Minotaur Language

Natively known as: Ntunt /ntunt/

...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
zwi plimohlu da ncangu ka nxall zwi naju ka byup ngqoc hey hheng
Pronunciation: /zwi plimɔˈɬu dɒ ᵑǀɒnˈgu kɒ nǂɒll zwi nɒˈʤu kɒ bjup ᵑǃʱɔǀ hɛj ɦɛng/
Ntunti word order: and stood he holding hat his and turned his face wet to the wind

Spelling & Phonology

Consonant inventory: /b bʱ d f g h j k kʰ l m n p pʰ r s t tʰ v w z ŋ ǀ ǀʰ ǂ ǂʰ ǃ ǃʰ ɦ ɬ ɮ ɲ ʃ ʤ ʦʼ ʧʼ ᵑǀ ᵑǀʱ ᵑǂʱ ᵑǃ ᵑǃʱ ᶢǀʱ ᶢǃʱ/

↓Manner/Place→	Bilabial	Labiodental	Dental	Alveolar	Palato-alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal	m			n		ɲ	ŋ
Stop	pʰ p b bʱ			tʰ t d			k kʰ g
Affricate					ʤ
Fricative		f v		s z	ʃ			h ɦ
Approximant						j
Trill				r
Lateral fricative				ɬ ɮ
Lateral approximant				l
Click			ǀ ᵑǀ ǀʰ ᶢǀʱ ᵑǀʱ		ǃʰ ǃ ᵑǃʱ ᵑǃ ᶢǃʱ	ǂ ǂʰ ᵑǂʱ

Co-articulated phonemes

↓Manner/Place→	Labio-velar
Approximant	w

Vowel inventory: /i u ɒ ɔ ɛ/

	Front	Back
High	i	u
Low-mid	ɛ	ɔ
Low		ɒ

Syllable structure: Custom defined
Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable
Word initial consonants: b, bj, bʱ, d, f, g, h, j, k, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mf, mkʰ, ml, mn, mp, ms, mz, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, n, nd, ng, nt, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, p, pl, pʰ, s, t, tʰ, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ǀ, ǀʰ, ǂ, ǂʰ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǃʱ, ᶢǀʱw
Mid-word consonants: b, bʱ, d, dw, f, g, h, hw, j, k, ks, kw, kʰ, kʰw, l, lw, m, mb, mbʱ, mf, mg, mgw, mh, mk, mkʰ, ml, mn, mnd, mng, mntw, mp, mpʰ, ms, mtʰ, mv, mz, mǀ, mǃ, mɬ, mɮ, mɲ, mʃ, n, nd, ndz, ng, ngw, ns, nstr, nt, ntf, ntw, nw, nz, nǂ, nɬ, nɮ, nʦʼ, p, pl, pʰ, r, s, sw, t, tf, tʰ, tʰr, tʰw, v, w, z, zw, ŋk, ŋkw, ǀ, ǀtr, ǀʰ, ǀʰw, ǂ, ǃ, ǃʰ, ǃʰw, ɦ, ɬ, ɬw, ɮ, ɲ, ɲʤ, ɲʤw, ɲʧʼ, ʃ, ʤ, ʦʼ, ʧʼ, ᵑǀ, ᵑǀw, ᵑǀʱ, ᵑǂʱ, ᵑǃ, ᵑǃʱ, ᶢǀʱ, ᶢǀʱw, ᶢǃʱ
Word final consonants: f, ff, gh, j, l, ll, n, ng, nt, p, r, ss, st, t, wn, ǀ, ǀk
Phonological changes (in order of application):

• ʤ → ʧ / _#
• h → Ø / _#
• b → β / V_V
• v → Ø / {t,d}_

Spelling rules:

