Phonology

 

This article will detail the necessary phonology of Neramese. Neramese is completely phonologically consistent, therefore there are no worries on the part of the learner. All consonants are apical where applicable.

Stress:

- Stress always falls on the ultimate syllable of a word. This is without exception. Neramese is syllable-timed.

Vowels:

/a/ - a

/ã/ - ą

/i/ - i

/y/ - ì

/ɛ/ - e

/ɔ/ - o

/u/ - u

/ɔɻ/ - uì

NOTE: If two vowels are next to each other, or especially when they are the same vowel, the first one becomes a semivowel. 

• eeren: [ɛ̯.ɛɾɛn] 

Consonants:

/m/ - m

/p/ - p

/b/ - b

/β/ - mh (1)

/f/ - ph

/v/ - bh

/n/ - n (NOTE: [n̪] - dental)

/t/ - t (NOTE: [t̪] - dental)

/d/ - d (NOTE: [d̪] - dental)

/θ/ - ç

/ð/ - z

/s/ - s

/ɾ/ - r

/ʃ/ - ś

/l/ - l

/k/ - c

/g/ - g

/x/ - h

/ɬ/ - lh (2)

/t͡ɬ/ - tl (3)

/j/ - i

/k'/ - c' (4)

/t'/ - t' (5)

/p'/ - p' (6)

/t͡ɬ'/ - tl' (7)

/ʔ/ - '

Syllable formation:

- (C)V(+)

- (!)RV(+)

- V = vowel, C = consonant, + = specific coda consonants

- For V, any vowel from the list is accepted.

- For C, any consonant from the list is accepted.

- For +, most consonants may take the coda position, EXCEPT /-d/, /-t/, /-p/, /-b/, /-k/, /-g/, /-f/, /-v/, /-ʔ/ or any ejective. 

- The most common coda consonants are liquids, approximants, fricatives (except labio-dentals), and affricates.

- For (!)R, the only consonant clusters permitted are: /pr-/, /fr-/, /tr-/, /θr-/, /br-/, /vr-/, /ðr-/, and /dr-/.