Gozhaaq Azure

=Gozhaaq Azure (not finished)= Gozhaaq Azure [gɔ.ˈd͡ʒaːk ˈa.zu.ɾe] is fictional language, spoken by the fictional Azura Folk. This tribe is inspired by the Gerudo Folk, a folk of the Legend of Zelda series. I will not go into detail in terms of culture, since the purpose of the page is simply to have a summary of the conlang.

Introduction to Gozhaaq Azure
Gozhaaq Azure is a highly agglutinative (head final) language, having almost only suffixes. In additon, it is has a rich derivational morphology, allowing to derive from a root nouns, adjectives and verbs. But before we go into morphology, I will talk about Phonology, so that you can read the Glossings.

Consonants
* = Allophones

Note: ([j]) is possible variant of /ʎ/ and ([ɾ]) is a possible variant of /r/. There are no strict rules which form to use in which enviroment. The speaker can decide which one to use.

Vowels
The existing vowels are /i/, /ɔ/, /a/, /u/ and /ɛ/

Script
Almost all IPA symbols correspond exactly to the script in Gozhaaq Azure, of course with some Exceptions:


 * d͡ʒ => 
 * ʎ and j => 
 * r and ɾ => 
 * k =>
 * ɔ => 
 * ɛ => 

Note: There is a special handwriting script and an ancient script, but those will not be a topic on this page.

General Phonology Rules
As you have seen in the table, there two allophones, which are generated by following rules:


 * h -> ç / _ i
 * d͡ʒ -> ʃ / n_[+kons,-voiced]
 * there is actually only one word where this rule can be applied: Nzhita (under) => [nʃta]. Very weird word, its preserved from ancient Gozhaaq Azure.

Syllable Structure
Allowed Structure:


 * CV
 * CVV
 * CV/n/
 * (NC*V)
 * * only voiced consonants, mostly  and 

Morphology
As you have seen, the phonology of Gozhaaq Azure is rather simple and not that interesting. Morphology on the other hand is more interesting in this language.

The root
a root in Gozhaaq Azure is firstly a lexicon entry which can be used as a simple noun (This is used in plain conversation). Some examples:


 * "Va" meaning water
 * "ya" meaning arrow
 * "hala" meaning sky
 * "Ne" meaning continent
 * "qame" meaning gold or money

The ending vowel indicates the gender of a root (with exceptions). There are two genders: Female (mostly ending in "e") and Male (mostly ending in "a")

Determiners
"Va" itself is a root and a noun at the same time. Normaly in formal speech Determiners have to be used. There are the definite determiners (DEF) and the indefinite Determiners (INDEF). They are, of course, all suffixes. Both types of determiners correspond to the gender of the root, by having "-aq", the masculine DEF (M.DEF or MASC.DEF), "-eq", the feminine DEF (F.DEF or FEM.DEF). Then of course "-an" (F.INDEF) and "-en" (M.INDEF).

you get following meanings by attaching the determiners to the roots (Example: "ne" and "va"):


 * "Va" is MASC, therefore: "Vaaq" meaning "the water"
 * "Vaan" meaning "a water" is also possible, but means something like a drop (of water), a puddle, or a sea
 * "ne" is FEM, therefore: "Neeq" meaning "the continent", or with INDEF, "Neen" meaning "a continent"

Plural Suffix
The Plural Suffix "ni" is in the same Domain as the determiners which means that the plural suffix and the determiners cannot coexist. Example ("ne" = continent, "qame" = gold/money):


 * "Neni" meaning "continents"
 * "qameni" meaning a lot of pieces of gold

Case Markers
The next domain is the domain of case markers, which come after the determiner domain. The Case markers are:


 * ga (NOM)
 * gi (ACC)
 * gu (DAT)
 * go (GEN)
 * ge (LNK)
 * ge is productive linker, being also a coordinator

There is an phonological rule due to a syllable structure clash (example "va" = water):


 * Vaaq + NOM = *Vaaq ga (CC not allowed)
 * g -> ∅ / k_ (or even C_)
 * Repair: Vaaq a = the water (NOM)
 * Deletion is a common strategy in Gozhaaq Azure, in is even marked in the script: Vaaq'a
 * Vaan + NOM = Vaan ga (allowed)

