Torchman

Torchman
Xalgaq
Xalgaq
Pronunciation	[ɣɑɫ.gɑq]
Created by	Jukethatbox
Date	2022-2023
Native speakers	200,000 (2023)
Language family	language isolate Torchman
Standard form	Standard dialect(rraX₂agd)
Dialects	Standard dialect Footsoldier dialect(žiH₂idu)

Torchman, also known by its endonym Xalgaq, is a language spoken by the mysterious torch-men that patrol the Cities and its people.

Registers/Dialects

There are two main dialects, or registers of the Torchman language. The first is the Standard dialect, which is the official register used by those of a higher rank within the Torch-men Society(ğaHal-q₂og₂da). It is used in propaganda as well as executive orders, laws and just official documentation in general. In speech, it is also used by prison guards in roll calls and generals, captains and commanders.

The second is the Footsoldier dialect, colloquially known as the people dialect. It is spoken natively by the majority of the Torchmen, though as it is considered an informal register, nobody uses it to communicate with those of a higher rank than themselves, and it is thus used to communicate among friends, family or others of the same rank as you.

The two registers do not heavily contrast on the basis of phonology or morphology, but instead they vary widely on the basis of semantics. The Standard dialect tends to have what English speakers "posher" semantics, whereas the Footsoldier dialect tends to have more "slang-like" semantics. For example, the word k₂azuu in the Standard dialect means "incompetent", and is often used to describe non-Torchmen who are unwilling to comply with official regulations or Torchmen who do not do their job correctly and/or efficiently. However, in the Footsoldier dialect, the same word means "stupid", and can be used to describe anybody who's just a bit dumb.

This slight variation of semantics can cause confusion between speakers.

Phonology

Consonants

		Bilabial/ Labiodental		Alveolar/ Post-alveolar		Retroflex		Velar		Uvular
		unvoiced	voiced	unvoiced	voiced	unvoiced	voiced	unvoiced	voiced	unvoiced	voiced
Plosive	standard	p	b	t	d			k	g	q	ɢ ⟨ğ⟩
	pharyngealised	pˤ ⟨p₂⟩	bˤ ⟨b₂⟩	tˤ ⟨t₂⟩	dˤ ⟨d₂⟩			kˤ ⟨k₂⟩	gˤ ⟨g₂⟩	qˤ ⟨q₂⟩	ɢˤ ⟨ğ₂⟩
Fricative	standard		v		z	ʂ ⟨š⟩	ʐ ⟨ž⟩	x	ɣ ⟨X⟩	χ ⟨H⟩	ʁ ⟨r⟩/ ⟨rr⟩
	ejective		vʼ ⟨v₂⟩	sʼ ⟨s₂⟩	zʼ ⟨z₂⟩
	palatalised				zʲ ⟨z₃⟩		ʐʲ⟨ž₂⟩	xʲ⟨x₂⟩	ɣʲ⟨X₂⟩	χʲ⟨H₂⟩
Affricate					d͡ʒ ⟨č⟩		ɖ͡ʐ ⟨č₂⟩
Lateral approximant									ɫ ⟨l⟩

Vowels

		Front		Central		Back/ Near-back
		unrounded	rounded	unrounded	rounded	unrounded	rounded
Close				ɨ ⟨i⟩			u
Near-close						(ʊ̯)
Mid	Close-mid		ø			ɤ ⟨ü⟩	o
	Open-mid	ɛ ⟨e⟩			(ɞ)
Open						ɑ ⟨a⟩	ɒ ⟨ä⟩