Languages

The common language is Indo-European, with a strong contribution from various latin, germanic and celtic roots.  Kir Vor for example is from Caer Fawr - the Great City.  Like all Indo-European languages it was originally rich in complex endings and declensions.  Most of these have now been worn away, and there are three cases (Subject, Object, and Possessive), all distinctions between accusative, dative, locative, instrumental and similar concepts are shown by a complex set of prepositions, as in English. 

There are three genders, masculine (“i” endings), feminine (“a” endings), and neuter.  As in other  Indo-European tongues the neuter denotes not unspecified gender, but rather undeveloped sexuality.  The words for the young of most species are neuter, hence a reference to a “child” would be a neuter word, unless boy or girl is deliberately specified. 

Names may be derived from nouns or be chosen arbitrarily.  If so derived, then the case endings are dropped (though not the gender ending) and the stress is moved to the first syllable of the word, instead of the penultimate one. 

There are two forms of speech, formal and familiar, and two corresponding forms of you, as in German, one for formal use, and one for informal.  In the Ruetli dialect the formal is reserved for Swordbearers.  Its use is usually shown in English by such forms as 'my lady' or 'my lord'.  Informal speech is shown by the use of dialect forms such as "lad" or "lass".  It is notable that many of the people of Foxdale feel able to use the familiar with Joni. 

The alphabet is derived from the one popularised by King Alfred of Wessex.  It has no capital letters.  The capitals used in expressions such as "He Who Is", or the expression normally translated as Warden, "He Who Guards", are an indication of the lack of case ending, and altered stress pattern which denotes a name, rather than just a descriptive phrase. 

As a result of the breakup of the empire, there has been a slow breakup of the former single language, into different dialects which are well on the way to being different languages. 

One example of this is the use of the -ni or -nin suffix.  In the Ruetlis, it is the temporary name given to a child until they are old enough to choose a name for themself.  The two names (or rather the title and the name) are both then used until the child is presented before the community as an adult in their late teens.  To take a sword is to declare yourself to be an adult, hence Sirana's comment after the battle at the Winebowl. 

In Kir Vor however, the title is retained for the heir until the father dies, at which point the child begins to use the forename already chosen for them as a baby by the parents. 

The old minor languages which survived the Empire have revived with the independence of the provinces where they are spoken, although these do not come into the story.  There is also irregular contact with traders from beyond the Cloudbearers and the southern desert, and some knowledge of their languages and cultures, although there is also a lot of fear and superstition about them. 

These pages are copyright Cowen Software Ltd,