Jáhkarrá: Consonant gradation
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Consonant gradation in Jáhkarrá
This public article was written by Hastrica, and last updated on 10 May 2019, 09:57. Editing of this article is shared with Jáhkarrá Čirŋiduháža.
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This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Consonant gradation is a pervasive feature of Jáhkarrá morphology. It applies in many grammatical contexts where suffixes are attached to a stem, which, given that Jáhkarrá is a highly inflected suffix-agglutinating language, happens rather frequently. However, its occurrence is largely predictable from the phonological shape of the suffix, which helps with memorising where it needs to be applied.
[top]What is consonant gradation?
Simply put, consonant gradation means that the last consonant or consonant group in a word may undergo changes determined by the grammatical environment. As an example, consider the following forms of the Jáhkarrá noun orgŋo "man":
| orgŋo /ˈɔr:kŋɔ/ "man" | orknin /ˈɔrkŋin/ "men" | orŋáin /ˈɔrŋa:jn/ "men's" |
The last consonant group changes when the verb is inflected: from the first grade (which here takes the shape /rːkŋ/) to the second grade (/rkŋ/, with a short /r/) and the third grade (/rŋ/). This affects most J´ahkarrá consonants, although not all of them have three distinct grades.
[top]Environments of application
Without listing all the contexts where gradation is at work, three simple rules can be identified that easily cover 90 percent of the cases:
- If the consonant or consonant cluster is the onset of an open syllable, it is in the first grade.
- If the consonant or consonant cluster is the onset of a closed syllable, it is in the second grade.
- If the consonant or consonant cluster is the onset of a closed syllable with a long coda, it is in the third grade.
The example above illustrates this nicely: the /ɔ/ after the /rːkŋ/ cluster leaves the syllable open, so gradation does not apply. /n/ closes the syllable, resulting in second grade, and the /a:jn/ suffix has a long consonant (or more precisely, closes the syllable and follows up with another consonant), so we have the third grade.
These rules have exceptions, although most of them are that gradation does not apply despite the suffixes having the required shape. Some examples:
| Form | IPA | Expected grade | Actual grade | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| čirgŋain | ˈt͡ʃirːkŋɑjn | 3 | 1 | "learner" | Human agent noun suffix -in causes no gradation |
| čirŋidus | ˈt͡ʃirŋitus | 1 | 3 | "school" | Place suffix -dus causes the third grade |
| čirgŋalvá | ˈt͡ʃirːkŋɑl:ʋa: | 3 | 1 | "having learned" | Participles never undergo gradation |
| čirgŋos | ˈt͡ʃirːkŋɔs | 2 | 1 | "(learned) knowledge" | Result suffix -os causes no gradation |
| čirŋujaid | ˈt͡ʃirŋujɑjt | 1 | 3 | "learn more and more" | Incremental suffix -uj causes the third grade |
| čirkŋai | ˈt͡ʃirkŋɑj | 1 | 2 | "the two of us learn" | Dual forms always take the second grade |
[top]Gradation patterns
The following is a description of all gradation patterns that occur in Jáhkarrá. The examples are given in Jáhkarrá orthography, for which there will be a separate article too.
All examples use the forms from above: the indicative present active of a transitive verb with a 3rd person singular object, with a 1st person singular, 2nd person singular and 3rd person plural subject respectively.
Single consonants
Single consonants are, for the most part, not subject to gradation. The exception are the plosives (including affricates) and nasals, which turn into fricatives or approximants in the second and third grade - thus, there is only a two-way distinction.
The gradation of /n/ is irregular, having fallen together with the weak grades of /m/ into /ʋ/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| p | v | v | |
| t | ŧ | ŧ | |
| tj | j | j | |
| k | h | h | |
| c | s | s | |
| č | š | š | |
| m | v | v | |
| n | v | v | |
| nj | j | j | |
| ŋ | h | h | |
| ŧ | ŧ | ŧ | |
| s | s | s | |
| š | š | š | |
| h | h | h | |
| l | l | l | |
| lj | lj | lj | |
| v | v | v | |
| j | j | j | |
| r | r | r |
Geminate consonants
With geminate, or long, consonants, a distinction needs to be made between plosives/affricates and the other consonants.
Non-plosives/affricates change into short consonants in the second and third grade. This includes the nasals. Plosives and affricates are pronounced identically in the first and second grade (voiceless long), but in the third grade they become fricatives. In writing, the first grade is distinguished from the second in that the former is written with a voiced consonant letter (bb, dd, ddj, gg) and the latter with a voiceless one (pp, tt, ttj, kk). To a certain degree, this also holds for affricates (zz, žž and cc, čč), but these can be irregular: a number of words with žž gradate like fricatives, for example mižža ~ mižin "face - faces", and cc/čč can appear in the first grade as well, in which case the second grade is indistinguishable from the first: haččá - haččin "summer - summers".
