Tuuma

Consonants
Allophones listed in parentheses.
 * 1) /m/ is realized as [ɱ] before /f/.
 * 2) /n/ is realized as [ɲ] before /j/.

Vowels

 * 1) /a/ is velarized to [ä] and uvularized to [ɑ].
 * 2) /i/ is velarized to [ɪ] and uvularized to [ɛ].
 * 3) /u/ is velarized to [ʊ] and uvularized to [ɔ].

Phonotactics
Syllable structure is (C)V(C), where:
 * Vowels can be long but consonants cannot be geminated.
 * A syllable must contain any single long or short vowel.
 * A syllable can begin with any single consonant.
 * A syllable can end with any single consonant except for /j/ or /w/.

Stress
Stress is always on the first syllable.

Nouns
Tuuma nouns decline by using suffixes according to number and case. They can also change to take the form of an adjectival noun.

Number
Nouns can be either singular or plural. Singular nouns in the nominative case take no suffixes, but a plural noun will generally take the -nc suffix if the stem ends in a vowel, and -inc if it ends in a consonant.


 * The mothers asked for one plate, not two.
 * Mother- PL  request- PST - 3PL one- ADJ plate- ACC, NEG -request- PST - 3PL two- ACC.
 * Iipinc kuhtaruh piksit jaallitlat', ngukuhtaruh kikit'.

Modifiers
Modifiers in Tuuma include both adjectives and adverbs, but are classified in the same group due to the fact that they behave identically. For the most part, all modifiers follow the word that they modify unless the modifier is a number. While genitive nouns and pronouns are often treated as modifiers as well, they don't have the freedom that modifiers have as they can only modify other nouns. Modifiers are also unique in that they do not follow nouns in declesion and will never change their form. Every modifying word in Tuuma takes the ending -it.

Adjectival Nouns
While most nouns usually take on the genitive form in order to modify another noun, it is just as correct for certain nouns to take the suffix turning it into an adjectival noun instead. This is done in regular nouns simply by taking the -it suffix rather than the genitive -in.


 * Blue is Alice's favorite color. She has a blue bag.
 * Blue be- 3SG color- ACC  soul- ADJ Alice- GEN . Alice have- 3SG bag- ACC blue- ADJ .
 * Silum ulla warat' hiwalit Aalisin. Aalis inha uusak'at' silumit.

Adjectival nouns can also behave similarly to an adverb, acting like the phrase "like a _____" or "as a _____".


 * She is fast like a fox and runs like the wind.
 * She be- 3SG fast- ADJ fox- ADV  and run- 3SG wind- ADV .
 * W'ulla iskutit ruupamit wa qaaira fuusnguuit.

Lexicon

 * Numbers
 * Colors

The Bible
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

― Genesis 1:1-2

"Ni ncallasa, Jamall hitpu tiiwancat' wa karat'. Ihta kar ullu ngumi q'uqusa wa ngullit, uutl ullu jat'i nciiwangasa hajaq'in, wa rur Jamallin jahnulu jat'i wisincsa."

― Jinisis 1:1-2

[ni ɴɑɬasa, jamaɬ hitpu tiːwɑɴɑtʼ wa kɑʁɑtʼ. ihta kɑʁ uɬu ŋʊmi qʼɔqɔsa wa ŋʊɬit, uːtɬ uɬu jatʼi ɴɛːwäŋäsa hajɑqʼɛn, wa ʁɔʁ jamaɬin jahnulu jatʼi wisɛɴsa.]

[― jinisis pui : pui - käkɪ]

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 1
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.

Ihaminc jalitit p'utsahtsa inmanit wa sahkarit ni kallisatsa wa wanimansanc. Hu ts'inminahtsa mi atliqsa wa miillimusa, wa titahmas saa ihunruhta ni rursa q'iquutin.

[ihamɛɴ jalitit pʼutsahtsa inmanit wa sahkɑrɛt ni käɬisatsa wa wanimansɑɴ. hu tsʼinminahtsa mi atɬɛqsa wa miːɬimusa, wa titahmas saː ihɔɴʁɔhta ni ʁɔʁsa qʼɛqɔːtin.]