...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
yu nok koy shka shki pyatsa yu pwi shki ktiy rwah e twis
Pronunciation: /ju ɲok koj ʃka ʃki ˈpjatsa ju pwi ʃki ktij rwah e twis/
Tichylo word order: and stood he holding hat his and turned his face wet to the wind
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: /c f h j k l p r s t w ŋ ɲ ʃ ʧ/
| ↓Manner/Place→ |
Bilabial |
Labiodental |
Alveolar |
Palato-alveolar |
Palatal |
Velar |
Glottal |
| Nasal |
|
|
|
|
ɲ |
ŋ |
|
| Stop |
p |
|
t |
|
c |
k |
|
| Affricate |
|
|
|
ʧ |
|
|
|
| Fricative |
|
f |
s |
ʃ |
|
|
h |
| Approximant |
|
|
|
|
j |
|
|
| Trill |
|
|
r |
|
|
|
|
| Lateral approximant |
|
|
l |
|
|
|
|
Co-articulated phonemes
| ↓Manner/Place→ |
Labial-velar |
| Approximant |
w |
Vowel inventory: /a e i o u/
|
Front |
Back |
| High |
i |
u |
| High-mid |
e |
o |
| Low |
a |
|
Syllable structure: (C)(C)V(C)
Stress pattern: No fixed stress
Word initial consonants: c, f, fj, fr, ft, h, hw, j, k, kh, kl, kt, kw, l, lj, lw, p, pf, pj, pr, ps, pw, r, rj, rw, s, sc, sl, sp, t, tk, tr, tw, w, wh, ŋw, ɲ, ʃ, ʃc, ʃk, ʃw, ʧ
Mid-word consonants: c, cl, ct, cʃ, f, fp, fr, fʃ, h, hk, hl, hw, j, jl, jr, jɲ, jʃ, k, kh, kj, kk, kr, kt, kw, kʃ, l, lf, lj, lk, lp, lw, lɲ, lʧ, p, pf, pl, pr, ps, pʃ, r, rc, rj, rp, rs, rt, rw, rɲ, rʃ, s, sc, sh, sk, sl, t, th, tj, tl, tp, ts, tw, tʧ, w, wl, wp, ŋ, ŋf, ɲ, ɲc, ɲʧ, ʃ, ʃk, ʃl, ʃp, ʃɲ, ʃʧ, ʧ, ʧl, ʧɲ
Word final consonants: c, f, h, j, k, l, p, s, t, w, ŋ, ʃ, ʧ
Phonological changes (in order of application):
Spelling rules:
| Pronunciation |
Spelling |
| ŋ |
ng |
| ɲ |
n |
| j |
y |
| c |
chy |
| ʧ |
ch |
| ʃ |
sh |
Grammar
Main word order: Verb Subject Object (Prepositional phrase). "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into
Opened Mary the door with a key.
Exception: when asking a question, the order is Object Verb Subject.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned after the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Nouns
Nouns have seven cases:
- Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
- Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.
- Genitive is the possessor of something: dog’s tail hits man.
- Dative is the recipeint of something: man gives ball to dog.
- Locative is the location of something: man goes to town.
- Ablative is movement away from something: man walks from town.
- Instrumental is the use of something: man writes with (using) pen.
| Nominative |
No affix
slep /slep/
dog (doing the verb) |
| Accusative |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -s
Else: Suffix -as
slepas /sleˈpas/
(verb done to) dog |
| Genitive |
Suffix -i
slepi /sleˈpi/
dogʼs |
| Dative |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʃ
Else: Suffix -iʃ
slepish /ˈslepiʃ/
to (the/a) dog |
| Locative |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -l
Else: Suffix -il
slepil /ˈslepil/
near/at/by (the/a) dog |
| Ablative |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -j
Else: Suffix -aj
slepay /ˈslepaj/
from (the/a) dog |
| Instrumental |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -p
Else: Suffix -ip
slepip /ˈslepip/
with/using (the/a) dog |
Definite
|
Singular |
Plural |
| Masculine |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -ŋ
Else: Suffix -iŋ
ishing /ˈiʃiŋ/
the man |
Suffix -ik
ishik /iˈʃik/
the men |
| Feminine |
Suffix -ip
fechip /feˈʧip/
the woman |
Suffix -is
fechis /feˈʧis/
the women |
| Neuter |
Suffix -aŋ
slepang /ˈslepaŋ/
the dog |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -l
Else: Suffix -il
slepil /ˈslepil/
the dogs |
Indefinite
|
Singular |
Plural |
| Masculine |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -f
Else: Suffix -of
ishof /ˈiʃof/
a man |
Suffix -i
ishi /ˈiʃi/
some men |
| Feminine |
Suffix -ac
fechachy /feˈʧac/
a woman |
Suffix -ow
fechow /ˈfeʧow/
some women |
| Neuter |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -ek
slepek /ˈslepek/
a dog |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -h
Else: Suffix -oh
slepoh /ˈslepoh/
some dogs |
Articles
Tichylo encodes definite article ‘the’, and indefinite article ‘a’ in noun affixes. See Noun section.
