Xarrano

General information
An Iberian language spoken by the inhabitants of Xarra Alta.

Xarrano (pronounced /ʃa'rano/) is a romlang mainly inspired by Iberian Romance languages, also showing influence from Italian. The goal is that it resemble a language of the Iberian family while having a vowel alternating plural system due to specific sound changes.

Its family tree can be traced as Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Western Romance, Ibero-Romance, West-Iberian, Xarrano.

Its speakers mostly live in an isolated mountainous region in the Iberian peninsula called Xarra Alta ("tall sierra").

Please note that this page is part of a romlang challenge it will continuously be subject to alteration until the deadline (around June).

Historical sound changes
When compared to other Iberian languages, Xarrano shows some conservative features, such as distinction between voiceless and voiced fricatives, while having innovated in other areas like the coalescence of alveolar consonants with /j/ and palatalization of final /s/, eventually causing the loss of distinction between masculine and feminine in plural forms.

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General changes
a) Loss or lenition of final consonants:

AMAT, LUPŌS, VĪTAM (polysyllables) > ama, lobe (< loboy), vida

AUT, MEL, QUEM, TAM, SĪC (monosyllables) > o, miel, quien, tan, si

b) Loss of /h/:

/h/ ADHAESIONEM,HABĒRE,PREHENDERE > /-/ adeson, aver, prender

c) Monophthongization of AE and OE:

/ai, oi/ CAELUM, GRAECUM, POENAM > /ɛ, e/ > /je, e/ cielo, grego, pena

d) Minor changes:

/VnsV/ MENSEM, PREHENSUM > /VzV/ mes, preso

/CCC/ ASSŪMPTUM, FUNCTIONEM > /CC/ assunto, funçon

/lle#/ ILLĒ, MĪLLE, PELLEM > /l#/ el, mil, piel

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Changes related to Western Romance
a) Shift from vowel quantity to vowel quality (also in Italo-Western):

/iː, i, eː, e, a(ː), o, oː, u, uː/ > /i, e, e, ɛ, a, ɔ, o, o, u/

/ɛ, ɔ/ > [jɛ, wɔ] > /je, we/ only in stressed open syllables

b) Monophthongization of AU (also in Italo-Western):

/au/ AURICULAM, AUT, *autoricare, PAUCUM, TAURUM > /o/ oregha, o, otorgar, poco, toro

c) Assimilation processes (also in Italo-Western):

/bt, pt/ OBTENĒRE, SEPTEM > /t/ otener, xete

/bs, ps/ ABSOLŪTUM, PSALMUM > /s/ assoluto, salmo

d) Lenition of intervocalic plosives:

/b, d, g/ BIBERE, NŪDUM, *vagativu > /v, -, -/ bever, nuo, vadío

/p, t, k/ CAEPULLAM, RECIPERE, PRĀTUM, FOCUM > /b-v, d, g/ cebogha, recivir, prado, fuego

/pp, tt, kk/ STUPPAM, GUTTAM, PECCĀTUM > /p, t, k/ estopa, gota, pecado

(plosives surrounded by a semivowel were somewhat preserved, but suffered other changes)

e) Early process of syncope (between sonorants and plosives, and the sequence /sVt/):

/VCVCV/ COLAPHUM, OPERAM, COMITEM, POSITUM > /VCCV/ golpo, obra, conde, posto

/VCVCV/ *cosutura, NŌBILEM, LEPOREM, OCULUM, VIRIDEM > /VCCV/ costura, noble, lebre, ogho, verde

f) Palatalization processes:

/eV, iV/ FORTIAM, VĪNEAM > [jV] > /*V/ força, viña

/#j, VjV/ IAM, IEIŪNUM, IŪSTUM, MĀIOREM > /#ʒ, VjV/ > /#ʒ, VdʒV/ ja, jeghuno, justo, maghor

/ki, ke/ ACCEPTUM, CIRCĀ, CĪVĪLEM > [tʃV] > /tsV/ > /θV/ aceto, cerca, civil

- /Vki, Vke/ > ACĒTUM, COCĪNAM, LŪCEM > [VtʃV] > /VtsV/ > [VdzV] > /VðV/ azedo, cozina, luz

