Tekann Redux
Phonology: Consonants and Vowels: <j> /j/ <k> /k/ <kj> /k_j/ <l> /l/ allophonic /5/ preceding <lnn> <m> /m/ <n> /n/ <nn> /N/ <p> /p/ <r> /4/ <s> /s/ <t> /t/ <tj> /t_j/ <ts> /ts/ <tsj> /ts_j/ <x> /S/ <tx> /tS/ <‘> /?/ <a> /a/ <e> /E/ <i> /i/ <o> /o/ <u> /u/ Diphthongs: <ei> /e/ <au> /au/ both sounds are pronounced clearly without pause and without allowing the /u/ to become a glide There are 20 possible consonant clusters: <kl, km, kn, kr, kx, lnn, mr, nt, sk, skj, sr, st, stj, tr, tsk, xk, xr, xt, xtj>. For both clusters and regular consonants, there is a strict possible placement within words, as shown in the chart below:
Blue - initial
Green - medial
Yellow - final
Morphosyntax:
Tekann words follow a loose CVC pattern, though solitary vowels are allowed and a few words have lost the final consonant or consonant cluster. Within this structure for root words, new words are derived by infixation of another syllable CV(CV)C. Though I’ve not have the need yet, this operation may be preformed, in theory, multiple times in succession, yielding a long and very meaning-specific word.
Case:
Beyond the construction of new words, variations of a single word are accomplished by inflection. Case and tense, as well as some pronouns are affixed to the root word to change its meaning. For example:
miks = a/the house
miksixo = to the house
Tekann cases include markings for transitivity, augmentation/diminutization, an equative that takes the place of English “is”, a plural marker, and four locative cases.
miksitsu = with/using the house
miksus = out of/from the house
miksitron = in/into/on the house
A blank vowel is used in many instances when a root is being joined to case markers. This vowel <i> started as a simple glide to transition between sibilant sounds, but has since become a full vowel sound, though it is pronounced for a substantially shorter amount of time than other vowels. Its used is limited to separation of two consonants between the root and case.
xtaun = adult
xtaunixo = to the adult
tjeim = animal
tjeimitsu = with/using the animal
Three of the cases do not use the blank <i>, instead taking on a variation in form to maintain a smooth flow in words: the Elative, the Equative, and the Ergative.
steix = book
steixus = out of/from the book
… steixas = … is a book
steixim = the book (does something to someone)
ni = cabbage
nilus = out of/from the cabbage
… nilas = … is a cabbage
nilim = the cabbage (does something to someone)
Furthermore, if the word ends in the diphthong <au>, the dead letter insert is a glottal stop instead of an <l>:
klau = bath (n)
klau’us
klau’as
klau’im
All of the cases mention above are suffixed to the root word, with the exception of the plural marker, which is prefixed.
steix
listeix
ni
lini
Tense:
There are six markers for time broken down for regular tense and telicity. Telicity marks whether (in the speakers view) the verb has or will be completed. That’s the simple view of it, rather than the more complex version. Tense markers are infixed within or before the last syllable. In one syllable words, it is simply infixed. Below is a description of each tense, along with a sample word and a sentence to help identify telicity.
Atelic Past – sant
kxaxtom - orbit
Kxaxtosantom Erit Son - The earth orbited the sun (and will continue to do so).
Telic Past – nit
xrausk – walk
Xraunitausk tei stosixo – I walked home.
Atelic Present is unmarked and assumed for all actions unless otherwise specified.
tsautx – live
Tsautx tei moks – I live here.
Telic Present – ont
xkun – jump
xkontun tei – I am jumping.
Atelic Future – kust
tekn – work
Tekustekn nunn – It will work.
Telic Future – musk
lest – dress
Lemuskest nunn – She will dress.
Stress:
Tekann is stressed on the penultimate syllable on all occasions except when the stress would land on a blank <i>, in which case it is moved forward to the previous syllable.
Word Development through compounding:
A verb may be converted to into a noun describing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb by simply compounding the noun <non> to the end of the root.
ksa’ax – to bake
ksa’axinon – a baker
Compounding is also used to build more complex words by connecting Verb + Noun or Noun + Noun.
