Urkhese

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Urkhese is a Hsue Language spoken in Urkheyen in Taratai.


Urkhese
Language in Taratai
family: Hsue Languages

type: isolating

order: SOV

(more to be added)

phonology

Urkhese word roots consist of one or two syllables fitting the following pattern:

C₁ (G) V₁ (C₂) (V₂) (C₃)

in which:

  • C₁ can be any consonant and is only optional at the beginning of a word. (In case of compounds, /ʔ/ is inserted.)
  • G is a glide. However, not all consonants can be followed by glides.
  • V₁ is any short or long vowel or diphthong.
  • C₂ is a consonant from a heavily restricted set that can occur in this position.
  • V₂ is a short vowel; either <e>, <ǝ>, or <o>.
  • C₃ is either <r> or <n>. In the latter case, /n/ is the neutral pronunciation, but if another syllable follows this becomes the nasal at the same place of articulation as the following consonant.

consonants

bilabial dental alveolar retroflex (alveolo-) palatal velar uvular glotal
voiceless plosive p t c <ty> k q ʔ <ɂ>
aspirated voiceless plosive pʰ <ph> tʰ <th> kʰ <kh> qʰ <qh>
voiced plosive b d ɟ <dy> g
breathy voiced plosive bʱ <bh> dʱ <dh> ɟʱ <dhy> gʱ <gh>
nasal m n̪~n <n> ɲ <ny> ŋ <ŋ>
voiceless affricate t͡s <c> ʈ͡ʂ <ć> t͡ɕ <cx>
voiceless fricative ɸ <f> θ <þ> s ʂ <ś> ɕ <x> ç/ʝ~x̟/ɣ̟ <xh> h~ɦ <h>
voiced fricative β <v> z ʐ <ź> ʀ <r>
approximant β̞ <w> ɹ~ɻ <r> j <y>
lateral fricative ɬ <ł>
lateral approximant l ʎ <ly>

notes and unlisted phonemes

  • Palatals in grey cells occur as allophones of palatalized alveolars or alveolars with an /i̯/ glide. /l/ occurs only as <ly> which is pronounced /li̯/, /lʲ/ or /ʎ/.
  • The pronunciation of rhotic phonemes depends on context. /ɻ/ is common in syllable coda and in syllable onsets followed by an /i̯/ glide. /ʀ/ occurs in syllable onsets followed by an /u̯/ glide. Otherwise it is /ɹ/. Furthermore /ɹ/ is a "neutral" pronunciation and is always acceptable.

glides

Urkhese has three glides: <y>, <ŭ>, and <r>:

  • <y> is /i̯/, /j/, or palatalization, but is always /j/ before <i>.
  • <ŭ> is /u̯/, /β̞/, or labialization, but is always /β̞/ before <u>.
  • <r> is usually /ɹ/.

<r> only occurs after voiced plosives. The other glides can occur after most plosives, fricatives, and nasals, as well as after <r> and <l>. (The latter only occurs as <ly>.)

vowels and diphthongs

Urkhese has six vowels:

front mid back
close i uᵝ
mid ɛ <e> ǝ ɔᵝ <o>
open ä~ɑ <a>

Additionally, there are five diphthongs:

  • <ai>, pronounced /ɑi̯/ or /ɑj/;
  • <au>, pronounced /ɑu̯/;
  • <ei>, pronounced /e̞i̯/ or, more commonly, as /eˑ/;
  • <ǝi>, pronounced /ǝi̯/ or sometimes as /øˑ/; and
  • <ou>, pronounced /o̞u̯/ or, more commonly, as /oˑ/.

grammar

Referencearrow.png Main Article: Comparative Grammar of Middle and Modern Hsue

(t.b.a.)