Difference between revisions of "Languages of Wesnoth"

From The Battle for Wesnoth Wiki
(Added merfolk language)
m (Added flexboxes for tables)
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{{Translations}}
 
{{Translations}}
−
The world of Wesnoth is as rich in languages as it is in all sorts of creatures and races that inhabit it. Although fieldwork in distant lands is never easy, many mages from the Great Academy on Alduin and other scholars from Weldin and Elensefar have managed to assemble impressive archives on the various languages ​​of Irdya. Most of the information provided dates to the [[Timeline_of_Wesnoth#628-673_YW:_The_Silver_Age_of_Wesnoth|The Silver Age of Wesnoth (628-673 YW)]] and the peaceful reign of [[CharactersStorys#Konrad_II|Konrad II]], which sparked a minor scientific renaissance in the kingdom.
+
The world of Wesnoth is as rich in languages as it is in all sorts of creatures and races that inhabit it. Although fieldwork in distant lands is never easy, many mages from the Great Academy on Alduin as well as other scholars from Weldin and Elensefar have managed to assemble impressive archives full of manuscripts on the various languages ​​of Irdya. Most of the information provided dates back to the [[Timeline_of_Wesnoth#628-673_YW:_The_Silver_Age_of_Wesnoth|Silver Age of Wesnoth (628-673 YW)]] and the peaceful reign of [[CharactersStorys#Konrad_II|Konrad II]], which sparked a minor scientific renaissance in the kingdom, reviving the level of interest in linguistics seen before only during the [[Timeline_of_Wesnoth#200-350 YW: The Golden Age of Wesnoth|Golden Age of Wesnoth (200-350 YW)]].
 
<div class="tright">__TOC__</div>
 
<div class="tright">__TOC__</div>
 
== Drake Languages ==
 
== Drake Languages ==
Line 9: Line 9:
  
 
According to [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/blob/master/data/core/macros/names.cfg the game files], Continental Drakish phonology consists of the following phonemes:
 
According to [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/blob/master/data/core/macros/names.cfg the game files], Continental Drakish phonology consists of the following phonemes:
−
<div class="tright">
+
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
+
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: space-between; justify-content: space-between;">
−
|+Vowels
+
<div>
−
!
 
−
!Front
 
−
!Back
 
−
|-
 
−
! Close
 
−
| i
 
−
| u
 
−
|-
 
−
! Mid
 
−
| e
 
−
| o
 
−
|-
 
−
! Open
 
−
| colspan="2" | a
 
−
|-
 
−
! Diphthong
 
−
| colspan="2" | au̯
 
−
|}</div>
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 
|+Consonants
 
|+Consonants
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|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|}
+
|}</div>
−
 
+
<div>
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 +
|+Vowels
 +
!
 +
!Front
 +
!Back
 +
|-
 +
! Close
 +
| i
 +
| u
 +
|-
 +
! Mid
 +
| e
 +
| o
 +
|-
 +
! Open
 +
| colspan="2" | a
 +
|-
 +
! Diphthong
 +
| colspan="2" | au̯
 +
|}</div>
 +
</div>
 
Presumably, all consonants can be geminated and all vowels have a corresponding nasal variant due to the [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/blob/master/data/core/macros/names.cfg outlined spelling peculiarities].
 
Presumably, all consonants can be geminated and all vowels have a corresponding nasal variant due to the [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/blob/master/data/core/macros/names.cfg outlined spelling peculiarities].
  
Line 87: Line 90:
 
== Oceanic Languages ==
 
== Oceanic Languages ==
  
−
Oceanic language family includes two major branches: western and eastern oceanic, commonly refered to as the "merfolk" and "naga" branches respectively.
+
Oceanic language family includes two major branches: northern and southern oceanic, commonly refered to as the "merfolk" and "naga" branches respectively.
  
 
=== Merfolk Language ===
 
=== Merfolk Language ===
Line 93: Line 96:
 
==== Phonology ====
 
==== Phonology ====
  
−
Notable features of the merman language phonology include the four long vowel variants, widespread vowel hiatus, a large ammount of fricatives as well as a voiceless approximant series (/ç/ and /h/ are considered [j̊] and [ʍ] in some analyses).
+
Notable features of the merfolk language's phonology include the four long vowel variants, widespread vowel hiatus, a large ammount of fricatives as well as a voiceless approximant series (/ç/ and /h/ are considered [j̊] and [ʍ] in some analyses).
−
 
 
−
<div class="tright">
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 
−
|+Vowels
 
−
!
 
−
! colspan="2" | Front !! Back
 
−
|-
 
−
!
 