/gi, ge/ GENERUM, *pagense, VIGINTI > /jV/ > /ʒV/ or /-V/ gendro, país, vinte

/ski, ske/ PISCEM, CRĒSCERE > [stʃV] > /ʃV/ pexe, crexer

/tj, kj/ ALTIĀRE, BRĀCHIUM, FACIEM, LINTEOLUM > [ts, tʃ] > /ts/ > /θ/ alçar, braço, face, lençuelo

/dj, gj/ DIABOLUM, RADIUM > /dj, j/ Diablo, rayo > /dʒ/ Ghablo, ragho

- /V(d/g)(i/e)#/ HŌDIE, LEGEM, MAGIS > /Vj#/ > oy, ley, may > /*/ güe, lé, may

/stj, skj/ *bestiu, FASCIAM, QUAESITIONEM, SCIENTIAM > /st, ʃ/ bixo, faxa, queston, xença

/ptj, ktj/ ACTIONEM, OPTIONEM, *ruptia > /Cts/ > (C)θ/ açon, opçon, roça

/#sj, ssj/ *bassiu, MANSIONEM, PASSIONEM, RUSSEUM > /ʃ/ or [sj]>/s/ baxo, manson, paxon, roxo

/VsjV/ BĀSIUM, ECCLĒSIAM, *grisiu, LAESIONEM > /(¨)ʒ/ or [zj]>/z/ bejo, egleja, grijo, leson

/rj/ AREAM, CORIUM, DĒNĀRIUM, GLORIAM > /(¨)r/ or /rj/ era, qüero, denero, gloria

/nj, lj/ FOLIAM, IŪNIUM, *maneana > /ɲ, ʎ/ folla, Juño, mañana > /ɲ, dʒ/ fogha, Juño, mañana

g) Development of /kt/:

/kt/ FACTUM, FRUCTAM, NOCTEM, OCTŌ > [jt] > /(¨)tʃ/ fecho, prucha, noche, ocho

h) Prothesis of initial /sC/:

/#sC/ SCĀLAM, SPATIUM, SPHINGEM, STĀRE > /#esC/ escala, espaço, esfinge, estar

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Changes related to Iberian Romance
a) Loss of final front vowels after single, dental/alveolar, voiced consonant:

/e#, i#/ FĒCĪ, MENSEM, PĀNEM, VĒRITĀTEM > fezi, mese, pane, verdade > /#, (¨)#/ fiz, mes, pan, verdaz

b) Palatalization of geminated N and L:

/nn, gn, mn/ ANNUM, AUTUMNUM, DOMINAM, PUGNUM > [nn] > /ɲ/ año, otoño, doña, puño

/ll/ CASTELLUM, COLLĀREM, ILLAM > /ʎ/ castello, collar, ella > /dʒ/ castegho, coghar, egha

c) Development of /kʷ/ and /gʷ/ (also in Gallo-Romance):

/gʷ/ *guadaniare, *guerra, *guidare, SANGUINEM > /g/ gañar, garra, guiar, sangre

/kʷ/ LIQUOREM, QUANDŌ, QUINTUM, SQUĀMAM > /k, kw/ licor, quando, quinto, escama

- /Vkʷ/ AEQUALITĀTEM, ANTĪQUUM, AQUAM, QUIRĪTĀRE > [Vgw] > /Vg(w)/ igualdaz, antigo, agua, gridar

- (some) /kʷi, kʷe/ LAQUEUS, QUĪNQUE, TORQUERE > [ki, ke] > [tʃV] > /tsV/ > /θV/ laço, cinque, torcer

d) fragmentaion of /ks/:

/ksC/ DEXTERUM, EXPRESSIONEM, EXTENSUM > /(¨)sC/ destro, espresson, estenso

- /kske, kski/ EXCELSUM, EXCEPTUM, EXCITĀRE > /kkV/ > [ttʃV] > /tsV/ > /θV/ ecelso, eceto, ecitar

