Elw language/OOC considerations
Because I'm too lazy to actually create a conlang, we're using Greenlandic for Elw, but with regular sound changes (see below), and added loanwords from various languages that are adapted to the phonology and orthography of Elw (see main article).
Adapting Greenlandic to Elw
We're using the following text to show you the example of processing a text from Greenlandic to Elw:
- Inuit tamarmik inunngorput nammineersinnaassuseqarlutik assigiimmillu ataqqinassuseqarlutillu pisinnaatitaaffeqarlutik. Silaqassusermik tarnillu nalunngissusianik pilersugaapput, imminnullu iliorfigeqatigiittariaqaraluarput qatanngutigiittut peqatigiinnerup anersaavani.
- "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."
Step 1: e/o > i/u
In step 1, adapt the Greenlandic orthography to an etymological orthography. Modern Greenlandic uses e/ee and o/oo as allophones of i and u before guttural consonsants (q, r).
As such, we begin simply by changing all e to i, and all o to u.
- Inuit tamarmik inunngurput namminiirsinnaassusiqarlutik assigiimmillu ataqqinassusiqarlutillu pisinnaatitaaffiqarlutik. Silaqassusirmik tarnillu nalunngissusianik pilirsugaapput, imminnullu iliurfigiqatigiittariaqaraluarput qatanngutigiittut piqatigiinnirup anirsaavani.
Step 2: Deal with the suffixes
In step 2, we deal with the suffixes by beginning to adapt them to the Elw language. Begin with the longer suffixes, and end the adaption with the shorter ones.
| Greenlandic | Elw |
|---|---|
| unga | on |
| utit | u |
| oq | or |
| ugut | uruh |
| usi | us |
| ut | uh |
| aq | ar |
| p | h |
| mik | meq |
| nik | neq |
| mut | muh |
| mit | myh |
| mi | ym |
| kkut | kuh |
| tut | duh |
| tigut | dyruh |
| ni | yn |
| nit | nyh |
| nut | nuh |
| p | h |
| t | h |
| k | q |
| q | r |
Our text now looks like this:
- Inuih tamarmiq inunngurpuh namminiirsinnaassusiqarlutiq assigiimmillu ataqqinassusiqarlutillu pisinnaatitaaffiqarlutiq. Silaqassusirmiq tarnillu nalunngissusianiq pilirsugaappuh, imminnullu iliurfigiqatigiittariaqaraluarpuh qatanngutigiittuh piqatigiinniruh anirsaavayn.
Step 3: Initial consonants
Adapt all words beginning with consonants, as follows:
| Greenlandic | Elw | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| k | k | |
| l | l | |
| m | m | |
| n | n | |
| p | b | |
| q | q | |
| s | s | |
| t | d | |
| v | Ø | i.e. Delete |
Our text now looks like this:
- Inuih damarmiq inunngurpuh namminiirsinnaassusiqarlutiq assigiimmillu ataqqinassusiqarlutillu bisinnaatitaaffiqarlutiq. Silaqassusirmiq darnillu nalunngissusianiq bilirsugaappuh, imminnullu iliurfigiqatigiittariaqaraluarpuh qatanngutigiittuh biqatigiinniruh anirsaavayn.
Step 4: Intervocalic consonants
In step 4, we adapt the consonants who have vowels both before and after.
| Greenlandic | Elw | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| f | h | |
| ff | v | |
| g | r | |
| gg | q | |
| j | j | |
| k | g | |
| kk | k | |
| l | l | |
| ll | ll | |
| m | m | |
| mm | mm | |
| n | n | |
| nn | nn | |
| ng | nm | |
| nng | mn | |
| p | b | |
| pp | p | |
| q | q | |
| rq | ||
| r | r | |
| rf | rz | |
| rl | rz | |
| rm | rm | |
| rn | rn | |
| rp | rb | |
| rq | rq | |
| rs | rs | |
| rt | rd | |
| s | s | |
| ss | z | |
| t | d | |
| ts | c | |
| tt | t | |
| v | Ø | i.e. Delete |
Our text is now:
- Inuih damarmiq inumnurbuh namminiirsinnaasuziqarzudiq aziriimmillu adaqqinazusiqarzudillu bisinnaadidaaviqarzudiq. Silaqazusirmiq darnillu nalumnizusianiq bilirsuraapuh, imminnullu iliurziriqadiriitariaqaraluarbuh qadanmudiriituh biqadiriinniruh anirsaaayn.
Step 5: Initial vowel clean-up
Step 5 a: triple vowels
Make sure that there are no triple vowels (e.g. aaa). Shorten them to a double vowel (e.g. aaa > aa).
