Proto-Zakhu'ii

Proto-Zakhu'ii ['zɑχɯʔi:] is the daughter language of Proto-Sakhwey spoken in the south-eastern regions of Borea. It is the parent language of the Borean Sakhwey languages. The language name is cognate to Sakhwey, and carries the same meaning.

Consonants
The following spelling conventions are used for transcription: /t k/, /tʰ kʰ/ , /ʔ/ <'>, /ɰ/ .

Vowels
The vowels are written as follows: /e i ə ɑ ʌ ɤ ɯ/. All vowels can be long or short. Long vowels are represented orthographicly by gemination, eg Zakhu'ii.

Allophones

 * /n/ assimilates to the following stop, fricative, or approximant.
 * /s/ is pronounced [ʃ] before /j/ or /i/.
 * /x/ is pronounced [ç] in front of a front vowel, and [χ] in front of a (mid-)high back vowel.

Principle Dialects
There are three main dialects of Zakhu'ii, with few minor dialects.

Northern
The northern dialect is found in the steppe along the southern and eastern edges of the desert in the south-east of Borea.

It had the following sound-changes:
 * ə > ∅ / _#, ə > ɐ
 * x > χ / _q, x > ç / _[c t]
 * ɰ j > ∅ / N_

Grammar
Degemination occurs wherever it appears.

Nouns
Proto-Zakhu'ii nouns are inflected for 7 cases and 3 numbers. There are three declensions, corresponding to nouns ending in vowels, nasals, and obstruents in the nominative singular.

Adjectives
Adjectives always follow the nouns they modify, and share the nominal case endings. They must agree in case and number. Because pronouns are treated similarly to nouns, they can also take adjectives which must also agree in case and number. This allows for a greater degree of precision and simplicity by making constructions such as 'I seek those who are brave' literally translated as 'Seek-I those brave'. It can also be used as a means to boast, by saying 'Seek-I great powerful those brave', meaning 'I, who is great and powerful, seek those who are brave'.

Verbs
Proto-Zakhu'ii verbs are inflected for three tenses, 5 moods, 5 persons, 3 numbers, and 2 voices.

Tense & Mood Prefix
Approximants vocalise after vowels not already part of a diphthong.

Person, Number & Voice Suffix
Active: Passive:

The passive is made from the active verb endings with the suffix þiu.

Participles
There are three participles in Zakhu'ii: past, present and future. They are formed from the tense prefix and a suffix of -on. They have the general meaning of '(that) which did/does/will do something'.

Oblique & Other pronouns
Singular: Paucal Plural

Syntax
Proto-Zakhu'ii syntax is fairly restricted in its word order, as the verb or verbal phrase must be the first idea in the sentence. The subject of the sentence stands before the object(s), and the indirect object stands before the direct object; the language is VSO. The genitive follows the noun it modifies, as do adjectives. The language has postpositions, and enclitic conjunctions are used when clauses are not being used, for example 'cats dogs-and', but 'Do-I this and do-I that'. Conjunctions are never used with adjectives.

Nouns

 * záxu'i: ~ Sakhwey (Sakhwey species)
 * qvðwéin ~ the sun goddess (Qatwein), the sun
 * si:héu ~ the earth god ('Seihew), Losna
 * jóne (jóne' before vowel-initial suffices) ~ the star gods (Yonne'aq), star
 * káunun ~ the sky god (Kaunon), sky
 * 'vinjá ~ the sea goddess (Ainya), sea, ocean
 * du'i:jáx ~ the air god (Dweyax), air, wind
 * zúny'us ~ word

Verbs

 * tésqweþ ~ go (away), leave, travel
 * tíþvu ~ give, grant (a request)
 * tésu:þ ~ fly, cross (a body of water or other obstacle)
 * cáijin ~ eat, dig a hole
 * du'uko: ~ fish, capture
 * sénþjau ~ see, notice, understand
 * tísþy'i: ~ want, desire
 * u'u'ɣwó: ~ speak

Adjectives

 * éþo:hun ~ solid, tough

Conjunctions

 * ɣókhe ~ and

Postpositions

 * tvu ~ to (dat.)
 * zexq ~ to (abl.)