Transformation Rules Editor

# Basic rule format ``` # an optional comment line ID: [environment] input -> output ``` | Part | Required | Meaning | |-----------------|:--------:|----------------------------------------------------------------| | `#` comment | no | A line starting with `#` is ignored — use it for notes. | | `ID:` | no | An optional label (e.g. `V01`) so you can find the rule later. | | `[environment]` | no | Where the rule applies; omitted means "everywhere". | | `input` | yes | What to match (see [Input](#input)) | | `output` | yes | Which changes the rule makes (see [Output](#output)). | ## Examples ``` # pata -> pada [intervocalic] voiceless stop -> +voice # tab -> tap [word final] voiced obstruent -> -voice # etan -> esan /t/ -> /s/ # tik -> tʃik [before front vowel] /t/ -> /tʃ/ # uli -> uli; ena -> en [word final] vowel except high -> delete # apta -> atta [before consonant] stop -> place from right ``` ## Input | Written | Matches | |-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | `vowel` | syllabic vowels (i.e., not the glide of a diphthong) | | `high vowel` | syllabic high vowels only | | `nonsyllabic vowel` | non-syllabic vowels only | | `(syllabic or nonsyllabic) vowel` | both | | `high not front vowel` | high vowels that are not front | | `consonant not glottal` | consonants that are not glottal | ## Environment The optional `[environment]` restricts where the rule fires. - Combine conditions with `,` (all must hold): `[word final, after vowel]`. - Use `or` for alternatives: `[word initial or stressed]`. - `before ` / `after ` match a neighbouring phoneme (e.g. `[before front vowel]`, `[after nasal]`). | Keyword | Matches when the phoneme is… | |-------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | `intervocalic` | between two vowels | | `word initial` | at the start of the word | | `word final` | at the end of the word | | `stressed` | in a stressed syllable | | `unstressed` | in an unstressed syllable | | `pre_tonic` | in a syllable before the stressed one | | `post_tonic` | in a syllable after the stressed one | | `open syllable` | in a syllable without a coda | | `closed syllable` | in a syllable with a coda | | `before DESC` | immediately followed by a phoneme matching `DESC` | | `after DESC` | immediately preceded by a phoneme matching `DESC` | | `not stressed` | not in a stressed syllable | | `not open syllable` | in a syllable with a coda | | `not word initial` | not at the start of the word | > **Stress input:** stress-sensitive keywords (`stressed`, `unstressed`, `pre_tonic`, > `post_tonic`) only match when the input word has a stressed syllable. > You can mark stress explicitly with `ˈ` or `'` before a syllable, or set a > default stress position in the sandbox editor. ``` [intervocalic] [word final, after vowel] [after vowel, before voiced consonant except glottal] [stressed, open syllable] [word initial or intervocalic] [not stressed, open syllable] [word final, not before nasal] [after vowel, before /j, w/] ``` ## Input The `input` describes which phonemes the rule targets. It can be: - A **feature description** — one or more keywords, e.g. `voiceless stop`, `front rounded vowel`, `voiced obstruent except glottal`. - An **IPA literal** — specific symbols between slashes, e.g. `/s/`, `/k, ɡ/`. - The wildcard **`any`** — matches any phoneme; combine with `except` to narrow it, e.g. `any except vowel`. - A **disjunction** — `(A or B or C)`, e.g. `(high or near_high) front rounded vowel`. - **Negation** — `not ` cancels a single feature, e.g. `high not front vowel`, `consonant not glottal`. `except` removes a subgroup from the match: `voiceless obstruent except glottal`, `/s, t/ except /t/`, `any except vowel`. ## Consonant features | Category | Keywords | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Manner | **stop**, **fricative**, **affricate**, **approximant**, **tap** / **flap**, **nasal**, **trill**, **obstruent** (= stop + fricative + affricate) | | Place | **bilabial**, **labiodental**, **dental**, **alveolar**, **postalveolar**, **retroflex**, **alveolopalatal**, **palatal**, **labial_palatal**, **velar**, **uvular**, **pharyngeal**, **glottal**, **labial** (= bilabial + labiodental) | | Phonation | **voiced**, **voiceless** / **unvoiced** | | Secondary | **aspirated**, **palatalized**, **labialized** | | Lateral | **lateral** (matches any consonant with lateral articulation) | | Shorthand | **glide** (= palatal approximant /j/ + labial-velar approximant /w/; input and environment only) | ## Vowel features | Category | Keywords | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Height | **high** / **close**, **near_high** / **near_close**, **mid_high** / **close_mid**, **mid**, **mid_low** / **open_mid**, **near_low** / **near_open**, **low** / **open** | | Backness | **front**, **central**, **back** | | Rounding | **rounded**, **unrounded** | | Nasality | **nasal**, **oral** | | Syllabicity | **syllabic** / **full**, **nonsyllabic** | | Length | **long**, **short** | | Type | **vowel** (required when using vowel features) | ## Output The `output` says what happens to the matched phoneme. | Form | Effect | |------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | `delete` | Remove the phoneme. | | `add /X/ to left` / `to right` | Insert `/X/` before / after the matched phoneme (which itself is unchanged). | | `/X/` | Substitute the input with a specific IPA symbol. | | `+feature` / `-feature` | Toggle a binary feature — see [Output deltas](#output-deltas). | | single feature keyword | Set a categorical feature to one value (e.g. `fricative`, `palatal`). | | `raise` / `lower` | Move a vowel one step up / down its height axis. | | `feature from left` / `from right` | Assimilation: copy that feature from the neighbour — see [Copyable features](#copyable-features-assimilation). | | `A, B, …` | Combine several of the above, comma-separated (e.g. `fricative, +voice`). | ``` delete add /ʔ/ to left add /ə/ to right +voice fricative /v/ raise lower place from right fricative, +voice ``` ## Output deltas | Delta | Effect | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | **+voice** / **-voice** (also **+voiced** / **-voiced**) | Set phonation to voiced / voiceless | | **+aspiration** / **-aspiration** (also **+aspirated** / **-aspirated**) | Add / remove aspiration | | **+palatalized** / **-palatalized** | Add / remove palatalization | | **+labialized** / **-labialized** | Add / remove labialization | | **+nasal** / **-nasal** | Set nasality to nasal / oral | | **+rounded** / **-rounded** | Set rounding to rounded / unrounded | | **+long** / **-long** | Set vowel length to long / short | | **+syllabic** / **-syllabic** | Set syllabicity to syllabic / nonsyllabic | | **+nonsyllabic** / **-nonsyllabic** | Set syllabicity to nonsyllabic / syllabic | ## Copyable features (assimilation) Feature names that can be copied from a neighbouring phoneme via the ` from ` output syntax: **place**, **manner**, **phonation** (also **voice**, **voiced**), **secondary**, **gemination**, **height**, **backness**, **rounded**, **nasal**