Olimaci Language Sketch

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limaci is spoken in the northeast of Greenhall, and is the state language of the Kingdom of Olimac. This article serves as a simple introduction to the language, and may aid readers in pronouncing and understanding the names and terms used in A Wall Against the Morning.

This page presents some remarks about the structure of the language. For the meaning of words and phrases, see the Olimaci Lexicon and Olimaci Phrasebook.

 

I. Pronunciation

 

Syllables and Stress.

Each syllable contains one vowel or diphthong. The vowels are a, e, i, o, and u, and the diphthongs are ei and ou. The vowel may be preceded by a glide (i or u).

Words ending in a vowel or in -ol are stressed on the penultimate syllable. Words ending in consonants are stressed on the final syllable. Exceptions to these rules are indicated in the lexicon by marking the stressed syllable with an accent mark.

 

Pronunciation of Vowels and Diphthongs

a is pronounced as in father or sofa.

e at the end of a word is pronounced like ay in day, elsewhere like e in bed.

ei is pronounced like ay in day.

i is pronounced as in machine; when it precedes a vowel, it represents a glide, pronounced like y in yet.

o at the end of a word is pronounced ow in crow, elsewhere like rod (British pronounciation).

ou is pronounced like ow in crow.

u is pronounced like oo in boot; when it precedes a vowel, it represents a glide, pronounced like w in wet.

Note: sometimes a final u following a consonant (especially m) is pronounced as a glide, although there is no following vowel. This is indicated in the lexicon by a following apostrophe.

 

Pronunciation of Consonants

b, d, f, l, m, n, p, r, and t are pronounced as in English.

c before e or i is pronounced like ch in church, elsewhere as in cat.

ć  is pronounced like ch in church.

g is pronounced as in grand.

j is pronounced as in judge.

s is pronounced as in sun. At the beginning of a word, it is sometimes pronounced like ts in cats.

ss is pronounced like ts in cats.

ś  is pronounced like sh in shoe.

v is pronounced as in Spanish (a sound intermediate between English v and w). In some words, an initial v is pronounced like w in wet.

z is pronounced as in gaze. At the beginning of a word, it is sometimes pronounced like dz in adz.

zz is pronounced like dz in adz.

ź  is pronounced like z in azure.

 

Examples

 

aueila

eagle

aźeiśli

there

canćoun

song

ceśo

blind

empeira

imperium

jośo

game

lumu'

light

reźina

queen

savadazzo

woodland

vilia

daughter

vrusso

fruit

 

II.Nouns, Adjectives, and Pronouns

Olimaci has two grammatical genders, masculine and feminine. There are two numbers, singular and plural, and three cases, nominative, accusative, and oblique. Adjectives agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case.

The oblique case is used only in poetry and in certain established phrases. It is used to give a noun the role of an adjective, describing the quality, source, or essence of something.

The nominative case is used only in writing, and even then not consistently except in the most formal of contexts. It is used to mark the subject of a sentence, but is only used for persons or other active agents.

For most purposes, the accusative case serve as an invariant form, and case is ignored.

 

Forms

Nouns:

Acc. Sing.

luna, moon

aseino, donkey

noss, night

Nom. Sing.

luna

aseins

noś 

Obl. Sing.

lun

aseini

nossi

Acc. Plur.

luns

aseinos

nosses

Nom. Plur.

lun

aseini

nosses

Obl. Plur.

lunis

aseinis

nosso

Adjectives:

Acc. Sing.

bona, good (fem.)

bono, good (masc.)

grand, great (masc. & fem.)

Nom. Sing.

bona

boz

grandes

Obl. Sing.

bon

boni

grandi

Acc. Plur.

bons

bonos

grandes

Nom. Plur.

bon

boni

grandes

Obl. Plur.

bonis

bonis

grandio

Personal Pronouns:

Acc. Sing.

me, me

te, you

Nom. Sing.

eźo

tu

Obl. Sing.

me

te

Acc. Plur.

nous, us

vous, you

Nom. Plur.

nous

vous

Obl. Plur.

nouves

vouves

Definite Article:

Acc. Sing.

śla, the (fem.)

ślo, the (masc.)

Nom. Sing.

śla

śl

Obl. Sing.

ślis

ślis

Acc. Plur.

ślas

ślos

Nom. Plur.

śl

śli

Obl. Plur.

ślaro

ślouro

III. Verbs

Verbs are inflected by number, person, and tense. There are three simple tenses: present, perfect, and imperfect. Compound tenses are used to express other temporal and modal aspects.

Present

1s

amo, I love

aveo, I have

duśo, I lead

zecio, I know

so, I am

2s

ams

áves

dúces

zecis

es

3s

ama

av

duć 

zece

es

1p

amams

aveims

duceims

zecims

soums

2p

amádes

avéides

ducéides

zecídes

ézedes

3p

áman

áven

dúśon

zecioun

soun

Perfect

1s

amavi

avui

duśi

zecivi

vui

2s

amavéizedi

avuéizedi

duśéizedi

zecivśéizedi

vuśéizedi

3s

amav

avu'

duś

zeciv

vue

1p

amaveims

avueims

duśeims

zecivims

vueims

2p

amavéizedes

avuéizedes

duśéizedes

zecivéizedes

vuéizedes

3p

amavéiron

avuéiron

duśéiron

zecivéiron

vuéiron

Imperfect

1s

amava

aveiva

duceiva

zecieiva

era

2s

amabs

aveibs

duceibs

zecieibs

es

3s

amava

aveiva

duceiva

zecieiva

era

1p

amavams

avevams

ducevams

zecievams

erams

2p

amavádes

avevádes

ducevádes

zecievádes

erádes

3p

amávan

avéivan

ducéivan

zeciéivan

éran

Infinitive

amar

aveir

ducer

zecir

es

Perfect Participle

amado

aveido

dusso

zecido

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Copyright © 2007-2008 Tom Waters