{"id":380,"date":"2013-01-03T22:21:08","date_gmt":"2013-01-03T22:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/?p=380"},"modified":"2013-01-11T17:51:45","modified_gmt":"2013-01-11T17:51:45","slug":"notes-on-the-languages-of-krisiiaid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/?p=380","title":{"rendered":"Notes on the Languages of Kris\u00ed\u2019i\u2019aid"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [The following was written as an appendix to my unfinished novel, The Man Who Found Birds among the Stars<\/em>.\u00a0 It was to be placed at the end of the volume in which the first contact with the Kris\u00ed\u2019i\u2019aid\u00e1 was made.\u00a0 It appears here exactly as I first wrote it, without any additional revision.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The language called !Ka<t\u00e1, which is native to the falconiforms of Kris\u00ed\u2019i\u2019aid, is spoken as the planet\u2019s lingua franca.\u00a0 All three species are physiologically capable of producing the sound system that the language requires, although among the ciconiiforms and galliforms vocal expression of !Ka<t\u00e1\u00a0 usually emerges in heavily \u201caccented\u201d form, with imperfectly enunciated musical elements.
\n!Ka<t\u00e1 can be loosely characterized as a tonal language, although it bears little resemblance to any such language spoken on Planet Earth.\u00a0 Prf. Ramonda Peders coined the term \u201cmusicophonetic\u201d in order to categorize !Ka<t\u00e1 because the language is a blend of three types of sound:\u00a0 those that approximate the vowels and consonants uttered by native Inge speakers, those that accrue meaning through variations in pitch, and those that are pure musical tones, unverbalized. \u00a0Prf. Peders constructed the system currently used for transcribing !Ka<t\u00e1 into recognizable Inge symbols.
\nTwo versions of Peders Transliteration exist:\u00a0 Full Peders Transliteration (FPT) and Simplified Peders Transliteration (SPT).\u00a0 !Ka<t\u00e1 employs a true alphabet consisting of 37 consonants and 17 vowels; eleven of the consonantal characters render Inge phonemic clusters (e.g., ks<\/i>, kr<\/i>, st<\/i>) while among the vocalic characters five render diphthongs and one renders a consonant\/vowel cluster (i\u00f3<\/i>, pronounced yo<\/i>).\u00a0 In addition there are two \u201chalf-letters\u201d (the trill [\u266a] and the warble [\u266b]) that are not included in the official alphabet, as well as symbols denoting pitch variations.\u00a0 Furthermore, the language employs a plethora of diacritical marks and indicators that lack consistent rules of usage; these have nothing to do with syntax but everything to do with connotation and expressiveness.\u00a0 FPT retains all these marks and indicators in order to allow a precise, scholarly interpretation of all aspects the language.
\nSimplified Peders Transliteration, on the other hand, omits these attitudinal indicators, rendering only the symbols that are pertinent to syntactical understanding.\u00a0 Thus, SPT is the format employed in the work at hand in order to make it more layman-friendly. \u00a0However, it should be made clear that, while the meaning of !Ka<t\u00e1 can be accurately denoted by the use of SPT, the pronunciation of the text, along with many of its subtleties of connotation, is not fully reflected.
\nThe consonants and vowels of !Ka<t\u00e1 are always enunciated as separate lists.\u00a0 There are no upper case characters.\u00a0 The names of consonants are vocalized with a sliding rising inflection, while the names of the vowels are preceded by a click and vocalized on an even tone.\u00a0 Here follows a list of the transliterated consonants and vowels and their approximate pronunciations.<\/p>\n

