Quick Diachronics Challenge

[conlang-creature]

I'm thinking about *aɹ̠˔tə˥, but this would make three guesses in a row, so take it or leave it.

Reasoning:

Spoiler:

ə: whatever this vowel is has to be able to turn into a and ʉ, this is a good middle ground
ɹ̠˔: there are three ways this consonant changes: s, ɬ, and l. The IPA points overwhelmingly to the 6 sounds in the dental to post-alveolar section. After some deliberation, I decided that ɹ̠˔ sounded the most likely to transform as such.

[Arayaz]

I'm thinking about *aɹ̠˔tə˥, but this would make three guesses in a row, so take it or leave it.

Reasoning:

Spoiler:

ə: whatever this vowel is has to be able to turn into a and ʉ, this is a good middle ground
ɹ̠˔: there are three ways this consonant changes: s, ɬ, and l. The IPA points overwhelmingly to the 6 sounds in the dental to post-alveolar section. After some deliberation, I decided that ɹ̠˔ sounded the most likely to transform as such.

conlang-creature:

Spoiler:

Almost perfect ─ same issue as Visions, that the first consonant isn't quite correct. I'm not quite sure what advice I should give to both of you, but Visions is correct that it's a geminate, and in fact, their most recent guess is an existing intermediate form. My biggest hint to you is that in [es.ttaː], it's not just the /s/ that is a reflex of it, but also the first /t/.

At this point it feels like the end of last round, where it's essentially guesswork. If others agree, it might be a good idea to end the round here, in which case the following ranking would apply:

1. Visions
2. thethief3
2. conlang-creature
4. Sketch
5. Creyeditor
6. VaptuantaDoi

thethief and conlang-creature are essentially tied by my judgement.

[Arayaz]

Since it's been over a week since the last guess was made, and it's basically becoming guesswork, I'm officially ending this round, with Visions as the winner!

The actual protoform was aθːtə˥.

Spoiler:

The initial /h/ in some forms is areal prosthesis.

The first vowel underwent areal fronting to /æ/ or /e/.

In the first four languages, *θ became *ɬ. In the first, it then became *l; in the second and third, the *ɬt metathesized to *tɬ; in the third, the *tɬ subsequently underwent intervocalic voicing. The fourth split from the third and also underwent devoicing (*dɮ → *tɬ) and epenthesis (*tɬ → *taɬ).
Meanwhile, in the fifth language, *θ became *t in the onset and *s in the coda; and in the sixth language, it became *s in all circumstances.

The final vowel was lost in the third and fourth languages; its high tone was replaced by length in the first and fifth languages; and it raised and rounded to something like *ʊ̈ and then became *ʉ due to its length in the first language; and in the second and sixth languages, it lowered to something around *ɐ, then fronted in the second language.

I didn't write this very well, so if anyone has any questions/doesn't understand part of it, just ask me

[Visions1]

My turn to have a go!

1) ūtəXā
2) ʌtiqū
3) ʌtiʧijɵ
4) utjɛɕo
5) oteçjo
6) otecço

[jimydog000]

1) ūtəXā
2) ʌtiqū
3) ʌtiʧijɵ
4) utjɛɕo
5) oteçjo
6) otecço

Are we to assume the macron diacritic is mid-tone or is it length?

[Visions1]

Length.

[thethief3]

*utéqijo
1 shifts stress to the initial syllable and lengthens it
4/5/6 retain conservative second syllable stress and collapse the third syllable because of it and then palatise the *q
3 also palatises the q and centralises final vowels
1/2 might form a subgroup based on *j collapse

[Creyeditor]

My first guess:
otekjō

[Flavia]

*au̯tekʲoː

[jimydog000]

Spoiler:

*ʊɑ̆tjekiao

[Visions1]

Thief:

Spoiler:

Not too shabby! You're extra, though.
1 and 2 are a group, but not for your reason.
4 and 5 and 6 are also, but again, not for your reason.

Conclusion for all of you: It looks convoluted, but it's much simpler. Peel them back in layers, as there are areal changes.

Ranking:
Creyditor
Thief
Flavia and Jim tie

[Kesshin]

Spoiler:

ətiʃkijʉ

1. like thief said, shifting stress to first syllable, but also might be closing the mouth a little bit(dunno the word for it, maybe labializing?)
2. stress kept on last syllable but /i/ is dropped and the original /k/ becomes /q/, uvularizing(?)
3. i'm gonna be honest, i have no idea how there's a ʧ here and in none of the others. Maybe the sibilant moved towards the end for 4, 5, and 6?
4. the mouth kinda drops a little bit, getting rid of the /ʃ/ but keeping the /i/ forming the basis of /j/, chance of sibilant movement towards the end of the word
5. i'm thinking there might have been an in between word for 5 and 6 so the schwa can become /u/ or it's adjacents, then /o/,
6. consonant cluster implies vowel dropping, tongue moves upwards for /j/ becoming fricative /ʝ/, then it moves forward into /ç/, basically the opposite of 4

Just a kind of wild guess though. I can tell there are some remnants of a sibilant in the latter half though.

[Visions1]

Kesshin:
A couple things you did were one step forward, and most of the other things you did were three steps back.
Your lemmas for 6 and 4 are wrong. As for 3, just think about it and it will be obvious.
Pay attention the conclusion I wrote above.

Note: I'm sorry if I end up making anyone feel bad during this game.

Current :
Creyditor
Thief
Flavia and Jim tie
Kesshin

[Kesshin]

Kesshin:
A couple things you did were one step forward, and most of the other things you did were three steps back.
Your lemmas for 6 and 4 are wrong. As for 3, just think about it and it will be obvious.
Pay attention the conclusion I wrote above.

Note: I'm sorry if I end up making anyone feel bad during this game.

Current :
Creyditor
Thief
Flavia and Jim tie
Kesshin

You're fine lol, this is my first time trying this kind of thing out, I didn't expect it to go very well

Spoiler:

otisqjo

I think I see what happens in three?? Maybe?

[Arayaz]

I'll try to get a guess in later today.

[Arayaz]

My turn to have a go!

1) ūtəXā
2) ʌtiqū
3) ʌtiʧijɵ
4) utjɛɕo
5) oteçjo
6) otecço

*au̯teqʲo

[Visions1]

Kesshin:
Your guess is much better, but no, you still don't get 3.
I told everyone 4, 5, and 6 are a group. I did not tell you how basal/coronal they are.

Conclusion: The last syllable is messed up pretty much the same way by everyone.

Ranking:

Theif and Crey (on second examination, you're about equal)
Arayaz (I want to add you to Jim and Flavia's little hoedown, but you are a bit better)
Jim and Flavia tie.
Kes (I'd put you much higher, but for the extra)

[Arayaz]

Guess 2: *otejqjo IGNORE THIS