, and Souss-Massa-Drâa, and all the provinces of Algeria except Tindouf, Adrar, Tamanghasset, Illizi, Ouargla, El Oued, and Tébessa.

In Mauritania, there are many languages. The official language is Shax. Recognized minority languages are Kayble Berber, Tashelhit Berber, Spanish, French, Moroccan colloquial Arabic, and Algerian colloquial Arabic.

Sound Changes
These are the sound changes from original Antiquity Latin. Note: they're al in order
 * 1) V = vowel
 * 2) ´ (acute accent) = stressed syllable
 * 3) ` (grave accent) = unstressed syllable

Antiquity > Vulgar

 * Removal of phonemic legnth (ex: [eː] > [e])
 * Vowel Shift
 * e, ɪ > e
 * o, ʊ > o
 * e > ɪ/_V
 * ɑi̯ > ɛ
 * ɑu̯ > o
 * oi̯ > e
 * h > ∅
 * syncope in some words
 * m > ∅/CV_CV(C)
 * b > β/V_V
 * w > β
 * regularization of irregular nouns
 * emphasis of gendered nouns
 * Vulgar Laitn words
 * e, i > j/_V
 * Note: [e] and [i] palatalize the consonants in Western Romance
 * o, u > w/_V

Vulgar > Western Romance

 * s > es/#_
 * m > ∅/_#
 * ns > s
 * er > re/_#
 * or > ro/_#
 * e, i > j/in hiatus
 * kʲ > kkj
 * dʲ, gʲ, dj, gj > j
 * kj, tj > tsj
 * kkj > ttsj
 * kt > jt
 * ks > js
 * ɛ́ > ie/closed syllable
 * ɔ́ > uo/closed syllable
 * (p, t, k) > (b, d, g)/V_V, r
 * (b, d, g) > (v, ð, ʝ)/V_V, r
 * ts > dz/V_V, r
 * pl > bl/V_V
 * (t, d) > (d, ð)/V_#
 * jn, nj, gn, ŋn, ngj > ɲ
 * jl, gl > ʎ

Western Romance > Meghrebian Romance

 * s > ∅/_#
 * β > v
 * ú > ʝu/#_
 * ʎ > ʝ; ɟ/CV́_
 * ju > lu
 * ʝ > ɟ
 * V́ > V̀/_ɲ, ʎ, ɟ
 * ɲV > ɲ/_#
 * ɪ, ɛ, i, e > j/#_V
 * ʊ, o, u, ɔ > w/#_V
 * è, ì > ɪ
 * ò, ù > ʊ
 * ɛ, é > ɛ̝
 * ɔ, ó > ɔ̝
 * á > æ, a
 * simplification of geminates
 * simplification of affricates to fricatives
 * simplification of consonant clusters, with fricative and plosives, to fricatives except for [st] in hiatus and [ks] in an unstressed syllable
 * [kʷ] in a consonant cluster becomes [k]
 * simplification of [nt] and [nd] to [n]
 * Initial lenition
 * p > ɸ
 * t > d/_(ʊ, u, ɔ̝), s/_(i, ɪ, ɛ̝, æ)
 * g > ʁ, ɟ/_(i, ɪ)
 * k > h, k
 * j > l/#_
 * ʊ̀ > ju/#_
 * (sj, zj) > (ʃ, ʒ)
 * (s, z) > (ʃ, ʒ)/__(i, ɛ̝́)
 * Note: the vowel gets assimilated with the post-alveolar fricative
 * kʷɔ̝, kʷu > ku
 * kʷ > k/C_V
 * k > h/V_ɛ̝, ɔ̝, a, æ, ʊ
 * k > ∅/V_i, ɪ
 * b > p/#_
 * ʒ > d͡ʒ
 * Arabic Words (note: arabic words in Shax hold no stress)

