Yìlmuhi

the Iwati language family

Natively known as: yìlmuh /ˈjɪlmʌ/

...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
ka geb tuh puhbu big zhùydi ka tùr big sap kù gep hìfab
Pronunciation: /kæ gɛb tʌ ˈpʌbu big ˈʒʊjdi kæ tʊr big sæp kʊ gɛp ˈhɪfæb/
Yìlmuhi word order: and stood he holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind

Spelling & Phonology

Consonant inventory: b d f g h j k l m n p r s t v w z ð ŋ ʃ ʒ θ

↓Manner/Place→	Bilabial	Labiodental	Dental	Alveolar	Palato-alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal	m			n			ŋ
Stop	b p			d t			g k
Fricative		f v	ð θ	s z	ʃ ʒ			h
Approximant						j
Trill				r
Lateral approximant				l

Co-articulated phonemes

↓Manner/Place→	Labial-velar
Approximant	w

Vowel inventory: i u æ ɑ ɛ ɪ ʊ ʌ

	Front	Back
High	i	u
Near-high	ɪ	ʊ
Low-mid	ɛ	ʌ
Near-low	æ
Low		ɑ

Syllable structure: (C)V(C) ?
Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable ?
Spelling rules:

Pronunciation	Spelling
æ	a
ɛ	e
ɑ	o
ʊ	ù
ʌ	uh
ɪ	ì
θ	th
ʒ	zh
ð	dh
j	y
ʃ	sh
ŋ	ng

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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.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions ?

Nouns

Nouns have six cases:

• Ergative is the doer of a verb, when the verb is done to something: dog bites man.
• Absolutive is used in two scenarios: the doer of a verb when not done to something (dog bites), and the done-to of a verb (man bites dog).
• Genitive is the possessor of something: dog’s tail hits man.
• Dative is the recipient of something: man gives ball to dog.
• Locative is the location of something: man is in town.
• Ablative is movement away from something: man walks from town.

Ergative	Prefix zi- zibuhf /ˈzibʌf/ dog (doing a transitive verb)
Absolutive	No affix buhf /bʌf/ dog (doing an intransitive verb)
Genitive	Prefix ʊ- ùbuhf /ˈʊbʌf/ dogʼs
Dative	If starts with vowel: Prefix æmj- Else: Prefix æmjɛ- amyebuhf /æˈmjɛbʌf/ to dog
Locative	Prefix i- ibuhf /ˈibʌf/ near/at/by dog
Ablative	If starts with vowel: Prefix j- Else: Prefix jʌ- yuhbuhf /ˈjʌbʌf/ from dog

	Singular	Plural
Masculine	No affix huhb /hʌb/ boy	If starts with vowel: Prefix imh- Else: Prefix imhɛ- imhehuhb /imˈhɛhʌb/ boys
Feminine	No affix tibritka /tiˈbritkæ/ girl	Prefix ʒʊ- zhùtibritka /ˌʒʊtiˈbritkæ/ girls
Neuter	No affix buhf /bʌf/ dog	If starts with vowel: Prefix s- Else: Prefix si- sibuhf /ˈsibʌf/ dogs

Articles

Definite	e /ɛ/ the
Indefinite	gek /gɛk/ a, some

Uses of definite article that differ from English:

• Used for languages: ‘The English’
• Used with place names: ‘The London’

