Tgngt Qllp

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Tgngt Qllp is the language (qllp) of the Tgngt people, who because of the characteristics of their larynx are unable to produce voiced phonemes, implosives, and ejectives. The Tgngt live on the island of Jǝ Lhiéng Dháo, which is part of the Republic of Kwang Yung.


phonology and phonotactics

phoneme inventory

bilabial labiodental dental alveolar retroflex palatal velar
nasal* m̥ (n) ɱ̊ (n) n̪̊ (n) n̥ (n) ɳ̊ (n) ɲ̊ (n) ŋ̊ (n)
plosive** p (p) p̪ (b) t̪ (d) t (t) ʈ (c) c (q) k (k)
fricative ɸ (f) f (v) θ (z) s (s) ʂ (x) ç (h) x (g)
lateral fricative ɬ (ll)
lateral approximant l̥ (l)
trilled affricate p͡ʙ̥ (pr) t̪͡ʙ̥ (dr) t͡r̥ (tr)

Notes:
* : All nasals assimilate to the adjacent fricative.
** : All plosives occur in tenuis and aspirated variants.

phonotactics

All syllables conform to the following (left-to-right) pattern:

P
PP
n
l
F P
P
PP
L
P
PP
l
FnF
R

Wherein

  • P stands for a single plosive: p, b, d, t, c, q, k (which is often aspirated if it occurs as a final, although this is not phonemic);
  • PP stands for an aspirated plosive followed by a tenuis plosive (either the same or a different one, resulting in 7x7=49 possibilities);
  • n stands for a nasal (all written n, but pronunciation depends on the following fricative);
  • l stands for the lateral approximant: l;
  • F stands for either
    • a short fricative: f, v, z, s, x, h, g; or
    • a long fricative: ff, vv, zz, ss, xx, hh, gg;
  • L stands for the lateral fricative: ll
  • FnF stands for a long fricative interrupted by a nasal: fnf, vnv, znz, sns, xnx, hnh, gng;
  • R stands for a trilled affricate.

This gives a total of 10,203 possible syllables.

grammar

(To be added.)

pragmatics

This would be a very 'silent' language: not suitable for shouting or for public address, only for private conversation in situations with relatively little background noise. (Which should have some cultural impact.) It is also a language that is unsuitable for singing, and that sounds percussive more than melodic, which probably affected music.

(To be expanded.)