To̊̀tǎian

Natively known as:

to̊̀tǎ /ʈɞ̀ˈʈǎ/

Spoken in the island chains of the southern oceans of Halik Nation. Many are explorers and voyagers across the oceans of Elivera, and their vowel heavy language is reminiscent of the sounds of their animal companions, many of which are either the Dolasoi or one of the bird species that inhabit the southern oceans.

---

Grammar

The sentences are constructed in phases -- Subject phase (also known as subject clause) always ends with the appropriate noun/adjective particle and will match the tone (active or passive) of the verb's particle. The verb's particle is always placed after the verb and is known as the verb phase. The Object Phase that is sandwiched between Subject and Verb Phases is where postposition clauses are often placed. The Object phase also ends with a particle that matches the tone of the Verb.

Verb Particles

Verbs do not conjugate. the particle is placed at the end of the verb to denote its tense and active/passive tone. Indicators for mood and aspect are derived from context of the sentence.

	Active	Passive
Past	lo̊̀n /ɭɞ̀ɳ/ particle denotes active verb in past tense	řǎ̌ /ɻɜ̌/ particle denotes passive verb in past tense
Present	ǐ /ǐ/ particle denotes active verb in present tense	ó́r /ɒ́ɽ/ particle denotes passive verb in present tense
Future	aẁř /ɔ̀ɻ/ particle denotes active verb in future tense	ā /ā/ particle denotes passive verb in future tense

Pronouns

1st person	ri̊̀ /ɽɨ̀/ I, me, mine, we, us, ours
2nd person	sà /ʂà/ you, yours, you all, yours (pl)
3rd person	zǔ̂ /ʐŷ/ he, she, him, her, his, hers, it, its, they, them, theirs

Noun and Non-Verb Particles

Particles denote the type of noun class and if it is an action of a passive act. These particles are placed between the noun and any adjectives, otherwise it's placed after the noun (or end of noun clause). Adverbs have no particle and are always placed before the verb.

	Active	Passive
Nominative	té̂ /ʈɛ̂/ particle denotes subject	lě /ɭě/ particle denotes subject
Accusative	o̊̀z /ɞ̀ʐ/ particle denotes object	ó̄ /ɒ̄/ particle denotes object
Genitive	lǎ /ɭǎ/ particle denotes possessive	lé̂ /ɭɛ̂/ particle denotes possessive
Dative	ǒl /ǒɭ/ particle denotes time	ří /ɻí/ particle denotes time
Locative	tǒ̀ /ʈɶ̀/ particle denotes location	ä̌ /ə̌/ particle denotes location
Instrumental	ě̌ř /ɤ̌ɻ/ particle denotes other attributes	ló̀ /ɭɒ̀/ particle denotes other attributes

Numbers

To̊̀tǎian has a base-20 number system:

• 1 - ìtǎ̌
  2 - ě̌rě
  3 - lú̂
  4 - lôs
  5 - ù̄lǎ̌
  6 - ázœ̀n
  7 - lů̌
  8 - èllú̄
  9 - řě̌né́s
  10 - sěn
  11 - lå̂
  12 - zá̂zě̌
  13 - ǒ́s
  14 - aŵn
  15 - ě̂l
  16 - nù̀z
  17 - ónér
  18 - dù̄
  19 - ú̂l
  20 - nœ̂s
  (Four) hundred - ù̌z
  (Eight) thousand - i̊̂r

Writing System

Spelling rules:

Pronunciation	Spelling
ɔ	aw
ɐ	á
ɑ	å
ɒ	ó
ɛ	é
ɜ	ǎ
ə	ä
ɘ	e̊
ɤ	ě
ɵ	í
ɨ	i̊
ʊ	ú
ɞ	o̊
ɶ	ǒ
ʌ	ů
y	ǔ
ʉ	ü
ɯ	ù
ɖ	d
ɭ	l
ɳ	n
ɽ	r
ʂ	s
ʈ	t
ʐ	z
ɻ	ř

Geographical Distribution

Across the southern oceans of Elivera.

