Pegbian Language

The Language of Pegbian

Natively known as: pegb /peg͡b/

...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...

ne klem shu kläg gle dung ne tru kläg bëtne ẙëg pri tib

Pronunciation: /ne klem ʃu kləg gle duŋ ne tru kləg bɛtˈne ʎɛg pri tib/

Pegbian word order: and stood holding his hat he and turned his wet face to the wind

Spelling & Phonology

Consonant inventory: b d f g g͡b j k k͡p l m n p q r t w x ŋ ɢ ʃ ʎ ʔ χ

Manner/Place

Bilabial:

Nasal = m

Stop = p b

Labiodental :

Fricative = f

Alveolar:

Nasal = n

Stop = t, d

Trill = r

Lateral approximant = l

Palato-alveolar:

Fricative = ʃ

Palatal:

Approximant = j

Lateral approximant = ʎ

Velar:

Nasal = ŋ

Stop = k, g

Fricative = x

Uvular:

Stop = q ɢ

Fricative = χ

Glottal:

Stop = ʔ

Co-articulated phonemes

Manner/Place = Labial-velar

Stop = k͡p g͡b

Approximant = w

Vowel inventory: a e i o u ɔ ə ɛ

Front:

High = i

Hig Mid = e

Low Mid = ɛ

Low = a

Central:

Mid = ə

Back:

High = u

High Mid = o

Low Mid = ɔ

Syllable structure: (C)(C)V(C) ?

Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable ?

Spelling rules:

Pronunciation = Spelling

ʔ = ʻ

ɔ = aw

ɛ = ë

ə = ä

g͡b= gb

j = y

k͡p = kp

x = kh

ŋ = ng

ʃ = sh

χ = gh

ɢ = g̊

ʎ = ẙ

Nouns

Nouns have two cases:

• Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.

• Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.

Nominative:

No affix

tyang /tjaŋ/

dog (doing the verb)

Accusative:

If starts with vowel: Prefix lw-

Else: Prefix lwɛ-

lwëtyang /lwɛˈtjaŋ/

(verb done to) dog

Singular:

If starts with vowel: Prefix k-

Else: Prefix ko-

kotyang /koˈtjaŋ/

dog

Plural:

No affix

tyang /tjaŋ/

dogs

Articles

Definite:

bë /bɛ/

the

Indefinite:

gi /gi/

a, some

Uses of definite article that differ from English:

• Used to talk about countable nouns in general: English's 'I like cats' would translate to 'I like the cats'

Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:

• Not used for non-specific mass (uncountable) nouns: non-specific means 'Would you like some (any) tea?' whereas specific means 'Some tea (a specific amount) fell off the truck'

Pronouns

Nominative Accusative

1st singular:

bleẙ /bleʎ/

I bakp /bak͡p/

me

2nd singular:

prang /praŋ/

you brëd /brɛd/

you

3rd singular masc:

dung /duŋ/

he, it yëgb /jɛg͡b/

him, it

3rd singular fem:

dë /dɛ/

she, it pë /pɛ/

her, it

1st plural:

lwosh /lwoʃ/

we bray /braj/

us

2nd plural:

ba /ba/

you all gbe /g͡be/

you all

3rd plural:

plum /plum/

they ẙe /ʎe/

them

Possessive determiners

1st singular ë /ɛ/

my

2nd singular nëg̊ /nɛɢ/

your

3rd singular masc kläg /kləg/

his

3rd singular fem puq /puq/

her

1st plural yuw /juw/

our

2nd plural ën /ɛn/

your (pl)

3rd plural blë /blɛ/

their

Numbers

Pegbian has a base-20 number system:

1 - paw

2 - khyi

3 - a

4 - flëka

5 - qäg

6 - ri

7 - ä

8 - peg

9 - trä

10 - tro

11 - kapë

12 - ktërga

13 - elmuy

14 - kig

15 - pän

16 - byig̊

17 - klid

18 - ew

19 - fotkha

20 - beẙ

21 - beẙ ne paw "twenty and one"

400 - paw shësh "one fourhundred"