Les + sraxk (keep + box) = lesraxk (a safe)
Jask + miks (army + house) = jaskmiks (a barracks)
Ownership is marked by prefixing the personal pronoun to the owned item. As in other instances, a blank <i> is used to maintain separation between consonants.
My book – teisteix
Your house – somiks
His/her money – nunnitres
Non-personal ownership or grouping is marked the particle <no> followed by a compound of the grouped nouns and how they are grouped. In some cases, the compound may refer to a different concept when <no> is not used, in other cases, the compound missing <no> will not be grammatically correct.
eiskisraxk – shoebox
no eiskisraxk – box of shoes
no skostok – herd of cows
skostok – cowherd (not grammatically correct)
Usually, this system of grouping will only extend to allow one type of concept to be grouped. It can be extended though for use in grouping multiple objects using <o>. This particle tells the listener that the following conjunction of nouns is all grouped under the noun preceding it.
tjask o litsun a litreks – plate of meats and fruits
The suffix <-ino> is used to transform a verb into an adjective:
netx – to smile
I love your smiling face. – kjan tei netxino sokjust.
Word Order Basics:
• Tekann is a VSO language.
• Adjectives follow the noun they describe, while adverbs tend to precede the verb.
• The imperative is formed by dropping the subject, which become an implied second person.
• Interrogative statements are formed using the particle <oxi> before the statement.
o wh-questions suffix the word (what, where, when, etc) to <oxi>
o answering wh-questions can be done either by supplying the information to replace the wh-word, or by echoing the entire statement with the information embedded.
o There is no words for "Yes" or "No". Verbs are repeated in the positive or the negative to reply.
• Temporal marking particles are placed at the beginning of the statement, giving priority only to referents of place (here, there)
• Demonstratives for place (here, there) are always placed in the most initial position of the sentence. A proximal-distal marker <xis> is placed within the statement to re-emphasize the location in relation to the speaker.
o The box is here – moks i sraxk xis – Here is box here(PD)
o The man is there – kit i mraul xis – There is the man there(PD)
• The anaphora <ne> is used to refer to items that have no referent.
o It is raining – joxk ne – rain it.
• A relativizer <lat> is used to introduce relative clauses, which are place after the noun its is describing
o The house, which is black, is on the corner
o I miks, lat i klun, kalnnitron.
Dependent Clauses:
Building upon the basic VSO word order, clausing is used to build more complex sentences. Three major types of clauses are used in Tekann: Nominal, Adjectival, and Adverbial. Relative clauses, which have already been discussed, fall under the Adjectival clausing and both are constructed in a similar way.
Normally, a simple adjective follows the noun it describes: <txotx sres> lit: ball red. Adjectival clauses also tend to follow the noun except when the noun is also being described by a simple adjective. In this case, the simple adjective is displaced to the position before the noun:
txotx sres - red ball
txotx lat kjeni-*test*-('") - (a/the) ball that was rolling
sres txotx lat kjeni-*test*-('") - (a/the) red ball that was rolling
Adjectival / Relative clauses must attach to a noun within the sentence, either expanding its meaning, or restricting it.
Nominal clauses replace a noun entirely with a noun phrase:
No one would tell me who came to Tom's party.
kjosantos tseikim tei stuk kjunitus Tomikxeikninoxo.
Placement within the sentence is determined by which noun is replace (subject noun or object noun).
Adverbial clauses modify the meaning of the entire main clause, and are placed at the end of the sentence. A number of conjuctions are used to attach the adverbial and let the listener know how the adverbial phrase will be affecting the main clause.
Adverbial clauses are broken down into a number of categories which includes conditional, purpose, manner, and time clauses.
Conditional:
treimuskeil lixein ksun jomuskoxk ne.
The plants will grow, if it will rain.
Place:
i nunn truks, pust i nunn.
he was happy where he was.
