Braereth

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Braereth is a collection of three fairly mutually intelligible dialects. Classical Braereth was a Western Romance language spoken in pockets of mountainous areas from the Alps to the Carpathians until the mid-sixteenth century.

The modern language is still often written in the classical orthography, though the two dialects that have emerged from it sometimes diverge sharply. The dialect known as Tenibvreth is much more conservative to the original phonology. The Eomentesa dialect, however, has a sound that is much more similar to modern Iberian languages, and a recent spelling reform has served to further distinguish the two.

For the purposes of this text, We will use the classical spelling of the language; where appropriate and necessary, dialectal forms will be shown in double-brackets, e.g. undix [unˈdi] ‘where’, but Tenibvrithubvi⟫ [ˈuvi] or Eomentesaquondex⟫ [kwonˈde]. Specific differences in the phonologies of the two modern dialects are described under Phonology.

Phonology

Classical Braereth

Consonants Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar   Vowels Front Back
Plosive p · b t̪ · d̪   c · ɟ k · ɡ High i u
Affricate · b͡β   t͡s · d͡z t͡ʃ · d͡ʒ   Mid e o
Fricative ɸ · β θ · [ð] s · [z] ʃ · (ʒ) (x) · Low a
Nasal m   ɲ [ŋ] Diphthongs To Front To Back
Lateral     ʎ   High ui̯ ou̯
Trill     r [ɾ]   Mid ei̯ eu̯
Approximant w     j   Low ae̯ au̯

* Characters in square brackets are allophones; they are not phonemic.
* Characters in parentheses only occur in borrowings.

Tenibvreth Dialect

The Tenibvreth dialect is marked by a weakening and near-complete deletion of final vowels, a strengthened palatal series, and diverse realizations of the lateral series. A large amount of the vocabulary is borrowed from Gothic and some other Germanic influences as well as Slavic.

Consonants Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Dorsal   Vowels Front Back
Plosive p · b   t · d   k · ɡ High i, ɪ u, ʊ
Affricate     t͡s · d͡z t͡ɕ · d͡ʑ   Mid e o
Fricative f · v θ · [ð] s · z ɕ · ʑ χ · Low a, ə
Nasal m   n ɲ [ŋ] Diphthongs To Front To Back
Lateral   [ɬ] · ɮ [ʎ] [ɫ] High ui̯ iu̯
Trill     r [ɾ] [ʀ] Mid   eu̯
Approximant ʋ     j   Low ai̯ au̯

Eomentesa Dialect

Consonants Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Dorsal   Vowels Front Back
Plosive p · b t̪ · d̪     k · ɡ High i u, uː
Affricate     t͡s · d͡z     Mid e̞, e̞ː
Fricative f · v θ · s · z (ç) ·   Low a
Nasal m     [ŋ] Diphthongs To Front To Back
Lateral         High    
Trill     r [ɾ]     Mid    
  Low au̯

Orthographic and Phonemic Mapping

While all dialects of Braereth may be written in the classical orthography, there is also a reform spelling of Eomentesa, presented here in double-brackets (⟪ ⟫) in the Eom. column where the spelling differs from the traditional. Tenibvreth is written in the classical orthography, though final vowels are often elided, and certain folk spellings have become common where pronunciation has changed, e.g. ⟪floura⟫ for flora, or substituting ⟨qv⟩ for ⟨qu⟩ (ecquilju → ⟪ecqvilj⟫) or ⟨i⟩ for ⟨ei⟩ (treicje → ⟪tricj⟫). When final vowels are dropped, final ⟨e⟩ will often become ⟨’⟩ to indicate palatalization (grande → ⟪grand’⟫), and sometimes final ⟨tu⟩ will be changed to ⟨th⟩ (tutu → ⟪tuth⟫).

