Letaale
Letaale [leˈtaːle] is a constructed secret language used by tahu, members of the tagahu, a secretive and technologically advanced male-only military government ruling the known parts of the space habitat Oru. Little is known of the designer(s) of the language however its use follows a long tradition. It is taught to all hiitaahii (boys who are raised to be tahu) from a young age, adhering to a strict prescriptive standard. As far as is known, all speakers are male and all are also fluent in Guaru, generally speaking both natively. In informal situations, many tahu engage in extensive code switching.
Tahu is a built on a system of triconsonantal noun roots and trivocalic verb roots with a system of conversion from one form to the other based on consonant-vowel pairs. With few exceptions, each word is a clause on its own and longer sentences are formed by stringing these clause-words together, with word order mostly constrained only by pragmatic considerations.
Name
The name Letaale comes from trisyllabic lemma letaale literally meaning "the Letaale speaker speaks Letaale". This is not the name of the language as such but is used to refer to speaking the language, as in nemaane ("I speak Letaale"). The name of the language in Letaale, although used rarely, is xialetaale [ʔialeˈtaːle], which uses the identifier prefix xia- for abstract things.
In the Guaru language, Letaale is known as guaru ttahu [ˈŋuaɾu ˈtːahu] or simply "language of the tahu". It is also known as uoriuo [ˈ(ʔ)uoɾiˌuo]. This is probably borrowed from the word volivo [ˈvolivo]~[ˈwoɾiwo] which is essentially the accusative form of "you" (literally "you are physically affected") as this may be a word that is heard in interactions with the tagahu.
Phonology
Consonants
Labial | Dental/ Alveolar |
Palatal | Velar | Glottal | Romanisation | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m | n | ŋ | ⟨ m n g ⟩ | ||
Plosive | t | k | ʔ | ⟨ t k x ⟩ | ||
Fricative | v | s | ʒ | h | ⟨ v s j h ⟩ | |
Lateral | l | ⟨ l ⟩ |
Most allophones listed below exist in more or less free variation.
- All of /n t l/ are usually dental but may also be alveolar.
- Both /t/ and /k/ are unaspirated.
- The consonants /t k s/ may be pronounced as voiced /d g z/, especially when non-initial.
- /v/ has a wide range of pronunciation, being essentially anywhere in the realm of [v β ʋ w] although it generally tightens towards [β] or [v] when either of the adjacent vowels is is /u/. It may be romanised as either ⟨v⟩ or ⟨w⟩. The former is used here.
- /ʒ/ likewise has a range of pronunciations, somewhere in the viscinity of [j ʝ ʑ ʒ ʐ]. When either of the adjacent vowels is /i/, /ʒ/ is usually pronounced tenser and with more friction, further from [j] or [ʝ].
- /l/ may be pronounced as a lateral [l], a tap/flap [ɾ] or a lateral flap [ɺ]. It may be romanised as either ⟨l⟩ or ⟨r⟩, with the former preferred here.
Vowels
Letaale has a simple system of five-vowels qualities, with a long and a short version of each, as in Hawaiian.
front | central | back | |
---|---|---|---|
close | i iː | u uː | |
open mid | e eː | o oː | |
low | a aː |
When stressed, these vowels have the tense cardinal pronunciations of [i e a o u]. When unstressed and short, they tend to weaken towards [ɪ ɛ ɐ ɔ ʊ].
Long vowels are indicated in the romanisation either by by doubling or using macrons ⟨ā ē ī ō ū⟩. The doubling method is used here.
In addition, there are the diphthongs /ai au eo ia io iu oe ua ue ui/.
Phonotactics
The allowable syllable structure of Letaale is CV(V)
(C = consonant, V = vowel). All syllables begin with a consonant and may contain one or two vowels, if counting long vowels and diphthongs as two. All combinations of consonant and vowel are allowed and no vowel-initial syllables are permitted.
Prosody
Word stress falls on the last long vowel or diphthong in a word. If all the vowels are short, stress falls on the initial syllable. Prefixes and initial clitics, all of which contain a diphthong other than /ai/, are never stressed.
