View source for Montecaran language

{{Infobox language
|name=Montecaran
|nativename=''Montecarà''
|states=[[Montecara]]
|region=[[Euclea]]
|speakers=1.2 million
|date=2020
|ref=
|familycolor=Hyndo-Euclean 
|fam2={{wp|Italic languages|Solaric}}
|fam3={{wp|Romance languages|Modern Solaric}}
|fam4={{wp|Italo-Western languages|Caesenic}}
|nation = {{flag|Montecara}}
|minority = 
|agency = [[University of Montecara]]
|iso3=mon
|glotto=
|glottorefname=
|lingua=
|map=
}}

'''Montecaran''' (Montecaran: ''Montecarà'' or ''lèngua montecarà'') is a {{wp|Italo-Western languages|Caesenic language}} spoken as a native tongue by approximately 1.2 million people and as a learned language by approximately 300,000 people, mostly in the city-state of [[Montecara]]. It is sometimes spoken and often understood in the surrounding region.

==History==
Montecaran ultimately descends from ancient {{wp|Latin|Solarian}}. Montecaran, as a written language, emerged in the 11th century. The language enjoyed substantial prestige during the height of the old Montecaran trade empire in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it attained the status of a {{wp|lingua franca}} in the surrounding areas. 

There is little regional variation within Montecaran given its small geographic distribution, though diasporic populations have historically developed their own dialects.

== Phonology ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonant phonemes
|-
! width="22%" |
! colspan="2" width="13%" | {{wp|Labial consonant|Labial}}
! colspan="2" width="13%" | {{wp|Dental consonant|Dental}}/<br>{{wp|Alveolar consonant|Alveolar}}
! colspan="2" width="13%" | {{wp|Palatal consonant|Palatal}}
! colspan="2" width="13%" | {{wp|Velar consonant|Velar}}
|-
! {{wp|Nasal consonant|Nasal}}
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|m}}
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|n}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |&nbsp; || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|ɲ}}
| colspan="2" |
|-
! {{wp|Stop consonant|Stop}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|p}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|b}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|t̪|t}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|d̪|d}}
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|k}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|ɡ}}
|-
! {{wp|Affricate consonant|Affricate}}
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|t͡s}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|d͡z}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|t͡ʃ}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|d͡ʒ}}
| colspan="2" |
|-
! {{wp|Fricative consonant|Fricative}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|f}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|v}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|s}} || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|z}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |{{wp|ʃ}} || style="border-left: 0;" |
| colspan="2" |
|-
! {{wp|Approximant consonant|Approximant}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" |&nbsp; || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|j}}
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|w}}
|-
! {{wp|Lateral consonant|Lateral}}
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|l}}
| style="border-right: 0;" |&nbsp; || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|ʎ}}
| colspan="2" |
|-
! {{wp|Trill consonant|Trill}}
| colspan="2" |
| style="border-right: 0;" | || style="border-left: 0;" |{{wp|r}}
| colspan="2" |
| colspan="2" |
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Vowel phonemes
|-
!
! {{wp|Front vowel|Front}} !! {{wp|Central vowel|Central}} !! {{wp|Back vowel|Back}}
|-
! {{wp|Close vowel|Close}}
| {{wp|i}} || || {{wp|u}}
|-
! {{wp|Close-mid vowel|Close-mid}}
| {{wp|e}} || || {{wp|o}}
|-
! {{wp|Open-mid vowel|Open-mid}}
| {{wp|ɛ}} || || {{wp|ɔ}}
|-
! {{wp|Open vowel|Open}}
| || {{wp|ä|a}} ||
|}

== Writing system ==
=== Alphabet ===
The Montecaran alphabet consists of 23 letters: the standard Latin alphabet with the omission of J, K, W, and Y, and the addition of Ç. The omitted letters are occasionally seen in loanwords and names, but are not part of regular orthography. C with cedilla represents the sound [s], where a "c" would normally represent either [k] or [tʃ].

