Nasqi: Orthography, Phonotactics

[qiihoskeh]

Since the phonology of Nasqi hasn't been finalized, the orthography is preliminary as well. Ordinary English-style roman letters are used, minus <c, j, v, w, y> .

The vowel digraphs represent long vowels and diphthongs:

<ii>  [i:]
<ia>  [i@]
<iu>  [iu]
<ei>  [e:]  (could be [ei] ?)
<ee>  [E:]
<eu>  [eu]  (could be [Eu] ?)
<ae>  [ae]
<aa>  [a:]
<ao>  [ao]
<oi>  [oi]  (could be [Oi] ?)
<oo>  [O:]
<ou>  [o:]  (could be [ou] ?)
<ui>  [ui]
<ua>  [u@]
<uu>  [u:]

Single vowels are:

<i>  [i]
<e>  [E]
<a>  [@] in unstressable syllables, else [a]
<o>  [O]
<u>  [u]

The consonant digraphs represent geminates or geminate clusters (these are all coda + onset):

<pp>  [p:]
<tt>  [t:]
<kk>  [k:]
<pl>  [p:l]
<kl>  [k:l]
<ll>  [l:]
<gg>  [N:]

Single consonant letters are:

<p>  [p]
<t>  [t]
<k>  [k]
<q>  [?:] between vowels, else [?]
<b>  [b]
<d>  [d]
<g>  [g]
<m>  [m:] between vowels, else [m]
<n>  [n:] between vowels, [N] before <k> or <g> , else [n]
<f>  [f:] between vowels, else [f]
<z>  [s:] between vowels, else [s]
<s>  [S:] between vowels, else [S]
<x>  [X:] between vowels, else [X]
<h>  [h]
<l>  [l]
<r>  [r:] between vowels, else [r]

And now for some phonotactics.
* Coda consonants are moraic.
* Syllables with long vowels or diphthongs never have codas.
* Geminates and geminate clusters occur only between vowels.
* <h> appears only at the start of a stressable syllable.
* Other fricatives never appear as onsets.
* Likewise, <r> never appears as onset.
* Except for <q> , stops don't occur as codas.
* Voiced stops don't occur either initially or after voiceless codas.
* Nasals don't occur as onsets after <r> .
* <e> and <o> don't occur in unstressable syllables.