401 - paw shësh ne paw "one fourhundred and one"

800 - khyi shësh "two fourhundred"

8000 - paw ftawbem "one eightthousand"

Derivational morphology

Adjective → adverb = Suffix -uʃ

Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix gwa-

Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p

Else: Suffix -ap

Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -ɛ

Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -g

Else: Suffix -ag

Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p

Else: Suffix -up

Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -e

Tending to = If ends with vowel: Suffix -g

Else: Suffix -ɛg

Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -ɛ

Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Prefix mwi-

One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m

Else: Suffix -ɛm

Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -r

Else: Suffix -ur

Diminutive = Suffix -ib

Augmentative = Suffix -ɔ

Pegbian - English Dictionary

Key: spelling /pronunciation/ part of speech. definition(s)

adj. adjective | adv. adverb | art. article | conj. conjunction | det. determiner | interj. interjection | n. noun | num. numeral | prep. preposition | pron. pronoun | v. verb

• a /a/ num. three

• äg /əg/ v. become (begin to be), become (change into)

• am /am/ v. feel (sense by touch), feel (examine by touch)

• apwawb /aˈpwɔb/ n.saddle

• atgërë /atgɛˈrɛ/ n.election

• äwdë /əwˈdɛ/ adj.single

• awpe /ɔˈpe/ adj.angry, mad

• äy /əj/ v. flow, leak

• bakhaw /baˈxɔ/ n.nail

• bänlä /bəˈnlə/ n.crack, accident

• bawd fyangki /bɔd fjaŋˈki/ n. astronomy

• bawrgë /bɔrˈgɛ/ n.route

• bëg̊ë /bɛˈɢɛ/ n. control

• bëpfatëd /bɛpfaˈtɛd/n. field, pasture

• bi /bi/ v. use, utilize

• blam /blam/ v.borrow

• ble /ble/ adj.necessary

• bleẙ /bleʎ/ pron. I

• blo /blo/ v. nod

• bombanged /bombaˈŋed/ n. band (musical group)

• bräd /brəd/ v. boil

• brarko /brarˈko/ adj.quiet, silent, shy

• brawyor /brɔˈjor/ n.stable

• brëg /brɛg/ v. chase

• brëyëm /brɛˈjɛm/ n.ruler

• bro /bro/ conj.because

• bror /bror/ adj. major

• bug̊ /buɢ/ v. call (refer to by name), dub

• buygë /bujˈgɛ/ n. trail

• bwänbosh /bwənˈboʃ/v. sort, arrange

• bwawtno /bwɔtˈno/ n.respect

• bwir /bwir/ n. factor, variable

• byäb /bjəb/ n. mother

• byapeg /bjaˈpeg/ n.diamond

• byem /bjem/ n.wound, trauma

• byo /bjo/ n. kind, type

• däbë /dəˈbɛ/ n.painting

• daw /dɔ/ n. village

• dëg /dɛg/ n. trauma, wound

• dër mdaqta /dɛr mdaqˈta/ n. parsley

• do /do/ n. belly

• drali /draˈli/ n.growth

• draww /drɔw/ prep.despite

• drem /drem/ v. shine, glow

• dub /dub/ n. root

• ë /ɛ/ n. thing, object, item

• ëffalmaw /ɛffalˈmɔ/ v.debate

• egfäkëp prä /egfəˈkɛp prə/ n. notebook

• emu /eˈmu/ n.dungeon

• erëẙ /eˈrɛʎ/ pron.everything

• ëwsha /ɛwˈʃa/ adj.tough, sturdy, robust

• famem /faˈmem/ n.chance, odds

• fë /fɛ/ n. system

• fläd /fləd/ det.whatever

• flayshaw fyangkim/flajˈʃɔ fjaŋˈkim/ n.psychologist

• flesh shlë /fleʃ ʃlɛ/ n.louse

• flom /flom/ v. jerk

• ftä /ftə/ v. keep (not return)