Standard Consonants of the !Ka<t\u00e1 Alphabet<\/b><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Rendered in SPT<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Pronunciation of
\nPhoneme <\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a01.\u00a0 \u2219u\u2191~<\/td>\n\u2219 [guttural cough]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0 gu\u2191~<\/td>\ng [as in g<\/i><\/b>irl<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0 ksit\u2191~<\/td>\nks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a04.\u00a0\u00a0 ku\u2191~<\/td>\nk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a05.\u00a0\u00a0 khit\u2191~<\/td>\nkh [as in Jerman ich<\/i><\/b>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a06.\u00a0\u00a0 !u\u2191~<\/td>\n! [click, rendered by snapping the beak]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a07.\u00a0\u00a0 kwat\u2191~<\/td>\nkw [as in the digraph qu<\/i><\/b>ote<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a08.\u00a0\u00a0 krit\u2191~<\/td>\nkr [the r<\/i> is \u00a0 slightly trilled] [never used in a final position]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a09.\u00a0\u00a0 hu\u2191~<\/td>\nh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10.\u00a0 wu\u2191~<\/td>\nw [as in w<\/i><\/b>ait<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11.\u00a0 hwat\u2191~<\/td>\nhw [as in the digraph wh<\/i><\/b>at<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12.\u00a0 tu\u2191~<\/td>\nt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13.\u00a0 tsit\u2191~<\/td>\nts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14.\u00a0 su\u2191~<\/td>\ns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15.\u00a0 sfit\u2191~<\/td>\nsf<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16.\u00a0 stat\u2191~<\/td>\nst<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17.\u00a0 chu\u2191~<\/td>\nch [as in the digraph ch<\/i><\/b>air<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18.\u00a0 ju\u2191~<\/td>\nj [as in j<\/i><\/b>ump<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19.\u00a0 yit\u2191~<\/td>\ny [as in y<\/i><\/b>es<\/i>]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20.\u00a0 zat\u2191~<\/td>\nz<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21.\u00a0 fu\u2191~<\/td>\nf<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22.\u00a0 frit\u2191~<\/td>\nfr [the r<\/i> is\u00a0slightly trilled]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
23.\u00a0 fsat\u2191~<\/td>\nfs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24.\u00a0 aft\u2191~<\/td>\nft [never used initially]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
25.\u00a0 arat\u2191~<\/td>\nr [slightly trilled]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
26.\u00a0 urr\u00e1\u2191~<\/td>\nrr [heavily trilled]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
27.\u00a0 vu\u2191~<\/td>\nv<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28.\u00a0 vrit\u2191~<\/td>\nvr [the r<\/i> is slightly trilled]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
29.\u00a0 bu\u2191~<\/td>\nb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30.\u00a0 pu\u2191~<\/td>\np<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
31.\u00a0 psit\u2191~<\/td>\nps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
32.\u00a0 du\u2191~<\/td>\nd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
33.\u00a0 ang\u2191~<\/td>\nng [as in the digraph long<\/b><\/i>; never followed by a consonant] [never used initially]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
34.\u00a0 nu\u2191~<\/td>\nn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
35.\u00a0 mu\u2191~<\/td>\nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
36.\u00a0 mrat\u2191~<\/td>\nmr [never used in a final position]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
37.\u00a0 lit\u2191~<\/td>\nl<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Standard Vowels of the !Ka<t\u00e1 Alphabet<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

!Ka<t\u00e1
\nRendered in SPT<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Pronunciation
\nof Phoneme<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0 1. \u00a0!u<\/td>\nas in goo<\/b>se<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 2. \u00a0!oi<\/td>\nas in soi<\/i><\/b>l<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 3. \u00a0!a<\/td>\nas in fa<\/b>ther<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 4. \u00a0!au<\/td>\nas in now<\/b><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 5. \u00a0!aw<\/td>\nas in aw<\/i><\/b>e<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 6. \u00a0!ei<\/td>\nas in fa<\/b>ce<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 7. \u00a0!e<\/td>\nas in be<\/b>d<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 8. \u00a0!i<\/td>\nas in sea<\/b><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 9. \u00a0!ai<\/td>\nas in ai<\/i><\/b>sle<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10. \u00a0!o<\/td>\nas in ro<\/b>se<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11. \u00a0!i\u00f3<\/td>\nas in yo<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12. \u00a0!^<\/td>\nchirp, comparable to u\u00a0<\/i>in the Inge word tu<\/b>ck<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13. \u00a0!<<\/td>\nwhistle, a sustained non-verbal note of standard pitch.\u00a0 No absolute pitch exists for a whistle; it \u00a0 varies with the speaker.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14. \u00a0!<\u2198<\/td>\nwhistle, low pitch, a third below standard pitch for that speaker<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15. \u00a0!<\u2197<\/td>\nwhistle, high pitch; a third above standard pitch for that speaker<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16. \u00a0!<\u2193<\/td>\nwhistle sliding from standard to low pitch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17. \u00a0!<\u2191<\/td>\nwhistle sliding from standard to high pitch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Half Letters<\/b><\/p>\n

The trill<\/b> (\u266a, a short sequence of two notes) and the warble<\/b> (\u266b, a sequence of at least three notes) are called \u201chalf-letters\u201d (\u266au\u2019\u00edchit filit\u00fa<\/i>) because, while they are in rare instances used as vowels or consonants integral to the word (as in khechi\u2019\u00edrr\u266bi<\/i> [to sing]), they are more commonly used as inflections (e.g., to form plurals and possessives), to construct adjectives and diminutives, or to express emotion.\u00a0 They can be vocalized in many subtly distinct ways to indicate emotion or emphasis and are frequently written with those special marks mentioned earlier that are omitted in SPT.\u00a0 For example, tuneful warbles of as many as eight distinct notes, almost amounting to a melody, can be used in certain emotional situations, such as courtship or danger.<\/p>\n

