Consonant Alternation

initial consonant alternation

rule 1

When two related words (or more precisely "morphemes") being ordered side by side, the initial consonants of latter words must be fricatives in case that the final consonants of former words (morpheme) are vowels ( a e i o u ),  liguid consonants ( l r r' ), nasal consonants ( m n n' ), plosive/affricate consonants ( p t c k q b d d' g G ).

 

001. n'ytk raf
PN1sg-N N
my-father house
My father's house

002. ja raf
PN3sg N
he house

003. tol -roX
N -allative
to the sea

 

rule 2

When two related words (or more precisely "morphemes") being ordered side by side, the initial consonants of latter words must be plosive/affricate consonants ( p t c k q b d d' g G ). in case that the final consonants of former words (morpheme) are fricative consonants ( r  s  x  X ). This rule is the opposite of rule 1.

004. tolf taf
N N
a   winter house

005. t'ulf taf -toX
N N -allative
house winter to
to    a winter house

 

In dictionaries, every noun has three forms. For example, at the top of the article of "taf" ( house ), you can find three forms; "taf / raf / daf". That means one of the three forms must be selected by the rule1 and rule 2, matching to the final consonant of the former word.

This fenomena is called "Initial Consonant Alternation". It occurs between two morphemes in certain relationship; 1.possesor and possesed, 2. modifier and modified, 3. object and transitive verb.

For example, "tad" ( drink ) has three forms; "rad / tad / dad", and the proper one matching to the final consonant of object word must be selected. 

 

006. arak

rad.

N Vt.
alchool drink/drank
Someone alchool  drank.

The final consonant of "arak" (alchool) is "k". It is a plosive consonant and so, "rad" begining with a fricative consonant "r" must be selected. ("r" is usually regarded as a liquid consonant, but in Nivkh language, it is a kind of fricative consonant).

007.

 c'aX tad.
N Vt.
water drink/drank
Someone water  drank.

The final consonant of "c'aX" (water) is "X". It is a fricative consonant and so, "tad" begining with a plosive consonant "t" must be selected.

Exception of the Initial Consonant Alternation

There are some examples that seems not to be obeyed to rule 1 and rule 2. For example, the finil consonant "ng" of "qanng" (dog), "eRlng"(child) and "er'qng" (direction) doesn't cause the consonant alternation of latter words. The initial consonant of the  latter word remains to be a plosive and is to be voiced. And usually the final consonant "ng" itself is lost. 

 

008. qan daf
N N
dog house
A dog house

009.

 eRl -doX
N allative
child to
To     a

child

010 la er'q -doX
N N allative
Amur district direction to
to the direction of Amur district