Tnaaq's background
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Background, variation and sociolinguistics
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 11 Feb 2017, 18:23.
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2. Auxiliary verbs
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4. Phonology of Tnaaq
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5. Tnaaq clitics
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6. Tnaaq comparatives
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7. Tnaaq conjunctions
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8. Tnaaq derivation
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9. Tnaaq kinship
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10. Tnaaq nouns
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11. Tnaaq numerals
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13. Tnaaq prepositions
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14. Tnaaq pronouns
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15. Tnaaq relative clauses
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16. Tnaaq solar calendar
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17. Tnaaq syntax
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18. Tnaaq verbs
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19. Tnaaq writing system
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20. Tnaaq's background
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?FYI...
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Tnaaq's homeland is believed to be the Kantn Peninsula, in the south of current Tnaaq's territory which is nowadays Syyniq region. Kantn peninsula is home of the main religious sanctuaries of the Tnaaqasin, the oldest Tnaaqasin city, Uaruu Isiitua, is also located there.
Tnaaq then expanded following a north coastal path all the way to the northern part of Nagu continent, mostly due to heavy trade which set a deep cultural influence. Tnaaq's territory at some point was expanded to half of the continent. This territory shrinked with time, specially following the socialist triumph and the conformation of Tnaaq Union as it is known today. Nowadays, due to strict immigration policies and the cultural and technological influence of Rasaata City and universities Tnaaq is seldom known by people closer to the border of Tnaaq, but often studied in schools throughout Sahar.
The first records of the language date from 1100 years ago, and consist on an early version of the "Ktyxyr Ratnyntia", 'The blood songs', a collection of religious and social hymns. They were found carved on Squtyha, the biggest island of Qnuutaq province at the south of the Syyniq region.
Tnaaq's linguistics situation is that of diglossia. A form of Tnaaq, considered 'classic' is used as the official language and is the language of higher education, and it's taight in Tnaaqasin's schools along with the vernacular. This classic language is the speech of the shore of Qaxqasn gulf as it was used 1600 years ago, where Rasaata and Isiitua are located. This classic Tnaaq is the one described in this site.
In the capital city, Rasaata, and the second city, Isiitua, a form of this classical language is used with some influences of the local dialects. Rasaata's language is a heavy influence on the speech of younger generations, which spend periodic and obligatorily high-qualified working periods that last between 3 months and 3 years, according to the specialty. As those young generations retire, they resettle permanently in their hometowns, where they educate the children and teenagers, and their language mostly, but not completely, shifts back to more vernacular trends. Thus, the influence of Classic Tnaaq is always present in the dialects.
Rasaata and Isiitua dialects have some differences, but they are very similar. One of the trends in Rasaata not present in Isiitua is the nasal flap allophone of /n/ in consonant clusters and the nasalized vocalic allohpone of the same phoneme when it is syllabic and at the end of the word.
As we go further to the north the language changes following a dialectal continuum all the way to Qutinaka. Some of the trends are continuous, such as the realization of the diphthongs as a more open vowel as we move further to the north, where /ai/ and /au/ are realized as [æ] and [ɑ]. Some others have a clear boundary, like the one set by the use of different case forms of pronouns, still used north of the Sqiihr River and in Classic Tnaaq but lost in the rest of the continuum.
Nuus and Syyniq dialects are the most divergent of all, and do not form part of this dialect continuum. Nuus has a series of archaic features, such as the rounded realization of "y", and the preservation of diphthongs as such in all environments and aspect inflection long lost in the other dialects, mixed with some divergent innovations, such as a heavy set of borrowings. Syyniq language is by some considered a different language, with a very different set of phonemes (more than 24, compared to 12 of most Tnaaq dialects). There is a huge influence of the main language, though, mostly due to low population density and heavy contacts with Isiitua city, which governed the region until its autonomy in 1967.
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