−
! Unrounded || colspan="2" | Rounded
 
−
|-
 
−
! Close
 
−
| ɪ iː || ʏ yː
 
−
| ʊ uː
 
−
|-
 
−
! Mid
 
−
| ɛ ||
 
−
| ɔ
 
−
|-
 
−
! Open
 
−
| colspan="3" | a aː
 
−
|-
 
−
! Diphthong
 
−
| colspan="3" | ai̯
 
−
|}</div>
 
  
 +
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: space-between; justify-content: space-between;">
 +
<div>
 
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
 
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
 
|+Consonants
 
|+Consonants
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|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|}
+
|}</div>
 +
<div>
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 +
|+Vowels
 +
!
 +
! colspan="2" | Front !! Back
 +
|-
 +
!
 +
! Unrounded || colspan="2" | Rounded
 +
|-
 +
! Close
 +
| ɪ iː || ʏ yː
 +
| ʊ uː
 +
|-
 +
! Mid
 +
| ɛ ||
 +
| ɔ
 +
|-
 +
! Open
 +
| colspan="3" | a aː
 +
|-
 +
! Diphthong
 +
| colspan="3" | ai̯
 +
|}</div>
 +
</div>
  
 
==== Orthography ====
 
==== Orthography ====
  
−
Although most merfolk lead an isolated lifestyle in the ocean and use their own script, many merfolk have taken sides during [[Timeline_of_Wesnoth#417-530_YW:_The_Turmoil_of_Asheviere|The Turmoil of Ascheviere]], adopting the wesnothian steel-hand afterwards.
+
Most mermen live in isolation in shallow ocean waters and use their own script. During the [[Timeline_of_Wesnoth#417-530_YW:_The_Turmoil_of_Asheviere|Turmoil of Asheviere]] many coastal merfolk were made to join the sides of the conflict and integrate into army structures, adopting the wesnothian steel-hand with it.
  
−
<div class="tright">
+
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: space-between; justify-content: space-between;">
 +
<div>
 +
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 +
| colspan="7" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Merfolk alphabet''' (steel-hand)
 +
|-
 +
|| A a || Ā ā || B b || C c || D d || E e || G g
 +
|-
 +
|| /a/ || /aː/ || /b/ || /c/ || /d/ || /ɛ/ || /g/
 +
|-
 +
|| H h || I i || Ī ī || J j || K k || L l || M m
 +
|-
 +
|| /h/ || /ɪ/ || /iː/ || /j/ || /k/ || /l/ || /m/
 +
|-
 +
|| N n || O o || P p || R r || S s || T t || U u
 +
|-
 +
|| /n/ || /ɔ/ || /p/ || /r/ || /s/ || /t/ || /ʊ/
 +
|-
 +
|| Ū ū || V v || W w || Y y || Ȳ ȳ || colspan="2" | Z z
 +
|-
 +
|| /uː/ || /v/ || /w/ || /ʏ/ || /yː/ || colspan="2" | /z/
 +
|}</div>
 +
<div>
 
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 
| colspan="8" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Merfolk alphabet''' (merfolk script)
 
| colspan="8" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Merfolk alphabet''' (merfolk script)
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|| /r/ || colspan="2" | /s/ || /t/ || /ʏ/ || /yː/ || /f/ || /h/
 
|| /r/ || colspan="2" | /s/ || /t/ || /ʏ/ || /yː/ || /f/ || /h/
 
|}</div>
 
|}</div>
−
 
+
</div>
−
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 
−
| colspan="6" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Merfolk alphabet''' (steel-hand)
 
−
|-
 
−
|| A a || Ā ā || B b || C c || D d || E e
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /a/ || /aː/ || /b/ || /c/ || /d/ || /ɛ/
 
−
|-
 
−
|| G g || H h || I i || Ī ī || J j || K k
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /g/ || /h/ || /ɪ/ || /iː/ || /j/ || /k/
 
−
|-
 
−
|| L l || M m || N n || O o || P p || R r
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /l/ || /m/ || /n/ || /ɔ/ || /p/ || /r/
 
−
|-
 
−
|| S s || T t || U u || Ū ū || V v || W w
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /s/ || /t/ || /ʊ/ || /uː/ || /v/ || /w/
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="2" | Y y || colspan="2" | Ȳ ȳ || colspan="2" | Z z
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="2" | /ʏ/ || colspan="2" | /yː/ || colspan="2" | /z/
 
−
|}
 
  
 
The digraphs ⟨ll/λλ⟩, ⟨ββ⟩, ⟨ph⟩, ⟨th⟩, ⟨dh⟩, ⟨ch/χι⟩, ⟨kh⟩, ⟨κι⟩, ⟨μπ⟩, ⟨ντ⟩, ⟨ου⟩ and ⟨οῡ⟩ are used to represent the phonemes /l̥/, /w/, /f/, /θ/, /ð/, /ç/, [x], /c/, /b/, /d/, /ʊ/ and /uː/ respectively. The grapheme ⟨ι⟩ is also used to represent /j/, as well as palatalization.
 
