Proto-Timayu language

Proto-Timayu (*Timayu ) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Timayu language family spoken in East Soco. The Timayu languages were isolated for most of their history. The migration to the islands from the mainland happened around the 3rd millenium.

Consonants

 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! ! Labial ! Alveolar ! Palatal ! Velar ! Glottal ! Nasal ! Plosive ! Fricative ! Approximant
 * + Consonant phonemes of Proto-Timayu
 * m || n || || ŋ ||
 * p || t || || k ||
 * ɸ ⟨f⟩ || s || || || h
 * || l || j ⟨y⟩ || w ||
 * }

Vowels

 * }
 * }

Stress
Stress always falls on the penultimate mora in the word. In compounds, each component has its own stress.

Grammar
Proto-Timayu is a head-final and isolating language. All parts of speech are invariable. The basic word order is subject–object–verb (SOV). Adjectives precede nouns; auxiliaries follow verbs.

Verbs
Aspect and mood are expressed through auxiliaries following the main verb. Indirect speech is expressed in the irrealis mood.

Negation
Negation is expressed in several different ways. In realis clauses, the particle wi is placed before the subject, the particle wisi after it, and the verb is conjugated in the irrelis mood. For example:


 * *Wi laula wisi nelu oku ka. — Birds don't eat bugs.

In irrealis clauses, the particle wi is placed before the object, and the verb is conjugated in the irrealis. The negative imperative is expressed by the particle wiha placed before the verb in the irrelis. For example:


 * *Məusə wiha oku ka. — Don't eat the fish.