Transcription: Difference between revisions

From The Toaq Wiki
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There are a few important restrictions which need to be sidestepped when transcribing:  
There are a few important restrictions which need to be sidestepped when transcribing:  
* There may be at most one consonant in front of any vowel, and at most a {{t|q}} following any vowel.
* There may be at most one consonant in front of any vowel, and at most a {{t|q}} following any vowel.
* A stressed (initial) syllable must not contain {{t|y}} (note that {{t|ay uy ıy ey oy}} are all fine).
With this in mind, the primary way of “inflating” a foreign word so that it conforms to Toaq’s phonotactics is by breaking up consonant clusters with a vowel that is the same as a neighbouring one and nasals to either {{t|-m}} or {{t|-q}}
With this in mind, the primary way of “inflating” a foreign word so that it conforms to Toaq’s phonotactics is by breaking up consonant clusters with {{t|y}} (a so-called ''epenthetic vowel''), converting {{t|n}} and {{t|m}} sounds to syllable-final {{t|q}} wherever feasible:
{|
{|
| ''past'' || → || {{t|pasyty}}
| ''past'' || → || {{t|pasata}}
|-
|-
| ''rumble'' || → || {{t|raqbyly}}
| ''rumble'' || → || {{t|raqbala}}
|-
|-
| ''cardamom'' || → || {{t|karydamoq}}
| ''cardamom'' || → || {{t|karadamoq}}
|-
| ''dragon'' || → || {{t|daragoq}}
|}
|}
However, one must watch out for words like ''dragon'', which <u>start</u> with a consonant cluster. Using the above method, we would get {{t|*dyragoq}}, which contains an invalid stressed {{t|y}}. In situations like this, we insert a so-called ''echo vowel'' – we repeat a neighbouring vowel instead of {{t|y}}. Our pet example then becomes {{t|d<u>a</u>r<u>a</u>goq}}.


== Reducing consonant clusters ==
== Reducing consonant clusters ==
Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to remove a sound or two from the word you’re transcribing to avoid long strings of {{t|y}} syllables (''scrumptious'' → {{t|sakaraqpychysy}} anybody??). This approach involved identifying the less important sound out of a two in a consonant cluster; usual suspects include sibilants like {{t|s}} and liquids like {{t|l r}}:
Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to remove a sound or two from the word you’re transcribing to avoid long strings of repetitive-sounding syllables (''scrumptious'' → {{t|sakaraqpachasa}} anybody??). This approach involved identifying the less important sound out of a two in a consonant cluster; usual suspects include sibilants like {{t|s}} and liquids like {{t|l r}}:
{|
{|
| ''stooge'' || → || {{t|tujy}} || (/st/ → /t/)
| ''stooge'' || → || {{t|tuju}} || (/st/ → /t/)
|-
|-
| ''transpose'' || → || {{t|raqposy}} || (/tɹ/ → /ɹ/ → {{t|r}}; /nsp/ → /np/ → {{t|-qp-}})
| ''transpose'' || → || {{t|raqposo}} || (/tɹ/ → /ɹ/ → {{t|r}}; /nsp/ → /np/ → {{t|-qp-}})
|-
|-
| ''smile'' || → || {{t|maıly}} || (/sm/ → /m/)
| ''smile'' || → || {{t|maılı}} || (/sm/ → /m/)
|-
|-
| ''cardamon'' || → || {{t|kadamoq}} || (/ɹd/ → /d/)
| ''cardamon'' || → || {{t|kadamoq}} || (/ɹd/ → /d/)
|-
| ''scrumptious'' || → || {{t|saraqchasa}}
|}
|}
Also pay attention to soundalikes and actual pronunciations of words rather than their spellings, which may aid in producing a nicer-sounding form:
Also pay attention to soundalikes and actual pronunciations of words rather than their spellings, which may aid in producing a nicer-sounding form:
{|
{|
| ''rumble'' || → || {{t|raqby, raqbo}} || (final syllabic /l̩/ sound often realized as [o] or something similar in some dialects of English)
| ''rumble'' || → || {{t|raqbo}} || (final syllabic /l̩/ sound often realized as [o] or something similar in some dialects of English)
|-
|-
| ''empty'' || → || {{t|eqtı}} || (/mpt/ → /mt/ reduction already present in spoken English)
| ''empty'' || → || {{t|eqtı}} || (/mpt/ → /mt/ reduction already present in spoken English)
|}
|}
There are two things to keep in mind when following this approach:
There are two things to keep in mind when following this approach:
* You are very likely to run into existing Toaq words (like {{t|maıly}} above, which means ‘love/dear’). Such a connotation may sometimes be undesirable. On the other hand, words with a sufficient amount of {{t|y}}s in them are unlikely to be understood as Toaq compounds. (Note that if you’re attempting [[wikipedia:phono-semantic matching]], then this technique may give you bountiful results.)
* You are very likely to run into existing Toaq words. Such a connotation may sometimes be undesirable. (Note that if you’re attempting [[wikipedia:phono-semantic matching|phono-semantic matching]], then this technique may give you bountiful results.)
* Intelligibility suffers. If you’re trying to coin a word via a borrowing, then this is perhaps the appropriate thing to do, but if you’re invoking the name of a person or thing on the fly, you may not be understood. Exercise due taste.
* Intelligibility suffers. If you’re trying to coin a word via a borrowing, then this is perhaps the appropriate thing to do, but if you’re invoking the name of a person or thing on the fly, you may not be understood. Exercise due taste.


