Unuvi language

From PavHaki Wiki

Unuvi /unuⱱi/ is a language that was first spoken on the island of Unuvun and eventually spread across the entire globe as the lingua franca of the Nautical Peace.

Phonology

This overview mainly describes the Hsuvei accent, the most prestigious form of Unuvi.

Consonants

PULMONIC Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive
p~p̪ b~b̪
t d
c~k
Nasal
m
n~ɲ
Tap or Flap
ɾ~ɺ
Fricative
f v~ⱱ
s z
ʃ ʒ
x~h
Approximant
ʋ~ɹ
j ~ ç
Affricate
tʃ dʒ

Vowels

MONOPTHONGS Front Back
Close
i i˞
u u˞
Near Open
æ æ˞
Open
ɒ ɒ˞
DIPHTHONGS Front Back
Non-Rhotacized
æi æɒ æu
ui uæ uɒ
Rhotacized
æi˞ æu˞
ui˞ uæ˞

Phonotactics

Unuvi follows a simple CCVC syllable structure. However, onsets of two consonants are severely limited to the following scheme:

Approximants Fricatives Stops
ʋ~ɹ
ɹj
ʋⱱ, ɹz, ɹʒ, ɹx
ʃ~x~h
hɹ, hj
hv, ʃz
xk
f, v
fl, vl
fʃ, vʒ

Codas are limited /n ɺ/.

Stress, rhythm and intonation

It is mora-timed and uses a pitch accent system.

Grammar

The language of Unuvi is highly analytic.