Pronouns

	Ergative	Absolutive	Genitive	Dative	Locative	Ablative
1st singular	yù /jʊ/ I	bo /bɑ/ me	dhù /ðʊ/ mine	zi /zi/ to me	zhe /ʒɛ/ to me	ku /ku/ from me
2nd singular	suh /sʌ/ you	kosh /kɑʃ/ you	ha /hæ/ yours	ùb /ʊb/ to you	lo /lɑ/ to you	lu /lu/ from you
3rd singular masc	tuh /tʌ/ he,	big /big/ his,	yi /ji/ his,	duhs /dʌs/ to his, to	dì /dɪ/ to his, to	dhìb /ðɪb/ from his, from
3rd singular fem	he /hɛ/ she,	luhng /lʌŋ/ her,	suf /suf/ hers,	deg /dɛg/ to her, to	to /tɑ/ to her, to	shì /ʃɪ/ from her, from
3rd singular neuter	pig /pig/ it (neut)	do /dɑ/ it (neut)	bì /bɪ/ its (neut)	zoz /zɑz/ to it (neut)	kedh /kɛð/ to it (neut)	gu /gu/ from it (neut)
1st plural	bù /bʊ/ we	shu /ʃu/ us	zha /ʒæ/ ours	zo /zɑ/ to us	dif /dif/ to us	bi /bi/ from us
2nd plural	gi /gi/ you all	lib /lib/ you all	zuhg /zʌg/ yours (pl)	dù /dʊ/ to you all	sith /siθ/ to you all	hid /hid/ from you all
3rd plural masc	dhun /ðun/ they (masc)	lìsh /lɪʃ/ them (masc)	lop /lɑp/ theirs (masc)	shat /ʃæt/ to them (masc)	buh /bʌ/ to them (masc)	wa /wæ/ from them (masc)
3rd plural fem	di /di/ they (fem)	bir /bir/ them (fem)	ì /ɪ/ theirs (fem)	dhi /ði/ to them (fem)	e /ɛ/ to them (fem)	ko /kɑ/ from them (fem)
3rd plural neuter	she /ʃɛ/ they (neut)	zhuf /ʒuf/ them (neut)	dhu /ðu/ theirs (neut)	bu /bu/ to them (neut)	zad /zæd/ to them (neut)	kad /kæd/ from them (neut)

Possessive determiners

	Possessive
1st singular	dhù /ðʊ/ my
2nd singular	ha /hæ/ your
3rd singular masc	big /big/ his
3rd singular fem	suf /suf/ her
3rd singular neuter	bì /bɪ/ his, her, its (neut)
1st plural	zha /ʒæ/ our
2nd plural	zuhg /zʌg/ your (pl)
3rd plural masc	lop /lɑp/ their (masc)
3rd plural fem	ì /ɪ/ their (fem)
3rd plural neuter	dhu /ðu/ their (neut)

Verbs

Masculine

	1st singular	2nd singular	3rd singular masc	3rd singular fem	3rd singular neuter	1st plural	2nd plural	3rd plural masc	3rd plural fem	3rd plural neuter
Present	Prefix hʌ- huhtuh /ˈhʌtʌ/ (I (masc)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bɛ- betuh /ˈbɛtʌ/ (you (masc)) learn	Prefix æ- atuh /ˈætʌ/ (he) learns	Prefix di- dituh /ˈditʌ/ learn	Prefix bɛ- betuh /ˈbɛtʌ/ learn	Prefix ji- yituh /ˈjitʌ/ (we (masc)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix z- Else: Prefix zɛ- zetuh /ˈzɛtʌ/ (you (masc) all) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix l- Else: Prefix lɑ- lotuh /ˈlɑtʌ/ (they (masc)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix d- Else: Prefix di- dituh /ˈditʌ/ (they (masc)) learn	Prefix u- utuh /ˈutʌ/ (they (masc)) learn
Past	If starts with vowel: Prefix upm- Else: Prefix upmʌ- upmuhtuh /upˈmʌtʌ/ (I (masc)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʊb- Else: Prefix ʊbɑ- ùbotuh /ʊˈbɑtʌ/ (you (masc)) learned	Prefix pɪ- pìtuh /ˈpɪtʌ/ (he) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bi- bituh /ˈbitʌ/ learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix k- Else: Prefix kæ- katuh /ˈkætʌ/ learned	Prefix wɪ- wìtuh /ˈwɪtʌ/ (we (masc)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ufk- Else: Prefix ufkɪ- ufkìtuh /ufˈkɪtʌ/ (you (masc) all) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix z- Else: Prefix zæ- zatuh /ˈzætʌ/ (they (masc)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix s- Else: Prefix sæ- satuh /ˈsætʌ/ (they (masc)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gæ- gatuh /ˈgætʌ/ (they (masc)) learned
Future	Prefix gʌ- guhtuh /ˈgʌtʌ/ (I (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix z- Else: Prefix zi- zituh /ˈzitʌ/ (you (masc)) will learn	Prefix jæ- yatuh /ˈjætʌ/ (he) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix w- Else: Prefix wu- wutuh /ˈwutʌ/ will learn	Prefix lʊ- lùtuh /ˈlʊtʌ/ will learn	Prefix hʊ- hùtuh /ˈhʊtʌ/ (we (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʒ- Else: Prefix ʒi- zhituh /ˈʒitʌ/ (you (masc) all) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɑrh- Else: Prefix ɑrhi- orhituh /ɑrˈhitʌ/ (they (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix h- Else: Prefix hɛ- hetuh /ˈhɛtʌ/ (they (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛh- Else: Prefix ɛhu- ehutuh /ɛˈhutʌ/ (they (masc)) will learn