The digraphs ⟨ll/λλ⟩, ⟨ββ⟩, ⟨ph⟩, ⟨th⟩, ⟨dh⟩, ⟨ch/χι⟩, ⟨kh⟩, ⟨κι⟩, ⟨μπ⟩, ⟨ντ⟩, ⟨ου⟩ and ⟨οῡ⟩ are used to represent the phonemes /l̥/, /w/, /f/, /θ/, /ð/, /ç/, [x], /c/, /b/, /d/, /ʊ/ and /uː/ respectively. The grapheme ⟨ι⟩ is also used to represent /j/, as well as palatalization.
Line 214: Line 217:
 
The phonology of the naga language appears to be typologically unusual in comparison to other languages of Irdya. It has several laterals, but no voiced [l]. The voicing distinction among obstruents is missing as well, unlike in its sister language. Details of the fortis-lenis distinction are still a matter of debate among the scholars of Wesnoth, as fieldwork in naga territory comes with considerable risks.
 
The phonology of the naga language appears to be typologically unusual in comparison to other languages of Irdya. It has several laterals, but no voiced [l]. The voicing distinction among obstruents is missing as well, unlike in its sister language. Details of the fortis-lenis distinction are still a matter of debate among the scholars of Wesnoth, as fieldwork in naga territory comes with considerable risks.
  
−
<div class="tright">
+
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: space-between; justify-content: space-between;">
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
+
<div>
−
|+Vowels
 
−
!
 
−
! Front !! Back
 
−
|-
 
−
! Close
 
−
| i iː
 
−
| rowspan="2" | o
 
−
|-
 
−
! Mid
 
−
| e
 
−
|-
 
−
! Open
 
−
| colspan="2" | a aː
 
−
|-
 
−
! Diphthong
 
−
| colspan="2" | eɪ̯ aɪ̯ i̯a
 
−
|}</div>
 
 
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
 
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
 
|+Consonants
 
|+Consonants
Line 244: Line 230:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" | Obstruent
 
! rowspan="2" | Obstruent
−
! Lenis
+
! Fortis
 
| p|b̥
 
| p|b̥
 
| t|d̥
 
| t|d̥
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| k|ɡ̊
 
| k|ɡ̊
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Fortis
+
! Lenis
 
| p
 
| p
 
| t
 
| t
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| j
 
| j
 
|-
 
|-
−
|}
+
|}</div>
 +
<div>
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 +
|+Vowels
 +
!
 +
! Front !! Back
 +
|-
 +
! Close
 +
| i iː
 +
| rowspan="2" | o
 +
|-
 +
! Mid
 +
| e
 +
|-
 +
! Open
 +
| colspan="2" | a aː
 +
|-
 +
! Diphthong
 +
| colspan="2" | eɪ̯ aɪ̯ i̯a
 +
|}</div>
 +
</div>
  
 
The dorsal sibilant varies in pronunciation depending on the dialect. Voiced variants of lateral consonants appear intervocalically as allophones, as does the phone [v] as an allophone of /ʋ/ before an onset of a syllable.
 
The dorsal sibilant varies in pronunciation depending on the dialect. Voiced variants of lateral consonants appear intervocalically as allophones, as does the phone [v] as an allophone of /ʋ/ before an onset of a syllable.
Line 281: Line 287:
 
Although the majority of the naga prefer to use the script of the dunefolk, learned from them due to years of coexistence, several communities in the Far North tend to use the wesnothian steel-hand as well.
 
Although the majority of the naga prefer to use the script of the dunefolk, learned from them due to years of coexistence, several communities in the Far North tend to use the wesnothian steel-hand as well.
  