Pronunciation	Spelling
bʱ	bh
j	y
kʰ	kh
pʰ	ph
tʰ	th
ŋk	nk
ǀ	c
ǀʰ	ch
ǂ	x
ǂʰ	xh
ǃ	q
ǃʰ	qh
ɒ	a
ɔ	o
ɛ	e
ɦ	hh
ɬ	hl
ɮ	dl
ɲ	ny
ɲʤ	nj
ɲʧʼ	ntsh
ʃ	sh
ʤ	j
ʦʼ	ts
ʧʼ	tsh
ᵑǀ	nc
ᵑǀʱ	ngc
ᵑǂ	nx
ᵑǂʱ	ngx
ᵑǃ	nq
ᵑǃʱ	ngq
ᶢǀʱ	gc
ᶢǂʱ	gx
ᶢǃʱ	gq

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Grammar

Main word order: Verb-Subject-Object-Oblique. "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Opened Mary the door with a key.
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.

Masculine

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛk- Else: Prefix ɛkɒ- ekabukha /ɛˌkɒbuˈkʰɒ/ man (when doing the verb)	Prefix ɔ- obukha /ɔbuˈkʰɒ/ men (when doing the verb)
Accusative	If starts with vowel: Prefix un- Else: Prefix unɛ- unebukha /uˌnɛbuˈkʰɒ/ (verb done to) man	If starts with vowel: Prefix ǃ- Else: Prefix ǃi- qibukha /ǃibuˈkʰɒ/ (verb done to) men
Genitive	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɔŋk- Else: Prefix ɔŋkɒ- onkabukha /ɔŋˌkɒbuˈkʰɒ/ manʼs	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛw- Else: Prefix ɛwɔ- ewobukha /ɛˌwɔbuˈkʰɒ/ menʼs
Dative	If starts with vowel: Prefix bj- Else: Prefix bju- byubukha /bjubuˈkʰɒ/ to (the/a) man	If starts with vowel: Prefix kʰ- Else: Prefix kʰɔ- khobukha /kʰɔbuˈkʰɒ/ to (the/some) men
Locative	If starts with vowel: Prefix k- Else: Prefix kɒ- kabukha /kɒbuˈkʰɒ/ near/at/by (the/a) man	If starts with vowel: Prefix umn- Else: Prefix umnɛ- umnebukha /umˌnɛbuˈkʰɒ/ near/at/by (the/some) men
Ablative	Prefix ǀɒ- cabukha /ǀɒbuˈkʰɒ/ from (the/a) man	Prefix jɒ- yabukha /jɒbuˈkʰɒ/ from (the/some) men
Instrumental	Prefix ᵑǀwɔ- ncwobukha /ᵑǀwɔbuˈkʰɒ/ with/using (the/a) dog	Prefix mɬɔ- mhlobukha /mɬɔbuˈkʰɒ/ with/using (the/some) dogs

Feminine

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	If starts with vowel: Prefix d- Else: Prefix dɒ- dakat /dɒˈkɒt/ woman (when doing the verb)	Prefix lɒ- lakat /lɒˈkɒt/ women (when doing the verb)
Accusative	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɲʤ- Else: Prefix ɲʤi- njikat /ɲʤiˈkɒt/ (verb done to) woman	If starts with vowel: Prefix ul- Else: Prefix ulɒ- ulakat /ulɒˈkɒt/ (verb done to) women
Genitive	Prefix ɒ- akat /ɒˈkɒt/ womanʼs	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʤ- Else: Prefix ʤɒ- jakat /ʤɒˈkɒt/ womenʼs
Dative	If starts with vowel: Prefix j- Else: Prefix jɒ- yakat /jɒˈkɒt/ to (the/a) woman	Prefix ᶢǀʱwɔ- gcwokat /ᶢǀʱwɔˈkɒt/ to (the/some) women
Locative	Prefix ntu- ntukat /ntuˈkɒt/ near/at/by (the/a) woman	If starts with vowel: Prefix mkʰ- Else: Prefix mkʰɒ- mkhakat /mkʰɒˈkɒt/ near/at/by (the/some) women
Ablative	Prefix dɒ- dakat /dɒˈkɒt/ from (the/a) woman	Prefix i- ikat /iˈkɒt/ from (the/some) women
Instrumental	Prefix u- ukat /uˈkɒt/	If starts with vowel: Prefix imb- Else: Prefix imbi- imbikat /imbiˈkɒt/

