Languages of Kudahn

Hedial Mertashar, Professor of Linguistics, University of K’uvu

Andros

The new lingua Franca for the majority of civilized cultures in Khudan. Andor’s massive economy and influence have made the language common throughout the continent but especially in Andor and its neighbors. Uses Zidatan and Tadrosi characters and is a sort of hodge podge of a language allowing most to understand at least some andros even if they cannot speak it. Semi Agglunative (like German). Language Influences -Mashup of Kurdish and Dutch,words are stuck together to form compounds and capitals are left in.

Tadrosi

is descended from the old tongue brought from across the eastern iboro sea. Due to the dominance of Tadros in the sphere of magic most magical, scientific, and philosophical texts, scrolls and other works are written in Tadrosi. Tadrosi uses a distinct alphabet which predates the much more widely used Gundatan alphabet though its age relative to the Grygr bone script syllabary is unknown. Modern Tadrosi is descended from ancient Tadrosi but the cataclysm known as “The Undoing” destroyed much of the collected works in the ancient language and its speakers. Thus, modern Tadrosi Is thought to have diverged significantly though estimates vary though some words and grammatical structures have been shown to have been conserved through archaeological evidence of unearthed fragments of ancient Tadros found around the continent. Example words: Oso - Delta, Jua- sunbeam, Gbukhu, Yekwa, Khenira, Taurek, Khe Nussek, Nessar, Ubna Language Influences: -Basque, Yoruba, Egyptian, Moroccan

Ka Kolantani

Language of the elves, widespread due to cultural exchange between disparate tribes. Some dialectical drift but surprisingly homogenous. Hungarian-German compounding but with frequent use of apostrophes to denote movement, age, chronology, ownership. Most names for things are short phrases. Word Examples: T’Lukan - moving into/ toward the sky; K’Nara - moving down into the mountain. Language influences: Klingon, Congalease, Bantu

Gazat (Ĝẑt)

Major language of the Northern States of Gazu: Gazumbar, Dum Gazat, Buckler mountains,etc. Gazat can be explained by tracing the history of human, elven, gnomish and goblinoid settlements in the region. A proto-gazat was almost certainly widely spoken in the area before the gnomi-modified gundani script was introduced. Though artifacts are rare, they indicate that much of the area used a complex syllabary likely descended from Yagkuuna. However the gnomish diaspora from Zidan radically changed the language and the script was entirely restructured over time by the gnomes who added the vowel-indicator accents from their scrollwork (to reduce page length) and introduced myriad Zidatan nomenclature. Language influences: Romani and Bosnian, old-norse

D​ruvYk

​Common language of the Southern states of Gazu: Umbar, and Arnakyr island. All evidence suggests that DruvYk was initially very close to the original proto-Gazat languages spoken to the north; however, the incursion of the Munar (Munaeꝡrn) introduced much change with raiding and new settlements. Example words: Gundarkyvos, Ænuugynta, Kulu’nyvos, Zyros Language influences: Romani and Bosnian, old-norse

Yagkuuna

Common goblin language of southern Khudan islands. Lingua Franca of the Aongh and the city state of Ulangatun. Quite a difficult and complex language composed of a large syllabary with upwards of 25 characters exclusively for vowel sounds alone and an additional 200 representing consonant vowel combinations reversals of which represent a phonological reversal of vowel consonant position. Syllables are also placed higher or lower relative to a median line to represent the four tones Yagkuuna along with Grygr are thought to predate Tadrosi and Gundatan due to their highly unique structures. Among the only Kudahn languages with tones and trithongs and a differentiation between long vs short held vowels Vowels: A, E, I, O, U, AA, EE, II, OO, UU, AO, AI, EO, etc. Consonants: B, G, K, L, N, M, V, Y Example words: Nyangumarta, Djaru, Wajarr, Noonga, Kuuk Thaayore, Yugambeh-Bundjalung Language influences: Aboriginal and Maori languages of Australia and New Sealand, Toki Pona with elements of Thai, languages of Indonesia

Grygr

The language family of the North, primarily spoken by orcs, dwarves and some elves. Also the word for the sound of wind through trees and the verb “to speak”. Widespread especially in Ysgr but a high degree of regional fragmentation is present with some dialects unintelligible to each other. Primarily uses its own Logography where each character represents a concept with inclusion of Tadrosi characters for borrowed words. Vowels are not as important to Grygr as other languages so many vowels sounds omitted or turned to Y‘s when written in other scripts Word Examples: Ysgr, Yzra, Uygr, Udrum, Ysgrynyr Consonants: D, G, K, L, N, T, R/L, Y, V, Z Vowels: A, U, Y Language influences: Kyrgzy, Kazakh,Inuktitut, Inuit sounds - chinese writing style

Munaeꝡrn

Spoken in northwestern Doran, Munar, and western Ysgr especially islands of the Kalttryt Sea east of Strꝡr Most similar to Grygr but significantly different due to island isolation. Language influences: Old-English, scottish icelandic

Zidatlan

Spoken through Zidan. Uses a highly logical and efficient alphabet system. Which makes Zidatan one of the easiest languages to speak, read, and write. The Gundan language was designed and implemented several thousand years ago and has been maintained through strict laws. Although the language has been exported to Doran and the states of Gazu though simple immigration and trade the lack of regulation has seen it mutated radically outside of its home borders. Although Zidatan script will often be encountered outside of Zidan it is often paired with entirely different languages. Because High-Zidatan is so tightly regulated the language lacks the subtlety of organic languages which often contain semi-redundant but contextually nuanced structures and vocabulary. Although only High-Gundan is formally taught in schools the populace uses a wide variety of slang terms and colloquialisms leading to something of a double language particularly amongst non-native speakers. As a result most art is created and performed in Low-Zidatan Influences: Native south american languages with the History and logic of French, German