Pronouns
|
Nominative |
Accusative |
Genitive |
Dative |
Locative |
Ablative |
Instrumental |
| 1st singular |
wi /wi/
I |
lwu /lwu/
me |
e /e/
mine |
lwe /lwe/
to me |
til /til/
at me |
rwaw /rwaw/
from me |
li /li/
with/using me |
| 2nd singular |
kwo /kwo/
you (masc) |
u /u/
you |
nong /ɲoŋ/
yours |
chyi /ci/
to you |
sle /sle/
at you |
whush /whuʃ/
from you |
pwi /pwi/
with/using you |
| 3rd singular masc |
koy /koj/
he |
ta /ta/
him |
shki /ʃki/
his |
ngwow /ŋwow/
to him |
hwop /hwop/
at him |
yek /jek/
from him |
fyo /fjo/
with/using him |
| 3rd singular fem |
yu /ju/
she |
sa /sa/
her |
kwe /kwe/
hers |
ochy /oc/
to her |
ka /ka/
at her |
prol /prol/
from her |
chyichy /cic/
with/using her |
| 3rd singular neut |
ti /ti/
it |
i /i/
it |
shchyuw /ʃcuw/
its |
shwok /ʃwok/
to it |
sang /saŋ/
at it |
yef /jef/
from it |
prot /prot/
with/using it |
| 1st plural |
tap /tap/
we |
slechy /slec/
us |
kwechy /kwec/
ours |
spi /spi/
to us |
so /so/
at us |
hak /hak/
from us |
ey /ej/
with/using us |
| 2nd plural |
pi /pi/
you all |
uchy /uc/
you all |
schyo /sco/
yours (pl) |
o /o/
to you all |
ok /ok/
at you all |
tay /taj/
from you all |
ko /ko/
with/using you all |
| 3rd plural masc |
klu /klu/
they (masc) |
pya /pja/
them (masc) |
yeng /jeŋ/
theirs (masc) |
psi /psi/
to them (masc) |
kwel /kwel/
at them (masc) |
sput /sput/
from them (masc) |
khet /khet/
with/using them (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
ye /je/
they (fem) |
twil /twil/
them (fem) |
hwo /hwo/
theirs (fem) |
kle /kle/
to them (fem) |
ryu /rju/
at them (fem) |
spuw /spuw/
from them (fem) |
shwo /ʃwo/
with/using them (fem) |
| 3rd plural neut |
rang /raŋ/
they (neut) |
a /a/
them (neut) |
slew /slew/
theirs (neut) |
shu /ʃu/
to them (neut) |
chying /ciŋ/
at them (neut) |
pro /pro/
from them (neut) |
pwuh /pwuh/
with/using them (neut) |
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular |
e /e/
my |
| 2nd singular |
nong /ɲoŋ/
your |
| 3rd singular masc |
shki /ʃki/
his |
| 3rd singular fem |
kwe /kwe/
her |
| 3rd singular neut |
shchyuw /ʃcuw/
its |
| 1st plural |
kwechy /kwec/
our |
| 2nd plural |
schyo /sco/
your (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc |
yeng /jeŋ/
their (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
hwo /hwo/
their (fem) |
| 3rd plural neut |
slew /slew/
their (neut) |
Verbs
| 1st person |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -c
Else: Suffix -ec
lilechy /liˈlec/ |
| 2nd person |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -f
Else: Suffix -of
lilof /liˈlof/ |
| 3rd person |
Suffix -i
lili /ˈlili/ |
Tichylo uses a standalone particle word for past tense:
| Past |
Particle before the verb: wi -
wi lil /wi lil/
learned |
Tichylo uses a standalone particle word for future tense:
| Future |
Particle before the verb: lwe -
lwe lil /lwe lil/
will learn |
Imperfective aspect
The ‘imperfective’ aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as
I am learning and habitual actions, such as
I learn (something new every day).