Neuter

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	If starts with vowel: Prefix ng- Else: Prefix ngɛ- ngebyut /ngɛˈbjut/ dog (when doing the verb)	If starts with vowel: Prefix z- Else: Prefix zu- zubyut /zuˈbjut/ dogs (when doing the verb)
Accusative	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɒml- Else: Prefix ɒmlɛ- amlebyut /ɒmlɛˈbjut/ (verb done to) dog	Prefix bʱi- bhibyut /bʱiˈbjut/ (verb done to) dogs
Genitive	If starts with vowel: Prefix l- Else: Prefix lɒ- labyut /lɒˈbjut/ dogʼs	Prefix zɛ- zebyut /zɛˈbjut/ dogsʼ
Dative	Prefix ɛ- ebyut /ɛˈbjut/ to (the/a) dog	If starts with vowel: Prefix s- Else: Prefix si- sibyut /siˈbjut/ to (the/some) dogs
Locative	If starts with vowel: Prefix ŋk- Else: Prefix ŋkɔ- nkobyut /ŋkɔˈbjut/ near/at/by (the/a) dog	Prefix mlɒ- mlabyut /mlɒˈbjut/ near/at/by (the/some) dogs
Ablative	Prefix bu- bubyut /buˈbjut/ from (the/a) dog	If starts with vowel: Prefix nt- Else: Prefix ntu- ntubyut /ntuˈbjut/ from (the/some) dogs
Instrumental	Prefix mpu- mpubyut /mpuˈbjut/	If starts with vowel: Prefix ǃʰw- Else: Prefix ǃʰwɛ- qhwebyut /ǃʰwɛˈbjut/

Articles

Definite	nko /ŋkɔ/ the
Indefinite	lall /lɒll/ a, some

Pronouns

	Nominative	Accusative	Genitive	Dative	Locative	Ablative	Instrumental
1st singular	nko /ŋkɔ/ I	nji /ɲʤi/ me	nye /ɲɛ/ mine	qhot /ǃʰɔt/ to me	gcwoll /ᶢǀʱwɔll/ at me	ngqo /ᵑǃʱɔ/ from me	nger /ngɛr/ with/using me
2nd singular	zwi /zwi/ you	mkha /mkʰɒ/ you	mhloll /mɬɔll/ yours	ay /ɒj/ to you	mdla /mɮɒ/ at you	mhla /mɬɒ/ from you	sint /sint/ with/using you
3rd singular masc	da /dɒ/ he	nyell /ɲɛll/ him	bhi /bʱi/ his	plir /plir/ to him	gat /gɒt/ at him	qha /ǃʰɒ/ from him	tsunt /ʦʼunt/ with/using him
3rd singular fem	mpul /mpul/ she	ndla /nɮɒ/ her	xen /ǂɛn/ hers	zunt /zunt/ to her	nyer /ɲɛr/ at her	mpu /mpu/ from her	qhwe /ǃʰwɛ/ with/using her
1st plural	ka /kɒ/ we	ic /iǀ/ us	ya /jɒ/ ours	mza /mzɒ/ to us	ndint /ndint/ at us	nyeff /ɲɛff/ from us	la /lɒ/ with/using us
2nd plural	a /ɒ/ you (all)	fu /fu/ you (all)	mnya /mɲɒ/ yours	nhli /nɬi/ to you (all)	i /i/ at you (all)	kwe /kwɛ/ from you (all)	mnock /mnɔǀk/ with/using you (all)
3rd plural masc	msa /msɒ/ they	ze /zɛ/ them	hla /ɬɒ/ theirs	tsun /ʦʼun/ to them	nyent /ɲɛnt/ at them	ill /ill/ from them	ncass /ᵑǀɒss/ with/using them
3rd plural fem	chi /ǀʰi/ they	yiy /jij/ them	ndit /ndit/ theirs	nge /ngɛ/ to them	punt /punt/ at them	nan /nɒn/ from them	ass /ɒss/ with/using them

