F0 Phonology and Orthography

[qiihoskeh]

Note: "F0" isn't the real name
Note: This isn't the real phonology. Also, this isn't the real orthography.

F0 has a simple CV phonology with 10 distinct onsets (13 phonetically and orthographically) and 24 distinct rhymes (which might be extended to 27). There's no stress.

The onsets are (using QAPA¹ for []):
/t/ [t] t
/k/ [k] k
/q/ [?] ' (written only when needed)
/f/ [f] f
/s/ [s] s
/h/ [x] h
/l/ [l] l
/b/ [b] b, [m] m
/d/ [d] d, [n] n
/j/ [*] j, [N] g
the nasal allophones occurring affter² nasal vowels (in an immediately preceding syllable).

There are 8 basic vowel qualities, in 3 groups.
The first group, [e], [o], and [V\], can only be short.
The second group, [i] and [u], can only be long.
The third group, [E], [O], and [A\], can be either nasal or long.

Long vowels distinguish 3 tones: rising (marked with acute), falling (marked with circumflex), and steady (marked with macron or that 2-dot thing). There is also a diphthong [A\i], which also distinguishes the 3 tones. If the rhyme-set is extended, there will be another diphthong [A\u] working similarly.

Because of the tone marking, only 5 vowel letters are needed:
i [i:]
u [u:]
e [E:], [e] (en is [E~])
o [O:], [o] (on is [O~])
a [A\], [V\] (an is [A\~], ai is [A\i], and au is [A\u])
Steady tone isn't marked on i, u, ai, or au. While a circumflex appears on the 1st letter of the diphthong, an acute appears on the 2nd.

1. although I haven't used markup for it since you don't have the font
2. "affter" = after and only after