Arka

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Arka is a language created by "Seren Arbazard", a conlanger from Japan, with contributions from some 27 other people, including his two kids. He was hired to create it in 1991 and has worked on it since. His presentation of his conlang wasn't exactly executed nicely on the ZBB...

Lexicon

Arka is notable for having a lexicon of 16,627 words.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Labiodental Dent./Alv. Postalveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Nasal m (ɱ) n (ŋ) (ɴ)
Plosives p b t d k g ʔ
Fricatives f v s z ʃ ʒ (ç) (x) (χ) h
Approximants w l ɾ r ɹ j

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close
Near-close ɪ ɯ
Mid-close
Mid ə, əː
Mid-open ɛ ɔ
Open a ɑː

Syllable structure

The maximal syllabic structure is (C)(C)V(C)(C), exemplified by prest 'to be of good omen', though words beginning with a cluster are rare. Although the language is analyzed as having many clusters, these are often resolved with epenthetic schwas, e.g. fonl /fɔnl/ [fɔnlə].

Writing System

The writing system is an alphabet called "the Lunar alphabet". It uses 20 consonants and 5 vowels.

Basic Word Order

The basic word order is SVO.

Alfian siina fian.
boy like girl
'A boy likes a girl.'

Adjectives generally follow their nouns, and adverbs their verbs, though not always.

Miik lis.
apple small
'A small apple.'

Personal Pronouns and Demonstratives

Animate, near Animate, far Inanimate, near Inanimate, far
1SG an
2SG ti
3SG lu la tu le
1PL ans
2PL tiis
3PL luus laas tuus lees
Generic el

A plural morpheme can be analyzed: -Vs for the pronouns.

The 3rd person pronouns are demonstratives too, and can also work as determiners besides as pronouns.

Lu fian
this girl
'This girl.'

Animacy of animals varies: they can be considered animates or inanimates.

Adverbs

In the native grammar adverbs are divided in two main groups: leimfreyu ("ordinary adverbs") and levafreyu ("extraordinary adverbs").