Morphophonology
The vowels of Letaale can be divided into two types:
- Primary vowels: the monophthongs /a aː e eː i iː o oː u uː/ and the diphthong /ai/
- Secondary vowels: the remaining diphthongs /au eo ia io iu ua ue ui/
Each of the eleven primary vowels is associated with a single consonant and vice versa. These pairs are relevant for inversions and conversions in trisyllabic word-clauses, such as the noun k_j_m_ ('the dog') which converts to the verb _uu_o_i ('be a dog').
Consonant (noun form) |
Vowel (verb form) |
Syllable (lemma) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
n | ↔ | a | → | na |
l | ↔ | e | → | le |
m | ↔ | i | → | mi |
j | ↔ | o | → | jo |
g | ↔ | u | → | gu |
t | ↔ | aa | → | taa |
x | ↔ | ee | → | xee |
h | ↔ | ii | → | hii |
s | ↔ | oo | → | soo |
k | ↔ | uu | → | kuu |
v | ↔ | ai | → | vai |
All trisyllabic lemmas are composed of three of the resulting syllables. For example jotaale is allowable as a lemma whereas jitaale is not because j and i are not a pair.
Secondary vowels are not associated with any particular consonant and only appear in clitics and identifier prefixes. These prefixes are always unstressed.
Morphology
Trisyllabics
The majority of words in Letaale consist of three syllables and are thus called trisyllabics. Each trisyllabic consists of two triphonemic roots:
- a noun root (or subject root), which consists of three consonants (triconsonantal), for example m_g_v_ "banana", and
- a verb root, which consists of three vowels (trivocalic), counting the long vowels and the diphthong /ai/ as one vowel each, for example _i_u_ai "be a banana".
Because all trisyllabics contain a subject and a verb, each one constitutes an entire clause in its own right.
Lemmas (citation forms) of trisyllabics consist of a noun root together with its equivalent verb root. These are related by the one-to-one correspondence of consonants to primary vowels, meaning that lemmas consist only of the syllables na, taa, le, xee, mi, hii, jo, soo, gu, kuu, and vai. Like all trisyllabics, lemmas make up a valid clause on their own, however, the relationship between noun forms and verb forms is consistent to the the point that trisyllabic lemmas are always, by definition, self-evidently true sentences of the structure "the X is an X" (or "that which X-es X-es"), and therefore mostly rather void of pragmatic purpose. Here are some examples of trisyllabic roots in their lemma forms.
Lemma- clause |
Translation | Noun | Translation | Verb | Translation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
namina | I am me. | n_m_n_ | I | _a_i_a | be me |
vailevai | You are you. | v_l_v_ | you | _ai_e_ai | be you |
taaguhii | The taaguhii* is a taaguhii. | t_g_h_ | taaguhii, he | _aa_u_ii | be a taaguhii |
hiitaahii | The hiitaahii** is a hiitaahii. | h_t_h_ | the hiitaahii, he | _ii_aa_ii | be a hiitaahii |
levaile | The woman is a woman. | l_v_l_ | the woman, she | _e_ai_e | be a woman |
soovaigu | The civilian man is a civilian man. | s_v_g_ | the civilian man, he | _o_ai_u | be a civilian man |
kuumixee | The monkey is a monkey. | k_m_x_ | the monkey | _uu_i_ee | be a monkey |
kuujomi | The dog is a dog. | k_j_m_ | the dog | _uu_o_i | be a dog |
minataa | The cat is a cat. | m_n_t_ | the cat | _i_a_aa | be a cat |
vaijokuu | The bird is a bird. | v_j_k_ | the bird | _ai_o_uu | be a bird |
milena | The fish is a fish. | m_l_n_ | the fish | _i_e_a | be a fish |
miguvai | The banana is a banana. | m_g_v_ | the banana | _i_u_ai | be a banana |
jomijo | The affected one is affected. | j_m_j_ | the affected one | _o_i_o | be affected |
lejole | The perceiver perceives. | l_j_l_ | the perceiver | _e_o_e | perceive |
lesoomi | The sleeper sleeps. | l_s_m_ | the sleeper, the sleeping one | _e_oo_i | sleep |
xeenami | The eater eats. | x_n_m_ | the eater, the eating one | _ee_a_i | eat |
kuunagu | The hitter hits. | k_n_g_ | the hitter, the hitting one | _uu_a_u | hit |
gunagu | The killer kills. | g_n_g_ | the killer, the murderer | _u_a_u | kill |
taanagu | The big one is big. | t_n_g_ | the big one | _aa_a_u | be big |
hiijole | The beloved one is beloved. | h_j_l_ | the (be)loved one | _ii_o_e | be (be)loved |
vaimina | The visible one is visible. | v_m_n_ | the visible one | _ai_i_a | be visible |
hiimijo | This one is here. | h_m_j_ | the one near me | _ii_i_o | be near me |
xeenajo | That one is there. | x_n_j_ | the one near you | _ee_a_o | be near you |
taamitaa | What is what? | t_m_t_ | what, who, which | _aa_i_aa | be what, be who, which? |
* A taaguhii is a tahu in active duty, roughly equivalent to a soldier or police officer. ** A hiitaahii is a kai tahu, a future tahu, a boy raised to be a tahu.
