Old Kai

Vowels
Note that for all the above sounds except for /ai/ a long form may be indicated by adding an umlaut (ő in the case of ó) to indicate the vowel is pronounced long. For example, 'ö' = /o:/, 'ä' = /a:/, etc.

Proto-Kai utilises Vowel Harmony in the formation of its words. In a native Kai word, all vowels in a word will either be front or back, or rounded or unrounded. Thus, a word can consist of vowels from any single group, but not of vowels from outside that particular group. These groups are as follows:
 * Front /i y e ø ai/, as well as long forms.
 * Back /u a o ai/, as well as long forms.
 * Rounded /y ø u o/, as well as long forms.
 * Unrounded /i e a ai/, as well as long forms.

Consonants
Orthographic representation of each character is indicated in brackets.

Phonotactics
Proto-Kai follows a (C)V(C)(C) phonotactic system, wherein: F=iyeóx B=uaox R=yóuo U=ieax C=ktdsr54w6qcnz2pvfbg31m K=stcnk4p5
 * /ts m/ cannot form the coda.

x|á c|tš w|ts q|kh 1|dz 2|dž 3|gh 4|š 5|ž 6|rh

CFK CBK CRK CUK CF CB CR CU FK BK RK UK F B R U

Noun Declension
Nouns have genders. There are: Furthermore, nouns can decline according to case and number. Thus,
 * Animate
 * Inanimate
 * Neuter

Verb Conjugation
Verbs conjugate according to number and person. Tense is indicated by using auxiliary verbs.

Syntax
Verb, Subject, Object (VSO)

Eg,

Täkur drinks water = ïndiesh Täkur ájesh (literally: drinks Täkur water).\

Ka, áesute asájerü räzhetí krázho,

Thus, wheat (object marker) east of the water (location marker)  to trade has been.

Thus, wheat has been traded with Assai.

Assai:

Qe, aitse Assai razheti qaitse

Thus, wheat (object marker) Assai to trade has been

Thus, wheat has been traded with Assai.

KA,

AI-eh-su-te

a-SAI-je-roo

RAA-zhe-ti

KRAI-zho

KYE,

AI-tse

as-AI

RA-zhe-ti

KYAI-tse

"Ka, áesute asájerü räzhetí krázho, ïn eliz zezhíniko kraiutizhdïníe ká sázhdïnía Kájinizhbídájerü-áet eas, sákrájas ne tïje kezhe mes-áet oshurizhï Zhatsárü-ï"

"Thus, [wheat+accusative] [East of the Water+locative] to trade has been, for there bountiful [gold+accusative] and [amber+accusative] [Kai Sea+locative]-across is, work not they (unspec. plur. 3rd) it better than [(homelands+genitive) Zhatsai+locative]-in"

"Thus wheat has also been traded with asájerü' (Assai), for across the Kai Sea is bountiful gold and amber which is nowhere better worked than in the homelands of the Zhatsai".

Vocabulary
Ka = thus

Ïn = for

áet = over, across, on top