−
<div class="tright">
+
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: space-between; justify-content: space-between;">
−
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
+
<div>
−
| colspan="9" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Naga alphabet''' (dunefolk script)
 
−
|-
 
−
|| ص || ش || س || ر || د || خ || ت || ب || ا
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /s̻/ || /ɕ/ || /s̺/ || /ɾ/ || /d̥/ || /x/ || /t/ || /b̥/ || /aː/
 
−
|-
 
−
|| ي || و || ە || ن || م || ل || ك || غ || ط
 
−
|-
 
−
|| /iː/ || /ʋ/ || /e/ || /n/ || /m/ || /ɬ/ || /k/ || /ɡ̊/ || /t͡ɬ/
 
−
|}</div>
 
−
 
 
 
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 
| colspan="7" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Naga alphabet''' (steel-hand)
 
| colspan="7" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Naga alphabet''' (steel-hand)
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|-
 
|-
 
|| /p/ || /ɾ/ || /s̺/ || /t/ || /ʋ/ || /ɕ/ || /s̻/
 
|| /p/ || /ɾ/ || /s̺/ || /t/ || /ʋ/ || /ɕ/ || /s̻/
−
|}
+
|}</div>
 +
<div>
 +
{| cellpadding=4 style="font-size:large; text-align:center;"
 +
| colspan="9" style="font-size:smaller;" | '''Naga alphabet''' (dunefolk script)
 +
|-
 +
|| ص || ش || س || ر || د || خ || ت || ب || ا
 +
|-
 +
|| /s̻/ || /ɕ/ || /s̺/ || /ɾ/ || /d̥/ || /x/ || /t/ || /b̥/ || /aː/
 +
|-
 +
|| ي || و || ە || ن || م || ل || ك || غ || ط
 +
|-
 +
|| /iː/ || /ʋ/ || /e/ || /n/ || /m/ || /ɬ/ || /k/ || /ɡ̊/ || /t͡ɬ/
 +
|}</div>
 +
</div>
  
 
The digraph ⟨ll⟩ is used to represent /t͡ɬ/ in the steel-hand alphabet. Vowels /i/, /o, /a/ are typically not written in the dunefolk script, but can be represented with the diacritics ⟨ــِـ⟩,⟨ــُـ⟩ and ⟨ــَـ⟩ respectively. ⟨i⟩ and ⟨ي⟩ also represent /j/ in diphthongs.
 
The digraph ⟨ll⟩ is used to represent /t͡ɬ/ in the steel-hand alphabet. Vowels /i/, /o, /a/ are typically not written in the dunefolk script, but can be represented with the diacritics ⟨ــِـ⟩,⟨ــُـ⟩ and ⟨ــَـ⟩ respectively. ⟨i⟩ and ⟨ي⟩ also represent /j/ in diphthongs.

Revision as of 15:31, 25 June 2026

Other languages:

The world of Wesnoth is as rich in languages as it is in all sorts of creatures and races that inhabit it. Although fieldwork in distant lands is never easy, many mages from the Great Academy on Alduin as well as other scholars from Weldin and Elensefar have managed to assemble impressive archives full of manuscripts on the various languages ​​of Irdya. Most of the information provided dates back to the Silver Age of Wesnoth (628-673 YW) and the peaceful reign of Konrad II, which sparked a minor scientific renaissance in the kingdom, reviving the level of interest in linguistics seen before only during the Golden Age of Wesnoth (200-350 YW).

Drake Languages

Continental Drakish

Phonology

According to the game files, Continental Drakish phonology consists of the following phonemes:

Consonants
Labial Coronal Post-
alveolar		 Velar Glottal
Nasal m n
Obstruent b t d t͡ʃ k g ʔ
Fricative v θ s ʃ
Liquid r l
Vowels
Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a
Diphthong au̯

Presumably, all consonants can be geminated and all vowels have a corresponding nasal variant due to the outlined spelling peculiarities.

Orthography

  • All phonemes are orthographically represented the same way they are in english, except for /ʔ/, which is written as an apostrophe ⟨'⟩.
  • Final ⟨hn⟩ serves as a nasalization marker.
  • Final ⟨é⟩ indicates the vowel is spoken rather than modifying a medial vowel (there is no silent final 'e' in the language).
  • Word-final ⟨ck⟩ has the value /k/.
Drake alphabet
A a B b C c D d E e G g I i K k L l
/a/ /b/ /k/ /d/ /e/ /g/ /i/ /k/ /l/
M m N n O o R r S s T t U u V v Z z
/m/ /n/ /o/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /u/ /v/ /z/

Oceanic Languages

Oceanic language family includes two major branches: northern and southern oceanic, commonly refered to as the "merfolk" and "naga" branches respectively.

Merfolk Language

Phonology

Notable features of the merfolk language's phonology include the four long vowel variants, widespread vowel hiatus, a large ammount of fricatives as well as a voiceless approximant series (/ç/ and /h/ are considered [j̊] and [ʍ] in some analyses).