Meghrebian Romance > Shax
​Note: whenever a semi-vowel doesn't have a vowel coming after it, it turns into its regular vowel. This happens at all times in Shax and therefore all sound changes with vowel apply to it.
 * ɸ > w
 * kl, gl > kr, gr
 * tl, dl > lː
 * nl > j
 * rl > d
 * lK > (K = velar)
 * ɪlK > iK
 * alK, ɛ̝lK > æK
 * ɔ̝lK, ulK > wɪK
 * ilK > iK
 * ælK > æK
 * lr > lː
 * V: > V́
 * Lenition
 * t(w, r) > θ(w, r)
 * dw > w
 * à > [ɪ], [ɛ̝], or [a] depending on word
 * æj > i
 * æ > ɛ̝/_#
 * æ̀ > [ɛ̝] or [ɪ]
 * jʊ, jɔ̝ > e͡u
 * ʊ́ > ɔ̝
 * ʊ̀ > u
 * g > ʁ/V_V́
 * rú, mú, tú, ɟ(ɔ̝, u) > (r, m, t)e͡u
 * qw > kʷ
 * q > ʔ/closed unstressed syllble-final
 * ʔ > ∅/_#
 * ʕ > ∅
 * ħ > h
 * ʁ > h
 * ɣ > x
 * h > x/_(u)
 * tˤ, dˤ, sˤ, zˤ > t, d, s, z
 * syncope in unstressed closed syllables
 * ð > v
 * Lenition
 * Voiced
 * b > m/_#
 * d > n/_#
 * g > ŋ/_#
 * Voiceless
 * p > f/_#
 * t > ∅/_#
 * k > ∅/_#
 * q > χ/_#
 * x > χ
 * (B, L)Vn > (B, L)m
 * B = bilabial and L = labio-dental
 * (à, ɪ̀) > ∅/#_C
 * l > ɾ/V_V (unstressed, open syllable)
 * r > l/CV C  (the final closed syllable)
 * ɟ(e͡u, j, u) > d͡ʒu
 * l > j/_#
 * rː > r̥ː
 * æ > ɛ̝
 * (i, ɪ)j > i/_#
 * (u)w > u/_#

Consonants
All phonemes can be geminated except [kʷ]. Geminate [r] becomes [r̥ː]

Vowel
[ə] only occurs with the sound change ɪ, a > ə/C_ŋ, fricative (unstressed syllable)

Syllable Formation
(C)(G)V(C)

where G = glide

[æ] and [i] cannot be next to each other.

Stress
Stress is usually placed on the penultimate syllable. An acute changes the stress.

Writing System
Latin and Arabic scripts are co-official in Mauritania.

Latin System
¹Before I, E, and Y

² I is [j] before another vowel and after a consonant (a grave will remove the [j]'ness). Y is used between vowels and for geminate [j].

³ U is [w] before another vowel and after a consonant (a grave will remove the [w]'ness). W is used for words of Arabic origin and for geminate [w].

Digraphs
¹ Qu is [kʷ] when it comes before a vowel and [qu] if it comes before a consoant (ex: qua = [kʷa] and qut = [qut])

² Multigraphs use their diacritical form

³ -ng = [ŋ] as well

Diacritics
¹ Used when the ɪ, a > ə/C_ŋ, fricative (unstressed syllable) sound doesn't apply.

² Used when it is an [ɛ̝] from the Arabic letter ة (tā’ marbūṭa)

Use of multiple letters
The letters ş and ţ are used for when the sounds of Arabic origin.

The digraphs ch and th are for words of greek and/or latin origin.

The letters W and Y are used as semi-vowels between vowels and for geminates of their respective semi-vowel. They are also used when their semi-vowel sound is from a word of Arabic origin.

Ķ is used for geminates while Kh is used everywhere else except before a [h] sound where it becomes Ķ.

The Ai digrpah is used for latin words with AE.

Arabic System
¹ ذ is used for Arabic words that had [ð] but became [v]. ڤ is used for Latin/Greek words that are [v] in Shax.

² إ is used for [i] and [ɪ], and أ is used for the others.

Punctuation
¹ Question/Exclamitory clauses are where the clause is a question/exclamation but the full phrase is not a question/exclamation
 * < . > ends a declarative phrase
 * < , > seperates clauses
 * < ; > combines two close complete phrases
 * < «x» > quotes for dialogue
 * <  x   > for titles of published works
 * < ? > ends a interrogative phrase
 * < ¿ > ends a question "clause"¹
 * < ! > ends an interjectional and/or exclamitory phrase
 * < ¡ > ends ann exclamitory "clause"¹

Case
There are 3 cases in Shax: the nominative, oblique, and genitive. The Shax nominative represents the nominative, vocative, and prepositional. The oblique represents the accusative, dative, and ablative. The genitive represents just the genitive. The nominative is left unmarked. The oblique is made with articles. The genitive is made with declensions and a zero article. The oblique is taken from the accusative form.

Plural
Nouns can either be singular or plural. Plural nouns are declined. The plural form is taken from the Latin dative, contrary to other western romance languages that take it form the accusative. Article plurals are taken from the 1st declension plural for feminine and 4th declension plural for masculine. Plural forms usually end in either -vo, for masculine, or -va, for feminine.

Gender
There are two genders: the masculine and feminine. The masculine and neuter of original latin were combined. The distinction is usually very regular as most feminine nouns end in either T, A, or E. Irregular feminine nouns do still exist, but the article usually makes them clear.

Adjectives decline to the noun's gender.

