Proto-Isles
From KneeQuickie
| Proto-Isles [pɹo.toˈʔa͡ɪːlz] | |
| Timeline/Universe | Akana |
| Period | c. -2000 YP |
| Spoken in | unknown |
| Total speakers | unknown |
| Writing system | none |
| Classification | Isles languages Proto-Isles |
| Typology | |
| Basic word order | topic-comment |
| Morphology | agglutinating |
| Alignment | NOM-ACC |
| Credits | |
| Created by | Ran |
| Edit me | |
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Proto-Isles is the reconstructed ancestor of the Isles language family, found all across the Ttirukan and Tymytan archipelagoes off the east coast of Peilaš. The family did not originate there, however: Proto-Isles was spoken on another continent to the east, the name of which is yet unknown. Most linguists and archaeologians date Proto-Isles to approximately -2000 YP, and the colonization of the islands to c. -1500 YP.
Features
Proto-Isles is reconstructed with 14 consonants (*p t ʦ k ʔ d ʣ ɡ s ħ m n j w) and three vowels (*a i u). It also had a pitch accent. Nouns and conjunctions, but not adjectives, inflected for number (singular vs. plural) and five cases (nominative, accusative, instrumental, dative, benefactive). Verbs inflected for tense (past vs. non-past), aspect (telic, atelic, imperfective, delimitative) and epistemic mood (sensory, non-sensory, subjunctive). Word order was topic-comment, with the verb in sentence-final position - most commonly SOV or OSV. Distinctive features of Proto-Isles were (sometimes multiple) reduplication of initial syllables, serial verb constructions, and a base-4 number system.
Descendants
Known descendants of Proto-Isles include the following languages, all dating to approx. 0-200 YP:
- Máotatšàlì, spoken on Tymytỳs off the northeastern edge of Peilaš
- Mûtsipsa', spoken on the Mûtsinamtsys islands off the Siixtaguna coast
- Thokyunèhotà, spoken on Thumapahìthì off the Lotoka coast
- Ppãrwak, spoken on Ttiruku
- Zele, spoken on the northern tip of Zeluzh
The two northernmost languages, Máotatšàlì and Mûtsipsa', are sometimes grouped together because of certain similar developments in terms of phonology, grammar and lexicon. However, the evidence is unconclusive. The similarities may as well be due to areal influence, such as extensive contact both with each other and with native languages of the Núalís-Takuña family.
