Falamu

Falamu (native: [fælǽˑmʉ]) is a creole language based on Somali and Portuguese.

Introduction

Etymology

From early Falamu (nu) falâmu "we (incl.) speak" (= modern Falamu é nu fâla) < Portuguese (nós) falamos "we speak".

Phonology

Orthography

Phonetic script

Note that in this article, accents are used for clarity. They are normally omitted in writing.

Consonants Letter IPA Remarks b b d d ~ ð /ð/ between vowels or after /h/ f f g ɡ h h j dʒ ~ tʃ Free variation k k l l m m n n ~ ŋ /ŋ/ syllable finally, /n/ otherwise. ny ɲ ~ j̃ Free variation r r s s t t w w x ʃ y j Monophthong vowels Letter IPA Remarks "Front" "Back" a æ ɑ e e ɛ i i ɪ o ɞ ɔ u ʉ ʊ Diphthong vowels Letter IPA Remarks "Front" "Back" ay æi ɑɪ aw æʉ ɑʊ ey ei ɛɪ oy ɞi — ow ɞʉ ɔʊ Consonants Vowels A word cannot begin in a vowel. Instead, a glottal stop is inserted. Each vowel has a "front" and "back" variety. This is the basis of vowel harmony. Prosody Accent Pitch accent Intonation Phonotactics Syllable structure: CV(C) - where V is a vowel or diphthong No consonant clusters except at syllable boundaries. Morphophonology Phonological history Phonological correspondences between Portuguese and Falamu Portuguese Falamu Remarks Grapheme Environment Grapheme IPA lh all j ch j initial g initial before e/i x all as /ʃ/ x j non-initial g non-initial before e/i v all b p b s(s) all s z ç c before e/i Morphology Pronouns Nouns Plural Formation The plural is regularly formed in the following ways: Nouns ending in a vowel add -s - e.g. óju "eye" -> ójus "eyes" Nouns ending in a consonant add -is - e.g. dêd "finger, toe" -> dêdis "fingers, toes" Nouns ending in -n change it to -ny- before adding -is - e.g. mán "hand" -> mányis "hands" Usage Nouns are generally used in the singular when used with numerals. Verbs Verb stems Verb stems Form Formation Examples Remarks Infinitive Base stem with final accent falâ "(to) speak" Present Base stem with penultimate accent fâla "speak(s)" The accent is final in monosyllabic verbs. Past Infinitive + -ba falâba "spoke" Passive participle Infinitive + -d falâd "spoken" Irregular verbs: Irregular verbs Infinitive Present stem Past stem Meaning sê é éra "to be" tê tên têba "to have" bî bên bîba "to come" bô bôn bôba "to put" Verb tenses Tenses Form Formation Examples Remarks Simple present Present stem é li fâla "he speaks" Present prospective/subjunctive Infinitive é mi falâ "I'll speak"; ki mi falâ "that I speak" Present progressive tá + infinitive é bu tá falâ "you (sg.) are speaking" Simple past Past stem é nus falâba "we (excl.) spoke" Past progressive tá + past é nu tá falâba "we (incl.) were speaking" Past remote já + past é mi já falâba "I spoke (a long time ago)" Future kére + infinitive é bu kére falâ "you will speak" kére is the present tense of keré "to want" Future subjunctive keré + infinitive ki bu keré falâ "that you will speak" Notes: As the table shows, keré "to want" + infinitive is used to form the future. In order to express a desire, a subjunctive phrase is used. For example: é mi kére falâ "I will speak" (lit. "I want speak") , versus é mi kére ki mi falâ "I want to speak" (lit. "I want that I speak") Voice Pseudopassive is formed with the impersonal subject pronoun si. Particles Focus particles é: used to form main clauses Postpositions kûli: "with" Syntax Constituent order Noun phrase Verb phrase Sentence phrase Dependent clauses Sample Texts Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 1) Regular: Adamis ses tod e lis nase kan lis se hor i nibrad na orra i deretus. E si daba rason i damir, ma e ki biso otu biso kuli li axi komu irmon. Phonetic: Âdamis ses tôd é lis náse kán lis sê hór i nibrád na órra i derêtus. É si dába rasón i damír, ma é ki bisó ôtu bisó kûli li âxi kómu irmón. Portuguese-based: Âdamis ses tôd é lis násce cã lis sê hór i nibrád na órra i derêtus. É si dába razõ i damír, ma é qui pissó ôtu pissó cûli li âji cómu irmõ. IPA: /ǽðæmis ses tɞ́d ɛ́ lɪs nɑ́sɛ kɑ́ŋ lis sé hɔ́r i nɪbrɑ́d nɑ ʔɔ́rːɑ i derétʉs || ɛ́ si dɑ́bɑ rɑsɔ́ŋ ɪ dɑmɪ́r | mɑ ʔɛ́ kɪ bɪsɔ́ ɞ́tʉ bɪsɔ́ kʉ́li li ʔǽʃi kɔ́mu ʔɪrmɔ́ŋ/ Gloss: human-PL 3P.POSS all FOC 3P be_born while 3P be free and level in dignity and rights. FOC IMPRS give-PST reason and conscience, and FOC that person other person with 3S act like brother. Translation: All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are given reason and conscience, and a person must behave towards other people like a brother. Other resources