Proto-Vaniuan is a hypothetical common language that has had controversy in regards to the ethnicities involved. It is assumed that the proto language existed around 1,000 BCE before the spread of horseback riding. Main controversies exist in regard to the several languages that exist such as the word "good" in Vaniuan which is assumed to be /k¹it¹/ is ⟨çkhi⟩ /çkʰʲ/ in Ohanian and ⟨vié⟩ /vjé/ in Shohuanese.
Phonology
Consonants
Dai Riau's Theory
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Bilabial
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Alveolar
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Retroflex
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Velar
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Uvular
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Glottal
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| Nasal
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⟨m⟩ /m/
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⟨n⟩ /n/
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⟨ñ⟩ /ŋ/
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| Plosive
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⟨p⟩ /p/ ⟨ph⟩ /pʰ/
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⟨t⟩ /t/ ⟨th⟩ /tʰ/ ⟨d⟩ /d/ ⟨š⟩ /t~tʰs/
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⟨c⟩ /c~kʲ/ ⟨cw⟩ /cʷ~kʷʲ/
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⟨k⟩ /k/ ⟨kh⟩ /kʰ/ ⟨kw⟩ /kʷ~kw/ ⟨ks⟩ /kʰʷ~ksw/
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| Fricative
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⟨s⟩ /s/ ⟨hs⟩ /sʰ~hs/ ⟨ss⟩ /sː~ʃ~ç/ ⟨sc⟩ /sʰː~ʃː~çː/
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⟨h¹⟩ /x~sʲ~h/ ⟨h²⟩ /x~xʷ~hʷ~h̪͆/ ⟨h³⟩ /ꭓ~h~ʔ~ʕ/
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| Lateral app.
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⟨l¹⟩ /r~l~ɺ/ ⟨l²⟩ /ɫ~ʟ/
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Vowels
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Front
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Central
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Back
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| Close
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i
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u
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| Mid
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e¹ e²
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o¹ o²
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| Open
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ä
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