Apterycian

The national bird of NZ is the kiwi, a rare chicken-sized rattite that
comes in several subspecies.  I was looking at some stamps today which
involved several humanoid 'kiwis' with articles of kiwiana (NZ
folk/popular culture).  Later that day I wondered if I was to construct
a language for these humanoids uplifted from rattites what sort of
phonemes would they be able to articulate.  Imagine a stocky rotund
humanoid covered in hairy feathers.  The head appears to be bird-like
with a long probing beak, perhaps about an arms length or shorter in
proportion to the rest of the body.  There may be some flexibility about
the hinge of the jaw that allows it to appear as if it is smiling.  I
guess it has a syrinx which would allow it to articulate two notes at
once.  Unlike the kiwi it has fully developed wings which have developed
into arms, meaning that it is flightless.  It has an upright stance and
no longer naturally uses its beak for probing into the ground.

- andrew.
--
Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz