Atoiran Language
| (Modern) Atoiran | |
|---|---|
| Language Code | At/MoAt |
| Endonym (Romanised) | Atoíra Ipitàn |
| Endonym (IPA) | [ado.íɾa ibidã̂] |
| Language Family | Language Isolate |
| L1 + L2 Speakers | ≈ 8,000,000 (within the Atoiran Republic) |
The Atoiran language is a language isolate spoken in the Atoiran Republic. Its main inspirations are the Japanese language and Oceanic language family.
Phonology
Atoiran has a simple phonology with only 8 consonants and 5 vowels.
Consonants
| Consonants | Labial | Coronal | Dorsal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal1 | m | n3 5 | ŋ ~ g <ŋ> |
| Plosive2 | p | t3 | (k) |
| Fricative | s3 | ||
| Affricate | t͡s3 <c> | ||
| Sonorant | ɾ <r> ~ l <l>4 |
- Nasals denasalise word-initially
- Plosives become voiced intervocally
- {n,s,{t,t͡s}}i > {ɲ,ɕ,t͡ɕ}i
- [ɾ] in the onset, [l] in the coda
- Coda /n/ assimilates to the place of articulation of the next consonant
Vowels
| Vowels | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral | i | |
| High | e | u |
| Low | a | o |
- Vowels nasalise before nasal coda
- /i[level]V[$tone]/ > [jV[$tone]]
- /u[level]V[$tone]/ > [wV[$tone]]
- Modern Atoiran does not have long vowels unlike Middle Atoiran. Consecutive vowels are separate syllables unless specified under Diphthongs
Diphthongs
Diphthongs can be formed using {a, e, o, u} + /i/. If the first vowel has a marked tone, that tone is spread out over both vowel qualities. However, if /i/ has a marked tone (i.e. high or falling), then a diphthong is not formed.
Vowel Harmony
Atoiran exhibits progressive height harmony.
Tones
| Name | Orthography | Phonetic | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unmarked | a | /a/ [a˨] | Default |
| High | á | /á/ [a˥] | #kV > V́, V{k,{p,t}{C,#}} > V́, /i/ has lower priority for this sound chanɡe |
| Falling | à | /â/ [a˧˩] | Vh > V̀ or V$1(h)V$1 > V̀ |
Phonotactics
Atoiran has a moderate syllable structure of (C)V(V)(C). However, a syllable is only allowed to end in /n/, /s/ or /l/.
Atoiran additionally has restrictions on the following consonant clusters:
- /st͡s/ > /t͡s/
- /lt͡s/ > /lt/
- /st/ > /t͡s/
Assimilation
- t - i{C,#} > t͡si{C,#}
- t - i > t͡si?
- t͡si - V > t͡sV
- {m,p,ŋ,V}{u,o} - V > {m,p,ŋ,V}V
- V$1[$tone]V$1[level] > V$1[falling]
- V$1[level]V$1[high] > V$1[high]
- V$1[level]V$1[falling] > V$1[falling]