/VksV/ COXAM, FLUXUM, TOXICUM, VEXĀMEN > /VʃV/ coxa, ploxo, tóxico, vexambre

/VksV/ AUXILIUM, MAXIMUM, PROXIMUM > /VsV/ ossegho, mássimo, próssimo

/VksV/ EXHAURĪRE, EXŌTICUM, EXSULTĀTIONEM > /VzV/ esaurir, esótico, esultaçon

(some) /VksV/ EXAGIUM, EXĀMEN, EXSŪCĀRE > [VjsV] > /VnsV, VnʃV/ ensagho, enxambre, enxugar

e) Evolution of consonant groups with /l, r/:

/Vbr, Vdr, Vgr/ CATHEDRAM, LIBRUM, NIGRUM > /Vbr, V(¨)r, V(¨)r/ cadera, libro, nero

/Vpr, Vtr, Vkr/ SACRĀRE, MACRUM, OPERA, PETRAM > /Vbr, Vdr, Vgr/ sagrar, magro, obra, piedra

/Vppr, Vttr, Vkkr/ LETTERAM, QUATTUOR > /Vpr, Vtr, Vkr/ letra, catro

/#fl, #pl, #kl/ CLĀMĀRE, FLŪMEN, PLŌRĀRE > /#tʃ/ chamar, chumbre, chorar

/#fl, #pl, #kl/ CLĀVĀRE, CLĒMENTIA, FLUXUM, PLATEAM > /#pl, #kl/ clavar, clemença, ploxo, plaça

/Vp(V)l, Vt(V)l, Vk(V)l/ ARTICULUM, POPULUM, ROTULUM > /Vbl, Vʎ/ > /Vbl, Vdʒ/ artegho, pueblo, rogho

/bl, dl, gl/ *blanco, COĀGULĀRE > /bl, ʎ/ > /bl, dʒ/ blanco, quaghar

MASCULUM, MŪSCULUM, UNGULAM > maxo, buxo, uña

f) Later processes of syncope:

/nVr, mVr/ GENERUM, NUMERUM, HONŌRĀRE > [mr, nr] > /mbr, ndr/ gendro, nombro, ondrar

/inV/ DOMINUM, SĒMINAM, SŌLITŪDINEM, TERMINUM > /*/ dueño, sembra, soltuz, termo

/V/ ARBOREM, MŪSCULUM, SIMILANTEM, UNGULAM > /-/ arble, buxo, semblante, uña

/CVC/ ADVĒRIFICĀRE, CAPITĀLEM, CUBITUM, DŪBITAM > /*C/ averiguar, cadual, codo, duda

/CVC/ DECIMUM, IŪDICĀRE, HOSPITĀLEM, PORTATICUM > /*C/ ghezmo, juzgar, ostal, portazgo

/CVC/ *quassicare, RECITĀRE, TRĪTICUM, UNDECIM, VINDICĀRE > /*C/ cascar, rezar, trizgo, onze, vengar

g) Interactions between /l/ and /r/:

/l...l, r...r/ ARBOREM, *lusciniolu, MARMOREM, RŌBOR(EM) > /r...l/ arble, ruxingüelo, marble, roble

/l...l, r...r/ LOCĀLEM > /l...r/ logar

/r...l/ MĪRACULUM, PARABOLAM, PERĪCULUM > /l...r/ milagro, palabra, peligro

/r/ BURSAM, PAPYRUM, TENEBRĀS > /l/ bolsa, papel, teñeble

h) Minor or incomplete changes:

/d, l, n, r/ ANIMAM, LAMPADAM, LĀXĀRE, LIBELLUM, -MEN > alma, lampra, dexar, nivegho, -mbre

/k/ NĒC ŪNUM, PECTEN, PICTŪRAM > [ŋ] > /n/ ninguno, pente, pintura

/#w/ > VERRERE, VERSŌRIAM, VŌTA, VULTUREM > [#β] > /#b/ barer, bassura, boda, boltre

/j, r/ CRĪBRA, PARIĒTEM > /-/ criva, parede

/ls, rs/ *ad traversu, INSULSUM, PERSŌNAM, VERSICUM > /s/ atraves, insosso, pessona, besco

CAPSAM, CAPULUM, CRYPTAM, MĀTTIANA, PULSĀRE > caxa, cacho, grota, mançana, puxar

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Specific changes in Xarrano
a) Semivocalization of final /s/ with posterior changes:

(stressed) /s#/ MAGIS, DVŌS, NŌS, TRĒS > /j#/ may, doy, noy, trey > /*/ may, due, nue, tre

(unstressed) /as#, es#, is#, os#, us#/ > [aj#, i#, (¨)i#, oj#, (¨)oj#] > /e#, (¨)e#, (¨)e#, e#, (¨)e#/

(metaphony of stressed vowels follows this direction: a > e; e > i; i = i; o > u; u = u)

b) Coalescence of dental/alveolar consonants and /j/:

TERRAM > /tj/ tierra > /tʃ/ charra

CŌGITĀRE, DECEM, DIABOLUM > /dj, jd/ cuydar, diez, Diablo > /dʒ/ cughar, ghez, Ghablo

ECCLĒSIAM, SERRAM, SEPTEM > /sj, js, zj, jz/ eglesia, sierra, siete > /ʃ, ʒ/ egleja, xarra, xete

COLŌNIAM, NEBULAM, NEPTUM > /nj, jn/ colonia, niebla, nieto > /ɲ/ coloña, ñebla, ñeto

c) Loss of /j/ before back vowels where coalescence did not happen (except /ja/ from /je/):

CĪVĪTĀTEM, FACTIONEM > /Cj/ ciudaz (former /iw/), fecion/faccion > /C/ çudaz, feçon/facçon

FERRUM, PLUVIAM, VĪSIONEM > /Cj/ fierro, chuvia, vision > /C/ fiarro, chuva, vison

d) Merging of /j/ and /ʎ/ to become a voiced counterpart to /tʃ/:

EGŌ, EQUAM, HERĪ, MEDIUM > /j/ yo, yegua, yer, meyo > /dʒ/ gho, ghegua, gher, megho

BELLUM, CUBICULUM, FAMILIAM > /ʎ/ bello, covello, famella > /dʒ/ begho, covegho, famegha

e) Fortition of initial /w/:

AUDĪRE, HODIĒ, HOMŌ, OVUM > /#oV, #oj, #we/ oir, oy, huemo, huevo > /gwV/ güir, güe, güemo, güevo

f) Evolution of /je, we/ before /r(r)/:

ERRŌ, FERRUM, SERRAM > [jɛr] yerro, fierro, tierra, sierra > [jær] > /(j)ar/ gharro, fiarro, xarra

* guerra, PORRUM > [wɛr] guerra, puerro > [wær] > /(w)ar/ garra, puarro

(some) /e/ ERVILIAM, MULIEREM, VERRERE, *versoria > [ɛ] > /a/ arvegha, mughara, barrer, bassura

g) Merging of /b/ and /v/ as well as the remaining /p/ and /f/ when before the sonorants /ɾ, l/:

* blancu, *haver hemos, PAUPER > /bl, br, vl, vr/ blanco, avremo, pobre > /bl, br/ blanco, abremo, pobre

FLOREM, FRĪGIDUM, PLACERE, PRŌVIDENTIAM > /fl, fr, pl, pr/ > /pl, pr/ plor, prío, plazer, prudença

h) Loss of final unstressed /n/:

ILLŌS AMANT, IUVENEM, VIRGINEM > /n#/ ellos aman, joven, vergen > /#/ eghe ama, jove, verge

i) Other general changes:

FRONTEM, GRAECUM, PROBAM > /C(l/r)(j/w)/ pruente, griego, prueva > /C(l/r)/ prente, grego, preva

CĪVĪTĀTEM, DĒBITAM > /ew, iw/ ciudaz, deuda > /(j)o, (j)u/ çudaz, ghoda

j) Minor changes:

GAUDIUM, RATIONEM, TRAHERE > [VtsV, VdzV] > /VdzV > /VðV gozo, razon, trazer

DOMINAM, SOMNIUM, VERĒCUNDIAM > /oɲ/ doña, soño, vergoña > /weɲ/ dueña, sueño, vergüeña

SURDITIAM, SURDITIĀS > /a#, aj#/ sordeza, sordezay > /e#, i#/ > /#, (¨)#/ sordez, sordiz

* ad si, LĪLIUM, QUASĪ, SĪC, VESĪCULAM > axí, ghigho, caje, xi, bejiga

CELEREM, *pagense > çarre, país

Consonants
- /n/ has many allophones that are homorganic with a following consonant.