The {{wp|grave accent}} (''açènt gràve'') is used to indicate stress. It is mandatory on all feminine nouns and on all polysyllabic masculine nouns which are not naturally stressed on the second-to-last syllable. If a masculine noun requires an accent in the singular, it also requires one in the plural, even if the stress naturally falls on the second-to-last syllable. 

The {{wp|acute accent}} (''açènt acùt'') is used to distinguish between {{wp|homonym|homonyms}}. 

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Letter
! Name
! {{wp|International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA}}
! Diacritics
|-
|Aa
|''a''
|/a/ 
| à  á
|-
|Bb
|''bi''
|/b/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Cc
|''ci''
|/k/  /s/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Çç
|''çi''
|/s/  /tʃ/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Dd
|''di''
|/d/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Ee
|''e''
|/e/  /ɛ/
|è  é
|-
|Ff
|''efe''
|/f/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Gg
|''gi''
|/ɡ/  /dʒ/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Hh
|''àca''
|∅ ''(silent)''
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Ii
|''i''
|/i/  /j/
|ì  í
|-
|Ll
|''el''
|/l/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Mm
|''em''
|/m/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Nn
|''en''
|/n/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Oo
|''o''
|/o/  /ɔ/
|ò  ó
|-
|Pp
|''pi''
|/p/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Qq
|''cu''
|/k/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Rr
|''ere''
|/r/  /ɾ/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Ss
|''es''
|/s/  /z/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Tt
|''ti''
|/t/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Uu
|''u''
|/u/  /w/
|ù  ú
|-
|Vv
|''vi''
|/v/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Xx
|''exe''
|/ʃ/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|-
|Zz
|''zi''
|/dz/
|style="background-color:#E0E0E0" |
|}

=== Gender ===
Nouns and pronouns are either masculine or feminine, with some vestigial neuter pronouns. Nouns ending in A, E, L, and R are typically feminine, while those ending in I, O, U, M, N, and T are usually masculine.

== Grammar ==
=== Articles ===
{| class="wikitable"
!
! colspan="2" |Definite
! colspan="2" |Indefinite
! colspan="2" |"Of" + definite
! colspan="2" |"At/to" + definite
! colspan="2" |"And" + definite
|-
!
!Masculine
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Feminine
|-
!Singular
|il
|ia
|un
|ùna
|di
|da
|al
|àia
|el
|eia
|-
!Plural
|i
|ià
|uni
|unà
|dei
|dèa
|ai
|aià
|eì
|eià
|}

=== Verbs ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+esèr - ''"to be"''
!
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Imperfect
! colspan="2" |Perfect
! colspan="2" |Future
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st
|io su
|noi sumu
|io erò
|noi eramu
|io fu
|noi fumu
|io suò
|noi seramu
|-
!2nd
|ti te si
|voi sei
|ti te eì
|voi erà
|tu fuse
|voi ferà
|ti te sea
|voi serà
|-
!3rd
|ui/ei ede
|ló/Loi ede
|ui/ei/Lu ere
|ló/Loi eràn
|ui/ei/Lu fuè
|ló/Loi feràn
|ui/ei/Lu seà
|ló/Loi seràn
|}

== Vocabulary ==
===Greetings===
{|
|valign="top" width=20%|
*Hello - ''Çiào''
*Welcome - ''Benvenù''
*Good morning - ''Bondì''
*Good afternoon - ''Bonpasàr''
*Good evening - ''Bonasèra''
*Good night - ''Bonanòte''
*Goodbye - ''Çiào'' (informal), ''Adiò'' (formal)
|valign="top" width=20%|
*How are you? (informal) - ''Come xela?''
*How are you? (formal) - ''Come vala?''
*What is your name? - ''Çe nòme gasto?''
**My name is ... - ''Ma nòme ede...''
*Thank you - ''Graxi.''
**You’re welcome - ''Prego''
|valign="top" width=20%|
*Yes - ''Sí'' (informal), ''Mànca'' (formal)
*No - ''Non''
*Who? - ''Çi?''
*What? - ''Çe?''
*When? - ''Cuando?''
*Where? - ''Doe?''
*Why? - ''Parçè?''
*How? - ''Como?''
*Which? - ''Cual?''
*How many? - ''Cuanto?''
|}