Identifiers
Identifiers are generally equivalent to proper nouns. They consist of one (or, occasionally, more than one) classifying prefix, which indicates various classes of people and things, followed by a trisyllabic.
For example, the personal name Tuakuumoxu consists of the prefix Tua-, indicating a tahu in active duty (a taaguhii), followed by the trisyllabic kuumoxu, meaning "the monkey plays" (k_m_x_ "the monkey" + uu_o_u "play"). Prefixes may change over time. When Tuakuumoxu retires from active duty and enters administration, his name will become Xuakuumoxu, with the prefix Xua-indicating a tahu in an administrative role. The vocative prefix generally replaces any other prefix although it can sometimes be stacked on to the beginning. For example, the vocative form of Tuakuumoxu may be Xoekuumoxu or Xoetuakuumoxu.
Identifiers are also used for more specific descriptions of things than are available with trisyllabics, such as names of specific types of plants and animals, towns, rivers, hills and other topographical features, rock types, metals, foods etc.
Clitics
Syntax
Trisyllabic clauses
Trisyllabic clauses consist of a single trisyllabic, which itself consists of two triphonemic roots a noun root (or subject root), consisting of three consonants, and a verb root (or predicate root), consisting of three vowels. The following table shows examples and is sortable by column.
Word- clause |
Translation | Noun | Translation | Verb | Translation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
xaanijaa | What is that? | x_n_j_ | the one near you | _aa_i_aa | is what/who? |
himujai | This is a banana. | h_m_j_ | the one near me | _i_u_ai | is a banana |
huumijee | This is a monkey. | h_m_j_ | the one near me | _uu_i_ee | is a monkey |
huumiiji | This is a house. | h_m_j_ | the one near me | _uu_ii_i | is a house |
haamijaa | What is this? | h_m_j_ | the one near me | _aa_i_aa | is what/who? |
xinujai | That is a banana. | x_n_j_ | the one near you | _i_u_ai | is a banana |
xuunijee | That is a monkey. | x_n_j_ | the one near you | _uu_i_ee | is a monkey |
xuuniiji | That is a house. | x_n_j_ | the one near you | _uu_ii_i | is a house |
nimunai | I am a banana. | n_m_n_ | I | _i_u_ai | am a banana |
magiva | The banana is me. | m_g_v_ | the banana | _a_i_a | is me |
viluvai | You are a banana. | v_l_v_ | you | _i_u_ai | are a banana |
maigevai | The banana is you. | m_g_v_ | the banana | _ai_e_ai | is you |
neemani | I eat. | n_m_n_ | I | _ee_a_i | eat |
xanima | The eating one is me. | x_n_m_ | the eater | _a_i_a | is me |
veelavi | You eat. | v_l_v_ | you | _ee_a_i | eat |
xainemai | The eating one is you. | x_n_m_ | the eater | _ai_e_ai | is you |
keejami | The dog eats. | k_j_m_ | the dog | _ee_a_i | eats |
xuunomi | The eating one is a dog. | x_n_m_ | the eater | _uu_o_i | is a dog |
kejoomi | The dog sleeps. | k_j_m_ | the dog | _e_oo_i | sleeps |
kijumai | The dog is a banana. | k_j_m_ | the dog | _i_u_ai | is a banana |
nemone | I perceive. | n_m_n_ | I | _e_o_e | perceive |
nameeno | I exist. | n_m_n_ | I | _a_ee_o | exist |
meegovi | The banana exists. | m_g_v_ | the banana | _ee_o_i | exists |
xijumai | There is a banana. | x_j_m_ | something that exists | _i_u_ai | is a banana |
Inversion
Inversion is the process of swapping the converting the noun root into a verb root and vice versa within a trisyllabic word. Many of the examples given above are inversions of another given example.