- A dental or alveolar fricative in coda position does not present voice distinction. That means, their voice parameter depends on the next sound (e. g. they assimilate). When before pause, they are devoiced.

- /h/ is only used in some loanwords. It is realized as a weak [x] or another back fricative, or not pronounced at all.

- /j/ has become rare in Xarrano as an independent consonant, since it historically merged with /ʎ/ and both became /dʒ/, but it is still preserved in the sequence /aj/. It also appears in some loanwords. Some people tend to pronounce it as [dʒ] word initially, even though it is considered inappropriate.

- Similarly to /j/, the foreign phoneme /w/ has gained acceptance through borrowing, but it is sometimes mispronounced as [gw] word initially.

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Vowels
- The mid vowels are realized as close-mid vowels, but sometimes they can be more open when they are in closed stressed syllables.

- Beside the basic vowels, there are two more vowel phonemes represented by the diphthongs /je/ and /we/. They are both regarded as front vowels. New crescent diphthongs were formed at the transition to the modern language.

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Alphabet
Officially, all the 26 letters of modern Latin alphabet are taught, but K, W don't appear in Xarrano native vocabulary. The letter Y, now rare, was once widely used in older versions of the language. Also, there are the additional letters Ç and Ñ which are collated after C and N.

The letters are treated as feminine nouns and their names are as follows:

A - a /a/

B - be /be/

C - ce /'θe/

Ç - cedegha /θe'dedʒa/

D - de /de/

E - e /e/

F - efe /'efe/

G - ge /ʒe/

H - acha /'atʃa/

I - i /i/

J - joda /'ʒoda/

K - ka /ka/

L - ele /'ele/

M - eme /'eme/

N - ene /'ene/

Ñ - eñe /'eɲe/

O - o /o/

P - pe /pe/

Q - cu /ku/

R - arre /'are/

S - esse /'ese/

T - te /te/

U - u /u/

V - ve /ve/

W - ve dobla /ve 'dobla/

X - xe /ʃe/, former ics /iks/

Y - i grega /i 'grega/

Z - ze /ðe/, former zeda /'ðeda/

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Phonotactics
Most natively, Xarrano phonotactics is composed of relatively simple syllables, in which the only mandatory part is a nucleus formed by at least one vowel sound. The basic Xarrano syllable structure can be demonstrated as follows:

(C)(C)V(C): where the fist (C) can be any consonant; the second (C) can be L, R, I or U (as semivowels); and the last (C) can be L, N, R, S, U or Y (as semivowels), or Z.

Beside that basic model, some more complex syllables may appear due to borrowing or preservation of original words in Latin, Greek or others.

Here go some examples:

V - a /a/

CV - lé /le/

VC - en /en/

CCV - tre /tɾe/

CVC - sal /sal/

V.CV - año /'a.ɲo/

CV.CV.CV - cavagho /ka'va.dʒo/

CVC.CCVC - mostrar /mos'tɾar/

A distinctive feature in Xarrano, as in most other Romance languages, is syllable stress. It can be placed in the last, second or third to last syllable on a word and it usually don't affect its phonotactics, except for one active restriction on post-tonic syllables: they tend to be reduced to a simple CV structure. For instance, when learning English, a native Xarrano speaker tends to pronounce the English word shopping (/ˈʃɑːpɪŋ/) as xapi or xope, and dollar becomes dala or dola.

Since most syllables are of the type CV, the overall utterance usually happens at a faster pace.

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Orthography
Xarrano's orthography is considered to be shallow. However, some traditions have been preserved.

The letters A, B, D, E, F, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, T, U, V, W represent their basic phonemic values.

Other representations in writing are presented below:

/ɲ/: Ñ.

/tʃ/ and /dʒ/: CH and GH. They are perceived as belonging to the plosive group.

/k/: C before A, O, U; QU before E, I.

/g/: G before A, O, U; GU before E, I.

/kw/ and /gw/: QU and GU before A, O; QÜ and GÜ before E, I.

