Sarkelean
Phonology
Because I began this language with absolutely no knowledge of linguistics, and without glimpse of the wonders to be found in the strange languages of the world, I cast its original phonology in the image of English. Since then, I have refined it, removed some sounds, added others, and resisted the temptations I have met along the way, such as adding lateral fricatives, palatal consonants, bilabials, and so on. Such sounds are simply not compatible with Sarkelean. Currently, there is really only one sound in Sarkelean that does not occur in English, that of the aspirated 's'. The following outlines Sarkelean phonology and the orthography used in romanization:
ë - this sound is a long 'e' sound, as in English 'pay'
e - this letter (without diaresis) is always a short 'e' as in 'bet'
a - as in English 'hat'
i - like the 'i' in 'machine'
o - as in 'no'
u - as in 'true'
ai - like English 'eye'
ëa - these two vowels are pronounced separately
th - always like English 'thing'
s - always unvoiced as in English 'so'
s' - this is an aspirated 's' sound, sort of like the 's-h' in 'cross-hatch' I suppose
r' - aspirated 'r'.
l' - aspirated 'l'.
Grammar
Plurals: Plurals in Sarkelean are simple and regularly formed based on the ending in the singular. The following sums up the forms:
- -ë > -ëa; barë 'eagle' > barëa 'eagles'
- -ar > -erë; sar 'book' > serë 'book'
- -u > -u; lalu 'burden' or 'burdens'
- -o > -a; voro 'dog' > vora 'dogs'
- -a > -ë; dala 'girl' > dalë 'girls'
- -ëa > -ëa; këa 'soul' or 'souls'
- -an > -ën; naralan 'thought' > naralën 'thoughts'
- any consonant (except -ar and -an): add 'ë'; delep 'cat' > delepë 'cats'
Verbs: The Sarkelean verb has three tenses. They are the past, present, and future. The past is formed by placing the particle lë at the end of the present form of the verb. The future tense is formed by placing the particle thë after the present form of the verb. There is no special infinitive form, so the present tense is simply the verb as listed in the vocabulary section. The one exception to these rules is the verb dra, which forms its tenses by placing the particles before the verb instead of after it.
Examples:
dë therë 'he kills'.
dë therë-lë 'he killed', 'he was killing'.
dë therë-thë 'he will kill'.
Vocabulary
a wind
ai star
ailëa creator
al not
alara to sway
al-athalu peace
alëna bronze
alula to be afraid
alulë fear
apelë mist
ar how
arë to tell [a story, anecdote]
arë before (unrelated to arë above)
arëla a travelling entertainer
aro story, tale
asësë wizard, magician
as'ë north
as'ëvë guard, defender
as'uvë leader
atali colloquial for 'courtier'
atha unfortunate
athalu war
ba a forceful 'no'
banla bow (as in the weapon)
banlë to draw or pull
bar house, dwelling
bara never
barë eagle
bera moon
buran body
daga bird
dagarë eating room
dagë to eat
daka there
daka uncle (unrelated to daka above)
dal seat
dala girl
dalë to sit
dana bone
dar skill
dara excellent, great
de O!
