Miwonša

Miwonša is an a priori conlang created in 2011 by Plusquamperfekt (member of http://www.unilang.org and http://zbb.spinnwebe.com). The grammar is essentially based on earlier conlang projects (for example Kĵatonša) that have not been finished until now. One unique feature of Miwonša is that it can be also written with Tarul, a conscript created in 2011.

Phoneme inventory
Miwonša has 18 vowel phonemes (5 oral, 5 nasal, 8 diphthongs) and 28 consonant phonemes:

In loanwoards, the phonemes /b, d, g, v/ may also occur, but it is also possible to simply devoice them. Allophony: Before /i, ĩ/, /t/ and /c/ become [tɕ], /h/ becomes [ɕ], /n/ becomes [ɲ] and /l/ becomes /ʎ/.

Vowels: /a, ã, ɛ, ɛ̃, i, ĩ, ɔ, ɔ̃, u, ũ/; Diphthongs: [aɪ, aʊ, ɛɪ, ɛʊ, ɪʊ, ɔɪ, ɔʊ, ʊɪ]

Phonotactics
Possible onsets: S = /s, š/, N = /m, n/, L = /r, l/

Possible codas: p, t, k, s, š, m, l (= ɬ), r / Complete syllable: ((S)C(C))V(V)(C)

Allophony: It is possible to pronounce /Cl/ [Cɬ], but this is not obligatory.

Stress and prosody
Miwonša has a dynamic stress (which means that stressed syllables are louder than unstressed syllables). There is no clear rule about which syllables are stressed, but there are a few tendencies that might help: Sometimes stress is even relevant for the meaning: "łóika" = "they" (intransitive case) vs. "łoiká" = "they" (genitive case)
 * nouns are usually stressed on the penultimate syllable (exception: nouns ending in -an are usually stressed on the first syllable)
 * attributive adjectives and indefinite pronouns are usually stressed on the last syllable when succeeding a noun
 * adverbs ending in -oi are always stressed on the last syllable, otherwise on the penultimate syllable
 * copula verbs and infinitives are always stressed on the penultimate syllable
 * finite verbs with at least three syllables are usually stressed on the third-last syllable

LATIN ORTHOGRAPHY
A (B) C Č (D) E F (G) H I J K L Ł M N O P R S Š T U (V) W Y Z Ž

Digraphs: ai au an ei eu en iu in oi ou on ui un / nj lj lw (= ɲ ʎ ɬw) / ph th ch kh čh (= p' t' c' k' tʃ')

IMPORTANT: In this article accent marks (´) are used to help the reader to put the stress on the right position. In the official orthography, accents are not needed.

NOMINAL MORHOLOGY (link only)
As the noun morphology is very complex, it has an own page

VERBAL MORPHOLOGY (link only)
As the verb morphology is very complex, it has an own page

Clitics
Tense, aspet and mode are not marked with affixes in the verb, but with clitics, which can be placed at many positions (for example also behind nouns). They have no impact on the stress of preceding words.

Example


 * Čhánkošano káikai žanán. (man-ERG cat-ACC see-FIN → The man sees the cat.)
 * Čhánkošanoči káikai žanán. (man-ERG=PAST cat-ACC see-FIN → The man saw the cat.)
 * Čhánkošano káikaiči žanán. (man-ERG cat-ACC=PAST see-FIN → The man saw the cat.)
 * Čhánkošano káikai žanánči. (man-ERG cat-ACC see-FIN=PAST → The man saw the cat.)

Another important feature of the tense/mode/aspect system in Miwonša is that clitics indicating the past or future tense are not needed when there are other deictic words in the sentence that point out the time:


 * Žwora chánkošano káikai žanán.
 * (tomorrow man-ERG cat-ACC see-FIN → Tomorrow the man will sees the cat.)
 * Łaiwa chánkošano káikai žanán.
 * (yesterday man-ERG cat-ACC see-FIN → Yesterday the man saw the cat.)

Declaration of human rights
'''Tahonti kišanwe pišoi ya milwa skunukoi ya piskwokak nanstwaran. Sjaku piro tunšwak ya thažansak kwan, wanjo kwasjakan yonženalwanti khonanswokai paiwašinjazak.'''


 * [ta'hõtɕi kiʃã'we pi'ʃoɪ ja 'miɬwa 'skunukoɪ ja 'piskwokak 'nastwarã. sja'ku 'piro 'tũʃwak ja tʼa'ʒãʃak kwã, 'waɲo kwa'sjakã jõʒe'naɬwãtɕi kʼo'nãswokaɪ paɪwaʃi'ɲazak]


 * "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Glossing:


 * Tahont-i ki-šanw-e piš-oi ya milw-a skun-uk-oi ya piskw-ok-ak nanstw-ar-an. Sjaku pir-o tunšw-ak ya thažans-ak kw-an, wanjo kwa-sja-k-an yonžen-alw-an-ti khonansw-ok-ai paiwaš-inj-az-ak.


 * Human-INT.PL VIR-all-INT.PL free-ADV and equal-ADV right-AC-GEN.PL and dignity-AC-GEN.SG givebirth-PAS-NINF. they-DAT gift-INT.SG reason-GEN.SG and conscience-GEN.SG be-NINF, and be-3-PL-NINF treat-REC-NINF-SPN spirit-AC-ACC.SG brother-ADJ-NOUN-GEN.SG

Terminology


 * REC = reciprocal, NINF = non-infinitive, VIR = virile, INT = intransitive case, SPN = supine, AC = adverbial case