For example, to invert the word veelavi "you eat", the noun root v_l_v_ "you" is converted to its corresponding verb root _ai_e_ai "be you" and the verb _ee_a_i "to eat" becomes the noun x_n_m_ "eater". This produces xainemai "the one that eats is you". Inversion usually results in radically differently looking words with an often fairly subtle shift in pragmatic meaning. Veelavi "you eat" and xainemai "the eater is you" don't share a single phoneme in common, and yet the meanings differ only in terms of topic and focus.
Identifier use
Because identifiers do not have slots available for a noun's consonants or a verb's vowels to fit in, they must accompany a classifying noun or verb which indicates their role in the sentence. The identifier most commonly follows their classifying verb or noun but they can also precede it. For people's names, the most common classifier used is hiilemi "the named one is named".
Niimeni Xuatonugo. [ˈniːmeni ʔua̯ˈtonuŋo] n_m_n_ I _ii_e_i am named Xua- IDENTIFIER: Name of xeeguhii t_n_g_ the big one _o_u_o is strange My name is Xuatonugo.
I am Xuatonugo.
Halima Xuatonugo. [ˈhalima ʔua̯ˈtonuŋo] h_l_m_ the named one _a_i_a is me Xua- IDENTIFIER: Name of xeeguhii t_n_g_ the big one _o_u_o is strange Xuatonugo is me.
There are a range of other name classifiers, such as nia-, which is used for animals.
Xaijomuu niamalaixuu malima. [ʔai̯ʒoˈmuː nia̯malai̯ˈʔuː ˈmalima] x_j_m_ an extisting one _ai_o_uu is a bird nia- IDENTIFIER: Name of animal species m_l_x_ the blue one _a_ai_uu flies high m_l_m_ the owner _a_i_a is me I have a hyacinth macaw.
Multiclausal sentences
Multiclausal sentences are formed by simply placing trisyllabic word-clauses next to one another. Modifiers generally follow their heads but word order is quite flexible, with different orders being used to shift emphasis.
Namaina kimaixaa. [naˈmai̯na kimai̯ˈʔaː] n_m_n_ I _a_ai_a cause k_m_x_ the monkey _i_ai_aa dances I make the monkey dance.
Kimaixaa namaina. [kimai̯ˈʔaː naˈmai̯na] k_m_x_ the monkey _i_ai_aa dances n_m_n_ I _a_ai_a cause The monkey dances (because) I make it.
Kimaixaa navina. [kimai̯ˈʔaː ˈnawina] k_m_x_ the monkey _i_ai_aa dances n_v_n_ the cause _a_i_a is me The monkey dances because of me.
Navina kimaixaa. [ˈnawina kimai̯ˈʔaː] n_v_n_ the cause _a_i_a is me k_m_x_ the monkey _i_ai_aa dances Because of me, the monkey dances.
Sentences with Identifiers
There are a range of other name classifiers, such as nia-, which is used for animals.
Xaijomuu niamalaixuu malima. [ʔai̯ʒoˈmuː nia̯malai̯ˈʔuː ˈmalima] x_j_m_ an extisting one _ai_o_uu is a bird nia- IDENTIFIER: Name of animal species m_l_x_ the blue one _a_ai_uu flies high m_l_m_ the owner _a_i_a is me I have a hyacinth macaw.
Transitivity
There is no explicit transitivity in Letaale. The direct object of a verb is frequently indicated using a root of jomijo, which indicates that something is physically affected by another action.
Keemaxi mogivo. [ˈkeːmaʔi ˈmoŋiwo] k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected The monkey eats the banana.
