NorAellians share one common language, which itself has no name. The idea of naming that-thing-that-everyone-must-know-in-order-to-communicate-and-understand-the-concept-of-naming-to-begin-with seemed silly to them. Their language focuses on taking simpler words or concepts and combining them into larger, more complex concepts. Their language is about efficiency; if you can express an entire sentence in a single word, why wouldn't you?
- Phonetic Style: The NorAellian language favors short, sharp syllables that are easily distinguishable, emphasizing efficiency. Consonants are often pronounced clearly, with a tendency for hard stops (e.g., "k", "t", "d") and fricatives (e.g., "sh", "zh") to indicate authority and power. Vowels are kept short and are typically pronounced with a consistent, clipped tone to convey clarity. They do not have any words that begin with "c", as it would simply be a "k" or "s".
- Syntax: The typical sentence structure follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. This structure mirrors the way their minds think collectively: identifying the subject, recognizing the object, and then understanding the action.
- Modifiers: Adjectives and adverbs typically precede the nouns or verbs they modify, just like in english. For example, "Big ship flies" would be structured as "GorDesh Ahn".
- Combining Words: To form compound words, NorAellians often chain smaller base words together. Each word is capitalized and pronounced distinctly. Modifiers usually proceed the object they modify. For instance, "Big Ship" is "GorDesh", "Public Place" would be "BriAell", "Young little sibling" is "LynGikDal".
- Pronouns: NorAellians often omit pronouns unless emphasis is needed.
- Vocabulary: NorAellian language is often filled with basic metaphors for things; using sky instead of space, water to mean any liquid, etc. It's also very adaptable, so while older usage might be more metaphorical, if a new word is adopted the compound words might change and then that usage would be prefered, even though both are still valid. (Just like using 'thee and thou' isn't used in english, but still understood.
- For help, think along the lines of this XKCD comic. Complex concepts described by simple, well known words. That's how the NorAellians think.
- Pronunciation: The pronunciation rules in NorAellian reflect their straightforward, logical nature and focus on efficiency. The phonetic style emphasizes clarity, with distinct consonant sounds and short, sharp vowel sounds. This makes the language easy to understand, even in situations where precise communication is critical.
- Stress: Stress generally falls on the first syllable of each base word. For compound words, the primary stress falls on the initial base word, with secondary stress on subsequent base words.
- Aesthetics: The language has a logical, rhythmic flow. Words are meant to be spoken quickly and with purpose, reflecting their focus on efficiency and directness.
These are a list of known words in the language that can be combined to make more complex words. Their small words are generally between one and four letters long.
- Aell (ahl): "place", "people"
- Ahl (ahl): "fire"
- Ahn (ahn): "fly"
- Bri (bree): "public"
- Daa (dah): "cousin", "one"
- Dal (dahl): "sibling", "family"
- Dar (dahr): "soon"
- Drii (dree): "fated", "destined"
- Druu (droo): "choice", "freedom"
- Desh (desh): "ship"
- Dur (door): "male"
- Feh (feh): "happy"
- Fru (froo): "water"
- Fyn (fin): "always"
- Ghir (geer): "build", "create"
- Gik (gik): "little"
- Gor (gore): "big"
- Gruh (grew): "excriment", "shit", "waste"
- Jin (jin): "knowledge"
- Kaz (kaz): "earth"
- Kel (kel): "light"
- Keth (keth): "technology"
- Khor (kor): "strength", "power"
- Kyl (kil): "greatest"
- Kym (kim): "moment"
- La (lah): "bad, ill"
- Li (lee): "tiny"
- Lor (lore): "sad"
- Lyn (lin): "young"
- Lyk (lik): "speak", "voice"
- Myr (meer): "mercy"
- Nal (nal): "eternal"
- Naq (nak): "not"
- Nor (nor): "our", "us", "we"
- Oni (oh-nee): "special"
- Onn (on): "changed" (for the worse), "demonic"
- Onin (oh-neen): "divine", "protector"
- Qi (kee): "evil"
- Quan (kwan): "control"
- Rael (rayl): "fight", "struggle"
- Rath (rath): "fuck"
- Rek (rek): "comedy", "funny", "selfless" (without ego)
- Ryi (ree): "sky"
- Ryk (reek): "to act", "to be"
- Shae (shay): "love"
- So (soh): "one"
- Son (sawn): "huge"
- Sy (sigh): "sin"
- Syl (sil): "pain"
- Tar (tar): "dark"
- Tahl (tahl): "honor", "integrity"
- Ten (ten): "before"
- Tchik (chik): "death"
- Thon (thon): "today"
- Thra (thrah): "hunt", "pursuit"
- Ty (tee): "your"
- Tyn (tin): "egg", "infant", "newborn"
- Ur (oor): "star"
- Var (var): "sex", "mate"
- Val (val): "later"
- Vai (vye): "to go"
- Vel(vel): "female", "woman"
- Vik (vik): "soldier", "warrior"
- Vuul (vool): "watchers"
- Xal (zal): "to forbid"
- Xyr (zeer): "wisdom"
- Yar (yar): "fear"
- Vex (veks): "problem"
- Yin (yin): "now"
- Zah (zah): "sleep"
- Zul (zool): "space"
- Zyr (zeer): "never"
These are the NorAellian words for counting:
- So (soh): "one"
- Duo (doo-oh): "two"
- Tre (treh): "three"
- Quar (kwahr): "four"
- Pen (pen): "five"
- Ses (sehs): "six"
- Set (seht): "seven"
- Okto (ok-toh): "eight"
- Nyn (nin): "nine"
- Dek (dehk): "ten"
To make a larger number, you simply combine them:
- DekDuo (dehk-doo-oh): "twelve"
- DuoDek (doo-oh-dek): "twenty"
Here are several examples of NorAellian numbers with their pronunciations and English equivalents:
- TreDekSo (treh-dehk-soh): "thirty-one"
- QuarDekTre (kwahr-dehk-treh): "forty-three"
- PenDekSet (pen-dehk-seht): "fifty-seven"
- SesDekOkto (sehs-dehk-ok-toh): "sixty-eight"
- NynDekDuo (nin-dehk-doo-oh): "ninety-two"
- DekDek (dehk-dehk): "one hundred"
- DuoDekDuoDekTre (doo-oh-dehk-doo-oh-dehk-treh): "two hundred twenty-three"
- DekDekDuoDek (dehk-dehk-doo-oh-dehk): "one thousand twenty"
- TreDekQuarDekSetDek (treh-dehk-kwahr-dehk-seht-dehk): "three thousand four hundred seventy"
- QuarDekDekNynDekQuar (kwahr-dehk-dehk-nin-dehk-kwahr): "forty thousand ninety four"
- AhnDesh - "Starship" (literally, "flying ship").