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| ''axolotl'' || → || {{t|asoloty, acoloty}} || (/ks/ → /s, ts/)
| ''axolotl'' || → || {{t|asoloty, acoloty}} || (/ks/ → /s, ts/)
|}
|}
Similar treatment could be applied to consonant clusters ''beginning'' in /s/ or /z/, such as /st/, /sk/ (''past'' → {{t|?pacy}}); however, this sort of transformation is highly dependent on your sense of aesthetics and doesn’t read very clearly. It may be acceptable in borrowings and coinages.
Similar treatment could be applied to consonant clusters ''beginning'' in /s/ or /z/, such as /st/, /sk/ (''past'' → {{t|?paca}}); however, this sort of transformation is highly dependent on your sense of aesthetics and doesn’t read very clearly. It may be acceptable in borrowings and coinages.


== Handling foreign sounds ==
== Handling foreign sounds ==
* /w/ and /j/ sounds (as in ''wine'', ''yam'') should be rendered as {{t|b, j}} respectively ({{t|baıny, jamy}}). It is also possible – but discouraged – to turn those sounds into /uː/ and /iː/ – {{t|uaıny, ıamy}} or drop them altogether – {{t|aıny, amy}}.
* /w/ and /j/ can be turned into {{t|}}. In past versions, they were turned either into {{t|b}} and {{t|j}} respectively or dropped.
* /ts/ and /dz/ should always be {{t|cy, zy}}, never {{t|tysy, dyzy}} (e.g., ''rights'', ''rides'' → {{t|raıcy, raızy}} not {{t|*raıtysy, *raıdyzy}}). /z/ can stay as {{t|z}}, even though the two are not the same.
* /ts/ and /dz/ should always be {{t|cy, zy}}, never {{t|tysy, dyzy}} (e.g., ''rights'', ''rides'' → {{t|raıcy, raızy}} not {{t|*raıtysy, *raıdyzy}}). /z/ can stay as {{t|z}}, even though the two are not the same.
* /θ/ and /ð/ (as in English ''thought'', ''thigh'') may be transformed into {{t|s/z, t/d, f/–, p/b}}. There is no consensus about which transcription is the superior one, but some may be more appropriate for some source languages than others (e.g., Spanish [θ] is really a variation of /s/, so transcribe it as {{t|s}}).
* /θ/ and /ð/ (as in English ''thought'', ''thigh'') may be transformed into {{t|s/z, t/d, f/–, p/b}}. There is no consensus about which transcription is the superior one, but some may be more appropriate for some source languages than others (e.g., Spanish [θ] is really a variation of /s/, so transcribe it as {{t|s}}).

