Phonology
1 min read · 261 words
1. Vowels
Simple vowels
Letter | IPA | Initial | Medial | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
a | /a/ | yes | yes | yes |
e | /e/ | yes | yes | yes |
i | /i/ | yes | yes | yes |
o | /o/ | yes | yes | yes |
u | /u/ | yes | yes | yes |
Long vowels
Letter | IPA | Initial | Medial | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ā | /aː/ | yes | yes | yes |
ē | /eː/ | yes | yes | yes |
ī | /iː/ | yes | yes | yes |
ō | /oː/ | yes | yes | yes |
ū | /uː/ | yes | yes | yes |
Diphthongs
Spelling | IPA | Initial | Medial | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ai | /ai̯/ | yes | yes | yes |
au | /au̯/ | yes | yes | yes |
ei | /ei̯/ | rare | yes | yes |
2. Single Consonants
Letter | IPA | Initial | Medial | Final | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
p | /p/ | yes | yes | limited | Final p exists but is uncommon. |
b | /b/ | yes | yes | no | Final b becomes p. |
t | /t/ | yes | yes | yes | Common final consonant. |
d | /d/ | yes | yes | no | Final d becomes t. |
c | /k/ | yes | yes | yes | Always /k/. Never soft. |
g | /g/ | yes | yes | no | Final g becomes c. |
m | /m/ | yes | yes | yes | Common final consonant. |
n | /n/ | yes | yes | yes | Becomes [ŋ] before c/g. |
f | /f/ | yes | yes | no | No final f. |
s | /s/ | yes | yes | yes | Never becomes /z/. |
h | /h/ | yes | yes | no | Breath sound, not final. |
l | /l/ | yes | yes | yes | Clear /l/. |
r | /r/ | yes | yes | yes | [ɾ] between vowels. |
w | /w/ | yes | yes | no | No /v/. |
3. Special Spellings
Spelling | IPA | Initial | Medial | Final | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ts | /t͡s/ | yes | yes | yes | Signature Asteran sound. |
cs | /ks/ | no | yes | yes | Replaces x. |
nc | /ŋk/ | no | yes | yes | From /n/ before c. |
ng | /ŋg/ | no | yes | no | Only medial. |
So ts behaves like a single consonant, while cs is a consonant cluster.
4. Sound Rules
r → ɾ / V_V
n → ŋ / _c
n → ŋ / _g
e → ɛ / _r
ē → ɛː / _r
o → ɔ / _r
ō → ɔː / _r
b → p / _#
d → t / _#
g → c / _#
No vowel reduction. Asteran keeps vowels clear in unstressed syllables.
5. Basic Syllable Structure
The ordinary syllable shape is:
(C)(C)V(V)(C)(C)
With one special three-consonant onset:
str-
Examples of valid syllables:
a
ca
cal
calt
tra
cran
stran
tsar
aust
6. Allowed Initial Clusters
Cluster | IPA |
|---|---|
pr | /pr/ |
br | /br/ |
tr | /tr/ |
dr | /dr/ |
cr | /kr/ |
gr | /gr/ |
pl | /pl/ |
bl | /bl/ |
cl | /kl/ |
gl | /gl/ |
fr | /fr/ |
fl | /fl/ |
sp | /sp/ |
st | /st/ |
sc | /sk/ |
str | /str/ |
ts | /t͡s/ |
7. Allowed Medial Clusters
Stop + liquid clusters
pr br tr dr cr gr
pl bl cl gl
fr fl
S-clusters
sp st sc str
Nasal clusters
Cluster | IPA |
|---|---|
mp | /mp/ |
mb | /mb/ |
nt | /nt/ |
nd | /nd/ |
nc | /ŋk/ |
ng | /ŋg/ |
Liquid clusters
Cluster | IPA |
|---|---|
lp | /lp/ |
lb | /lb/ |
lt | /lt/ |
ld | /ld/ |
lc | /lk/ |
lg | /lg/ |
ls | /ls/ |
rp | /rp/ |
rb | /rb/ |
rt | /rt/ |
rd | /rd/ |
rc | /rk/ |
rg | /rg/ |
rs | /rs/ |
Special medial clusters
ts
cs
8. Allowed Final Consonants
Simple final consonants
Final | IPA |
|---|---|
m | /m/ |
n | /n/ |
l | /l/ |
r | /r/ |
s | /s/ |
t | /t/ |
c | /k/ |
p | /p/ limited |
Most common final consonants are:
-n -t -c -s -r -l
Final clusters
Final cluster | IPA |
|---|---|
mp | /mp/ |
nt | /nt/ |
nc | /ŋk/ |
lt | /lt/ |
lc | /lk/ |
ls | /ls/ |
rt | /rt/ |
rc | /rk/ |
rs | /rs/ |
st | /st/ |
sc | /sk/ |
cs | /ks/ |
ts | /t͡s/ |
9. Stress
Default stress is penultimate:
As-TE-ran
ca-LES-ta
sa-REN
Long vowels and diphthongs are heavy and tend to attract stress:
SĀ-len
cau-RĀN
ma-REI