Tichylo uses a standalone particle word for imperfective:
| Imperfective |
Particle before the verb: rje -
rye lil /rje lil/
learns/is learning |
Perfect aspect
The perfect aspect in English is exemplified in ‘I have read this book’, which expresses an event that took place before the time spoken but which has an effect on or is in some way still relevant to the present.
Tichylo uses an affix for the perfect aspect:
| Perfect |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -s
Else: Suffix -as
lilas /ˈlilas/
have learned |
Numbers
Tichylo has a base-20 number system:
1 - hwot
2 - rye
3 - twi
4 - ras
5 - hwop
6 - wi
7 - erwas
8 - shking
9 - prop
10 - ate
11 - puo
12 - ochyli
13 - nolich
14 - rwathi
15 - ktilchichy
16 - whutsi
17 - lwuy
18 - schyach
19 - schyas
20 - puch
21 - hwot yu puch “one and twenty”
400 - hwot shkip “one fourhundred”
401 - hwot shkip yu hwot “one fourhundred and one”
800 - rye shkip “two fourhundred”
8000 - hwot spupra “one eightthousand”
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = Suffix -uʃ
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -ek
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -l
Else: Suffix -il
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -at
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -a
Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -ek
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -f
Else: Suffix -of
Tending to = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -uk
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -uk
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -ip
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -f
Else: Suffix -of
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ŋ
Else: Suffix -iŋ
Diminutive = Suffix -aw
Augmentative = Suffix -aʧ
able, capable, competent, ready : adj = puʃ
about, concerning, regarding : prep = kwo
alphabet : nn = satˈʧai
ancient : adj = tiˈha
and : conj = ju
anything : pron = ˈproi
anyway : adv = rwal
appreciate : v = whurˈci
arm, wing : nn = ˈjeŋfa
authority : nm = ˈiji
baby : nf = tac
bag, packet : nn = saʃ
basket : nm = ˈʧapʃo
bay, cove : nf = ˈpjacot
bee : nf = rjek
belt : nm = klef
benefit : nf = rjew
big, large, massive, immense, enormous : adj = sca
blood : nm = ˈɲotlih
bottom (lowest part), buttocks : nf = ˈjeʧaj
bow (decorative material) : nm = wulˈɲeʧ
breathe : v = ˈspushe
bring, fetch : v = proʧ
brother : nm = ˈkwetukwip
busy : adj = fef
cart : nm = ˈlirɲap
cat : nn = ˈpjarte
catch, arrest : v = ˈtiʧɲo
challenge : nm = ˈŋwolɲiʃ
chase : v = ˈspupo
chicken, fowl : nf = ˈiʃʧuʃʧa
cloak : nm = whuˈʃow
coffee : nm = scac
comfort : nf = pfah
continue, keep, sustain : v = taj
cook (prepare food) : v = ˈopso
cool (fashionable) : adj = tirˈce
cotton : nn = pwuʃˈpujluf
cough : v = ˈʃcukja
country : nn = wik
cry, shout, sob, weep : v = ˈcishulip
curtain, veil : nf = tris
cute : adj = ˈŋwoto
danger, threat : nn = otˈʧo
dark : adj = ˈeski
despite : prep = tkuf
device, appliance : nn = ˈipe
dinner : nm = oˈʃaŋ
dirt : nn = ˈsakki
dog : nn = slep
doll : nn = ˈpwukwok