Possessive determiners

1st singular	af /ɒf/ my
2nd singular	mhloll /mɬɔll/ your
3rd singular masc	ka /kɒ/ his
3rd singular fem	a /ɒ/ her
1st plural	ja /ʤɒ/ our
2nd plural	gal /gɒl/ your
3rd plural masc	kap /kɒp/ their
3rd plural fem	da /dɒ/ their

Verbs

	Present	Past	Future
Masculine	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɒᵑǀ- Else: Prefix ɒᵑǀɒ- ancanjist /ɒᵑǀɒɲˈʤist/	Prefix kʰɔ- khonjist /kʰɔɲˈʤist/	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɒl- Else: Prefix ɒlɒ- alanjist /ɒlɒɲˈʤist/
Feminine	Prefix kɒ- kanjist /kɒɲˈʤist/	Prefix ɒ- anjist /ɒɲˈʤist/	Prefix ǂɛ- xenjist /ǂɛɲˈʤist/
Neuter	If starts with vowel: Prefix it- Else: Prefix itɒ- itanjist /itɒɲˈʤist/	Prefix u- unjist /uɲˈʤist/	If starts with vowel: Prefix us- Else: Prefix usi- usinjist /usiɲˈʤist/

Numbers

Ntunti has a base-10 number system:

1. 1 - nto
2. 2 - ndla
3. 3 - gcwong
4. 4 - nhli
5. 5 - daff
6. 6 - sen
7. 7 - nza
8. 8 - zwil
9. 9 - a
10. 10 - mpuke
11. 11 - mpukento “ten-one”
12. 100 - nto nahle “one hundred”
13. 101 - nto nahle nto “one hundred one”
14. 200 - ndla nahle
15. 1000 - nto afondlust “one thousand”

Derivational morphology

Adjective → adverb = Prefix ɒ-
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix kwɛ-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Prefix ɒ-
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Prefix u-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛn-
Else: Prefix ɛnɛ-
Noun → verb (to create [noun]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɔmɮ-
Else: Prefix ɔmɮi-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Prefix ɒ-
Verb → adjective (likely to do [verb]) = Prefix ɒ-
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Prefix ɒ-
Verb → noun that verb physically produces (e.g. build → building) = Prefix ɛ-
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix ɛ-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Prefix i-
Diminutive = Prefix lwu-
Augmentative = If starts with vowel: Prefix mkʰ-
Else: Prefix mkʰɒ-

Dictionary

4368 Words.

Common Female Names

1. Plikwa /pliˈkwɒ/
2. Nanjwegh /nɒɲˈʤwɛgh/
3. Chegh /ǀʰɛgh/
4. Ithwen /iˈtʰwɛn/
5. Sikhi /siˈkʰi/
6. Xentsang /ǂɛnˈʦʼɒng/
7. Tsuntwa /ʦʼunˈtwɒ/
8. Cimvall /ǀimˈvɒll/
9. Simocu /simɔˈǀu/
10. Khwuxoko /kʰwuǂɔˈkɔ/

Common Male Names

• Amuf /ɒˈmuf/
• Xesi /ǂɛˈsi/
• Hencwobogh /hɛᵑǀwɔˈbɔgh/
• Bumqay /bumˈǃɒj/
• Qhonka /ǃʰɔŋˈkɒ/
• Isofil /isɔˈfil/
• Bhimbukwi /bʱimbuˈkwi/
• Wodu /wɔˈdu/
• Ikwoda /ikwɔˈdɒ/
• Yindza /jindˈzɒ/

Common Unisex Names

• Hempa /hɛmˈpɒ/
• Qemnyawn /ǃɛmˈɲɒwn/
• Sethran /sɛˈtʰrɒn/
• Mlamobhu /mlɒmɔˈbʱu/
• Qebant /ǃɛˈbɒnt/
• Mpumshi /mpumˈʃi/
• Gcwoke /ᶢǀʱwɔˈkɛ/
• Xemvegh /ǂɛmˈvɛgh/
• Plishal /pliˈʃɒl/
• Mpumba /mpumˈbɒ/