Re: waiting on yod

From: "andrew" <hobbit@...>
> I am working on a new conlang with a nice range of sounds, including
> (among others): /y/, /Y/, /j/ and /dZ/.  Initially /j/ was [y], and /dZ/
> was [j].  Recently I decided to change /Y/ and /y/ from u-umlaut to y
> and y-acute.  Now I have to figure out what to do with the consonants.
> I don't think /j/ can remain [y], too confusing.  I am considering
> changing it to [j], but that leaves me a loss what to do with /dZ/.  I
> am debating [dj], with [tj] for /tS/, but I am wondering if there are
> other options?
>
> /S/ and /Z/ are not independent consonant values in this language, so
> tsh and dzh are not available as options.
>
> Suggestions?
Well, Hadwan also has four phonemes like that:

    /Y/  /y:/  /j/  /dZ/ (or /dz/, depending)

They're transliterated {y}, {ý}, {i} and {dj} respectively.

I can get away with spelling /j/ as {i} because there's no ambiguity:  there's a
rule that lengthens a vowel before another vowel, so {ia} must be /jA/ and {ía}
must be /i:A/; similarly {ai} must be /Aj/.  {ái} could only be /Q:I/ because
there are no long-vowel+semivowel combinations... anymore.  If you find a fudge
like that in your lang you could probably use {j} for [dZ].  (In transliterating
Hadwan {j} doesn't occur by itself, only as a modifier in {dj}, {sj} = [S], and
{nj} = [N].  You probably don't have this quirk.)

Of course there's always [insert word that means "not specifying all
features"] -- writing systems don't have to be phonetic.  *evil grin*  In fact,
I notice none of Hadwan's descendants are, which means I have to keep
pronunciation keys with the definitions.  *grumble*

...Actually, now I'm not sure whether the pronunciation keys are there because
we're underspecified or because I just know I'd very easily forget how to
pronounce words spelled and pronounced like this:

        Spelled        Pronced        Meaning
        wuikne        /"vHYkn@/      "reverent"
        schieg        /Si:G/         pron.rel.masc.
            (in Had-G)

        mone          /mwAn/         "advice"
        hyieller      /"Ci:l@`/      "happy"
            (in Had-Am)

        hydz'         /2dZ/          "way"
        s'ysk         /SYsk/         pron.rel.masc.
            (in Had-Atl)

(well, if {y} could be either /2/ or /Y/, I'm guessing it's probably a bit
underspecified.. preform for "hydz'" was [ho"dZeG] and for "s'ysk" was
[So"skI].. I will never, ever remember how I arrived at these things... I hope I
left notes around...

    *Muke!
--
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