Re: Nimrina phonology

Hi!

Herman Miller writes:
>...
> Initial consonant mutations in compounds (as in Japanese):
>...
> Alteration of the final consonant when adding a suffix:
>...
> [i 1 u E O a].
>...
> Note the absence of /f/, which has merged with /h/; /h/ alternates
> with /v/ in phonological contexts where it needs to be voiced.
>...
I like it.  In particular the cited parts above.

The six vowel system is a very nice extension of the five standard
ones.  I wonder whether it is frequent in conlangs (or natlangs), it
feels natural at least.  My Tyl Sjok has a seven vowel system adding
/@/ to the above (and letting all vowels be unrounded), which is just
about what Romanian has (but with the normal rounded back vowels).  Is
this kind of seven vowel system more likely or wide-spread than the
six vowel system?

I also like the h/f merger leading to h - v alterations.  I have
something similar in the current version of the S11 phonology, where f
precedes rounded vowels and h unrounded ones, and in clusters, it is
h, f, or v, depending on phonological context.  Hmm, maybe I should
not throw it away (I think the language does not sound nice, as stated
before).  Is it also inspired by Japanese (where it is more like h/f
-- p -- b like 'hito' + 'hito' > 'hitobito')?

**Henrik

Replies