Hombraian -- a conlang based on Spanish


Phonetics
*********

Vowels:
a [a]
e [e] after i, [i] otherwise
o [o] after u, [u] otherwise

Glides:
i [j]
u [w]

Consonants:
p [p]
t [tS] before e, i, [t] otherwise
c [k]
b [b]
d [dZ] before e, i, [d] otherwise
g [g]
f [f]
s [h] at the end of syllables, [S] before e, i, [s] otherwise
ti [tS]
di [dZ]
si [S]
z [Z]
x [S]
h [h]

Stress:
The stress accent falls onto the penultimate syllable of the word if
it ends in a vowel, n or h, otherwise onto the ultimate syllable. 
An irregular stress is marked with a grave accent.  Unlike in 
Spanish, a two-vowel ending like -eo is always interpreted as two
syllables /'i.u/ for the purposes of stress.



Phonological Derivation
***********************

...or how to derive Hombraian vocabulary from Spanish stock.

All vocalic [i] and [u] are spelled e and o.  Stressed [e] and [o]
become ie and uo, except at word boundaries, in final syllables or after 
u and i respectively, where they remain e and o (pronounced [i] and [u]).  
The common diphthongs [je] and [we] become ia and ua instead.  

Consonants undergo changes that are often reflected in writing.  In
the following, the symbol Y is taken to mean a following front vowel (i or
e), while W means a following back vowel (a o u), consonant or word
boundary.  The symbol # represents a word boundary, V an arbitrary vowel.


p:        Stable.
t:        Stable.
cW, qu:   Always written as c.

b,v:      Always written as b at word beginnings and after m, n.
          Becomes u otherwise.
          If this yields syllable-final eu, change it to io.
d:        Stable at word beginnings, after n and before r.
          Becomes z between a vowel and i, e.
          Vanishes after r, l, but thereby geminates those liquids.
          Vanishes completely otherwise.
gW, guY:  Stable at word beginnings, after n and before r, l.
          Vanishes after r, l, but thereby geminates those liquids.
          Vanishes completely otherwise.
	    
f:        Stable.
h:        Vanishes.	    	    
ch:       Becomes x.
gY, j:    Becomes h.
s, z, cY: Always written as s.
ll, y:    Becomes z.

r:        Stable.
l:        Stable.

n:        Nv becomes mb.
          Otherwise stable.
m:        Stable.
n~:       Becomes ni.

	  

Sample Text
***********

Straight transliteration, without taking care of vocab and grammar... 
just demonstrating the sound changes.

Spanish:
El viento norte y el sol porfiaban sobre cua'l de ellos era el ma's 
fuerte, cuando acerto' a pasar un viajero envuelto en ancha capa.

Hombraian:
El bianto nuorte e el swol porfiauan soure cual de ezos era el mas 
fuarte, cuan aserto' a pasar on biahiero embualto en anxa capa.

Pronunciation:
[il 'bjantu 'nwortSi i il swol pur'fjawan 'sowri kwal dZi 'iZuh 'ira 
il mah 'fwartSi  kwan aSir'tu a pa'sar um bja'hjeru im'bwaltu in 
'anSa 'kapa]


And another one...

Spanish:
Todos los seres humanos nacen libres e iguales en dignidad y derechos y, dotados como esta'n de razo'n y conciencia, deben comportarse fraternalmente los unos con los otros.

Hombraian:
Tuoos los sieres omanos nasen liores e ihuales en denea' e driexos e,
dotaos cuomo tan de raso'n e consiansia, dieuen comportarse 
fraternalmiente los onos con los otros.

Pronunciation:
['twouh luh 'Serih u'manuh 'naSin 'ljurih i i'hwalih in dZini'a i]
['drjeSuh i  du'tauh 'kwomu tan dZi ra'sun i kun'SanSa  'dZewin]
[kumpur'tarSi fratSirnal'mjentSi luh 'unuh kun luh 'otruh]



Grammar Changes
***************

Don't know yet...  possibly some Russian influences in verb endings,
producing -x [S] in 2sg and -m [m] in 1pl as well as return to the
nos, vos pronouns even for nominative.