delenë to sell
delep cat
delepë to meow
delë mr., sir
delë to listen, hear (unrelated to delë above)
dera love
derë to love
desë high lord; prince
dë to become
dëla woman
dëra long
doro hole
draka fire
drakë to burn
dran old
drë with, by
drë future tense particle for verbs
drë could, should, might
drëla small
dri maiden
enera bright, shining
enë to come
ëla animal
ëla to receive, obtain, procure (unrelated to ëla above)
elëa to create
erë after
ëtelë hair
gar clothes
har rain
hari to cut; blade
hel school
helë student
helu teacher
i and
ir up
iresë to ascend
irori soft
is table
ka where
kada child
kadro boy
kala young
kalarë help
kara message
karë messenger
kari sword
kasa to live (ie. dwell)
kasë to send
kas' tree
kava useful
kekë brother
kel valley
kelë to speak, talk
ker light
kerë to shine
kë to see, watch
këa soul, spirit
këbë fat
këkë every
kël fish
këlëdal alphabet
këra new
kërë to find
kika insect
kila sweet; honey
kivri vegetable
ko big
kor rock, stone
korë hill
korëko mountain
kori jagged, serrated
koru hard
kosë blue
kuro leg
lada child
lalë life, to live
lalu burden
lar possession
larë to have; to be able to
larë town, community (unrelated to larë above)
larëko city
le to, for
leda the same
ledë to join, unite
lelë sister
lenë to buy
lep to poke; a point, dot
lëma floor
li future
lis flower
lisë to bloom
logo to jump
lu to fight
lul surprise
lula surprised
lulë to shock, surprise
l'ar must, should
l'unla amethyst
mar hand
melë apple
mëda song; to sing
mërë to sleep
molu fruit
-n genitive ending
na in, at
na optional imperative particle for verbs
nalar luck
nar round ball of lead that you throw as a weapon
nara to think
naralan thought, idea
narë day
narë to dance
ner island
nera knowledge
nerë to know
në if
nëan maybe, perhaps
nënë south
norë to descend
o but
odro stupid
olothan meeting, formal gathering
ora water
orako ocean
oro to roll, toss
par flatbread
rada good, adequate
rai beautiful
raka aunt
ral down
rara mother
redë to like
relë miss, mrs., etc.
resë high lady; princess
rë eye
rëan sight
rëden jewel
rëka to gather
rëla many, much
rën bit, little piece, etc.
rësa basket
rësë to weave
ri festival
ri comparative (like, as)
ril die [as in dice]
rilë to gamble
roko ghost
rula happy
rulë to rejoice
r'ë crystal; to sparkle
r'ëla to forgive, pardon
r'ilu to join, meet
saga torch
saka cup
salëka woods, forest
sandralë grass; green
sar book, etc.
sarë to read
sarin man
sarkelë language
saro to write
sasadrë to show
sathë epic
seblë from
sep to do, make
së air
së to go (unrelated to së above)
sëka towards
sëlë to entertain
sëlë map (unrelated to sëlë above)
sënë to put
sëra palace
sësë magic
si very
sidra name
sikadrë husband
sila merchant
siladrë wife
silë to trade, barter
silnar hunter
silu ware
sinblan peasant, the people
siri a certain jungle flower of Sarkelëa
sisi another, again
siv ice
siva to freeze
sivë cold
soblë strong
sola quick
solan speed
sovo sometimes
suha to seek
suiv scimitar
sul bored
sula boring
sulë to bore
s'a because
s'aka red
s'akara blood
s'akarë to bleed
s'ako jungle
s'an all, whole
s'ar dark
s'aran darkness
s'arë to blacken; to hide
s'esi a precious gem
s'ëla people
s'ët dew
s'ëvan defence
s'ëvë to defend
s'ëvët armour
s'i sky
s'ida emperor
s'inla shadow
s'ira empress
s'iri snow
s'i? why?
s'itha world
s'o night
s'oko scary, frightening
s'usa tired
s'uvan leadership
s'uvë to lead, direct, conduct
tala musical
talan music
talë to play music
talu musician
tarë province, region
tarë to die (unrelated to tarë above)
tarëko empire
taro death
tela to greet
telë helmet
tenlarë to have delusions of grandeur
të that, this, those, these
tëra to smile
tëra! greetings!
tëva to give
thalerë to irritate, annoy
thama sandal
thar mud, dirt
thëba drum
thëlan compromise
thëra murder
thila leaf
tu work
tur height
tura high
turë to rise
vala necessities
valë to need
va now
var mind
vara to reflect, ponder
vas'i today
vera silver
vë past
vëla time
vo to want
vora to woof, bark
voro dog
vuna mysterious
vunë mystery