Ancient Kartara
(Introduction)
Contents
Phonology
Consonant Grid | labial | alveolar | retroflex | velar | glottal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
stops | p | t | t́ | k | * |
fricatives | f | s | ś | h | |
nasals | m | n | ń | ||
approximants | r | ||||
lateral approximants | l | ĺ |
Vowel Grid | front | near-front | back |
---|---|---|---|
close | i | u | |
near-close | ï | ||
mid | e | o | |
open | a |
Syllables can be generalized to be a vowel, optionally preceded by a stop or fricative, and optionally ending with any consonant. Only verbs may end in a non-approximant consonant.
Typical Kartara does not use voiced stops or fricatives. However, stops in the middle of words often take on partial voicing when they are preceded by an approximant. For instance: kart́ara is has been interpreted by continentals to be "kardara".
Stops do not typically have aspiration, but when two stops occur next to each other, the first stop is usually aspirated before moving on to the second. For instance: pat́ka is pronounced [paʈʰka].
Glottal stops are not written, but they always happen between equal vowels (Ex: iipke [iʔipʰke̞]). They often occur between any two vowels if both are unaccented, and after a stressed vowel before an unstressed i.