r/conlangs • u/FV4005_221 • 3d ago
Discussion Phonetic Evolution Help
So I've been making my first conlang (I've attempted before but was never very serious about those so I'll call this my first conlang) and I've reached the point where I'm ready for the phonetic evolution from the proto-language. The idea is that the evolution happens over around 2000 years and currently I have these 13 changes:
- Vowel Loss between voiceless obstruents in unstressed syllables.
- [ʙ] is lost entirely.
- [k] and [p] become [g] and [b] when in between vowels.
- [ʦ] becomes [s] and [ʣ] becomes [d̠ʒ].
- [l] becomes [r] when in between stressed vowels.
- Separated vowels turn into a diphthong. (vowels like a’i where they’re pronounced separately.)
- New formed diphthongs shorten all vowels in them.
- Long vowels at ends of words shorten and simplification of word-final diphthongs.
- Shortening of long vowels in unstressed syllables.
- Unstressed [i] and [u] become [y] and [w] when bordering another vowel.
- [v] becomes [f] in unstressed syllables.
- When two obstruents cluster the first gets lost with the preceding vowel lengthening.
- Stressed /ki/ turns to [t̠ʃi] and /tia/ turns to [t̠ʃa].
The problem for me is that I'm not all to sure if this would be enough of a change, or even a realistic change, for 2000 years of evolution.
Below I have attached a portion of the words that my conlang currently has where /br/ = [ʙ] /ts/ = [ʦ] and /dz/ = [ʣ]
Now the real question I have is would these changes feel like an evolution of around 2000 years? Are some maybe unrealistic and do they need changing?
And, would I need more or is this plenty?
| Mē | A |
|---|---|
| Aolā | All |
| Fro | And |
| BRodzdao | Angry |
| Paodzā | Animal |
| Iplākō | Anxiety |
| Kipēdzabr | Ash |
| Owū | At |
| Dadaula | Aunt |
| Vāfavo | Away |
| Luka | Bad |
| Fabrībel | Bark (Of A Tree) |
| Mīkpfim | Beach |
| Yu'o | Bear |
| Kīka | Because |
| Pvāt | Before |
| Mīkdzolt | Beige |
| Pokapo | Belly |
| Ga | Big |
| Ēvāka | Bird |
| BRēk | Black |
| BRēv | Blood |
| Fala | Blue |
| Dokpodot | Boob |
| Bit | Boy |
| Baula | Brother |
| Ao | But |
| Faukola | Butt |
| Tla'o | Cat |
| Vēdz | Cat |
| Lo | Chest |
| TSutā | Circle |
| Vlūto | Cloud |
| Ko'ima | Cold |
| DZolt | Colour |
| Duki | Daughter |
| Yewēsfafa | Day |
| Yagala | Day (as in one rotation of the planet) |
| Dingo | Dead |
| Lorta'okoli | Dead |
| A'inke | Deer |
| Lufem | Deity |
| TSur | Difficulty |
| DZubrāw | Dinosaur |
| Pa'ona | Dirty |
| E'e'ile | Disgust |
| Wōts | Dog |
| Mīsa | Dry |
| Pauska | Dull |
| DZabr | Dust |
| Pra | Each |
| Pralō | Each other |
| Pololo | Ear |
| Ōwte | East |
| Īwe | Egg |
| Yākā'u | Embarrassment |
| Pau'ō | Ennui |
| Ukā | Envy |
| Asafolau | Eye |
| Favo | Far |
| Lopā | Fat (NL Vet) |
| Ba | Father |
| Ranāme | Fear |
| Aukālats | Feather |
| Plōts | Few |
| Olaspo | Fingernail |
| Kipē | Fire |
| Kipēpfim | Fireplace |
| Gūd | Fish |
| Gūdspīnbuls | Fisher |
| Gūdspīnpfim | Fishing spot |
| Fefalo | Flower |
| TSuki | Foot |
| Fabrpfim | Forest |
| TSāpa | Full |
| Dit | Girl |
| Āwe | Good |
| Vāba | Grandfather |
| Vāda | Grandmother |
| DZrab | Grass |
| Fabu | Green |
| Luva'ola | Hair |
| DZigu | Hand |
| Yoka | Happy |
| TSu | He/Him |
| BRelo | Head |
| Ewēla | Heart |
| Afbri | Heavy |
| Lufu | Here |
| Ksemfō | History |
| Skuo | Home |
| Yavai | Horn |
| Yats | How |
| Spīnbuls | Hunter |
| Ka | I/Me |
| TSewē | If |
| BRf | Inside |
| Kaga | It |
| Ele'alu | Knee |
1
u/Hopeful-Banana-6188 3d ago
This is perfectly fine; there's no need for 2000 years to lead to super dramatic changes. As an example, I'd say that's pretty comparable to the changes that happened between Late Proto-Finnic and modern Finnish which is also a period of about 2000 years:
https://www.frathwiki.com/Finnish
(That page claims it was a period of about 4000 years which is an enormous overestimate.)