User:Elector Dark/Bavadian

General information
Bavadians are a nomadic people that originated somewhere from beyond the Silver Pass; they are the third such nomadic people to come from the Pass (yadda yadda not the whole deal)

Phonology
/p p' t t' ʈ ʈ' k k' q q'/ /s s' ʂ ʂ' x x' χ (χ')/ /m m̥ n n̥ ŋ ŋ̊/ /r r̥ ɦ/

/a a: i i: u u: ɒ ɒ:/

I'm considering writing them like this:

   



Allophony and Realisation
(insert witty remark about the difference of phones and phonemes here)

Obstruents
Bavadian obstruents are divided into three groups: tenuis obstruents, ejective obstruents and /r̥/ - all three of these groups have special allophony rules shared between members of the group (except for the last group, for obvious reasons).

Bavadian has two types of ejectives: ejective plosives and ejective fricatives. The mechanics of how these two types of sounds are realised differ primarily due to differing origins. This division likewise permeates tenuis obstruents, but to a lesser degree.

Plosives
Bavadian plosives are divided into tenuis plosives, which are /p t ʈ k q/, and ejective plosives, which are /p' t' ʈ' k' q'/. The two groups both share and are divided by some features.

Tenuis plosives have different realisations based on positioning: intially, they are most commonly realised as plain [p t ʈ k q]. In intervocalic positions, they acquire allophonic voicing, becoming [b d ɖ ɡ ɢ]. In word-final position, they are instead realised as "fortis" consonants, transcribed as [b̥ d̥ ɖ̊ ɡ̊ ɢ̥]; in this position, their realisation lacks any actual voicing, but the vocal tract is shaped as if they were voiced. Tenuis plosives are also voiced if next to another voiced consonant, with the sole exception of /ɦ/ which causes fortis articulation; they are likewise unvoiced if next to either an unvoiced obstruent or /r̥/. Clusters of tenuis plosives are treated as one tenuis plosive when it comes to allophony.

Ejective plosives are very consistent in their realisation: they have a glottalised articulation, transcribed as [p' t' ʈ' k' q'], in most positions, with an optional word-final alternate articulation that instead involves aspiration, transcribed as [pʰ tʰ ʈʰ kʰ qʰ]. Ejective plosives become realised as tenuis [p t ʈ k q] next to /m m̥ n n̥ ŋ ŋ̊ r r̥ ɦ/. Of all ejective plosives, only /p' k' q'/ become realised as plain plosives before an obstruent, thus merging with tenuis plosives in that position.

Fricatives
Bavadian fricatives are divided into tenuis fricatives, which are /s ʂ x/, ejective fricatives, which are /s' ʂ' x'/, and the uvular fricatives.

The tenuis fricatives are realised as plain voiceless fricatives, transcribed as [s ʂ x] in word-initial and word-final position, and as voiced fricatives, transcribed [z ʐ ɣ] in intervocalic position. Before /m n ŋ/, they can be realised as either [dz dʐ ɡ] or [ts ʈʂ k] with the exception of /xŋ/ becominɡ either [ŋk] or [ŋɣ]. They are voiced before /ɦ/.

The ejective fricatives are realised with a glottalised articulation, transcribed as [s' ʂ' x'], initially and intervocalically. They are realised either with a glottalised articulation or as geminates, transcribed as [ss ʂʂ xx], in word-final position. They are realised as plain voiceless fricatives before /m m̥ n n̥ ŋ ŋ̊/ but not after them; post-nasally, they are realised with a glottalised articulation. They're realised as plain fricatives when coming before an obstruent, thus merging with tenuis fricatives in that position.

The uvular fricatives are a grey zone - one can say that there is either only one, or that there are two of them. There is one uncontested uvular fricative, transcribed as /χ/, but one might also posit its ejective counterpart, this being /χ'/. The reason for the confusion is that /χ'/ is always found in positions where either a /*χk'/ or a /*χq'/ cluster might be expected, and as such doesn't contrast with those same clusters. The fact that /χ'/ contrasts /χ/ is one of the arguments for its phonemicity, although one could just as easily argue that both /χk'/ and /χq'/ have [χ'] as their allophonic realisation. What complicates the matter further is that [χ'] has its own allophony independent of either /k'/ or /q'/. Unlike the tenuis fricatives, /χ/ is always realised as [χ]. As with other ejective fricatives, /χ'/ loses its glottalised articulation whenever it comes before /m m̥ n n̥ ŋ ŋ̊/, being realised as [χ].

Rhotic Obstruent
The rhotic obstruent, /r̥/, makes up its own allophonic group. Initially and finally, it is realised as an unvoiced alveolar rhotic, freely varying between a tap and a trilled articulation, transcribed as [r̥] for convenience. It is always unvoiced next to nasals. After retroflex consonants, it gains a retroflex articulation, becoming [ɽ̊]; clusters of /nr̥/ and /n̥r̥/ become realised as [ɳ̊ɽ̊] invariant of position; otherwise, it is most commonly realised as a tap after nasals.

Nasals
Bavadian nasals are divided into two groups: voiced nasals, which are /m n ŋ/, and voiceless nasals, which are /m̥ n̥ ŋ̊/. These two differ somewhat in their allophony.

Voiced Nasals
The voiced nasals are realised as [m n ŋ] initially, intervocalically and finally. They lose their voicing whenever following or coming before /r̥/.

Voiceless Nasals
The voiceless nasals are realised as [m̥ n̥ ŋ̊] invariably, with the sole exception of /n̥r̥/, which is realised as [ɳ̊ɽ̊].

Liquids
The category of liquids includes the consonants /r ɦ/. Initially and in a post-vocalic final position, they are realised as [r ɦ]

The rhotic, /r/, assimilates in voicing when next to an unvoiced nasal, becoming an unvoiced trill, transcribed as [r̥]. Before /ʈ ʈ'/ and after /ʈ/, it gains a retroflex onglide and is transcribed as [ɽ͡r].

The glottal fricative, /ɦ/, has some special cluster behavour: its clusters with tenuis plosives cause fortis articulation in the plosives, whereas it causes voicing in tenuis fricatives. After /m̥ n̥ ŋ̊ r̥/, it loses its voicing, to become [h].

Cluster Simplification
Bavadian has some active cluster simplification rules.


 * Almost every /kr/ and /k'r/ cluster simplifies to /q/ and /q'/ respectively.
 * Every /χk'/ and /χq'/ cluster simplifies to /χ'/.
 * Every cluster of the form /NN̥/ metathesises to /N̥N/; if the nasals are of a different place of articulation, they only swap voicing.