Orth. Brae. Ten. Eom. Example Classical Tenibvreth Eomentesa Environment/Notes
a a a a ath ‘to’ [aθ] [aθ] [ aθ]  
ae ae̯ ai̯ e̞ː laectje ‘milk’ [ˈlae̯.cʧe] laectj
[lai̯ʨ]
léts
[l̪e̞ːts]
 
aou au̯ au̯ a.o̞ saou ‘salt’ [sau̯] [sau̯] sao
[ˈsa.o̞]
Only occurs word-finally.
au au̯ au̯ au̯ aubvru ‘tree’ [au̯.bβru] auvr
[au̯vʀ]
aubro
[ˈau̯.bro̞]
 
au au̯ au̯ a.o̞ normau ‘normal’ [norˈmau̯] [norˈmau̯] normao
[n̪o̞rˈma.o̞]
/_#
b b b b baclu ‘stick’ [ˈba.klu] bacl
[bakɬ]
baclo
[ˈba.kl̪o̞]
 
bl bl bl̪ blancu ‘white’ [ˈblaŋ.ku] blanc
[bɮaŋk]
blanco
[ˈbl̪aŋ.ko̞]
 
bv v b ribveu ‘level’ [riˈbβeu̯] [riˈveu̯] ribeo
[riˈbe̞.o̞]
Only occurs word-internally.
c k k k cou ‘with’ [kou̯] [ku] co
[ko̞]
 
c c ʨ ts dicere ‘to say’ [diˈce.re] [diˈʨeʀ] ditser
[diˈtser]
/_{i,e}
c c ʨ s centrau ‘central’ [cenˈtɾau̯] [ʨenˈtɾau̯] sentrao
[sen̪ˈt̪ɾa.o̞]
/#_{i,e}
cj c ʨ ts radjicja ‘root’ [raˈʤi.ca] [raˈʥiʨa] radzitsa
[raˈdzi.tsa]
 
cj c ʨ s cjambiare ‘to change’ [camˈbja.re] cjambiar
[ʨamˈbjaʀ]
sambiar
[sam.biˈar]
/#_
cl kl kl̪ clubvra ‘snake’ [ˈklu.bβra] [ˈkɬu.vra] clubra
[ˈkl̪u.bra]
 
ctj ʨ ts fruictju ‘fruit’ [ˈɸrui̯.cʧu] fruictj
[ˈfruj.ʨ]
frútso
[ˈfruː.tso̞]
 
d d dente ‘tooth’ [ˈden.te] dent’
[denʨ]
dent
[d̪e̞n̪t̪]
 
d ð ð cjaudu ‘hot’ [ˈcau̯.ðu] cjaud
[ˈʨau̯ð]
saudo
[ˈsau̯.d̪o̞]
/S_S
dj ʤ ʥ dz codjax ‘head of a poppy’ [koˈʤa] [koˈʥa] codzà
[ko̞ˈdza]
 
dj ʤ ʥ z djurnu ‘day’ [ˈʤurnu] djurn’
[ʥu(r)ɲ]
zurno
[ˈzur.n̪o̞]
/#_
e cjanje ‘dog’ [ˈcaɲe] cjanj
[ʨaɲ]
sang
[saŋ]
/_#
e e e estelja ‘star’ [eˈste.ʎa] [denʨ] estelia
[eˈste.l̪i.a]
 
ei ei̯ i deicje ‘ten’ [dei̯.ce] dicj
[diʨ]
dets
[d̪e̞ts]
 
eu eu̯ eu̯ e̞.o seuva ‘forest’ [ˈseu̯.va] [seu̯.va] seova
[ˈse̞.o.va]
 
f ɸ f f folja ‘leaf’ [ˈɸo.ʎa] [foɮa] folia
[fo̞.l̪i.a]
 
fl ɸl fl flora ‘flower’ [ɸlo.ra] floura
[fɬu.ra]
flora
[fl̪o̞.ra]
 
g ɡ ɡ ɡ grande ‘big’ [ˈɡran.de] grand’
[ɡranʥ]
granz
[ɡrandz]
 
