#phonological analysis

[strohller27]

Very rude of my Phonological Analysis professor to give us a rule-ordering problem that has a lot to do with morpheme boundaries and vowel harmony after spending one (1) 17-minute lecture on morphemes and not giving us a single lecture or reading on vowel harmony. He mentioned it in passing. Once. Now he gives us 4 data points (variations on the same word in which only one of them has the vowel harmony) and expects us to write a rule about it and I’m. Wow.

Anyway if anyone has advice on formal rule writing for vowel harmony (without using alpha place), I’d be super grateful. The rule I have is overcomplicated and terrible.

Also, if anyone access to a Tangale Grammar that goes over their vowel harmony rules, that would be great...I found some stuff online about how Tangale vowel harmony has to do with [+/- ATR], but none of the data points in our homework assignment have [-ATR] vowels, they’re all [+ATR]. I am lost.

[fuckyeah-valarin]

Things We Probably Know About Valarin

As deduced from my going-through of that small lexicon the other day.

Phonological Inventory

Consonants

<p> [p] : <t> [t] : <c>, <k> [k] 

<b> [b] : <d> [d] : <g> [ɡ]

<m> [m] : <n> [n]

<þ> [þ] : <s> [s] : <š> [ʃ] : <h>, <x> [x]

<ð> [ð] : <z> [z] : <ʒ> [ʒ]

<r> [r] : <rr> [rː]

<l> [l] : <ll> [lː]

Vowels

<i> [i] : <ī>, <î> [iː]

<e> [e] : <ē>, <ê> [eː]

<æ> : [æ]

<a> [a] : <ā>, <â> [aː]

<o> [o] : <ō>, <ô> [oː]

<u> [u] : <ū>, <û> [uː]

<ai> [ai] or [aɪ]

Grammatical Notes

Names of Valar receive the honorific suffix <-z>

If two nouns are compounded, the resulting compound is head-initial. If a noun and an adjectival element are compounded, the resulting compound is head-final.

The adjective <tulukhan> 'yellow, golden' when compounded loses its final <-an>. It is unknown whether or not this pattern continues for other compounded adjectives.

The element <ai> may or may not signify a participle.

Analyzed Lexicon

<ašata> 'head of hair'

<aþâra> 'appointed'

<châr> 'mound'

<ezellô> 'green'

<hôze> 'honey'

<igas> 'heat'

<mirub> 'wine'

<oššai>, <ošošai> 'spuming, foaming'

<phelûn> 'dwelling'

<tulukhan> 'yellow, golden'

Unanalyzed Lexicon (including names)

<Aʒûlêz> 'Aulë'

<Arômêz> 'Oromë'

<Ibrîniðilpathânezel> 'the White Tree of Valinor'

<Mâchananaškad> 'Ring of Doom'

<Næxærra> 'Nahar'

<Phanaikelûth> 'moon' (lit. 'bright mirror')

<Tulukhedelgorûs> 'Golden Tree of Valinor'

<Ullubôz> 'Ulmo'