Sumerian
| Sumerian Emegir | |
|---|---|
| Spoken in: | Sumer, Small groups of speakers in 12 to 15 countries. |
| Total declared fluent or learning speakers: | 2,002,030,780 (Estimate) |
| Genetic classification: | Language Isolate: No known relations. |
| Official language of: | Sumer |
| Regulated by: | Kalam Sajar Emegir National Counsel on the Sumerian Language |
Contents
Phonetic and Morphological Features
Spoken Sumerian is a very simple language in initial structure and pronounciation. This section will give a basic overview of Sumerian sounds and the formation of simple words. Knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet will be useful in learning the sounds.
Consonants
Sumerian comprises of fourteen phonemic consonants:
- /b/ Initial consonant sound in 'bike' (Voiced Bilabial Plosive)
- /m/ Initial consonant sound in 'map' (Boiced Bilabial Nasal)
- /d/ Initial consonant sound in 'dam' (Voiced Alveolar Plosive)
- /t/ Initial consonant sound in 'tank' (Voiceless Alveolar Plosive)
- /s/ Initial consonant sound in 'stick' (Voiceless Alveolar Fricative)
- /z/ Initial consonant sound in 'zoo' (Voiced Alveolar Fricative)
- /sh/ Final consonant sound in 'dash' (Voiceless Postalveolar Fricative)
- /j/ Final consonant sound in 'sing' (Voiced Palatal Nasal)
- /r/ Final consonant sound in 'car' (Voiced Alveolar Approximant)
- /l/ Initial consonant sound in 'light' (Voiced Alveolar Latteral Approximate)
- /n/ Initial/Final consonant sound in "noun" (Voiced Alveolar Nasal)
- /k/ Initial consonant sound in 'cat' (Voiceless Velar Plosive)
- /g/ Initial consonant sound in 'gun' (Voiced Velar Plosive)
- /x/ Final consonant sound in Scottish 'Loch' (Voiceless Uvular Plosive)
Vowels
Sumerian has only four phonemic vowels, with plenty of allophonic variation (see below) between speakers.
- /i/ As in 'hip' (Close Front Lax Unrounded)
- /e/ As in 'peg' (Close-mid front Unrounded)
- /u/ As in 'pull' (Close back lax)
- /a/ As in 'father' (Open-mid back unrounded)
Allophonic Variation
Allophonic variation in spoken Sumerian is tied exclusivly to the production of vowel sounds. The seperate allophonic variants are all considered the same distinct sound in the spoken language and are treated equal to that base phoneme that they replace. Variation exists solely within the individual speaker and is not strongly tied to regional or social differences. The fllowing chart can help distinguish allophonic variations:
- /e/ is considered allophonic with all Close-mid Front and Central vowels, rounded or unrounded, as well as the central vowel (schwa).
- /u/ is allophonic with the Close-mid back rounded vowel.
- /a/ is allophonic with all Open and Open-mid vowels.
