00_Phonemes of the Asaxi Language

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Phonemes

In the The Asaxi Language, there are the following phonemes:

Consonants: /b, t̠ʃ, d, ð, ɾ, f, ɡ, ɦ, h, d̠ʒ, k, l, m, n, ŋ, p, ʔ, ɹ, ɹ̠˔, s, ʃ, ɕ, ɹ̠̊, t̪, θ, b̪v, ʋ, Ʝ, j, z̪, ʑ, t̻͡s̪, d̻͡z̪, ɲ, j̃/ Vowels: /a, e̞, i, ɪ, ɯ, o̞, ɑ, au̯, aɪ, ə, ə˞̞, e̞ɪ, ou̯, o̞ɪ, n, m, ŋ, ɴ/

Below you will find a table which contains the Arpabet phoneme (_Arpa), IPA (_IPA) symbol and romanization (_rmnztion). Columns are marked “C” for consonant and “V” for vowel:

Consonant Inventory

C_Arpa	C_IPA	C_rmnztion	Notes: „x / y” means „x or y”, use doesn’t change meaning
b	b	b
ch	t̠ʃ	ch
d	d	d
dh	ð	dh
dx	ɾ	ŕ
f	f	f
g	ɡ	g
hh	ɦ	x
h	h	h
jh	d̠ʒ	jh
k	k	k
l	l	l
m	m	m
n	n	n
ng	ŋ	ŋ
p	p	p
r	ɹ / ɹ̠˔	r	Voiced alveolar approximant or Voiced postalveolar non-sibilant fricative
s	s	s
sh	ɕ	si / ś
sh	ʃ / ɹ̠̊	sh	Voiceless postalveolar approximant
t	t / t̪	t	Voiceless dental plosive
th	θ	th
v	b̪v	v
w	ʋ / w	w
y	Ʝ / j	j	Voiced palatal fricative
z	z̪	z
zh	ʑ	zh
ts	t̻͡s̪	c
dz	d̻͡z̪	dz
ny	ɲ / j̃	ń / ni
cl (held stop, geminated consonant)	:	letter doubled over, eg. tt
q	ʔ	'

Vowel Inventory

V_arpa+jp	V_IPA	V_rmnztion	notes
a	a	a	Pure Vowel
e	e / e̞	e	Pure Vowel
i	i	i	Pure Vowel
ih	ɪ	ý	Pure Vowel
u	ɯ	ù	Pure Vowel
o	o / o̞	o	Pure Vowel
ao	ɑ	á	Pure Vowel
uw	uw	ů	Diphthong
aw	au̯	å	Diphthong
ay	aɪ	ă	Diphthong
ax	ə	è	Pure Vowel
er	ɚ / ɹ̩	ě	„R” coloured vowel, Diphthong
ey	eɪ / e̞ɪ	ë	Diphthong
ow	ou̯	ỏ	Diphthong
oy	oɪ / o̞ɪ	ő	Diphthong
nn	n	nn	Syllabic n
mm	m	mm	Syllabic m
nng	ŋ	nŋ	Syllabic ng
xn	ɴ	nn	Syllabic Coda n

3. Consonant Modification Rules

A. Palatalization (The j Rule)

When j follows a consonant, it acts as a palatalization marker rather than a separate syllable.

• General Rule: C+j→/Cj/
  • Ex: pjo → /pʲo/
• Fricative Shift (h + j):
  • h + j → /ç/ (Voiceless palatal fricative).
  • Ex: hjo → /ço/
• Nasal Shift (n + i):
  • n + i → /ɲ/ (Palatal nasal).
  • Ex: nihja → /ɲiça/

B. Aspiration (The x Rule)

When the consonant x (represented in IPA as /h/ or /x/) immediately follows a plosive or voiceless consonant, it acts as an Aspiration Marker. It modifies the preceding consonant to be aspirated.

Rule: C​+x→/Ch/

Examples of Aspirated Consonants:

• px → /pʰ/
• tx → /tʰ/ (e.g., txă /tʰaɪ/)
• kx → /kʰ/
• chx → /tʃʰ/

C. Labialization (The w Rule)

When w follows a consonant, it acts as a Labialization Marker. The preceding consonant is pronounced with rounded lips.

Rule: C+w→/Cw/

• bwo → /bʷo/
• pwo → /pʷo/
• hwo → /hʷo/ (e.g., hwo “yesterday”)

D. H-Mutation

• Elision: h is deleted after consonants unless it is part of a specific cluster rule like aspiration.
  • Ex: ů + hè → ůè
• Fortition: If h follows the voiced fricative x (/ɦ/), it hardens.
  • Ex: xă + hù → xăxù

4. Gemination and Syllabic Orthography

Asaxi uses specific orthographic rules to distinguish between Syllabic Consonants (acting as vowels), Geminated Nasals (long nasals), and Geminated Obstruents (long stops/fricatives).

A. Syllabic Nasals (mm / nn)

When a nasal consonant functions as the nucleus of a syllable, it is written as a double letter without separation.

• Orthography: mm, nn
• IPA: /m̩/, /n̩/
• Example: mmbă (Joy) → /m̩.baɪ/

B. Geminated Nasals (m.m / n.n)

When a nasal consonant spans two syllables (true gemination), a period . is used to separate them visually to distinguish them from the syllabic form.

• Orthography: m.m, n.n
• IPA: /m.m/, /n.n/
• Example: kem.mo (Possibility) → /kem.mo/

C. General Consonant Gemination (tt, pp, kk, etc.)

For non-nasal consonants (Plosives, Fricatives, Liquids), gemination is indicated simply by doubling the letter. There is no need for a separator dot because these consonants cannot form syllabic nuclei on their own.

Rule: C1​+C1​→/Cː/

• Articulation:

  • Stops (pp, tt, kk): The closure of the airflow is held for twice the standard duration before release.
  • Continuants (ss, ll, shsh, zhzh, etc.): The sound is sustained for a longer duration.

• Examples:

  • tte → /tːe/ (Long T)
  • ppe → /pːe/ (Long P)
  • kke → /kːe/ (Long K)