Our text is now:
- Inuih damarmiq inumnurbuh namminiirsinnaasuziqarzudiq aziriimmillu adaqqinazusiqarzudillu bisinnaadidaaviqarzudiq. Silaqazusirmiq darnillu nalumnizusianiq bilirsuraapuh, imminnullu iliurziriqadiriitariaqaraluarbuh qadanmudiriituh biqadiriinniruh anirsaayn.
Step 5 b: delete y after vowel
Delete any y that follows a vowel.
- Inuih damarmiq inumnurbuh namminiirsinnaasuziqarzudiq aziriimmillu adaqqinazusiqarzudillu bisinnaadidaaviqarzudiq. Silaqazusirmiq darnillu nalumnizusianiq bilirsuraapuh, imminnullu iliurziriqadiriitariaqaraluarbuh qadanmudiriituh biqadiriinniruh anirsaan.
Step 6: Regarding i and ii
Step 6 a: Initial i and ii
i as the first vowel of a word will transform into e, unless the next syllable has a double vowel or diphthong (i.e. combination of two different vowels), in which case it will transform to y.
ii as the first vowel of the word will transform to a simple i, unless the following consonant is q, in which case it will transform to e.
Example:
- isluus > ysluus
- illu > ellu
- iilu > ilu
- iiqar > eqar
Our text is now:
- Inuih damarmiq enumnurbuh namminiirsinnaasuziqarzudiq aziriimmillu adaqqinazusiqarzudillu bisinnaadidaaviqarzudiq. Silaqazusirmiq darnillu nalumnizusianiq bilirsuraapuh, emminnullu eliurziriqadiriitariaqaraluarbuh qadanmudiriituh biqadiriinniruh anirsaan.
Step 6 b: Lonely interconsonantal i and ii
Lonely i, that is with consonants on either side of it, will transform to y, unless of the consonants on either side is q, in which case the lonely i will transform into e, or ll in which case the lonely i will remain i.
Examples:
- anira > anyra
- aniqa > aneqa
Interconsonantal ii will transform to i, unless one of the consonants on either side is q, in which case the lonely i will transform into e, or ll in which case the lonely ii will transform into i.
- aniira > anira
- aniiqa > aneqa
Our text is now:
- Inuih damarmeq enumnurbuh nammynirsynnaasuzeqarzudeq azyrimmillu adaqqinazuseqarzudillu bysynnaadydaaveqarzudeq. Sylaqazusyrmeq darnillu nalumnyzusianeq bylyrsuraapuh, emmynnullu eliurzyreqadyritariaqaraluarbuh qadanmudyrituh biqadyrinnyruh anyrsaan.
Step 7: Diphthongs
For the purposes of this step, a diphthong consists of two or more vowels together who are not the same vowel, e.g. iu, ui, but not uu, aa.
In the transformation to Elw, we wish to avoid diphthongs as much as possible.
Step 7 a: i + vowel
First of all we have a special rule with this type of diphthong with
| Transform from | Transform to |
|---|---|
| sia, tia, dia, zia | ca |
| siu, tiu, diu, ziu | cu |
| sio, tio, dio, zio | co |
| siaa, tiaa, diaa, ziaa | caa |
| siuu, tiuu, diuu, ziuu | cuu |
| sioo, tioo, dioo, zioo | coo |
All other i + vowel will be dealt with as follows:
| Transform from | Transform to |
|---|---|
| ia, iaa | aa |
| iu, iuu | uu |
| io, ioo | oo |
Our text is now:
- Inuih damarmeq enumnurbuh nammynirsynnaasuzyqarzudeq azyrimmillu adaqqinazusyqarzudillu bysynnaadydaaveqarzudeq. Sylaqazusyrmeq darnillu nalumnyzucaneq bylyrsuraapuh, emmynnullu eluurzyreqadyritaraaqaraluarbuh qadanmudyrituh biqadyrinnyruh anyrsaan.
Step 7 b: u + vowel
| Transform from | Transform to |
|---|---|
| ua, uaa | aa |
| ui, uii | e |
Our text is now:
- Ineh damarmeq enumnurbuh nammynirsynnaasuzyqarzudeq azyrimmillu adaqqinazusyqarzudillu bysynnaadydaaveqarzudeq. Sylaqazusyrmeq darnillu nalumnyzucaneq bylyrsuraapuh, emmynnullu eluurzyreqadyritaraaqaralaarbuh qadanmudyrituh biqadyrinnyruh anyrsaan.