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| bb | pp | v | |
| dd | tt | ŧ | |
| ddj | ttj | j | |
| gg | kk | h | |
| cc | cc | s | |
| čč | čč | č | |
| zz | cc | s | |
| žž | čč | č | |
| mm | m | m | |
| nn | n | n | |
| nnj | nj | nj | |
| ŋŋ | ŋ | ŋ | |
| ŧŧ | ŧ | ŧ | |
| ss | s | s | |
| šš | š | š | |
| hh | h | h | |
| ll | l | l | |
| llj | lj | lj | |
| vv | v | v | |
| jj | j | j | |
| rr | r | r |
Consonant clusters
The true complexity of Jáhkarrá consonant gradation lies with its consonant clusters, where the following groups of combinations need to be distinguished:
- Homorganic plosive-nasal: bm, dn, dnj, gŋ /pm/, /tn/, /tʲnʲ/, /kŋ/
- Liquid-nasal: rm, rn, rnj, rŋ, lm, ln, lnj, lŋ /rm/, /rn/, /rnʲ/, /rŋ/, /lm/, /ln/, /lʲnʲ/, /lŋ/
- Liquid-fricative: rv, rj, lv /rʋ/, /rj/, /lʋ/
- Liquid-plosive: rb, rd, rdj, rg, rc, rč, lb, ld, ldj, lg, lc, lč /rp/, /rt/, /rtʲ/, /rk/, /rts/, /rtʃ/, /lp/, /lt/, /lʲtʲ/, /lk/, /lts/, /ltʃ/. After liquids, z/ž is almost never found and behaves identical to c/č.
- Preaspirated consonants: hp, ht, htj, hk, hc, hč /ʰp/, /ʰt/, /ʰtʲ/, /ʰk/, /ʰts/, /ʰtʃ/. After h, only voiceless letters are written; see below for how gradation is indicated.
- /k/ with sibilant or affricate: ks, kš, kc, kč /ks/, /kʃ/, /kts/, /ktʃ/. Like with h, only voiceless letters are written next to s.
- /j/ with plosive or affricate: ib, id, idj, ig, ic/iz, ič/iž /jp/, /jt/, /jtʲ/, /jk/, /jts/, /jtʃ/
- /s/ with plosive: sp, st, stj, sk /sp/, /st/, /stʲ/, /sk/
- /ʋ/ with liquid or alveolar nasal: vr, vl, vn /ʋr/, /ʋl/, /ʋn/
- /j/ with homorganic plosive-nasal cluster: ibm, idn, idnj, igŋ /jpm/, /jtn/, /jtʲnʲ/, /jkŋ/
- Liquid with homorganic plosive-nasal cluster: rbm, rdn, rdnj, rgŋ, lbm, ldn, ldnj, lgŋ /rpm/, /rtn/, /rtʲnʲ/, /rkŋ/, /lpm/, /ltn/, /lʲtʲnʲ/, /lkŋ/
- /j/ with /k/ and sibilant or affricate: iks, ikš, ikc, ikč /jks/, /jkʃ/, /jkts/, /jktʃ/
- /ʋ/ with /k/ and sibilant or affricate: vks, vkš, vkc, vkč /ʋks/, /ʋkʃ/, /ʋkts/, /ʋktʃ/
- Liquid with /k/ and sibilant or affricate: rks, rkš, rkc, rkč, lks, lkš, lkc, lkč /rks/, /rkʃ/, /rkts/, /rktʃ/, /lks/, /lkʃ/, /lkts/, /lktʃ/
- /j/ with /s/ and plosive: isp, ist, istj, isk /jsp/, /jst/, /jstʲ/, /jsk/
- ps /ps/
The gradation of consonant clusters follows predictable rules for the first and second grade. In the first, the initial element of the cluster will be long, while the second will be short. In the second grade, both are short. It is mostly in the third grade that the various patterns differ.