- FehGhir - "Joy in Creation" (the happiness derived from building or making something new).
- GikDaa - "Little Cousins/Ones".
- GorDesh - "Big Ship".
- LaDriiAell - "Ill Fated Place/People". The NorAellian name for the Lyndri Homeworld.
- LiDesh - "Little Ship". The name for their "fighters".
- LorTchik - "Sorrow of Death" (grief caused by death).
- LykTahl - "Voice of Honor" (speaking truthfully or with integrity).
- MyrRael - "Merciful Combat" (fighting with restraint or compassion).
- NorAel - "Our People" or "Our Place". Both the name of the world, and their race.
- OnnQuan - "Changed/Demonic Control/Tech". The name they use to refer to their 'black' tech, or ancient NorAellian technology.
- OniQuan - "Special Control/Tech". Often believed to be a mistranslation of 'OnnQuan'. There's some reason to believe this is also a different form of ancient NorAellian technology.
- ShaeVar - "Beloved Mate" (once's current romantic partner)
- SoOni - "Gifted Ones".
- SonDesh - "Huge Ship".
- SylYar - "Painful Fear" (a state of intense anxiety or dread).
- ThraShae - "Pursuit of Love" (actively seeking affection or connection).
- ThraSyl YarVik - "Seekers of Pain, Warriors of Fear" (NorAellian name for the Grey.)
- TynVuul - "Egg Watchers".
- XyrDruu - "Wisdom of Freedom" (the knowledge to make choices wisely).
- ZahTahl - "Peaceful Sleep" (a state of sleep with honor, could also imply death as a euphemism).
- "TyVex" (tee veks): "That's your problem."
- Literal Translation: "Your problem."
- Interpretation: This is a refusal to take ownership of something. The NorAellian equivalent of "caveat emptor", or "the buyer beware".
...
- Rath (rath): "fuck"
- Interpretation: Used as an exclamation of frustration or anger. (This word has no sexual connotation, rather, it's entire meaning is just an utterance of annoyance.)
- Usage:
- "TyRyk Rath" (tee-reek rath): "Go fuck yourself." (or "Fuck you.")
- Literal Translation: "You to be fucked."
- Interpretation: It's considered a blunt command, instructing the user to fuck themselves.
- "RathQi!" (rath-kee): "Fuck this/that!"
- Literal Translation: "Fuck evil!"
- Interpretation: The implication is that the subject this is directed at is the evil thing, and it is the source of the annoyance causing the outburst.
- "RathKeth!" (rath-keth): "Fuck it!"
- Literal Translation: "Fuck technology!"
- Interpretation: While this, in ancient times, was an expression of frustration with technology, it's become synonymous with being frustrated at anything or even the universe in general.
- Gruh (grew): "shit"
- Interpretation: Used as an exclamation when something is unpleasant, worthless, or undesirable.
- Usage:
- "GruhDesh!" (grew): "Shithole"
- Literal Translation: "Shit ship"
- Interpretation: An insult at a location (doesn't have to be a ship) that is poorly maintained or otherwise an undesirable location to find oneself.
- "RykGruh!" (reek-grew): "to be shitty", "acting like a little shit"
- Literal Translation: "Act shit!"
- Interpretation: A command or curse to "do something shitty," implying the person is already acting poorly or about to make a bad decision.
- "NalGruh!" (nahl-grew): "piece of shit"
- Literal Translation: "Eternal shit!"
- Interpretation: Used to dismiss someone or something as worthless, implying the've always been and will always be shit.
- "LykGruh Qi!" (lik-grew kee): "talking shit"
- Literal Translation: "Speak shit, evil!"
- Interpretation: A strong insult, implying the subject only ever lies or their words are worthless. (For NorAellians, this is a very strong insult.)
- "DalTy GruhDruu!" (dahl-tee gruh-droo): "white trash", "redneck", "yokel", "cur"
- Literal Translation: "Your family's choice is shit!"
- Interpretation: A derogatory way of saying someone comes from a family or group that is worthless. It implies It's an insult to both the individual and their origins, suggesting they are inherently flawed and worthless.
- "ZyrVai ZulThon." (zeer-vye zool-thon): "You will not go to space today."
- Literal Translation: "Never to go space today"
- "LykShae Naq, RykTchik Ty DalTy FynTyn" (ik-shay nak reek-chik tee dahl-tee fin-tin): "Touch her and I will kill you, your family, and all who come after you."
- Literal Translation: "Speak love not, act death your family, forever newborn."