Nqotle

Nqotle /ŋ͡ǂɔ́t͡ɬe/ is a language in the continuous development stage, meaning it is undergoing rapid changes and is poorly defined.

Phonology

The latest phonology of Nqotle, as determined from its vocabulary is as follows:

Pulmonic Consonants: /m n ŋ p t ɟ k ɡ ʔ tʰ t͡ɬ β s ʃ ʝ x j l r ⱱ ɾ/

Glottalic Consonants: /t͡sʼ sʼ/

Click Consonants: /ŋ͡ʘ ŋ͡ǁ ŋ͡ǂ ɴ͡ǀ ŋ͡ǀˀ k͡ʘ k͡ǀ k͡ǁ ɡ͡ʘ ɡ͡ǀ ɡ͡ǃ k͡ǀʰ k͡ǁʰ k͡ǁˀ k͡ǂˀ/

Vowels: /i u e o a ɔ e̤ a̤ ui oi ai au m̩ n̩/

Pragmatics

Formality

Nqotle exhibits a spectrum of formality that its speakers can use, which affects syntax and morphology. The lines between complete formal and informal registers is blurred because both use a mix of formality and informality markers, the difference of which is much clearer. Different parts of a sentence can be marked as formal or informal depending on their semantic role and/or the speaker's expression of opinion. Clauses exhibit formality harmony which can only be blocked by rules regarding which words must have a certain formality.

Syntax

The basic word order in Nqotle is Object-Verb-Subject.

Adjectives

Adjectives precede formal nouns, but follow informal nouns.

Adverbs

Adverbs can be placed in a variety of different locations in a sentence, but each for a specific reason. Adverbs initial to a clause indicate that they mark a necessary element relating to the event described by the verb such that it could not have occurred without it. For example, the prepositional phrase "with my friend" would need to be first in the sentence "I went to school with my friend," if the friend was essential to the speaker being able to go to the school, either because they could not find it or the friend had unique access.

Lexicon

βíksù (pen)

táβù (car)

tʰàu (pants)

tûlì (chair)

ómmè (small table)

ɔ́mmè (large table)

ŋ͡ʘìt͡sʼén (shirt)

ŋ͡ʘírîɾì (dotted pattern)

ŋ͡ǂóŋ͡ǁì (paper)

k͡ǂˀáʔì (train)