g ɟ ʥ dz gindrau ‘general’ [ɟinˈdɾau̯] [ʥinˈdɾau̯] zendrao
[zenˈdɾa.o̞]
/_{i,e
gj ɟ ʥ dz gjalu ‘yellow’ [ˈɟa.lu] gjal
[ʥaɮ]
zialo
[zi.a.l̪o̞]
 
gl ɡl ɡɮ ɡl glacja ‘ice’ [ˈɡla.ca] [ˈɡɮa.ʨa] glatsa
[ˈɡl̪a.tsa]
 
gnj ŋɲ ŋɲ nj ignju ‘fire [iŋ.ɲu] ignj
[iŋɲ]
inio
[i.n̪i.o̞]
 
i i i i ilj ‘the’ [iʎ] [iʎ] il
[il̪]
 
i j j i. iecru ‘liver’ [ˈje.kru] iecr
[jekʀ]
iecro
[iˈe̞.kro̞]
/_V (!/u/)
iu ju iu̯ i.u iustu ‘right’ [ˈju.stu] iust
[iu̯st]
iusto
[iˈu.sto̞]
 
l l l lape ‘stone’ [ˈla.pe] lap
[lap]
lap
[l̪ap]
 
lj ʎ ɮ l(i) aljis ‘others’ [ˈa.ʎis] [ˈa.ɮis] alis
[ˈa.l̪is]
 
lj ʎ ʎ l acelju ‘bird’ [aˈce.ʎu] acelj
[aˈʨeʎ]
atselio
[aˈtse̞.l̪i.o̞]
/_#
m m m m mourire ‘to die’ [mou̯ˈri.re] mourir
[muˈriʀ]
morir
[mo̞ˈrir]
 
n n n n nascere ‘to be born’ [ˈnasce.re] nascer
[ˈnas.ʨeʀ]
naser
[ˈn̪a.se̞r]
 
nc ŋk ŋk ŋk ginclu ‘knee’ [ˈɟiŋ.klu] gincl
[ʥiŋkɬ]
zinclo
[ˈziŋ.kl̪o̞]
 
ncj ɲc ŋkʨ nts louncjanu ‘far’ [lou̯ɲˈca.nu] louncjan
[luŋˈkʨan]
lonsano
[l̪o̞nˈtsa.n̪o̞]
 
nctj ɲcʃ ŋkʨ nts vinctje ‘twenty’ [ˈβiɲ.ʧe] vinctj
[viŋkʨ]
vinse
[ˈvin.tse̞]
 
ng ŋɡ ŋɡ ŋɡ loungu ‘long’ [ˈlou̯ŋ.ɡu] loung
[luŋɡ]
longo
[lo̞ŋ.ɡo̞]
 
ng ɲɟ ŋʥ ndzj pungere ‘to stab’ [puɲˈɟe.re] punger
[puŋ(ɡ)ˈʥeʀ]
punzer
[punˈdze̞r]
/_{i,e
ngj ɲɟ ŋʥ ndzj mengjare ‘to eat’ [meɲˈɟa.re] mengjar
[meŋ(ɡ)ˈʥaʀ]
manzar
[manˈdzar]
 
nj ɲ ɲ ni anju ‘year’ [ˈa.ɲu] anj
[ˈa.ɲ]
anio
[ˈa.n̪i.o̞]
 
nje ɲe̞ ɲ ŋ seigne ‘slow’ [ˈsei̯ŋ.ɲe] seign’
[siŋɲ]
séng
[se̞ːŋ]
/_#
o o o olja ‘olive’ [ˈo.ʎa] [ˈoɮa] olia
[ˈo̞.l̪i.a]
 
ou ou̯ u ouvu ‘egg’ [ˈou̯.vu] ouv
[uv]
ovo
[ˈo̞.vo̞]
 
p p p p pelju ‘hair’ [ˈpe.ʎu] pelj
[peʎ]
pelio
[ˈpe̞.l̪i.o̞]
 