All-in-one Example:
the flying ball, that was red, hit where I was standing because I didn't look.
hit flying ball that was red where I was standing, because not-looked I.
pusantuxk tjausino txotxim lat sres pust eim tei, nemrauks stotseniteks tei.
Adjectival Clause
Nominal Clause
Adverbial Clause.
Pronouns, Politeness, and Terms of Address:
Personal pronouns in Tekann are grammatically versatile, able to take on case marking, affix to words, or be used independently. There are three basic personal pronouns:
Me - tei
You - so
(He/She) It - nunn
The plural personal pronouns are made simply by adding the plural marker to them:
We - litei
You - liso
They - linunn
Additionally, Tekann recognizes different social levels, employing two additional personal pronouns for formal use:
You - jon
(He/She) It - ma
Formal personal pronouns are always used when addressing someone with a higher social status (usually determined by occupational rank or age).
Proper Nouns (names) are also marked for formality. Most positions require a title to proceed a person's name. In most cases, this is a simple matter, using one of a few standard forms of address. Within the family structure, though, there are numerous titles, some of which are more strictly enforced than others:
-ellipsis is used for any number of inserted generations
-parenthesis show titles of mother's mother, sisters, and brothers when they are not the eldest
-Location refers to forms of address used for neighbors and others that may not be well know, if at all.
-Profession is used for (what else) professionals (doctor, priest, etc). Title is the occupational title, otherwise, <Jek> is used.
Examples:
Do you speak Tekann?
Oxi staun jon Tekann?
good afternoon
Kol eist
good evening
Kol sreim
good morning
Kol trin
good night
Koli rei
good-bye
Kolipokrent
hello
Os
How are you?
Oxi pokrent Ximaunn jon? or Oxi pokrenitent so?
How do you say...?
Oxirot ment jon … ?
How old are you?
Oxitjut limeiknasi so?
I am called…
Teitreitas …
I am fine
Pokronas tei
I am from…
Kjunitus tei …
I am happy
truksas tei
I am hungry
xtausas tei
I am…years old
limeiknasi … tei
I don't know
Stoklask tei
I don't like it
Stopent teilim nunn
I don't understand
Stoxrenn tei
I love you
Kjan tei so
I would like…
Nei teilim …
nice to meet you
Kjanitak jon kso
please
pin
please repeat that
mraukn pin
see you later
Trauklikustix teilim so
thank you
pin so / pin jon
what is your name?
Oxikeixi jonitreit?
what?
Oxikeix?
where are you from?
Oxipust so/jon jeilus?
Sample Text With Transcription:
"Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing." - Tool
*Please excuse repetitive portions in this post, as it was reformatted in order to be presented in other forums. :)
Phonology: Consonants and Vowels: <j> /j/ <k> /k/ <kj> /k_j/ <l> /l/ allophonic /5/ preceding <lnn> <m> /m/ <n> /n/ <nn> /N/ <p> /p/ <r> /4/ <s> /s/ <t> /t/ <tj> /t_j/ <ts> /ts/ <tsj> /ts_j/ <x> /S/ <tx> /tS/ <‘> /?/ <a> /a/ <e> /E/ <i> /i/ <o> /o/ <u> /u/ Diphthongs: <ei> /e/ <au> /au/ both sounds are pronounced clearly without pause and without allowing the /u/ to become a glide There are 20 possible consonant clusters: <kl, km, kn, kr, kx, lnn, mr, nt, sk, skj, sr, st, stj, tr, tsk, xk, xr, xt, xtj>. For both clusters and regular consonants, there is a strict possible placement within words, as shown in the chart below:
initial medial final initial medial final
j........x.......x......................kl...........x........x............
k........x......x..........x...........km..................x............
kj.......x......x.......................kn...................x..........x
l.........x......x..........x...........kr....................x...........
m.......x......x..........x...........ks...........x.......x..........x
n........x......x..........x...........kx...........x.......x..........x
nn..............x..........x...........lnn...............................x
p........x......x.......................mr..........x.......x............
r.........x......x......................nt.....................x..........x
s.........x......x..........x..........sk...........x.......x...........x
t..........x......x..........x..........skj..................x.............
tj.........x......x......................sr...........x.......x............
ts.........x......x......................st...........x.......x..........x
tsj................x......................stj...................x...........
tx.........x......x..........x...........tr..........x.......x............
x..........x......x..........x...........tsk.................x............