Jomijo is, however, not simply an equivalent of an accusative case. In many instances, another root is used to indicate the roll of the object.
Tuxanu keemuxee. [ˈtuʔanu keːmuˈʔeː] t_x_n_ the hunter _u_a_u kills k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_u_ee dies The hunter kills the monkey.
Vijaaka lavitee. [wiˈʒaːka lawiˈteː] v_j_k_ the bird _i_aa_a constructs l_v_t_ the nest _a_i_ee comes into being The bird builds the nest.
Helumai Tuakuumoxu kimaixaa. Koomixuu togiho. [heluˈmai̯ tua̯ˈkuːmoʔu kimai̯ˈʔaː | koːmiˈʔuː ˈtoŋiho] h_l_m_ the named one _e_u_ai forces Tua- IDENTIFIER: Name of taaguhii k_m_x_ the monkey _e_ee_ii plays k_m_x_ the monkey _i_ai_aa dances ... k_m_x_ the monkey _oo_i_uu bites t_g_h_ the taaguhii _o_i_o is physically affected Tuakuumoxu forces the monkey to dance. It bites him.
Tuamaagavu halaima kuheemii. [tua̯ˈmaːŋavu hiˈla̯ima kuheːˈmiː] Tua- IDENTIFIER: Name of taaguhii m_g_v_ the banana _e_ee_ii is big h_l_m_ the named one _a_ai_a causes k_h_m_ the house _u_ee_ii is on fire Tuamaagavu sets the house on fire.
Verbs that don't result in something being physically affected (such as "love", "see") are often present in Letaale as passives and the experiencer is indicated as a perceiver.
Nemone viilove. [ˈnemone ˈwiːlowe] n_m_n_ I _e_o_e perceive v_l_v_ you _ii_o_e are (be)loved I love you.
Nemone vailiva. [ˈnemone ˈwai̯liwa] n_m_n_ I _e_o_e perceive v_l_v_ you _ai_i_a are visible I see you.
Definiteness
There are no articles, but the subject of a clause is generally definite and the verb deals with something indefinite. Inversion (swapping the subject and the verb within a clause) is used to achieve this effect. The resulting transformations produce entirely different looking words, such as the change from mogivo (≈ "the banana") to jimujai (≈ "a banana") in the following sentences.
Keemaxi mogivo. [ˈkeːmaʔi ˈmoŋiwo] k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected The monkey eats the banana.
Keemaxi jimujai. [ˈkeːmaʔi ʒimuˈʒai̯] k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats j_m_j_ what is physically affected _i_u_ai is a banana The monkey eats a banana.
Location
Locations are indicated with nataami.
Neemani mogivo kahaami. [ˈneːmani ˈmoŋiwo kaˈhaːmi] n_m_n_ I _ee_a_i eat m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected k_h_m_ the house _a_aa_i is a location I eat the banana in the house.
Neemani mogivo nuutiimi. [ˈneːmani ˈmoŋiwo nuːˈtiːmi] n_m_n_ I _ee_a_i eat m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected n_t_m_ the location _a_aa_i is a house I eat the banana in a house.
Subordination
Subordination is frequently not overtly indicated syntactically, just as in English.
Nemano velove niimone. [ˈnemano ˈwelowe ˈniːmone] n_m_n_ I _e_a_o know v_l_v_ you _e_o_e perceive n_m_n_ I _ii_o_e am (be)loved I know (that)you love me.
Subordination can, however, be indicated using the root gumina ("what I'm about to say is what I'm about to say"). In this following example, it is only necessary if one wishes to indicate that one's perception was visual
Nemone (gaimina) keemaxi mogivo. [ˈnemone (ˈŋai̯mina) ˈkeːmaʔi ˈmoŋiwa] n_m_n_ I _e_o_e perceive g_m_n_ what I'm about to say _ai_i_a is visible k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected I see the monkey eat the banana.
Coordination
Repetition of either a noun or a verb is used as an equivalent to "and".
Keemaxi neemani mogivo. [ˈkeːmaʔi ˈneːmani ˈmoŋiwo] k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats n_m_n_ I _ee_a_i eat m_g_v_ the banana _o_i_o is physically affected The monkey and I eat the banana.