Phonology

Consonant inventory: ɖ ɭ ɳ ɻ ɽ ʂ ʈ ʐ

↓Manner/Place→	Retroflex
Nasal	ɳ
Stop	ʈ ɖ
Fricative	ʂ ʐ
Approximant	ɻ
Tap	ɽ
Lateral approximant	ɭ

Vowel inventory: a e i o u y ø œ ɐ ɑ ɒ ɔ ɘ ə ɛ ɜ ɞ ɤ ɨ ɯ ɵ ɶ ʉ ʊ ʌ
Tones: ̀ ̌ ̂ ̄ ́

	Front	Central	Back
High	i y	ɨ ʉ	ɯ u
Near-high			ʊ
High-mid	e ø	ɘ ɵ	ɤ o
Mid		ə
Low-mid	ɛ œ	ɜ ɞ	ʌ ɔ
Near-low		ɐ
Low	a ɶ		ɑ ɒ

Morphology

Derivational morphology

• Adjective → adverb = Suffix -ǐɖ
  
• Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -ɐ́ɳ
  
• Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -ɞ̌
  
• Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʈ
  Else: Suffix -ūʈ
  
• Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -ɛ̄ɖ
  
• Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɽ
  Else: Suffix -ɞ̄ɽ
  
• Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʂ
  Else: Suffix -ɔ̄ʂ
  
• Tending to = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɻ
  Else: Suffix -ɶ̀ɻ
  
• Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɽʉ́
  Else: Suffix -ɑ̀ɽʉ́
  
• Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -ý
  
• One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Suffix -ɛ̀
  
• Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʂʈɘ̂
  Else: Suffix -ɞ̌ʂʈɘ̂
  
• Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɭ
  Else: Suffix -ø̀ɭ
  
• Augmentative = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɽ
  Else: Suffix -ǒɽ
  
• Noun → verb (to create [noun]) = Suffix -ɛ̀
  
• Verb → adjective (likely to do [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɭ
  Else: Suffix -ɐ̌ɭ

Syntax

• Syllable structure: (C)V(C)(C)
  
• Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable
• Main word order: Subject (Prepositional phrase) Object Verb. “Mary opened the door with a key” turns into Mary with a key the door opened.
• Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned after the noun.
  
• Adposition: postpositions

Example

English: Mary opened one door with one key.

To̊̀tǎian: marǔ té̂ di̊̂rǜ ìtǎ̌ ø̄stí̄t ě̌ř ìtǎ̌ lá̄ tǒ̀ nústǎ lo̊̀n . Pronunciation: /maˈry ʈɛ̂ ɖɨ̂ˈɽʉ̀ ìˈʈɜ̌ ø̄ʂˈʈɵ̄ʈ ɤ̌ɻ ìˈʈɜ̌ ɭɐ̄ ʈɶ̀ ɳúʂˈʈǎ ɭɞ̀ɳ ./
Gloss: marǔ té̂ di̊̂rǜ ìtǎ̌ ø̄stí̄t ě̌ř ìtǎ̌ lá̄ tǒ̀ nústǎ lo̊̀n . Mary ACT.NOM:PART with one key ACT.INS:PART one door ACT.LOC:PART open ACT.PST:PART .

— Example

• ACT  = Active
• NOM = Nominative Class
• PART = Particle
• INS = Instrumental Class
• LOC = Locative Class
• PST = Past
• PRS = Present
• FUT = Future
• DAT = Dative Class
• ACC = Accusative Class
• GEN = Genitive Class
• PASS = Passive

Dictionary

4281 Words.

Common Phrases

Tá́l té̂ zǒ̄ lí ǒl èso̊̄z ǐ . /ʈɐ́ɭ ʈɛ̂ ʐɶ̄ ɭí ǒɭ èˈʂɞ̄ʐ ǐ ./ Meaning it's time to get going.

Common Unisex Names

Tó̀ro̊́ /ʈɒ̀ˈɽɞ́/

Lé̌sǒ̌ /ɭɛ̌ˈʂɶ̌/

Ně̄ri̊̀ /ɳɤ̄ˈɽɨ̀/

Zů̀nó̄d /ʐʌ̀ˈɳɒ̄ɖ/ 

Dä̀lǎ́ /ɖə̀ˈɭɜ́/ 

Lá̀sǒ̄llī /ɭɐ̀ʂɶ̄ɭˈɭī/

Tù̀ä̀ /ʈɯ̀ˈə̀/