Kutshathi Language



Syllable structure: (C)V(C)(C)

Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable

Phonological rules (in order of application):

Guide to phonological rules: e → i / _g means ‘e’ turns into ‘i’ before a ‘g’. C = consonant, V = vowel, S = stop, N = nasal consonant, F = fricative, K = velar, L = lateral, R = resonant/sonorant, P = labial/bilabial E = front vowel, B = back vowel, # = word boundary, Ø = null/nothing
 * N → w / S_S
 * b → β / V_V
 * k → w / V_
 * k → Ø / _#
 * n → Ø / _r
 * k → Ø / V_V
 * d → r / V_V
 * w → Ø / _{r,j}
 * {k,x} → [+palatal] / _{j,E}

Grammar
Main word order: Subject-Object-Oblique-Verb. "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Mary the door with a key opened. Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun. Adposition: postpositions

Definite article
Uses of definite article that differ from English:

• Definite article can be omitted Example: ‘I am going to jacuzzi’ • Used to talk about countable nouns in general Example: English's ‘I like cats’ would translate to ‘I like the cats’ • Used with place names: ‘The London’

Indefinite article
Numeral for ‘one’ is used as indefinite article.

Singular                                Plural Nominative a [man]tak /tak/some [men]tshak /tɕak/

Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:

• Not used for non-specific uncountable nouns: non-specific = ‘Would you like some (any) tea?’ specific = ‘Some tea (a specific amount) fell off the truck’

Perfect aspect
‘have studied’

Uses the particle before main verb.

Progressive aspect
‘am studying’

Uses the particle before main verb.

Imperative
‘study!’ (as a command)

Uses the same conjugation as 2nd-person present-tense.

Negation
Uses the particle before main verb phrase.

Derivational morphology
Noun → adjective: Suffix: Adjective → noun: Suffix: Noun → verb: Suffix: Verb → noun: Suffix: Verb → adjective: Suffix: Adjective → adverb: Suffix: One who Xs (e.g. paint → painter): Suffix: Place where (e.g. wine → winery): Suffix: Diminutive: Suffix: Augmentative: Suffix: