Naucan has a relatively simple phonological system. It features:
16 consonant phonemes
5 vowel phonemes
8 documented allophones
Naucan does not use tone or nasalized vowels. Allophones occur in predictable environments. Vowel length is phonemic and explicitly marked in writing.
Naucan has 16 consonant phonemes. The following table shows their organization according to place and manner of articulation:
Gemination
Gemination occurs with consonants, which can be pronounced as long or doubled sounds. In writing, gemination is represented by doubling the letter.
The following letters cannot be geminated: the digraphs ph, th, kh, and the letters y and w. If for some reason (derivation or word composition) two of these sounds had to come into contact, one of the two is eliminated (phonetically and graphically).
All other consonants can be geminated.
Allophones
/β/: Realization of /ɸ/ in coda before a voiced consonant except /ɾ/.
/ð/: Realization of /θ/ in coda before a voiced consonant except /ɾ/.
/ŋ/: Nasal allophone of /m/ or /n/ before /k/, /g/, or /x/.
/n̪/: Nasal allophone of /m/ or /n/ before /t/, /d/, or /θ/.
/ɣ/: Realization of /x/ in coda before a voiced consonant except /ɾ/.
Note: These allophones are not indicated in the Naucan orthography. The basic letter is always written.
The vowel system of Naucan consists of five vowel phonemes, each of which can appear in both short and long forms. Vowel length is phonemic, meaning that the difference between short and long vowels (marked with a macron) can change word meanings.
Diphthongs
In Naucan, diphthongs are formed using the semivowels y (/j/) and w (/w/). There are two types of diphthongs:
Rising diphthongs (the semivowel comes first): ya, ye, yo, yu, wa, we, wi, wo
Falling diphthongs (the semivowel comes second): ay, ey, oy, uy, aw, ew, iw, ow
These diphthongs combine a vowel with a glide sound, creating a smooth transition within a single syllable.
Vowel Reduction
In relaxed or informal speech, Naucan exhibits allophonic vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. This process does not affect formal pronunciation or spelling.
Unstressed a may be realized as [ɐ].
Unstressed e and i may be realized as [ɨ].
Unstressed o and u may be realized as [ʉ].
Unstressed long vowels tend to sound like their short counterparts.
These reductions do not occur in diphthongs, except that unstressed long vowels may shorten even within diphthongs.
Phonotactics describes the rules and restrictions governing the possible combinations of sounds in Naucan.
Syllable Structure
The syllable structure is:
(Onset) + vowel + (coda)
Syllable Onset
A syllable onset can be:
A single consonant (any consonant in the system).
A cluster of two consonants:
An occlusive, fricative, nasal or vibrant + a semivowel (w or y).
An occlusive, or ph, th, kh + r.
Syllable Coda
A syllable coda can be:
A single consonant (any consonant in the system).
A semivowel (y or w) + a consonant (but never y or w again).
Voicing Assimilation: Devoicing and Voicing
Voiced plosive and fricative consonants (b, d, g, z) in coda are devoiced at the end of a word or before a voiceless consonant (p, t, k, ph, th, kh, s).
Voiceless consonants before a voiced consonant (not r, y or w) become voiced.
Nasal Assimilation in Coda
Nasals (/m/, /n/) change their articulation place depending on the following consonant:
In Naucan, stress is fixed and predictable.
Syllable Weight
A light syllable:
Contains a single short vowel (not a diphthong).
Has no coda (no final consonant).
Is not followed by a geminated consonant.
A heavy syllable:
Contains a long vowel (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū),
Or a diphthong,
Or ends in one or more consonants (including y or w + consonant),
Or is followed by a geminated consonant.
Stress Rule
If the penultimate syllable is heavy, stress falls on it.
If the penultimate syllable is light, stress shifts to the antepenultimate syllable.
If the word has only two syllables, stress always falls on the penultimate syllable.