Feminine

	1st singular	2nd singular	3rd singular masc	3rd singular fem	3rd singular neuter	1st plural	2nd plural	3rd plural masc	3rd plural fem	3rd plural neuter
Present	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bʌ- buhtuh /ˈbʌtʌ/ (I (fem)) learn	Prefix si- situh /ˈsitʌ/ (you (fem)) learn	Prefix di- dituh /ˈditʌ/ learn	Prefix ʊ- ùtuh /ˈʊtʌ/ (she) learns	Prefix ɛ- etuh /ˈɛtʌ/ learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gɛ- getuh /ˈgɛtʌ/ (we (fem)) learn	Prefix gɑ- gotuh /ˈgɑtʌ/ (you (fem) all) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix d- Else: Prefix di- dituh /ˈditʌ/ (they (masc)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix h- Else: Prefix hi- hituh /ˈhitʌ/ (they (fem)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʃ- Else: Prefix ʃʌ- shuhtuh /ˈʃʌtʌ/ (they (fem)) learn
Past	Prefix gi- gituh /ˈgitʌ/ (I (fem)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix d- Else: Prefix dɪ- dìtuh /ˈdɪtʌ/ (you (fem)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bi- bituh /ˈbitʌ/ learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ælt- Else: Prefix æltɛ- altetuh /ælˈtɛtʌ/ (she) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ð- Else: Prefix ðɪ- dhìtuh /ˈðɪtʌ/ learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɑŋk- Else: Prefix ɑŋku- ongkutuh /ɑŋˈkutʌ/ (we (fem)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛwp- Else: Prefix ɛwpæ- ewpatuh /ɛwˈpætʌ/ (you (fem) all) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix s- Else: Prefix sæ- satuh /ˈsætʌ/ (they (masc)) learned	Prefix bʌ- buhtuh /ˈbʌtʌ/ (they (fem)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʌk- Else: Prefix ʌkɛ- uhketuh /ʌˈkɛtʌ/ (they (fem)) learned
Future	Prefix ju- yutuh /ˈjutʌ/ (I (fem)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ums- Else: Prefix umsu- umsutuh /umˈsutʌ/ (you (fem)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix w- Else: Prefix wu- wutuh /ˈwutʌ/ will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʃ- Else: Prefix ʃɪ- shìtuh /ˈʃɪtʌ/ (she) will learn	Prefix gʊ- gùtuh /ˈgʊtʌ/ will learn	Prefix bi- bituh /ˈbitʌ/ (we (fem)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix p- Else: Prefix pɑ- potuh /ˈpɑtʌ/ (you (fem) all) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix h- Else: Prefix hɛ- hetuh /ˈhɛtʌ/ (they (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gi- gituh /ˈgitʌ/ (they (fem)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bɪ- bìtuh /ˈbɪtʌ/ (they (fem)) will learn