• ftëghup /ftɛˈχup/ v.accuse

• fu /fu/ n. dirt, mud, pornography

• fwap /fwap/ n. bridge

• fwë /fwɛ/ adj. easy, simple

• fwië /fwiˈɛ/ n. proof

• fyä /fjə/ n. store, shop, arsenal

• fye /fje/ adj. wrong

• fyub fwawy /fjub fwɔj/ n. raft

• gäg̊ /gəɢ/ n. attitude

• gam /gam/ n. kid

• g̊au /ɢaˈu/ v. sneeze

• gaww /gɔw/ n.balcony, porch

• gbe /g͡be/ pron. you all

• gbomi /g͡boˈmi/ n.armor

• g̊ë /ɢɛ/ n. comedy

• gekp /gek͡p/ n. box

• genlawgra /genlɔˈgra/n. neighbor

• gëtwa /gɛˈtwa/ n.music

• gig /gig/ n. fire

• glä /glə/ n. flesh

• glaw /glɔ/ v. happen, occur

• gloë /gloˈɛ/ n.memory

• g̊o /ɢo/ v. catch, capture, seize

• goraw /goˈrɔ/ det.every, each

• gwaawpe /gwaɔˈpe/ n.anger

• gwagaw /gwaˈgɔ/ n.foreigner

• gwäq /gwəq/ conj.but

• gwawm /gwɔm/ n.person

• gwuẙ /gwuʎ/ pron.none

• gyaw /gjɔ/ v. solve, figure out

• gyëq /gjɛq/ n. source, well, fountain

• gyo /gjo/ prep. under, below

• igbëm /ig͡bˈɛm/ n.lawyer

• ish /iʃ/ v. fight

• kä /kə/ n. room (of house)

• käugb /kəˈug͡b/ n.brother

• kë /kɛ/ v. suggest, hint

• khag /xag/ adj. next

• khawgraw /xɔˈgrɔ/ n.coffee

• khëkp /xɛk͡p/ n. fog

• khigë /xiˈgɛ/ n.decision

• khoshkho /xoʃˈxo/ v.print

• khyam /xjam/ n.mess

• khye /xje/ v. teach, instruct, educate, coach, explain

• khyig /xjig/ v. steal, rob

• kinlo /kiˈnlo/ adj.general

• klapi /klaˈpi/ prep.beyond

• klawlʻi /klɔlˈʔi/ prep.out, outside

• klëtdaush /klɛtdaˈuʃ/adv. previously

• klod /klod/ adj. silly

• kopug /koˈpug/ n.market, mall

• kpe /k͡pe/ n. grass

• kpiẙ /k͡piʎ/ n. cell, compartment

• krag /krag/ v. remove, take out, deprive, take away, erase, expel

• kreg /kreg/ v. avoid, dodge, escape

• kriryaw /kriˈrjɔ/ n.sponge

• krug /krug/ adv.about

• ktawm /ktɔm/ n.dealer

• ktoawg̊ /ktoˈɔɢ/ v. bite

• ktulwa /ktuˈlwa/ v.push, grow, press

• lwa /lwa/ adv. down

• lwawm /lwɔm/ v. fill

• lwo /lwo/ n. base, ground

• lyaw /ljɔ/ n. work

• lyëfuy /ljɛˈfuj/ n.study

• lyi /lji/ adj. fat, big, obese, broad

• lyud /ljud/ v. fuck

• mdaqta byid /mdaqˈta bjid/ n. medicine

• mdëgaw /mdɛˈgaw/adj. delicious

• mdiẙ /mdiʎ/ n.holiday, vacation

• mlän /mlən/ n. loop

• mlëg̊ /mlɛɢ/ n. advice

• mlib /mlib/ n.husband

• mpaw /mpɔ/ n.brush, beard, brush (for hair), broom

• mpëgup /mpɛˈgup/ v.authorize

• mpiʻdab /mpiʔˈdab/ n.harmony, melody

• mwäg /mwəg/ n.land, earth, ground, country (rural area), planet

• mwaẙëm /mwaˈʎɛm/v. see, realize, perceive, scan, recognize, notice, date, go out