Tuugahu nomino komixo kojimo. [ˈtuːŋahu ˈnomino ˈkomiʔo ˈkoʒimo] t_g_h_ the taaguhii _uu_a_u hits n_m_n_ I _o_i_o am physically affected k_m_x_ the monkey _o_i_o is physically affected k_j_m_ the dog _o_i_o is physically affected The taaguhii hits me, the monkey, and the dog.
He hits me, the monkey, and the dog.
Menooti menote jaleeto. [meˈnoːti ˈmenote ʒaˈleːto] m_n_t_ the cat _e_oo_i sleeps m_n_t_ the cat _e_o_e perceives j_l_t_ the dream _a_ee_o exists The cat sleeps and (the cat) dreams.
A common equivalent of the word 'but' is gomaane (what I'm about to say is surprising) or occasionally its conversion jutila (what's surprising is something I'm about to say).
Tuugahu lovilo gomaane levole tiigohe. [ˈtuːŋahu ˈlowilo ŋoˈmaːne ˈlewole ˈtiːŋohe] t_g_h_ the taaguhii _uu_a_u hits l_v_l_ the woman _o_i_o is physically affected g_m_n_ what I'm about to say _o_aa_e is surprising l_v_l_ the woman _e_o_e perceives t_g_h_ the taaguhii _ii_o_e is (be)loved He hits her but she loves him.
Modification
Modification is chiefly accomplished by repeating what is to be modified in another clause. Often, this will not look like repetition from the surface forms because what is repeated may be in verb form in one clause and noun form in the modifying clause.
Keemaxi jimujai maagavu. [ˈkeːmaʔi ʒimuˈʒai̯ ˈmaːŋavu] k_m_x_ the monkey _ee_a_i eats j_m_j_ what is directly affected _i_u_ai is a banana m_g_v_ the banana _aa_a_u is large The monkey eats a big banana.
Nemone viilove haajiilaa. [ˈnemone ˈwiːlowe haːʒiːˈlaː] n_m_n_ I _e_o_e perceive v_l_v_ you _ii_o_e are (be)loved h_j_l_ the beloved one _aa_ii_aa is extreme I love you very much.
Nemone laajiilaa viilove . [ˈnemone ˈwiːlowe kaˈhaːmi] n_m_n_ I _e_o_e perceive l_j_l_ the perceiver _aa_ii_aa is extreme v_l_v_ you _ii_o_e are (be)loved It is clear to me that I love you.
Negation
Glossary
Word | Letaale (lemma) | Guaru | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
hiitaahii | hiitaahii | kia tahu | A hiitaahii or kia tahu is a boy who is raised to be a tahu. This word is often used for adult men who have failed their initiation into the tagahu and are not permitted to live with civilians. Some may be permitted to reinitiate to become xeeguhii. |
primary vowel | The primary vowels are the short vowels /a e i o u/ ⟨a e i o u⟩, the long vowels /aː eː iː oː uː/ ⟨aa ee ii oo uu⟩ and the diphthong /ai/ ⟨ai⟩. Primary vowels can occur in trisyllabics whereas secondary vowels cannot. Each primary vowel is associated with one consonant, with which it alternates in conversion from a verb root to its equivalent noun root. | ||
tagahu | tagahu | The tagahu is an all-male secret society which functions more or less as the government and military/police force of the known parts of Oru. Its members are known as tahu. The leaders of the tagahu are believed to be in contact with the creators of Oru and they consequently have access to very sophisticated technology. | |
tahu | tahu | A tahu is a man who has been successfully initiated into the tagahu. | |
trisyllabic | A trisyllabic is a word consisting of three syllables, each of which is made up of a consonant phoneme and a primary vowel phoneme. Trisyllabics represent a full clause consisting of a triconsonantal noun root and a trivocallic verb root. For example, the trisyllabic neemani "I eat" consists of the noun root n_m_n_ "I" plus the verb root _ee_a_i "eat". | ||
xeeguhii | xeeguhii | An xeeguhii is a tahu who works in an administrative role. This includes both the equivalent of senators as well as lower government workers. | |
Notes
This conlang has been inspired by Abakwi and Iljena. Check them out! - Imralu