domestic : adj = frok
draw : v = ˈliʃit
drift : v = ˈhwoʃʧi
drown : v = ˈcikre
eat, bite : v = ʃwoŋ
edit, revise : v = ˈcisa
emotion, affection, passion : nn = fteʧ
everything : pron = ˈkaktoʧ
evidence : nn = ˈirja
excite : v = ˈifis
expect, ponder : v = ʃu
fan : nf = ʃwoˈsle
fat : adj = ˈhwoe
father : nm = elˈɲok
feel : v = a
fin (of fish) : nn = kweɲˈca
fire : nn = triʧ
flavor : nm = spuŋ
flirt : v = liʧ
flirtatious : adj = jeˈkje
flour : nm = slet
follow, stalk : v = ˈtilɲiʧ
force : nf = ˈspukki
forever : adv = foʧ
fourteen : num = ˈrwathi
fuck : v = il
fun : adj = scoj
fur : nm = pjat
give, deliver, deposit : v = ˈljelpukʃo
glue : nm = jefˈʃoj
gold : nn = joc
grab, clutch, grasp : v = oj
grandmother : nf = ˈwuʃiŋ
head : nm = koŋ
heart : nm = iʧ
hunger : nf = ʧal
imagine, envision, devise, come up with : v = fjel
impulse : nf = ˈalkep
influence : v = ˈerpit
information, data : nm = ftot
job, career, task, role : nn = piʃ
kill, murder : v = ʃuʃ
kiss : v = fot
lens : nm = ˈʧaʃʧucla
level, rank (position) : nf = oŋ
lie : v = tit
light (weight) : adj = ˈtalaʧ
like : prep = tkuw
like, love, admire : v = ʃcuh
liver : nf = ˈrwapuhi
lock : nm = spuˈwli
look : nf = ˈhwokʃe
magic : nm = ˈktithe
mention : v = ˈslerji
metal : nf = ˈljesa
model, prototype : nf = jeʃˈpek
mouse : nn = twil
needle, pin : nm = ˈokʃi
never : adv = ˈtriŋfe
new : adj = hi
next : adj = ktik
night : nf = fto
nine : num = prop
north : nm = ˈktirsik
one : pron = ˈcijɲo
party : nm = wuˈhe
patient : nm = kac
period, season : nn = ˈɲoŋfi
physical, tangible : adj = uʃ
pipe : nf = ˈɲokri
plague : nn = ˈkoi
pool : nf = triˈja
popular : adj = rac
present, gift : nf = frah
private : adj = hac
process, procedure : nm = pfaj
queen : nf = aʃ
reason, logic, rationale : nm = uf
recognize : v = ˈkheʧoj
region : nf = puw
regular : adj = lwes
regulate : v = ˈɲowi
respond, answer, reply : v = ˈpjapo
rest, nap : v = spit
row : nf = ˈitjac
rule : v = ˈkhetso
rumor, scandal : nf = puc
search, look up : v = rwajˈʃoʧ
second : num = pjas
seek : v = eˈko
seventeen : num = lwuj
shock, startle, stun, surprise : v = ˈprowla
shoulder : nm = ris
similar : adj = fjoŋ
simple, poor : adj = eˈʧew
single : adj = ap
sister : nf = ˈewi
sky, space (outer), darling : nm = ʃkik
slow, late : adj = kheˈlji
soldier, veteran : nm = wit
somewhat, fairly, pretty : adv = ktiˈŋi
song : nm = ˈrwafot
sorry, sad : adj = proʃ
space, room (space) : nf = kos
spring (season) : nm = tiw
steam : nm = ˈwhucoh
stick : v = ˈlilkef
stupid, dumb : adj = ˈkaʃuku
such : det = ljej
sword : nn = triˈhwij
talk, speak, chat, pronounce : v = saŋ
target : nm = ˈlihko
taste : v = klut
technology : nm = juŋ
that : det = lwe
thirteen : num = ˈɲoliʧ
though : conj = ca
too, also, as well : adv = ˈpjakwiŋ
top (clothing) : nf = psis
trade : v = kwesˈhe
ugly : adj = ʃej
wait : v = ˈpujo
water, rain : nf = aj
weak : adj = ˈwhukʃe
weird, strange, bizarre, peculiar : adj = ˈkhepso
welcome : interj = lwuh
well : adv = ʧaˈfraj
who : pron = kwe
window : nm = raw
with (using) : prep = hwo
write, draw : v = psiŋ
yes : interj = so