Tonal Indicators<\/b><\/p>\n

Whistles (transcribed as <) are regarded as true vowels.\u00a0 Only five variations are necessary to a literal rendition of meaning and so are included in the standard alphabet.\u00a0 However, the pitch and duration of whistles can vary greatly and only FPT retains the diacritical marks for these variations.\u00a0 Furthermore, such variations in whistles and all musical elements of the language are often idiosyncratic to the speaker, or they can reflect regional differences (dialects).<\/p>\n

The following tonal indicators affect the vowels of preceding syllables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u2191<\/td>\nThe entire preceding syllable is pitched a third above normal neutral speech, as in the Captain\u2019s name <Imat\u00fa\u2191<\/i>.\u00a0 When applied\u00a0to whistles, the symbol indicates an upward sliding tone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2193<\/td>\nThe entire preceding syllable is pitched a third below \u00a0 normal neutral speech, as in the word imit\u00fa\u2193<\/i> \u00a0 (grub, caterpillar).\u00a0 When applied to \u00a0 whistles, the symbol indicates a downward sliding tone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2191~<\/td>\nThe entire preceding syllable slides up a third from normal\u00a0neutral speech.\u00a0 <\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2193~<\/td>\nThe entire preceding syllable slides down a third from normal neutral speech.\u00a0 <\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2194<\/td>\nThe preceding syllable is drawn out temporally, producing a\u00a0sound roughly twice the duration of the penultimate syllable, e.g., u\u2019\u00edzi\u2194<\/i> (hour).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/b>Other Transcription Symbols<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\u00b4<\/td>\nAn acute accent mark over a vowel indicates that stress (prominent relative loudness) is placed on that syllable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u2019<\/td>\nIn !Ka<t\u00e1, an apostrophe is inserted between two adjacent but distinct vowels to indicate that the combination is not a diphthong\u00a0(e.g., oik\u2191~<\/i> [river] and o\u2019\u00edkh <\/i>[matter or substance]; tsai<\/i> [why] and tsa\u2019\u00ed<\/i> [three]).
\nThis symbol also can stand for a schwa [\u0259], used mostly in\u00a0transliterating Gro\u2019at and Towewa (the schwa does not exists natively in !Ka<t\u00e1).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0]<\/td>\nPeriod mark; one of only three marks of punctuation used \u00a0 in the !Ka<t\u00e1 language.\u00a0 It is \u00a0 placed at the ends of sentences.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u21de<\/td>\nExclamation point; one of only three marks of punctuation used in the !Ka<t\u00e1 language.\u00a0 This symbol is an approximate reconstruction of the mark actually used.\u00a0 It is placed at the beginning of sentences.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0|<\/td>\nThe third mark of punctuation used in the !Ka<t\u00e1 language.\u00a0 It is equivalent to a comma\u00a0or a semicolon; as such its use is sparing and inconsistent.\u00a0 It is also used to join two halves of a\u00a0compound word.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Analysis of a !Ka<t\u00e1 Text<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b>The following are the last two sentences spoken by Capt. K^rrt <Imat\u00fa\u2191 in his initial transmission to the Ariana<\/i>:<\/p>\n

Nei ach\u00fa hwe tsait\u00fa <an khekaw\u2019i fi \u266bgo \u266bihulolda <\u2197<\/i>nok \u266bnei\u266a \u266bhu!^tei\u2019\u00e1k]\u00a0 <\/i>\u21dePsa\u2219]\u00a0 Nei !ungt fi \u266bnei \u266boi\u2019atim khe\u2019ena\u2191~ta !i tsurotai\u2191 i\u2019\u00fata\u2019\u00fata\u266a]<\/i><\/p>\n