pl pl pl pluvia ‘rain’ [ˈplu.vja] [ˈpɬu.vja] pluvia
[ˈpl̪u.vi.a]
 
qh x χ ç aqhma ‘life force’ [ˈax.ma] [ˈaχ.ma] achma
[ˈaç.ma]
Only in borrowings.
qh x~h χ qheru ‘a kind of deer’ [ˈhe.ru] qher
[χer]
ero
[e̞ˈro̞]
/_{i,e. Only in borrowings.
qu kw ku quei ‘what’ [kwei̯] qvi
[kʋi]
què
[kuˈe̞]
 
qu kw k ku. equou ‘horse’ [ˈe.kwu] ecu
[ˈe.ku]
equo
[ˈe̞.ku.o̞]
/_{o,u
r r r r ridere ‘to laugh’ [riˈðe.re] rider
[riˈðeʀ]
rider
[riˈd̪e̞r]
 
r ɾ ɾ ɾ trei(di)cje ‘thirteen’ [ˈtɾei̯ðice] tricj
[tɾiʨ]
trets
[t̪ɾe̞ts]
/[+dnt]_
r r ʀ r abvere ‘to have’ [aˈbβe.re] abver
[aˈveʀ]
aber
[aˈbe̞r]
/_(Vₒ)#
rj ri terja ‘earth’ [ˈte.r̝a] [ˈte.r̝a] teria
[ˈte̞.ri.a]
 
s s s s secjare ‘to cut’ [seˈca.re] secjar
[se.ʨaʀ]
setsar
[se̞.tsar]
 
s z z z espousa ‘wife’ [eˈspou̯.za] [eˈspu.za] espoza
[e̞ˈspo̞.za]
/V_V
sc sc si escire ‘to know’ [esˈci.re] escir
[esˈʨiʀ]
esir
[e̞ˈsir]
/_{i,e
scj sc sj escjavare ‘to dig’ [es.caˈβa.re] escjavar
[es.ʨaˈvaʀ]
esiavar
[e̞.si.aˈvar]
 
sj ʃ ɕ s(j) sji ‘yes’ [ʃi] [ɕi] si
[si]
 
t t t t tutu ‘all’ [ˈtu.tu] tuth
[tuθ]
tuto
[ˈt̪u.t̪o̞]
 
th θ θ θ eth ‘and’ [eθ] [eθ] [e̞θ]  
tj ʧ ʨ ts setje ‘seven’ [se.ʧe] setj
[seʨ]
sets
[se̞ts]
 
tz ts ts ts tzincje ‘five’ [ˈtsiɲ.ce] tzincj
[tsiŋkʨ]
sinse
[ˈsin.tse̞]
/#_
tz dz dz ts pitzitu ‘small’ [piˈdzi.tu] pidzith
[piˈdziθ]
pedzito
[pe̞ˈdzi.t̪o̞]
/S_S
u u u u uricla ‘ear’ [uˈri.kla] [uˈri.kɬa] oricla
[o̞ˈri.kl̪a]
 
ui ui̯ ui̯ u luictjare ‘to fight’ [lui̯kˈcʃa.re] luictjar
[lui̯ˈʨaʀ]
lutsar
[l̪uˈtsar]
 
v β v v voulere ‘to want’ [vou̯ˈle.re] vouler
[vuˈleʀ]
voler
[vo̞ˈle̞r]
 
x (Indicates stress.) iljax ‘there’ [iˈʎa] [iˈɮa] alià
[a.l̪iˈa]
Indicates stress.
z z ʑ z raquazna ‘quiver (of arrows)’ [raˈkwaz.na] raqvazjna
[raˈkʋaʑ.na]
[ra.kuˈaz.n̪a] Only in borrowing and the digraph ⟨tz⟩.
zj ʒ ʑ z frezjire ‘to lead astray’ [freˈʒi.re] frezjir
[freˈʑiʀ]
frezir
[fre̞ˈzir]
In borrowings.