Nuktaq

Setting
Nutavik is the language of the Nutavik dwarves who number just over 1000 and live in the mountains of Mazarkhut. Nutavik is a language isolate, unrelated to any other language. Nutavik is a head-initial language that is strongly isolating. Word order is SVO.

Phonology
Nutavik has a fairly large consonant inventory consisting of 27 consonants, but only has three phonemic vowels. The language contrasts consonants at eight points of articulation; bilabial, labiodental, plain alveolar, pharyngealized alveolar, post-alveolar, velar, pharyngeal and glottal. There are nine plosive consonants, eleven fricatives, four nasals and three approximants. The plosive consonants are never aspirated. Nutavik has a basic three vowel system consisting of the vowels /i a u/. When adjacent to a pharyngeal or pharyngealized consonant, /i/ and /u/ become allophonically lowered to [e] and [o] respectively, and /a/ becomes retracted to [ɑ]. The [e] and [o] allophones of /i/ and /u/ are indicated in the orthography. There is no phonemic vowel length, stress or tone, and there are no diphthongs.

Consonants
The 27 consonants of Nutavik are listed below in the standard orthography, with IPA notation in brackets:

Vowels
Nutavik has the following three vowels: Note that /i a u/ have allophones [e ɑ o] respectively when adjacent to a pharyngeal or pharyngealized consonant.

Phonotactics
Syllable structure is CV(C). Root words do not exceed three syllables in length. Words do not begin in a pharyngeal or pharyngealized consonant. Words do not end in a bilabial or labiodental consonant or in /h/.

Stress
Stress is very weak. Stress is predictable, always falling on the penultimate syllable of a word.

Orthography
Nutavik is written using the Latin alphabet. The alphabet has the following 32 letters: a b d ḍ e f g ǧ h ḥ i k l ḷ m n ṇ ŋ o p q r s ṣ š t ṭ u v x z ẓ. The alphabet is completely transparent and so is easy to learn. The spelling of each consonant phoneme is shown in the table of consonants in the phonology section (see above). The alphabet has five vowels.  is pronounced as a retracted [ɑ] when adjacent to a pharyngeal or pharyngealized consonant, and as /a/ elsewhere. are always pronounced as /e i o u/ respectively.