Translation: \u201cI need a signal to show that you are receiving our transmissions.\u00a0 Hell, I wish we could understand each other\u2019s language.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0Nei ach\u00fa<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0I need.\u00a0 Second\u00a0conjugation infinitive khe\u2019ach\u00fa\u2019i <\/i>(to\u00a0need or to require).\u00a0 All infinitives\u00a0begin with the syllable khe-<\/i>. \u00a0The three classes of conjugation end in -a<\/i>, -i<\/i>, or -e<\/i>,\u00a0respectively.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0hwe tsait\u00fa<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0a signal.\u00a0 This\u00a0phrase incorporates the indefinite article hwe<\/i>.\u00a0 The noun tsait\u00fa<\/i> derives from the root tsai<\/i>, a rendering of verbal\u00a0information.\u00a0 The suffix -t\u00fa<\/i> means a thing with the quality of\u00a0the root.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<an <\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0in order (to), for the purpose of (always followed by\u00a0\u00a0 infinitive).\u00a0 Pronounced with a standard whistle preceding the syllable an<\/i>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0khekaw\u2019i<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0to show or demonstrate.\u00a0 Second conjugation infinitive, demonstrating the use of the apostrophe to separate adjacent discrete vowels.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0fi<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0that.\u00a0 This relative\u00a0pronoun is never omitted as it is in Inge.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u266bgo \u266bihulolda <\u2197<\/i>nok<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0you are receiving.\u00a0 Pronouns\u00a0of all cases are rendered plural by suffixing a warble (\u266b); likewise all\u00a0plural verbs are preceded by a warble.
\nThe third conjugation infinitive khe\u2019ihule <\/i>means \u201cto get, receive, or obtain.\u201d\u00a0 The word nok<\/i> preceded by an upward sliding whistle is inserted following the verb to signify the progressive aspect.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u266bnei\u266a <\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0our (first person plural possessive pronoun).\u00a0 Possessive pronouns are formed by suffixing\u00a0a trill to the nominative case.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u266bhu!^tei\u2019\u00e1k]\u00a0 <\/i><\/td>\ntransmissions.\u00a0\u00a0Plural nouns are formed by prefixing a warble.\u00a0 This word illustrates l) the beak snap (!)\u00a0as an integral consonant; and 2) a use of the chirp-vowel (^). \u00a0Note the presence of a bracket at the end,\u00a0the mark of punctuation indicating the end of the sentence.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u21de<\/i>Psa\u2219]<\/i><\/td>\nThis epithet, signifying roughly \u201cHell!\u201d or \u201cDamn!\u201d, illustrates \u00a0 the use of the exclamation mark (\u21de<\/i>) and of the cough-consonant (\u2219).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Nei !ungt fi<\/i><\/td>\nI wish that.\u00a0 The third conjugation infinitive khe!ungte <\/i>means \u00a0 \u201cto want, wish, or desire.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\u266bnei \u266boi\u2019atim \u00a0 khe\u2019ena\u2191~ta<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0we could (i.e., would be able to) understand.\u00a0 The irregular verb khe\u2019astu<\/i> means \u201cto be able\u201d and is always followed by an \u00a0 infinitive.\u00a0 The verb form \u266boi\u2019atim <\/i>is the conditional mood in \u00a0 the first person plural.
\nIn the infinitive khe\u2019ena\u2191~ta<\/i>\u00a0(to understand) the third syllable is pronounced with an upward sliding pitch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0!i tsurotai\u2191 <\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/td>\n\u00a0The language.\u00a0 No noun in !Ka<t\u00e1 is ever used without an article, unless some other defining\u00a0word such as \u201csome\u201d or \u201cmany\u201d is associated with it.\u00a0 The definite article is pronounced [beak-click] + i<\/i>.\u00a0 There is also a generalizing article (hi<\/i>) used with non-specific nouns, such as \u201cLanguage (Hi tsurotai\u2191<\/i>)is universal.\u201d\u00a0 Both articles take number.
\nThe word tsurotai\u2191<\/i> concludes with a syllable that is pronounced on a distinctly higher pitch\u00a0(without an upward slide).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0i\u2019\u00fata\u2019\u00fata\u266a<\/i><\/td>\nof each other.\u00a0 i\u2019\u00fata<\/i> is a noun meaning \u201cother\u201d or\u00a0\u201cother one.\u201d \u00a0The idiomatic contraction i\u2019\u00fata\u2019\u00fata <\/i>means literally \u201cother-other.\u201d\u00a0 A suffixed trill makes a noun possessive just as it does with pronouns.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [The following was written as an appendix to my unfinished novel, The Man Who Found Birds among the Stars.\u00a0 It was to be placed at the end of the volume in which the first contact with the Kris\u00ed\u2019i\u2019aid\u00e1 was made.\u00a0 It appears here exactly as I first wrote it, without any additional revision.] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-falconiform-languages"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=380"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":394,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380\/revisions\/394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/remembrancer.conlang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}