Consonants
Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar
Nasal m n
Stop p b t d c k g
Fricative f v θ ð s z ç x~h
Approximant l̥ l j w
Trill r
Vowels
Front Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close ɪ iː ʏ yː ʊ uː
Mid ɛ ɔ
Open a aː
Diphthong ai̯

Orthography

Most mermen live in isolation in shallow ocean waters and use their own script. During the Turmoil of Asheviere many coastal merfolk were made to join the sides of the conflict and integrate into army structures, adopting the wesnothian steel-hand with it.

Merfolk alphabet (steel-hand)
A a Ā ā B b C c D d E e G g
/a/ /aː/ /b/ /c/ /d/ /ɛ/ /g/
H h I i Ī ī J j K k L l M m
/h/ /ɪ/ /iː/ /j/ /k/ /l/ /m/
N n O o P p R r S s T t U u
/n/ /ɔ/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /ʊ/
Ū ū V v W w Y y Ȳ ȳ Z z
/uː/ /v/ /w/ /ʏ/ /yː/ /z/
Merfolk alphabet (merfolk script)
Α α Ᾱ ᾱ Β β Γ γ Δ δ Ε ε Ζ ζ Θ θ
/a/ /aː/ /v/ /g/ /ð/ /ɛ/ /z/ /θ/
Ι ι Ῑ ῑ Κ κ Λ λ Μ μ Ν ν Ο ο Π π
/ɪ/ /iː/ /k/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ɔ/ /p/
Ρ ρ Σ σ/ς Τ τ Υ υ Ῡ ῡ Φ φ Χ χ
/r/ /s/ /t/ /ʏ/ /yː/ /f/ /h/

The digraphs ⟨ll/λλ⟩, ⟨ββ⟩, ⟨ph⟩, ⟨th⟩, ⟨dh⟩, ⟨ch/χι⟩, ⟨kh⟩, ⟨κι⟩, ⟨μπ⟩, ⟨ντ⟩, ⟨ου⟩ and ⟨οῡ⟩ are used to represent the phonemes /l̥/, /w/, /f/, /θ/, /ð/, /ç/, [x], /c/, /b/, /d/, /ʊ/ and /uː/ respectively. The grapheme ⟨ι⟩ is also used to represent /j/, as well as palatalization.

Naga Language

Phonology

The phonology of the naga language appears to be typologically unusual in comparison to other languages of Irdya. It has several laterals, but no voiced [l]. The voicing distinction among obstruents is missing as well, unlike in its sister language. Details of the fortis-lenis distinction are still a matter of debate among the scholars of Wesnoth, as fieldwork in naga territory comes with considerable risks.

Consonants
Labial Dental Alveolar Dorsal
Nasal m n
Obstruent Fortis b̥ d̥ ɡ̊
Lenis p t t͡ɬ k
Sibilant s̻ s̺ ç~ɕ
Fricative ʋ ɬ x
Sonorant ɾ j
Vowels
Front Back
Close i iː o
Mid e
Open a aː
Diphthong eɪ̯ aɪ̯ i̯a

The dorsal sibilant varies in pronunciation depending on the dialect. Voiced variants of lateral consonants appear intervocalically as allophones, as does the phone [v] as an allophone of /ʋ/ before an onset of a syllable.

Front vowels /i/, /e/ and /a/ tend to lenite into [ɪ], [ə] and [ɐ] when unstressed.

Orthography

Although the majority of the naga prefer to use the script of the dunefolk, learned from them due to years of coexistence, several communities in the Far North tend to use the wesnothian steel-hand as well.

Naga alphabet (steel-hand)
A a Ą ą B b D d E e G g H h
/a/ /aː/ /b̥/ /d̥/ /e/ /ɡ̊/ /x/
I i Į į K k L l M m N n O o
/i/ /iː/ /k/ /ɬ/ /m/ /n/ /o/
P p R r S s T t V v X x Z z
/p/ /ɾ/ /s̺/ /t/ /ʋ/ /ɕ/ /s̻/
Naga alphabet (dunefolk script)
ص ش س ر د خ ت ب ا
/s̻/ /ɕ/ /s̺/ /ɾ/ /d̥/ /x/ /t/ /b̥/ /aː/
ي و ە ن م ل ك غ ط
/iː/ /ʋ/ /e/ /n/ /m/ /ɬ/ /k/ /ɡ̊/ /t͡ɬ/

The digraph ⟨ll⟩ is used to represent /t͡ɬ/ in the steel-hand alphabet. Vowels /i/, /o, /a/ are typically not written in the dunefolk script, but can be represented with the diacritics ⟨ــِـ⟩,⟨ــُـ⟩ and ⟨ــَـ⟩ respectively. ⟨i⟩ and ⟨ي⟩ also represent /j/ in diphthongs.

See Also

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