=== Conjunctions ===
* and - ''e'', ''ed''

=== Prepositions ===
* for - ''par''
* in - ''in''
* on - ''sul''
* with - ''co''

===Adjectives===
*new - ''nóvo, nóva''
*old - ''vècio, vècia''
{|
|valign="top" width=20%|
====Colors====
*black - ''nèro, nèra''
*white - ''biànco, biànca''
*red - ''ros, ròsa''
*blue - ''turxìn''
*green - ''vèrdo, vèrda''
*yellow - ''lanxìn''
*purple - ''rovàn''
*orange - ''arànxo, arànxa''
*brown - ''maròn''
*pink - ''roxìto, roxìta''
*azure - ''çelèste''
*gray - ''bìxo, bìxa''
|valign="top" width=20%|
|}

===Numbers===
{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|
*Zero - ''xero''
*One - ''un'' (m), ''ùna'' (f)
*Two - ''do''
*Three - ''tre''
*Four - ''cuarto''
*Five - ''çinque ''
*Six - ''sie''
*Seven - ''sete''
*Eight - ''oto''
*Nine - ''nove''
*Ten - ''dexe''
|valign="top" width=30%|
*Eleven - ''òndexe''
*Twelve - ''dòdexe''
*Thirteen - ''trèdexe''
*Fourteen - ''cuatòrdexe''
*Fifteen - ''cuìndexe''
*Sixteen - ''sèdexe''
*Seventeen - ''disete''
*Eighteen - ''disoto''
*Nineteen - ''disnove''
*Twenty - ''vinti''
|valign="top" width=50%|
*Thirty - ''trenta''
*Forty - ''cuaranta''
*Fifty - ''çinquanta''
*Sixty - ''sesanta''
*Seventy - ''setanta''
*Eighty - ''otanta''
*Ninety - ''novanta''
*One hundred - ''çento''
*Two hundred - ''doçento''
*One thousand - ''mile''
|}

===Time===
*morning - ''il madìn, i madìni''
*afternoon - ''ia tàrde, ià tardè''
*evening - ''il vespro, i vespri''
*night - ''ia nòte, ià notè''
*day - ''il dí, i dí''
*week - ''il setemàn, i setemàni''
*month - ''ia mèxe, ià mexè''
*year - ''il an, i ani''
*today - ''il incò''
*tonight - ''il stanòte''
*yesterday - ''il xerì''
*tomorrow - ''il dimàn''
{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|
====Days of the week==== 
*Monday - ''il luni''
*Tuesday - ''il marti''
*Wednesday - ''il mercori''
*Thursday - ''il xiovi''
*Friday - ''ia veneri''
*Saturday - ''il sadurni''
*Sunday - ''il solari''
|valign="top" width=20%|
====Months of the year====
*January - ''xenèr''
*February - ''febrèr''
*March - ''marxo''
*April - ''aprìl''
*May - ''maio''
*June - ''iunio''
*July - ''merçèd''
*August - ''agòst''
*September - ''setenbre''
*October - ''otobre''
*November - ''novenbre''
*December - ''dexenbre''
|valign="top" width=20%|
|}

=== Daily life ===
{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|
==== Cities ====
*airport - ''il àeroport, i àeroporti''
*bank - ''ia bànca, ià bancà''
*bridge - ''il pont, i ponti''
*city - ''ia çìta, ià çità''
*city boundary - ''il pomero, i pomeri''
*concert - ia conçèrta, ià conçertà''
*exchange (n.) - ''il borse, i borsi''
*exit - ''ia ùxita, ià uxità''
*neighborhood, ward - ''il riòn, i riòni''
*palace - ''il palaço, i palaçi''
*pharmacy - ''ia apotèca, ià apotecà''
*plaza, town square - ''ia plàça, ià plaçà''
*port - ''il porto, i porti''
*rail - ''ia sìna, ià sinà''
*sixth (of a city) - ''il sietero, i sieteri''
|valign="top" width=20%|