Advanced domain: Applicative (Benefactive (BEN) and Instrumental (INST))
the Linker "ge" allows to attach "-pa" BEN and "-qo" INST to the stem (Example: Qame):

Qame-eq-e-pa

gold(F)-F.DEF-LNK-BEN

"for the gold"

Qame-eq-e-qo

gold(F)-F.DEF-LNK-INST

"with the gold"

Noun Types
We already discussed the phenomenon, where a nouns final vowel indicates it's gender (Type 1 Noun). This is not always the case, there a lot of nouns which have a lexicalised gender feature (although one could say that this feature is generally lexicalised). Categories can be established by looking at the examples:

(Evidence for the lexicalised gender is the attached Determiner)


 * Zhepe (M) = spear, Zhepe-aq
 * Zhevode (M) = animal, Zhevode-aq
 * Nama (F) = name, Nama-eq
 * Zhovese (M) = kingdom, Zhovese-aq

=> Type 2 Noun: Vowel mismatch


 * Sari (M) = Sword, Sari-aq
 * Zotatu (F) = statue, Zotatu-eq
 * Vi (M) = journey, vi-aq

=> Type 3 Noun: No Gender Vowel underlyingly


 * Zho = Ruler, Zho-aq/eq = King/Queen
 * Vo = Human, Person, Vo-aq/eq =Man/Woman
 * Fo = Child, Fo-aq/eq = boy/girl

=> Type 4 Noun: No Gender Feature inherited, mostly human entities

Type 4 Nouns: Special Properties
Type 4 Nouns are somehow special, since not having a gender feature inherited (presumably like Type 1). Type 4 Nouns work exactly as other Nouns but having special meanings which can be derived due to the already mentioned morphology (Example "Fo" = Child)


 * Fo = child
 * Fo-aq = the boy
 * Fo-eq = the girl
 * Fo-ni = boys and girls

But there is more possible, which requieres a re-analysis of the determiners:


 * Fo-a = boy
 * Fo-e = girl
 * Fo-a-ni = boys
 * Fo-e-ni = girls

We established that the determiners have an inherited gender marker, but it seems like we could split up the determiners ("Va" = Water):

Va-a-q

Water(M)-MASC-DEF

But *Vaa is not possible, which leads to 2 theories:


 * 1) There are 2 Classes of Nouns: Class 1 = {Type1,Type2,Type3} and Class 2 = {Type4} or simply Class [-hum] and Class [+hum], although not all human entities are in the [+hum] class.
 * 2) * Class 1 Nouns have their own Determiner, which is -aq,-eq,-an,-en
 * 3) * Class 2 Nouns have Gender markers -a,-e and Determiners -q and -n


 * 1) Same Theory like in 1., but here Class 1 has a Gendermarker which needs a determiner and Class 2 Gendermarker does not need a determiner

Theorie 1 Analysis:

Va-a-q

Water.1(F)-F-DEF

"The Water"

Alternative: Since Class two Nouns don't have Gender features inherited, the brackets with the gendermarker in it in class 1 nouns indicate that this noun indeed is a Class 1 Noun.

Va-a-q

Water(F)-F-DEF

"The Water"

Theory 2:

2 Classes of Gender Markers:

Va-a-q

Water(F)-F.1-DEF

"the water"

Fo-a-q

child-M.2-DEF

"the boy"

I prefer to use theory 1.

Adjective Domains
Adjectives Are derived with the suffix "-bi", which is attached to the stem (Example "i" = good, ~the goodness)

i-e-q = the good

i-bi = good

With this information, we can now say:

i-bi                   Fo-e-q

good-ADJ      Child-F-DEF

"the good girl"

This works only when the ADJ is in the position as modificator, it works differently as a predicate:

Predicate Domain
Adjectives have their own Tense markers:


 * -ta for present Tense
 * -ata for past tense
 * -reta for future tense

Example:

Fo-a-q-a                          i-bi-ta

Child-M-DEF-NOM        good-ADJ-PRES

"the boy is good"

Just for the record, here some adjectives (with the ADJ Suffix)


 * atarabi - new
 * bologabi - big
 * semobi - small
 * difubi - difficult
 * ezabi - easy
 * omobi - heavy
 * hazhabi - fast

Fo-e-q-a                              semo-bi-ata

Child-F-DEF-NOM              small-ADJ-PST

"the girl was small"