/θ/: Ç before A, O, U; C before E, I.

/ð/: Z (rare word initially).

/s/: S word initially, after consonant and before consonant or pause; SS intervocalic.

/z/: S, only in intervocalic position.

/ʃ/: X.

/ʒ/: G before E, I; J before A, O, U but also before E, I in some words.

/r/: R word initially and before consonant or pause; RR intervocalic.

/ɾ/: R, after a consonant and in intervocalic position.

/j/: Y, but written I in crescent diphthongs.

Since dental and alveolar fricatives appear in coda position without voice distinction, convention says they must be written Z and S.

As for diacritics, the diaresis is used over U to keep it pronounceable before a front vowel. The acute accent marks a stressed syllable under the following conditions: a) open oxytone; b) paroxytone with a closed last syllable (except foreign plural with -s); c) proparoxytone; d) stressed open monosyllable if not using it may cause confusion.

Grammar
This section will mainly approach morphological as well as syntactical aspects of the language.

Xarrano's word classes are: sustantivo (noun), pronombre (pronoun), ajetivo (adjective), averbal (adverb), cipra (number), partegha (particle) (comprising articles, prepositions, conjunctions and exclamations) and verbo (verb).

Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs and numbers form a bigger class simply called nombre (name). They are believed to contribute to the mental process of creating and modifying stactic images. Particles are thought to relate those images to each other, while verbs give sense and movement to the whole sentence.

Morphologically, some grammatical distinctions can be observed in Xarrano:

- cantidaz (number): singular vs. plural; applied to all classes but particles.

- gendro (gender): masculine vs. feminine; applied to nouns, pronouns and adjectives.

- megho (mode) and tempo (tense): applied to verbs.

- pessona (person): first, second and third; mainly applied to pronouns and verbs.

Grammatical case inflection was lost since Latin, and it can now be identified by looking at prepositions. Verbal inflections for voice and aspect were also lost and are now achieved through periphrasis.

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Nouns
They can be used as the head of a subject, object or nominal complement. Morphologically, every noun is assigned a grammatical gender, masculine or feminine, that affects its own form and also the form of related adjectives and other modifying words. Beside gender, another parameters affecting their form are grammatical number, which can be defined as singular or plural, and degree, like diminutive, augmentative and superlative.

At the semantic level, nouns can be classified as:

concrete: barco (boat), mançana (apple) vs. abstract: begheza (beauty), opçon (option)

common: çapato (shoe), chuva (rain) vs. proper: Mateo (Matthew), Ostragha (Australia)

simple: chano (ground), plor (flower) vs. compound: chanalto (plateau, from chano and alto)

primitive: triste (sad), piedra (stone) vs. derived: tristeza (sadness), piedrada (stone strike)

collective: cacho (bunch), cardume (school (of fish))

Gender and number interact differently depending on the word, especially in the modern language because masculine and feminine plural endings have merged into -e. Such plural has been assigned a new gender category called comun (common) when singular words still are distinguished by their endings, although several words have preserved gender distinction in plural forms by suffixation.

Most Latin vowel endings were preserved and became representative of the two genders, but a new group of nouns had their final vowel dropped or maintained in -e and now inflect for number through metaphony on the last stressed vowel (a > e, e > i, i = i, o > u, u = u). The following examples will be presented with the corresponding definite article.

Masculine: el cielo (ms., the sky), le ciele (mp., the skies)

Feminine: la famegha (fs., the family), le fameghe (the families)

Variable: el conde, la condessa (ms., the count, fs. the countess), le cunde, le condesse (mp., fp.)

Semivariable: el gato, la gata (ms., fs., the cat), le gate (cp. the cats)

Invariable: el barril (ms., the barrel), le barril (mp., the barrels)

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Verbs
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Syntax
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Vocabulary
(Xarrano) - (English)

OJECHE - Objects

cesto (m.) - basket

libro (m.) - book

mesa (f.) - table

segha (f.) - chair

taça (f.) - cup

Example text
Declaraçon Universal dele Dereche Umane:

"Tode pessone naxe libre e egual en deñidaz e dereche. Pue sendo dotade de razon e coxença, eghe deve trachar se con espírito de pradeghança."