consonantici

Consonantici is a term used in linguistics and constructed-language discussions to describe a class of phonological systems in which consonants form the primary structural framework of the language’s morphology and phonotactics. In such systems, vowel inventories often play a supporting or secondary role, and many morphological distinctions arise from consonant patterns, consonant changes, or root-based derivations. The term is informal and does not designate a single established typological category, but it is employed to discuss consonant-centric designs in natural or constructed languages.

Etymology and usage: The word consonantici draws on Latin-root morphology, combining a reference to consonants with an adjectival suffix. In practical usage, it signals a focus on consonantal skeletons in word formation and in the organization of sound systems, rather than a formal, widely adopted typology.

Features: Consonantici languages typically exhibit a robust consonant inventory, including a range of stops, fricatives, and sometimes affricates or ejectives. Morphology often centers on root structures formed from two or three consonants, with word meanings derived through vowel patterns or selective consonant alterations within a fixed skeleton. Writing systems associated with consonantici designs may resemble abjads or consonant-based scripts that selectively represent vowel information.

Relation to real languages: In practice, many languages with consonant-centered morphologies resemble the root-and-pattern systems found in several Semitic languages, where consonantal roots interact with templatic vowel patterns. The concept is frequently invoked in conlang design and linguistic theory to illustrate how consonants can structure lexical and grammatical relationships.

See also: Semitic languages, root-and-pattern morphology, consonantal writing systems, abjad, conlang design.