'...................x......................xk.........x........x..........x
...........................................xr..........x........x...........
............................................xt.........x........x...........
............................................xtj..................x...........
Orthography:
Tekann is written as a logographic syllabary. There are a total of 106 character, plus seven diacritical marks denoting vowels. Each position for a consonant (initial, medial, final) requires the use of a unique base glyph, dependant on the possibility of that consonant occupying that position. Lone or initial vowels are uncommon, but do exist, building the vowel diacritic onto a valueless base. Full glyphs (consonant, vowel, and punctuation) are built into sentences and words using a zig-zagging vertical pattern, such as in Mayan.
1 2
3 4
5 6
As of this point, there are five base glyphs without an assigned meaning.
Blue - initial
Green - medial
Yellow - final
Morphosyntax:
Tekann words follow a loose CVC pattern, though solitary vowels are allowed and a few words have lost the final consonant or consonant cluster. Within this structure for root words, new words are derived by infixation of another syllable CV(CV)C. Though I’ve not have the need yet, this operation may be preformed, in theory, multiple times in succession, yielding a long and very meaning-specific word.
Case:
Beyond the construction of new words, variations of a single word are accomplished by inflection. Case and tense, as well as some pronouns are affixed to the root word to change its meaning. For example:
miks = a/the house
miksixo = to the house
Tekann cases include markings for transitivity, augmentation/diminutization, an equative that takes the place of English “is”, a plural marker, and four locative cases.
miksitsu = with/using the house
miksus = out of/from the house
miksitron = in/into/on the house
A blank vowel is used in many instances when a root is being joined to case markers. This vowel <i> started as a simple glide to transition between sibilant sounds, but has since become a full vowel sound, though it is pronounced for a substantially shorter amount of time than other vowels. Its used is limited to separation of two consonants between the root and case.
xtaun = adult
xtaunixo = to the adult
tjeim = animal
tjeimitsu = with/using the animal
Three of the cases do not use the blank <i>, instead taking on a variation in form to maintain a smooth flow in words: the Elative, the Equative, and the Ergative.
steix = book
steixus = out of/from the book
… steixas = … is a book
steixim = the book (does something to someone)
ni = cabbage
nilus = out of/from the cabbage
… nilas = … is a cabbage
nilim = the cabbage (does something to someone)
Furthermore, if the word ends in the diphthong <au>, the dead letter insert is a glottal stop instead of an <l>:
klau = bath (n)
klau’us
klau’as
klau’im
All of the cases mention above are suffixed to the root word, with the exception of the plural marker, which is prefixed.
steix
listeix
ni
lini
Tense:
There are six markers for time broken down for regular tense and telicity. Telicity marks whether (in the speakers view) the verb has or will be completed. That’s the simple view of it, rather than the more complex version. Tense markers are infixed within or before the last syllable. In one syllable words, it is simply infixed. Below is a description of each tense, along with a sample word and a sentence to help identify telicity.
Atelic Past – sant
kxaxtom - orbit
Kxaxtosantom Erit Son - The earth orbited the sun (and will continue to do so).
Telic Past – nit
xrausk – walk
Xraunitausk tei stosixo – I walked home.
Atelic Present is unmarked and assumed for all actions unless otherwise specified.
tsautx – live
Tsautx tei moks – I live here.
Telic Present – ont
xkun – jump
xkontun tei – I am jumping.
Atelic Future – kust
tekn – work
Tekustekn nunn – It will work.
Telic Future – musk
lest – dress
Lemuskest nunn – She will dress.
Stress:
Tekann is stressed on the penultimate syllable on all occasions except when the stress would land on a blank <i>, in which case it is moved forward to the previous syllable.
