Biirai is a Biiraic language.
Phonology
Consonants
| Labial | Coronal | Palatal | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | p b | t d | k g | |
| Nasal | m | n | ||
| Affricate | dz | |||
| Fricative | s | |||
| Flap | ɾ <r> | |||
| Approximant | j | w |
Vowels
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i iː <ii> | u uː <uu> | |
| Low | a aː <aa> |
Phonetically, the vowels are usually produced more centrally than the phonemic chart indicates, i.e. /i/ = [ɪ], /u/ = [ʊ], /a/ = [ɐ]. This is true of both long and short vowels, e.g. /iː/ = [ɪː].
There are also two diphthongs: /ai/ and /au/. Phonetically, these too are more centralized than their phonological representation might suggest: /ai/ = [ɐɪ], /au/ = [ɐʊ].
Syllable Structure
Null onsets are possible in Biirai. If an onset is present, it consists of a single consonant or a stop + /ɾ/ cluster.
Biirai syllables are minimally bimoraic. This means that all syllables must contain either (a) a long vowel or diphthong, or (b) a coda consonant.
Coda consonants are drawn from a restricted set: /w j ɾ m n p t k/.
With these constraints in mind, we can characterize the maximal syllable in Biirai as: (C)(ɾ)V(C).
Stress
Stress in Biirai is root-initial.
Morphology
Valency and argument structure
Each Biirai root has an intrinsic and inflexible argument structure. To use a root in a different argument structure configuration, explicit morphology is reguired. For example, the root siitim move can only be used intransitively; to introduce a direct object, the suffixed form siitim-an move (something) must be used.
EXAMPLE
Use of the transitivizing suffix -an
minkii-siitim=nau
hand-move=1NEUT
My hand moves (lit. I hand-move).minkii-siitim-an=nau duu
hand-move-TR=1NEUT 3D
I move it (with my hand) (lit. I hand-move it).
Similarly, to use intrinsically transitive roots intransitively, detransitivizing morphology is required. For example, the root biirai await requires a direct object; only the suffixed form biirai-t wait can be used intransitively.
EXAMPLE
Use of the detransitivizing suffix -(i)t
biirai=bai bii rai biirai
await=2HUM DEF ten stars
You await the ten stars.biirai-t=bai
await-DETR=2HUM
You wait.
There is a handful of these valency-adjusting suffixes associated with dfferent argument structures, and the restrictions on the co-occurrence of these suffixes with various classes of roots is a topic of interest in Biirai morphosyntax.