• mwibyenong/mwibjeˈnoŋ/ n. order

• mwinlaming/mwinlaˈmiŋ/ n.spelling

• mwiw /mwiw/ adj.aroused (sexually)

• mwup /mwup/ v.finish

• näkyën /nəˈkjɛn/ n.penis

• nash /naʃ/ n. shade, shadow, hue, umbrella

• nawp /nɔp/ v.research

• nëb /nɛb/ prep. like

• nëbbog /nɛbˈbog/ n.public

• nëpshu /nɛpˈʃu/ pron.anything

• nigb /nig͡b/ n. cat

• nigbib /nig͡bˈib/ n.kitten

• nlam /nlam/ n.thought, reason, logic, concept

• nlëʻda /nlɛʔˈda/ v. lay, fuck

• nop /nop/ n. horizon, panorama

• odabëm /odaˈbɛm/ n.artist

• on /on/ n. curtain

• pa /pa/ conj. while

• päp /pəp/ n. rag

• pawb /pɔb/ v. guess, predict

• pë /pɛ/ v. like, admire, enjoy

• peba /peˈba/ n. spring (season)

• pightoq /piχˈtoq/ v.put (place), set, situate, invest

• pläpu /pləˈpu/ n. fowl

• plëgb /plɛg͡b/ v. agree, admit

• plu /plu/ n. mist

• präb /prəb/ n. map

• prär /prər/ n. library

• pre /pre/ v. identify, point out

• pro /pro/ adj. tired (needing sleep), tired (needing rest)

• pufyon /puˈfjon/ adj.specific, definite, particular

• qag̊ /qaɢ/ v. arrive

• qaproʻda /qaproʔˈda/adj. significant

• qawtfeg gyim /qɔtˈfeg gjim/ n. glasses

• qeʻu /qeˈʔu/ n. hair (of body), fur

• qu /qu/ n. decade

• rag̊ /raɢ/ adv. again

• rawg̊o /rɔˈɢo/ n.canvas

• rëpäeẙ /rɛpəˈeʎ/ n.tire

• ropa /roˈpa/ n. knee

• shag /ʃag/ n. evening

• sham /ʃam/ n. bottle, jar, vase

• shawkp /ʃɔk͡p/ v. join

• shëg /ʃɛg/ v. care

• shid /ʃid/ v. draw, mark

• shlagung /ʃlaˈguŋ/ n.hook

• shlawẙ /ʃlɔʎ/ adj.furious

• shlertabë /ʃlertaˈbɛ/adj. lucky

• shlo /ʃlo/ v. provide, cater

• shmam /ʃmam/ v.limp

• shmeg /ʃmeg/ adv.too, so, also, as well

• shmug̊ /ʃmuɢ/ pron.that

• täb /təb/ n. wizard

• täpë /təˈpɛ/ n.experience

• teg /teg/ adj. perfect

• tey /tej/ n. candy

• timter /timˈter/ n.month

• trag /trag/ n. altitude

• träg /trəg/ adj. big, great (very large), enormous, huge, great (excellent)

• trärup /trəˈrup/ v.accompany

• treb /treb/ v. mean (intend)

• trog̊ /troɢ/ v. escape, flee, dodge

• trungëm /truˈŋɛm/ n.trader

• tyam kakle /tjam kaˈkle/ n. copyright

• tyang /tjaŋ/ n. dog

• tyëdli /tjɛˈdli/ v. cross

• tyeyep /tjeˈjep/ v. sing

• tyor /tjor/ n. prey

• um /um/ conj. if, whether

• ya /ja/ v. listen

• yag̊ /jaɢ/ n.vocabulary

• ẙar /ʎar/ n. curve, curl

• yawku /jɔˈku/ n.verse, poem

• yayeng /jaˈjeŋ/ adj.fun

• ẙëg /ʎɛg/ n. face, forehead, brow, expression

• yepke /jepˈke/ n.flavor

• ẙifgë /ʎifˈgɛ/ v.surprise, astonish

• yobbog̊ /jobˈboɢ/ n.chief, boss

• ẙunrug /ʎuˈnrug/ n.uniform