Revision as of 06:48, 22 December 2022

Transcription is the act of representing the sound of a foreign name in Toaq, given its restrictive rules of what constitutes a valid syllable or not. (Name phrases headed with the name marker or the quote marker(s) shu and mo should themselves contain valid Toaq.) For ad-hoc, on-the-fly, one-use borrowings, more meticulous-sounding transcriptions may be more appropriate (see first section); for new coinings/borrowings, however, you should take artistic licence in collapsing the foreign word into a more Toaq-friendly form (see second section).

Examples on this page use English as the source language, but the general process is language-agnostic.

Conforming to Toaq phonotactics

There are a few important restrictions which need to be sidestepped when transcribing:

  • There may be at most one consonant in front of any vowel, and at most a q following any vowel.

With this in mind, the primary way of “inflating” a foreign word so that it conforms to Toaq’s phonotactics is by breaking up consonant clusters with a vowel that is the same as a neighbouring one and nasals to either -m or -q

past pasata
rumble raqbala
cardamom karadamoq
dragon daragoq

Reducing consonant clusters

Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to remove a sound or two from the word you’re transcribing to avoid long strings of repetitive-sounding syllables (scrumptioussakaraqpachasa anybody??). This approach involved identifying the less important sound out of a two in a consonant cluster; usual suspects include sibilants like s and liquids like l r:

stooge tuju (/st/ → /t/)
transpose raqposo (/tɹ/ → /ɹ/ → r; /nsp/ → /np/ → -qp-)
smile maılı (/sm/ → /m/)
cardamon kadamoq (/ɹd/ → /d/)
scrumptious saraqchasa

Also pay attention to soundalikes and actual pronunciations of words rather than their spellings, which may aid in producing a nicer-sounding form:

rumble raqbo (final syllabic /l̩/ sound often realized as [o] or something similar in some dialects of English)
empty eqtı (/mpt/ → /mt/ reduction already present in spoken English)

There are two things to keep in mind when following this approach:

  • You are very likely to run into existing Toaq words. Such a connotation may sometimes be undesirable. (Note that if you’re attempting phono-semantic matching, then this technique may give you bountiful results.)
  • Intelligibility suffers. If you’re trying to coin a word via a borrowing, then this is perhaps the appropriate thing to do, but if you’re invoking the name of a person or thing on the fly, you may not be understood. Exercise due taste.

For consonant clusters ending in /s/ or /z/ specifically, it is often enough to turn them into s or c or z:

capsaicin kaseısıq, kaceısıq (/ps/ → /s, ts/)
axolotl asoloty, acoloty (/ks/ → /s, ts/)

Similar treatment could be applied to consonant clusters beginning in /s/ or /z/, such as /st/, /sk/ (past?paca); however, this sort of transformation is highly dependent on your sense of aesthetics and doesn’t read very clearly. It may be acceptable in borrowings and coinages.

Handling foreign sounds

  • /w/ and /j/ can be turned into . In past versions, they were turned either into b and j respectively or dropped.
  • /ts/ and /dz/ should always be cy, zy, never tysy, dyzy (e.g., rights, ridesraıcy, raızy not
  • raıtysy, *raıdyzy). /z/ can stay as z, even though the two are not the same.
  • /θ/ and /ð/ (as in English thought, thigh) may be transformed into s/z, t/d, f/–, p/b. There is no consensus about which transcription is the superior one, but some may be more appropriate for some source languages than others (e.g., Spanish [θ] is really a variation of /s/, so transcribe it as s).