==== At home ====
*bed - ''il leto, i leti''
*chair - ''ia sèda, ià sedà''
*drinking cup - ''il coto, i coti''
*fork - ''il piròn, i piròni''
*house - ''ia càxa, ià caxà''
*knife - ''il cotèl, i cotèli''
*money - ''il sold, i soldi''
*pan - ''ia tèçia, ià teçià''
*plate - ''il piàto, i piàti''
*room - ''ia sàla, ià salà''
*skirt - ''ia saìa, ià saià''
*spoon - ''ia culèra, ià culerà''
*to find - ''catàr''
*to take - ''xiapàr''
*to throw - ''tràr''
|valign="top" width=20%|

==== Food and drink ====
*apple - ''il pom, i pomi''
*apricot - ''il armelìn, i armelìni''
*artichoke - ''ia artiçòca, ià artiçocà''
*beer - ''ia bìra, ià birà'' or ''il vinòrzo, i vinòrzi''
*bread - ''il pan, i pani''
*chicory - ''ià çicòria''
*coffee - ''il cafè''
*grape - ''ia ùva, ià uvà''
*pea - ''il biso, i bisi''
*pistachio - ''il pistaçe, i pistaçi''
*saffron - ''il zafràn''
*salad - ''ia inxalàda, ià inxaladà''
*salt - ''ia sèl''
*shrimp - ''il gànbaro, i gànbari''
*wine - ''il vin, i vini''
*zest - ''ia xiùma, ià xiumà''
*to drink - ''bevàr''
*to eat - ''magnàr''
*to spice - ''becàr''
|}

{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|

====Relationships====
*mother - ''ia màdre, ià madrè'', ''ia màma'' (familiar)
*father - ''il pare, i pari'', ''il pàpa'' (familiar)
*son - ''il fiol, i fioi''
*daughter - ''ia fiòla, ià fiolà''
*grandson/nephew - ''il neso, i nesi''
*granddaughter/niece - ''ia nèsa, ià nesà''
*grandmother - ''ia nòna, ià nonà''
*grandather - ''il nono, i noni''
*great grandmother - ''ia bexàva, ià bexavà''
*great grandfather - ''il bisnono, i bisnoni''
*uncle - ''il barbàn, i barbàni''
*aunt - ''ia amèda, ià amedà''
*cousin (male) - ''il xermàn, i xermàni''
*cousin (female) -  ''ia xermàna, ià xermanà''
*brother - ''il fradèl, i fradèli''
*sister - ''ia sorèla, ià sorelà''
|}

=== Nature ===
{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|
==== Weather ====
*cloud - ''il nuvòl, i nuvòli''
*cyclone ''il çiclòn, i çiclòni''
*fog - ''il calgo''
*heat - ''il calòr''
*rain - ''ia piòva, ià piovà''
*sun - ''il sol, i soli''
*sunny (adj.) - ''solìvo''
*wind - ''il vent, i venti''
|valign="top" width=20%|

==== Animals ====
*bat - ''il notòl, ia nòtola''
*bull - ''il toro''
*cat - ''il gatìn, ia gatìna''
*cow - ''ia vàca''
*donkey - ''il muço, ia mùça'' 
*eel - ''il bixàt, ia bixàta''
*goose - ''il oco, ia òca''
*grasshopper - ''il cavalèt, ia cavalèta''
*lizard - ''il isàrd, ia isàrda''
*octopus - ''il pulpo, ia pùlpa''
*rat - ''il pantegàn, ia pantegàna''
*sea urchin - ''il rixio da mar, ia rìxia da mar''
*snake - ''il biço, ia bìça''
*squirrel - ''il xiràt, ia xiràta''
|valign="top" width=20%|

==== Natural features ====
*countryside - ''il canpo, i canpi''
*island - ''ia ìsola, ià isolà''
*mountain - ''ia mònte, ià montè''
*lagoon - ''il lacùn, i lacùni''
*ocean - ''il oçeàn, i oçeàni''
*river - ''il fium, i fiùmi''
*sea - ''ia màre, ià marè''
*summit - ''ia çìma, ià çimà''
|}

