====== English-7 ======
This is a set of alternate 'spelling systems' for the English language, and the basis of my own romanization systems.\\
===== Introduction =====
A long time ago, I had started working on a personal project. The project's goal was to recreate the English language from scratch, so I could learn to understand it better, among other reasons. This project...was very //very// stupid...so I abandoned it soon afterwards.\\
However, I had created an alternative spelling system during this project. It was intended to be more phonetic and regular. Interestingly, while the personal project was abandoned, I continued to work on the spelling systems. This is what I'm sharing here.\\
The project was called 'English-7' and since this is a completely different thing now, I plan to rename it at some point...but it's alright for now.
===== Consonants & Vowels =====
These are the tables for the consonants and vowels in the English language, represented using the IPA. While I //think// it is accurate, I can't be sure.\\
The following sections explain the use of particular letters in more detail.
^ Consonants ^ labial ^ dental ^ alveolar ^ postalv. ^ palatal ^ velar ^ glottal ^
^ nasal | m | | n | | | ng, n /ŋ/ | |
^ plosive/affricate | p | | t | ch /tʃ/ | | k | |
^ ::: | b | | d | j /dʒ/ | | g | |
^ fricative | f | th /θ/ | s | sh /ʃ/ | | | h |
^ ::: | v | dh /ð/ | z | zh /ʒ/ | | | ::: |
^ approximant | w | | l | | y, ȷ /j/ | (w) | |
^ rhotic | | | r | | | | |
^ Vowels ^ non-back ^^ back ^^
^ ::: ^ tense ^ lax ^ tense ^ lax ^
^ close | í /i:/ | i /ɪ/ | ú /u:/ | u /ʊ/ |
^ mid | | è /ə/ | | |
^ open-mid | é /ɜː/ | e /ɛ/ | ó /ɔː/ | ù /ʌ/ |
^ open | | a /æ/ | á /ɑː/ | o /ɒ/ |
===== Orthographic Rules =====
Here things get a bit complicated, as I've created //several// different spelling systems. Unfortunately, due to my general incompetence, I don't know if there are 2 or 3.\\
The reasons behind creating multiple systems will become more clear.
==== Pure/Advanced (P/A) ====
This is a purely phonemic system.\\
I've forgotten why I originally created it, but it eventually settled into a way to write words out phonetically, without relying on the IPA (which doesn't look very good).\\
The other system(s) rely on this one, and I use it as a kind of 'standard' romanization for my conlangs (WIP).
=== Additional Rules ===
* Vowels
* The Schwa (ə) is represented using an e with a grave (◌̀).
* The /ʌ/ is represented using a u with a grave (◌̀).
* Long vowels are written with the acute (◌́).
* á (aa); í (ii); ú (uu); é (ee); ó (oo)
* The diphthongs in English are represented in one of two ways:
- Any diphthong that contains a /ɪ/ is represented as the preceding letter with a diaeresis (◌̈).
* ë (ei); ö (oi); ä (ai)
- Any diphthong that contains a /ʊ/ is represented as the preceding letter with an overdot (◌̇).
* ȧ (au); ȯ (ou)
* Consonants
* Digraphs
* /tʃ/ is represented with Ch ch.
* /θ/ is represented with Th th.
* /ð/ is represented with Dh dh.
* /ʒ/ is represented with Zh zh.
* The /ŋ/ sound has the following rules:
- If the following letter is a //k// or //g// it is represented with the letter n.
- In all other cases, it is represented with Ŋ ŋ
* If the preceding letter is a consonant, the palatal approximant (/j/) is represented with a dotless j (ȷ).
=== Misc Notes ===
I variously made use of a few alternate letters, especially for the digraphs. However, the letters I tried using didn't look all that great.\\
I've become aware that there's a bit of a problem in representing the vowels /ʊ/ and /ʌ/. I will attempt to fix this at some point. I believe I have fixed it.
==== Regular (R) ====
This was initially 2 separate systems that I ended up merging. This was because both ended up having the same result most of the time.\\
The Regular system is more complex than the **P/A**, this is mostly for æsthetic reasons. \\
As far as I can tell, the system is usable but still incomplete. 'Incomplete' meaning 'not ideal.'
=== Additional Rules ===
Unless a rule here directly contradicts a previously established rule, you should assume that the rules of **P/A** apply.
* Individual Letters
* If a long vowel ends a word, the diacritic is removed and the letter -h is added.
* /ɪ/ is represented with a y if it's at the end of a word. However, diphthongs have a few extras:
* The ä (ai) is represented with ÿ (ai).
* The ë (ei) is represented with ey at the end of a word.
* The /ə/ is represented with a è. When the letter is on its own it's represented with a a.
* The /k/ has two special rules:
- Represented with c when at the start of a word.
- Represented with q when at the end of a word.
* /ks/ and /gz/ are represented with x.
* /ŋ/ is represented with ng when at the end of a word.
* The ï is a variant of ä. Use of it is generally optional.
* Multiple Letters
* /er/ is represented with -re, but only when at the end of a word.
* /èr/ is represented with -rè.
* /ju:/ is represented with eu-, but only when the word is related to Europe.
* I'm changing my mind on this. I think that eu- should always be read as /ju:/ now.
* /kʃ/ is represented with ct when in the middle of a word.
* /kw/ is represented with qu-.
* /ʃ/ can be represented with sc when in the middle of a word, unless there's a suffix following it.
=== Misc Notes ===
==== Extraneous (E) ====
This //might// be the last system. It is even less complete than **R**. This one is meant to resemble English as closely as possible, while still being somewhat 'regular.'\\
The rules are effectively the same as **R**, but additional rules are added to remove diacritics and stuff for æsthetics.\\
As it's incomplete, I don't believe it can actually be comfortably used.
* Individual Letters
* Long Vowels:
* When at the start or middle of a word:
* á - ah
* í - ie
* ú - oo
* é - ee
* ó - au
* When at the end of a word or on its own:
* Every one ends with a h. ah; ih; uh; eh; oh;
* Diphthongs:
* When in the middle of a word:
* ï - ai
* When following a Qu: i.
* When the following letter is a t, it is represented as ite.
* When the following letter is a k, it is represented as ike.
* ë - ei
* When the following letter is a t, it is represented as ate.
* When the following letter is a k, it is represented as ake.
* ö - oi
* ȧ - ao
* ȯ - oa
* When at the end of a word or on its own:
* ï - I
* Multiple Letters
* Being worked on...
===== Trivia =====
* It should be kept in mind that I'm not a professional linguist. Most of my knowledge comes from a combination of disconnected sources.
{{tag>linguas}}