Word Development through compounding:
A verb may be converted to into a noun describing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb by simply compounding the noun <non> to the end of the root.
ksa’ax – to bake
ksa’axinon – a baker
Compounding is also used to build more complex words by connecting Verb + Noun or Noun + Noun.
Les + sraxk (keep + box) = lesraxk (a safe)
Jask + miks (army + house) = jaskmiks (a barracks)
Ownership is marked by prefixing the personal pronoun to the owned item. As in other instances, a blank <i> is used to maintain separation between consonants.
My book – teisteix
Your house – somiks
His/her money – nunnitres
Non-personal ownership or grouping is marked the particle <no> followed by a compound of the grouped nouns and how they are grouped. In some cases, the compound may refer to a different concept when <no> is not used, in other cases, the compound missing <no> will not be grammatically correct.
eiskisraxk – shoebox
no eiskisraxk – box of shoes
no skostok – herd of cows
skostok – cowherd (not grammatically correct)
Usually, this system of grouping will only extend to allow one type of concept to be grouped. It can be extended though for use in grouping multiple objects using <o>. This particle tells the listener that the following conjunction of nouns is all grouped under the noun preceding it.
tjask o litsun a litreks – plate of meats and fruits
The suffix <-ino> is used to transform a verb into an adjective:
netx – to smile
I love your smiling face. – kjan tei netxino sokjust.
Word Order Basics:
• Tekann is a VSO language.
• Adjectives follow the noun they describe, while adverbs tend to precede the verb.
• The imperative is formed by dropping the subject, which become an implied second person.
• Interrogative statements are formed using the particle <oxi> before the statement.
o wh-questions suffix the word (what, where, when, etc) to <oxi>
o answering wh-questions can be done either by supplying the information to replace the wh-word, or by echoing the entire statement with the information embedded.
o There is no words for "Yes" or "No". Verbs are repeated in the positive or the negative to reply.
• Temporal marking particles are placed at the beginning of the statement, giving priority only to referents of place (here, there)
• Demonstratives for place (here, there) are always placed in the most initial position of the sentence. A proximal-distal marker <xis> is placed within the statement to re-emphasize the location in relation to the speaker.
o The box is here – moks i sraxk xis – Here is box here(PD)
o The man is there – kit i mraul xis – There is the man there(PD)
• The anaphora <ne> is used to refer to items that have no referent.
o It is raining – joxk ne – rain it.
• A relativizer <lat> is used to introduce relative clauses, which are place after the noun its is describing
o The house, which is black, is on the corner
o I miks, lat i klun, kalnnitron.
-ellipsis is used for any number of inserted generations
-parenthesis show titles of mother's mother, sisters, and brothers when they are not the eldest
-Location refers to forms of address used for neighbors and others that may not be well know, if at all.
-Profession is used for (what else) professionals (doctor, priest, etc). Title is the occupational title, otherwise, <Jek> is used.
Examples:
Do you speak Tekann?
Oxi staun jon Tekann?
good afternoon
Kol eist
good evening
Kol sreim
good morning
Kol trin
good night
Koli rei
good-bye
Kolipokrent
hello
Os
How are you?
Oxi pokrent Ximaunn jon? or Oxi pokrenitent so?
How do you say...?
Oxirot ment jon … ?
How old are you?
Oxitjut limeiknasi so?
I am called…
Teitreitas …
I am fine
Pokronas tei
I am from…
Kjunitus tei …
I am happy
truksas tei
I am hungry
xtausas tei
I am…years old
limeiknasi … tei
I don't know
Stoklask tei
I don't like it
Stopent teilim nunn
I don't understand
Stoxrenn tei
I love you
Kjan tei so
I would like…
Nei teilim …
nice to meet you
Kjanitak jon kso
please
pin
please repeat that
mraukn pin
see you later
Trauklikustix teilim so
thank you
pin so / pin jon
what is your name?
Oxikeixi jonitreit?
what?
Oxikeix?
where are you from?
Oxipust so/jon jeilus?
Sample Text With Transcription:
"Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing." - Tool
*Please excuse repetitive portions in this post, as it was reformatted in order to be presented in other forums. :)