{| width=75%
|valign="top" width=20%|

=== Government and military ===
{|
|valign="top" width=20%|
*ambassador (male) - ''il inbaxadòr, i inbaxadòri''
*ambassador (female) - ''ia inbaxadòra, ià inbaxadorà''
*assembly - ''ia senblèa, ià senbleà''
*consul (male) - ''il consol, i cònsoli''
*consul (female) - ''ia cònsola, ià consolà''
*diplomat (male) - ''il diplomado, i diplomadi''
*diplomat (female) - ''ia diplomàda, ià diplomadà''
*doge - ''il doxe''
*embassy - ''ia inbaxàda, ià inbaxadà''
*government - ''il govèrno, i govèrni''
*king - ''il re, i rei''
*mailpiece - ''il posto, i posti''
*municipality, commune - ''il comùn, i comùni''
*nation - ''ia naxòn, ià naxòne''
*national - ''naxonà''
|valign="top" width=20%|
*popular (i.e. democratic) - ''popolà''
*postal service - ''ia poste, ià postè''
*public (adj.) - ''pùblico, publica''
*queen - ''ia rexìna, ià rexinà''
*right (e.g. human rights) - ''il drìto, i drìti''
*senate - ''il senàt, i senàti''
*state - ''il stado, i stadi''
*town, borough - ''il borgo, i borgi''
*army - ''il exercìt, i exercìti''
*corps - ''il corpo, i corpi''
*dragoon - ''il dragòn, i dragòni''
*navy - ''ia armàda, ià armadà''
*soldier (male) - ''il soldàt, i soldàti''
*soldier (female) - ''ia soldàta, ià soldatà''
|}

=== Geography ===
*{{flag|Aimilia}} (Aimilian) - ''Aimìlia (Aimiliàno, Aimiliàna)''
*{{flag|Amathia}} (Amathian) - ''Amàtia (Amatiàno, Amatiàna)''
*{{flag|Ansan}} (Ansene) - ''Ansàn (Anseàno, Anseàna)''
*{{flag|Azmara}} (Azmaran) - ''Azmàra (Azmaràno, Azmaràna)''
*{{flag|Caldia}} (Caldish/Caldian) - ''Càldia (Caldiàno, Caldiàna)''
*{{flag|Cassier}} (Cassien) - ''Casièr (Casiàno, Casiàna)''
*{{flag|Emessa}} (Emessan) - ''Inmèsa (Inmesàno, Inmesàna)''
*{{flag|Etruria}} (Etrurian) - ''Etrùria (Etruriàno, Etruriàna)''
*{{flag|Gaullica}} (Gaullican) - ''Gàlia (Galiàno, Galiàna)''
*{{flag|Kesselbourg}} (Kesselbourgish/Kesselbourger) - ''Càselborg (Caselborgàno, Caselborgàna)''
*{{flag|Rwizikuru}} (Rwizikuran) - ''Ruizikùru (Ruizikùro, Ruizikùra)''
*{{flag|Senria}} (Senrian) - ''Sènria (Senriàno, Senriàna)''
*{{flag|Shangea}} (Shangean) - ''Xangèa (Xangeàno, Xangeàna)''
*{{flag|Tsabara}} (Tsabaran) - ''Sàbara (Sabaràno, Sabaràna)''
*{{flag|Werania}} (Weranian) - ''Òstia (Òstiano, Òstiana)''
*{{flag|Zorasan}} (Zorasani) - ''Zorasàn (Zorasàno, Zorasàna)''

*[[Kylaris]] - ''Calària''
*[[Asteria Inferior]] - ''Astèria inferià''
*[[Asteria Superior]] - ''Astèria superià''
*[[Euclea]] - ''Eùclea''
*[[Glacia]] - ''Glàxia''
*[[Coius]] - ''Coìa''
*[[Sublustria]] - ''Sublùstria''
*north - ''il boreà''
*south - ''il austrà''
*east - ''il orièn''
*west - ''il oxidèn''
*overseas (adj.) - ''ultramarìn, ultramarìna''

{{Template:Montecara topics}}
[[Category:Montecara]]
[[Category:Languages (Kylaris)]]