Suffix Reform
The Suffix Reform is a subsequent reform of the Prefix Reform based on Hoemaı’s feedback (which see there).
Synopsis
The Suffix Reform flips the Toaq word structure on its head and turns what we nowadays call prefixes into suffixes. Bikeshedding aside, let’s say for now that we mark off the first in a run of suffixes with an interpunct (·) in writing and the usual glottal interposition mechanism (as in official Toaq) in speech (for instance, /bɛ/ → /bɛ̆ʔɛ̆/). This has several advantages:
- Suffixes never carry stress. This makes them more ergonomic to use and prevents subtle sonic distinctions such as bụcheaq /buʔu-/ vs. bu'ucheaq /buːʔu/.
- The glottal-stop-initial root gotcha no longer applies: whereas officially the word hụ́'e can be mistakenly spelled hụ́e because of the zero initial in (')ë, the Suffix Reform plainly has é·hu.
- Suffixes are head-final, which provides aesthetic variety. In this sense they’re analogous to compounds in that the load-bearing element goes last: compare taq maı → maıtaq with maı·taq (assuming some suffix ·taq).
- Unlike officially, the listener does not have to wait for an interposed glottal stop to identify where the root starts. In other words, suffixes have the benefit of being afterthought.
Examples
(tone omitted for simplicity of presentation)
| Official | Prefix Reform | Suffix Reform | |
|---|---|---|---|
| marked with /ʔ/ (🐇) | marked with /ː/ (Laqme) | ||
| puchụmtao /ˈpuːtɕŭʔŭmtaw/ |
puchumtào /pʊtɕʊmˈtaːw/ |
tao·puchum /ˈtaːwpŭʔŭtɕum/ |
/ˈtaːwpːutɕum/ |
| jı̣achıa /ˈdʑiʔiatɕia/ |
jıachìa /dʑɪ̆ăˈtɕiːa/ |
chıa·jıa /ˈtɕiːadʑĭʔĭa/ |
/ˈtɕiːadʑːia/ |
| lạ́maı bẹ́ıroı /ˈlaʔamaj ˈbɛʔɛjrɔj/ |
lamáı beıróı /lăˈmaj bɛ̆jˈrɔj/ |
máı·la róı·beı /ˈmajlăʔă ˈrɔjbɛ̆ʔɛ̆j/ |
/ˈmajlːa ˈrɔjbːɛj/ |
| * |
toꝡä /tɔ̆ˈjaʔa/ |
ꝡä·to /ˈꝡaʔatŏʔŏ/ |
/ˈꝡaʔatːo/ |
| jụ̂aqjuaı /ˈdʑuʔuaŋdʑuaj/ |
juaqjûaı /dʑʊ̆ăŋˈdʑuːaj/ |
jûaı·juaq /ˈdʑuːajdʑŭʔŭaŋ/ |
/ˈdʑuːajdʑːuaŋ/ |
Note how both the Prefix and Suffix Reform preserve the root exactly how it’d be pronounced standalone where the official rendition instead destresses the root.