Article
Articles decline to case, gender, plural, and definiteness. There main purpose though is to distinguish the oblique case and definiteness. Note: the zero article is used for the partative article. A pluraly declined noun with a zero article is used to show a plural partative article (ex: cofi = some coffee, cofivos = some/many coffees)

Indefinite
The indefinite article in Shax comes from the Antiquity Latin word ūnus meaning "one".

Definitie
The indefinite article in Shax comes from the Antiquity Latin word ille meaning "that".

Plural
While there are some irregular plurals, for nouns and adjectives, in Shax, most are regular.

For nouns, the plurals is made by putting on a final -vo, for masculine, or -va, for feminine. If the final letter in the word is a consonant, the consonant is replaced with "v".

Genitive
The Shax genitive is speacial. Genitive nouns decline like articles and use zero articles themselves.

Postpositions
As said before, Shax is a strongly head initial language. Therefore all postposition, note that there are no compound prepositions and any that may be are compounded, are placed before the nouns phrase, the noun and its modifiers, adjectives.

Plural
For adjectives, the plural marker is -i, for masculine adjectives, or -e, for feminine adjectives. Usually the gendered forms are irregular therefore the masculine and femanine forms are both given. Note: when the adjective takes the plural form, the vowel before it gets replaced.

Comparative
head uru ADJ hye OBJ uru = more (PLV̄S in latin)

hye = than (QVE in latin)

Superlative
Note: there are some irregular superlativers. head ADJ-(e)mplu -emplu = more, most, the most, etc (AMPLV̄S in latin)

li/la emplu = the best

Conjugation
In one verb, a verb conjugates to person, number, tense, mood, and voice.

Person
There are three persons in Shax: first, second, and third.

Number
There are two numbers in Shax: singular and plural.

Tense
There are three tenses in Shax: the present, the past, and the future.

Mood
There are three moods in Shax: the indicative, subjunctive, and the imperitive. The subjunctive in Shax is very useful. It is used whenever expressing opinion. It is also used when making a question.

Voice
There are the active and passive voices in Shax.

Conjugation
Replace the stem with the given conjugation. Note: "_" means that the charactaristic vowel in the infinitive will be the vowel in the conjugation (ex: ticler to See = ticlevu I saw)

Infinitive
Most verbs end in -ar , -er, or -ir (ex: ticrer [tɪkrɛ̝r] • to speak), but they all follow the following conjugation:

Gerund
Note: the gerund in Shax declines like any other noun.

Gerundive
Note: the gerundive in Shax acts an adjective form of the verb (ex: to like.gerundive = [something] to be liked). It declines like any other adjective.

Copula
Shax has a null copula.

Nominative
Nominative pronouns in Shax are almost never used but can be used for emphasis.

Oblique
This is the most common pronoun.

Genitive
Most oftenly, a genitive pronoun is used. Genitive pronouns are very simple and act as adjectives.

Reflexive
Reflexive pronouns don't have a special form, the oblique is used, therefore to know that an oblique pronoun is reflexive is that it would be after the verb (like in SVO). These make reflexive verbs.

Noun Phrases
The noun phrases in Shax are very simple: they compose of the head and its modifiers. The head is always going to be either a noun or pronoun and its modifiers include adjectives, prepositions, and genitive case nouns (these act as adjectives to the noun). Shax, being a head initial language, it has adjectives and postpositions after it; genitive nouns break this rule as they go before the head.

Adjectival Phrases
Adjectives can be exherent, inherent, comperitive, or superlative. Exherent, comperitive, and superlative adjectives are placed after the noun (for more on comperitive and superlative adjectives, go to their sections under adjectives). Inherent adjectives are added on as a "suffix" with a hyphen (ex: the bus-red).

Adverb Phrases
The most descriptive and/or temperal adverbs come as introductory clauses before the verb; this is the same if there is one adverb. The second or an adverb to do with speed goes after the verb phrase.

Verb Phrase
The verb phrase is the verb with its modifiers. It's modifiers can only be adverbs here; for the placement of adverbs, look above. conjugated verb + infinitive ^ that is the syntax for two+ verbs*

(*) It is important to note that the verbs vieler, to want, and woser, to be able, conjugate to person and number and the following verb conjugates as it would normal.

Clauses
Note the SOV order.

Independent Clause
In Shax independent clauses, only one verb phrase is necessary; it can have the subject assumed if it is a personal pronoun (if there is a subject, it would go before the verb (SV order)). A transitive clause is the same as independent but with one more argument, the patient, represented by the accusative noun (SOV order). A ditransitive clause would have the regular SOV order of the transitive clause but with the dative after the verb (SOVD, where D = dative).

Dependent clauses
In Shax, these are incomplete phrases liked to independent clauses with a conjunction.

Relative Clauses
In Shax, relative clauses are formed by using the appropriate demonstrative determiner from the table of correlatives.