Proto-Ziai language

include lots of fricatives (ɸ, β, f, θ, s, z, sv (whistled sibilant), ç, x, ɣ), a complex vowel system (lots of polyphthongs), and set melodic patterns for various types of phrases (stops p b t k and g still exist, but they occur less frequently than the fricatives); syllables are hard to distinguish, but most words are composed of a string of vowels and non-sibilant continuants sometimes preceded by a fricative and ended with an un-released stop; the word order is quite free, since the melodic pattern of the phrase provides most of the meaning, in most cases, parts of speech are identified with their closing stop (p for nouns, t for adjectives and adverbs, k for verbs), in more “intimate” speech, vowels are rounded (leading to an elaborate T-V distinction); man (in the sense of male person) - θeɯnap, dream - çɤɪti, month - s͎ɪaileip, fire - seɛip, mother - βup