Confusion in the Use of Soft Consonants (lj, nj, ŕ) in Interslavic

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The current implementation of soft consonants (e.g., "lj", "nj", "ŕ") in Interslavic appears to be sometimes overly schematic and sometimes arbitrary, leading to confusion among users. The inconsistent application of these soft consonants creates challenges in understanding and using the language naturally.

Examples:

1. Len and Lev:

   • Nominative:
     • lėn ("flax")
     • lev ("lion")
   • Genitive:
     • ljna (from "lėn") instead of expected ĺna
     • ljva (from "lev") instead of expected ĺva
   • Issue:
     • The genitive forms introduce an unexpected "lj", which seems arbitrary.
     • Other Slavic languages handle these forms differently: either like ĺna or lėna (lėnu), ĺva or lėva, but "ljva" or "ljva" can nowhere be met in living languages.
     • Question: What makes these words require "lj" in the genitive? Is there a specific rule or compromise affecting these forms?

2. Softening of "n" in Suffixes:

   • "konj" ("horse") becomes "końsky" ("equine"), introducing an unexpected softening of "n" to "ń".
     • In contrast, "roditelj" ("parent") becomes "roditeljsky" ("parental") without softening "lj" to "ľ".
   • "slovjanin" ("Slav") becomes "slovjańsky" ("Slavic"), softening "n" to "ń".
     • However, "mråz" ("frost") becomes "mråzny" ("frosty") without softening "z" to "ź".
   • Issue:
     • The rules for when "n" softens to "ń" before suffixes like -sk- are unclear.
     • There's inconsistency in applying softening to other consonants before the same suffixes.
     • Question: Why is "n" sometimes softened and other times not? What's the rationale behind these inconsistencies?

3. Use of Soft "r" (ŕ):

   • Words like "burja" ("storm") become "buŕny" ("stormy"), introducing a soft "r" in derived forms.
   • "zvěŕ" ("beast") becomes "zvěŕsky" ("beastly") with a soft "r".
   • Issue:
     • Soft "r" (ŕ) is primarily present in Western Slavic languages like Czech and Slovak.
     • Most other Slavic languages do not use a soft "r" in these contexts.
     • Question: Why is the soft "r" applied in derivations when it's not consistent across the majority of Slavic languages? Is this an over-reliance on features from specific languages?

Additional Examples and Issues:

• Inconsistent Use of Ń (ń):

  • "Sańky" ("sled") is one of the few words where ń appears before a consonant (notably, not before "j"), which is inconsistent with other usages.
  • Before the suffix -j-, ń is used (e.g., "iměńje" for "property"), but in other cases, "nj" is used (e.g., "konj", "banja").

• Softening Before Suffixes:

  • Suffixes That Soften Preceding Consonants:
    • -b- and -j- soften preceding consonants, including turning r into ŕ and l into ľ:
      • "boriti sę" ("to fight") becomes "boŕba" ("battle").
      • "sųglåsny" ("consonant") becomes "sųglåśje" ("harmony").
    • However, other suffixes like -sk-, -stv-, -n-, -nik-, and -c- only soften /l/ to ľ, not other consonants:
      • "pravilo" ("rule") becomes "praviľny" ("correct").
      • "škola" ("school") becomes "škoľnik" ("student").
    • Issue:
      • Inconsistency in which suffixes cause softening and which consonants are affected.
      • For example, "slovjanin" becomes "slovjańsky", softening n to ń, but "lěs" ("forest") becomes "lěsny", not "lěśny".

• Retention of Soft Consonants in Derivation:

  • "Volja" ("will") retains lj in "voljny" ("free").
  • "Roditelj" ("parent") retains lj in "roditeljsky" ("parental").
  • However, "konj" ("horse") does not retain nj in "konsky" ("equine"), losing the soft consonant.
    • Alternate Forms: Some suggest "konjsky" to retain the nj, but this is not standard.
  • Issue:
    • Lack of consistent rules for retaining or dropping soft consonants in derived forms.
    • Users are unsure when to preserve soft consonants like lj and nj.

• Use of Soft Consonants in Loanwords and Foreign Terms:

  • In borrowed words, soft l is generally not used:
    • "Absolutny" ("absolute") remains without softening.
    • Exceptions: Some words like "aljur" ("allure") and "pljuš" ("plush") include lj due to their pronunciation.

Summary of the Problem:

• The application of soft consonants lj, nj, and ŕ in Interslavic is inconsistent and sometimes appears arbitrary.
• There is confusion about when consonants should be softened in derivations and when they should remain hard.
• The reliance on specific Slavic language features (e.g., Czech's use of soft r) may not be representative of the broader Slavic language family.
• These inconsistencies hinder the naturalness and accessibility of the language for learners and speakers from different Slavic backgrounds.

Questions for Consideration:

• What are the exact rules governing the use of soft consonants in Interslavic?
• Can these rules be clarified and standardized to reduce confusion?
• Should the application of soft consonants be revised to reflect common patterns across all Slavic languages rather than specific ones?
• How can the language balance etymological accuracy with practicality and ease of use?

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Conclusion:

The inconsistencies in the use of soft consonants in Interslavic create challenges for users in understanding and applying the language's rules. By examining these issues with specific examples, we aim to highlight areas where clarification and standardization are needed to improve the language's coherence and accessibility.