Homorganic plosive-nasal combinations
Pattern: P:N - PN - N
In the third grade, the plosive disappears.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| pːm | pm | m | |
| tːn | tn | n | |
| tʲːnʲ | tʲnʲ | nʲ | |
| kːŋ | kŋ | ŋ |
Liquid-nasal combinations
Pattern: L:N - LN - N
Similar to the plosives. The liquid disappears in the third grade.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| rːm | rm | m | |
| rːn | rn | n | |
| rːnʲ | rnʲ | nʲ | |
| rːŋ | rŋ | ŋ | |
| lːm | rm | m | |
| lːn | rn | n | |
| lʲːnʲ | lʲnʲ | nʲ | |
| lːŋ | lŋ | ŋ |
Liquid-fricative combinations
Pattern: L:F - LF - L
In the third grade, it is the fricative that gets deleted.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| rːʋ | rʋ | r | |
| rːj | rj | r | |
| lːv | lv | l |
Liquid-plosive combinations
Pattern: L:P - LP - L:
The plosive disappears with compensatory lengthening on the liquid in the third grade.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| rːp | rp | rː | |
| rːt | rt | rː | |
| rːtʲ | rtʲ | rː | |
| rːk | rk | rː | |
| lːp | lp | lː | |
| lːt | lt | lː | |
| lʲːtʲ | lʲtʲ | lː | |
| lːk | lk | lː |
Preaspirated consonants
Pattern: h:P - hP - F
Preaspiration can be seen as a consonant of its own based on its behaviour. In the first grade, it is long; in the second it is short. In the third grade, the preaspirated plosive changes to a homorganic fricative.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| hːp | hp | v | |
| hːt | ht | θ | |
| hːtʲ | htʲ | j | |
| hːk | hk | h | |
| hːts | hts | sː | |
| hːtʃ | htʃ | ʃ |
/k/ with sibilant or affricate
Pattern: k:S - kS - S:, k:A - kA - A:
In the third grade, the sibilant or the affricate is long; /k/ disappears.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| kːs | ks | sː | |
| kːʃ | kʃ | ʃː | |
| kːts | kts | tsː | |
| kːtʃ | ktʃ | tʃː |
/j/ with plosive or affricate
Pattern: j:P - jP - j:, j:A - jA - j:
In the third grade, all combinations fall together in /j:/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| jːp | jp | jː | |
| jːt | jt | jː | |
| jːtʲ | jtʲ | jː | |
| jːk | jk | jː | |
| jːts | jts | jː | |
| jːtʃ | jtʃ | jː |
/s/ with plosive
Pattern: s:P - sP - s:
In the third grade, all combinations fall together in /s:/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| sːp | sp | sː | |
| sːt | st | sː | |
| sːtʲ | stʲ | sː | |
| sːk | sk | sː |
/ʋ/ with liquid
Pattern: ʋ:L - ʋL - L:
/ʋ/ disappears in the third grade; the liquid is long.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ʋːr | ʋr | rː | |
| ʋːl | ʋl | lː |
/j/ with homorganic plosive-nasal cluster
Pattern: j:PN - jPN - jN
Just as with the plosive-nasal combinations without /j/, the plosive disappears in the third grade.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| jːpm | jpm | jm | |
| jːtn | jtn | jn | |
| jːtʲnʲ | jtʲnʲ | jnʲ | |
| jːkŋ | jkŋ | jŋ |
Liquid with homorganic plosive-nasal cluster
Pattern: L:PN - LPN - LN
The plosive disappears in the third grade.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| rːpm | rpm | rm | |
| rːtn | rtn | rn | |
| rːtʲnʲ | rtʲnʲ | rnʲ | |
| rːkŋ | rkŋ | rŋ | |
| lːpm | lpm | lm | |
| lːtn | ltn | ln | |
| lʲːtʲnʲ | lʲtʲnʲ | lʲnʲ | |
| lːkŋ | lkŋ | lŋ |
/j/ with /k/ and sibilant or affricate
Pattern: j:kS - jkS - jS, j:kA - jkA - jA
Similar to simple combinations of /k/ with sibilants or affricates, but here they are short in the third grade.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| jːks | jks | js | |
| jːkʃ | jkʃ | jʃ | |
| jːkts | jkts | jts | |
| jːktʃ | sjktʃ | jtʃ |
/ʋ/ with /k/ and sibilant or affricate
Pattern: ʋ:kS - ʋkS - ʋS, ʋ:kA - ʋkA - ʋA
The same pattern as with initial /j/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ʋːks | ʋks | ʋs | |
| ʋːkʃ | ʋkʃ | ʋʃ | |
| ʋːkts | ʋkts | ʋts | |
| ʋːktʃ | sʋktʃ | ʋtʃ |
Liquid with /k/ and sibilant or affricate
Pattern: L:kS - LkS - LS, L:kA - LkA - LA
The same pattern as with initial /j/ or /ʋ/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| rːks | rks | rs | |
| rːkʃ | rkʃ | rʃ | |
| rːkts | rkts | rts | |
| rːktʃ | srktʃ | rtʃ | |
| lːks | lks | ls | |
| lːkʃ | lkʃ | lʃ | |
| lːkts | lkts | lts | |
| lːktʃ | slktʃ | ltʃ |
/j/ with /s/ and plosive
Pattern: j:SP - jSP - jS
Similar to combinations of /s/ with plosives, all combinations fall together in /s/.
| Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| jːsp | jsp | js | |
| jːst | jst | js | |
| jːstʲ | jstʲ | js | |
| jːsk | jsk | js |
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on 14/11/18 10:32+115Hastricabeen applying the wrong grade for hundreds of words, gotta roll with it now