Neuter

	1st singular	2nd singular	3rd singular masc	3rd singular fem	3rd singular neuter	1st plural	2nd plural	3rd plural masc	3rd plural fem	3rd plural neuter
Present	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʒ- Else: Prefix ʒu- zhutuh /ˈʒutʌ/ (I (neut)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gʌ- guhtuh /ˈgʌtʌ/ (you (neut)) learn	Prefix bɛ- betuh /ˈbɛtʌ/ learn	Prefix ɛ- etuh /ˈɛtʌ/ learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bɑ- botuh /ˈbɑtʌ/ (it (neut)) learns	Prefix gæ- gatuh /ˈgætʌ/ (we (neut)) learn	Prefix hæ- hatuh /ˈhætʌ/ (you (neut) all) learn	Prefix u- utuh /ˈutʌ/ (they (masc)) learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʃ- Else: Prefix ʃʌ- shuhtuh /ˈʃʌtʌ/ (they (fem)) learn	Prefix tɪ- tìtuh /ˈtɪtʌ/ (they (neut)) learn
Past	If starts with vowel: Prefix itw- Else: Prefix itwɪ- itwìtuh /iˈtwɪtʌ/ (I (neut)) learned	Prefix ʌ- uhtuh /ˈʌtʌ/ (you (neut)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix k- Else: Prefix kæ- katuh /ˈkætʌ/ learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ð- Else: Prefix ðɪ- dhìtuh /ˈðɪtʌ/ learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gɑ- gotuh /ˈgɑtʌ/ (it (neut)) learned	Prefix wu- wutuh /ˈwutʌ/ (we (neut)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɑzw- Else: Prefix ɑzwi- ozwituh /ɑˈzwitʌ/ (you (neut) all) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix g- Else: Prefix gæ- gatuh /ˈgætʌ/ (they (masc)) learned	If starts with vowel: Prefix ʌk- Else: Prefix ʌkɛ- uhketuh /ʌˈkɛtʌ/ (they (fem)) learned	Prefix gɛ- getuh /ˈgɛtʌ/ (they (neut)) learned
Future	If starts with vowel: Prefix k- Else: Prefix kɪ- kìtuh /ˈkɪtʌ/ (I (neut)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix k- Else: Prefix ku- kutuh /ˈkutʌ/ (you (neut)) will learn	Prefix lʊ- lùtuh /ˈlʊtʌ/ will learn	Prefix gʊ- gùtuh /ˈgʊtʌ/ will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix uð- Else: Prefix uðɑ- udhotuh /uˈðɑtʌ/ (it (neut)) will learn	Prefix wæ- watuh /ˈwætʌ/ (we (neut)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix s- Else: Prefix sɛ- setuh /ˈsɛtʌ/ (you (neut) all) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛh- Else: Prefix ɛhu- ehutuh /ɛˈhutʌ/ (they (masc)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix bɪ- bìtuh /ˈbɪtʌ/ (they (fem)) will learn	If starts with vowel: Prefix utw- Else: Prefix utwæ- utwatuh /uˈtwætʌ/ (they (neut)) will learn

Numbers

Yìlmuhi has a base-10 number system:
1 - she
2 - zuh
3 - ì
4 - huh
5 - li
6 - wug
7 - bas
8 - hotba
9 - a
10 - kun
100 - zezh
1000 - buf

Derivational morphology

Adjective → adverb = If starts with vowel: Prefix j-
Else: Prefix jɛ-
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix ʃɑ-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Prefix ɑ-
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Prefix ɛ-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ð-
Else: Prefix ðɛ-
Noun to verb = If starts with vowel: Prefix j-
Else: Prefix jɪ-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Prefix i-
Tending to = Prefix bi-
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix udʒ-
Else: Prefix udʒɪ-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ʌjm-
Else: Prefix ʌjmɑ-
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɛŋh-
Else: Prefix ɛŋhi-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɑʃp-
Else: Prefix ɑʃpɛ-
Diminutive = Prefix gɪ-
Augmentative = If starts with vowel: Prefix d-
Else: Prefix dʊ-

Dictionary

3086 Words.

Spoken by

• Iwati