Sankhíhten

Sankhíhten ([sanˈkʰiːʰte̞n], anglicized Sankiten) is the ancient language of a former trade empire that was located in modern Se Nil éce Λúba, Sèè Tjálaa Èkuuholààta, and /TBD\, in northeastern Hkáslyhtá (Kaslota) on the planet Íslíŋŋ (Aysling). Sankhíhten was used throughout the trade empire and beyond as a lingua franca, and eventually came to displace some native local languages. The language continued to be used for centuries after the decline of the trade empire as a language of science and faith, until eventually losing favor to regional languages such as Iathi, Vaseyka, and Oedilaaiffe.

Classification and DialectsEdit

Sankhíhten is the oldest attested member of the Lhuban family of languages, and one of the oldest attested languages on the planet. As the trade empire aged, Sankhíhten developed two distinct registers, Classical Sankhíhten and Common Sankhíhten. The Classical form was used for government, liturgy, and respectable business for the entire span of the trade empire's existence and for many centuries after its decline; this will be the register that constitutes the focus of this article. The Common register remained the tongue of the common people, however, and after the decline of the empire it continued to evolve into the modern Lhuban languages: Iathi, Vaseyka, and Throlyen. These languages eventually displaced Sankhíhten in terms of use, however the language still holds much esteem throughout the region and is still commonly taught in higher education.

PhonologyEdit

ConsonantsEdit

• plosives, nasals and /h/ may be geminate
• [ɹ] in syllable-initial consonant clusters, [r] in syllable coda and intervocallically.
• geminate /h/ becomes [ħ]
• /hC/ series, where C is a voiceless plosive, are realized as preaspirated stops; likewise, /Ch/ series are realized as aspirated stops

VowelsEdit

• all vowels can be long

DiphthongsEdit

Permitted diphthongs include /ai/, /au/, /aɨ/, /eɨ/, and /oɨ/ /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /ou/, /eu/, /oi/, /iu/ and /ui/.

PhonotacticsEdit

Syllable onsets are allowed to be one of the following structures: (h/T)(T)(R/h/s/l), (D)(D)(R/z/l), or (N)(R), where T = {p t k}, R = {ʋ r j ʁ}, D = {b d g}, and N = {m n ŋ}. Clusters with /h/ become phonetic pre- or post-aspirated stops. Syllable medials can be monophthongs or diphthongs. Syllable codas may be (N)(S), where N = {m n ŋ l r} and S = {s z m n ŋ}. All intrasyllable TT, DD or NN clusters must be homorganic, effectively rendering them geminates.

StressEdit

Writing SystemEdit

GrammarEdit

NounsEdit

VerbsEdit

SyntaxEdit

VocabularyEdit

Example textEdit

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1Edit

• Zai htéhóní thelshta álsór hkemmiesór phílatha le se djaubvens le zai thjetalei htje mailjoutha. Dánn álsór pańkhisór si se htjren le se hénúl só dánn auhtrankór ppa se on tashta si se hkúhpebvo htje e htémei.
  • ​[ˈzai̯ ʰteːˈhoːniː ˈtʰelsʰta ˈaːlsoːr ˈʰkemːi̯esoːr ˈpʰiːlatʰa le ˈse ˈdjau̯bʋens le ˈzai̯ tʰjeˈtalei̯ ʰtje ˈmai̯ljou̯tʰa ˈdaːnːtu ˈaːlsoːr ˈpaŋkʰisoːr si ˈse ˈʰtjɹen le ˈse ˈheːnuːl soː ˈdaːnː ˈau̯ʰtɹankoːr pːa ˈse ˈon ˈtasʰta si ˈse ʰkuːˈʰpebʋo ʰtje ˈe ˈʰteːmei̯]
  • "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." 

Sound ChangesEdit

To IathiEdit

• hT > T > D > Ð
• Th > Θ
• TT > (ΘT) > sT
• DD > (ÐD) > zD
• VNN > VN > Ṽ
• i i: y y: e e: ɯ ɯ: u u: a a: > ɪ i ø y ɛ e ɤ ɯ ʊ u a ɐ
• a# > ə#
• Pʋ > F, ʋ > w ! #ʋ > #v
• Tj > C
• Kʁ > Q, ʁ > (ʁ/r)?
• Cl > Cj
• umlaut, harmony, dissimilation, echo vowel stuff to add later*

To VasykaaEdit

• Vn > Ṽ
• lN > N:
• Nl > l:
• ʋ > v [or] ʋ > w > [round+back preceding vowel]