Evandorian languages

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Evandorian
Created by
Geographic
distribution
planet of Calémere: most of the continent of Evandor, then in almost all of the planet
Linguistic classificationOne of Calémere's primary language families
Proto-languageProto-Evandorian
Subdivisions
  • Northern Evandorian
  • Central Evandorian
  • Western Evandorian
  • Southern Evandorian
  • Kegdevian lgs.
  • Narenian lgs.
  • Holenagic
  • Urkunkian

The Evandorian languages (Cer.: šérošu Évandorion; Nor.: þêukor Evandóran; Aur.: itxifsreyɣ idIwanduyyirɣ) are one of the language families of the planet of Calémere, the largest in terms of native and, most notably, second-language speakers. As the name says, the Evandorian languages are native of the continent of Evandor, one of the "continental areas" of the landmass called Greater Evandor (Sémánton Évandó) in Cerian sources, more commonly divided in the three continents of Evandor, Márusúturon, and Védren. All major languages of the continent are Evandorian languages, and, as Evandor was the birthplace of Western Calemerian civilization, Evandorian languages have had a large impact first on neighboring language and, in the last 700 years, on the whole planet due to exploration and colonization. Íscégon and Ancient Nivarese were the languages of the two main ancient Evandorian civilization and still prestige languages today, while the languages of the colonial powers (Cerian, Nordulaki, Auralian, modern Nivarese, and Dorumon above all, but also others) are spoken and understood in many areas of the planet; Cerian is possibly the most important trade language today, as the lingua franca of the Western world (opposed to Chlouvānem, the Eastern world's lingua franca).

Classification

Distribution of Evandorian languages across their homelands in Evandor.

Evandorian languages are divided in six major branches and two other languages — their names are mostly geographical — denotes extinct languages:

  • Northern Evandorian
    • Gathura
    • Velken languages
      • Nordulaki
      • Spyŋun
      • Landward Velken
        • Kalese
        • Hyxynen
          • Majkjarian Hyxynen
        • Voguž
        • Genestian
        • Opžän
        • Zaikrenvaścik
  • Central Evandorian
    • Íscégon
    • ancient Quanarian †
      • Pjast †
      • modern Quanarian (AKA Kierışpası)
    • Pentilian †
    • Hennevian †
  • Western Evandorian
    • Xend languages
      • Norpkarďaz
      • Majo-Bankravian
    • Shoronic languages
      • Shoronian
      • Rištećek
      • Pevân †
      • Isèlkan
    • Helinetian
  • Southern Evandorian
  • Kegdevian languages
    • Northern Kegdevian †
    • Southern Kegdevian †
      • Vuljakađi
      • Kajran
  • Narenian languages
    • Megorian
    • Spāq †
    • Avathian
    • Ëgusic
    • Menbörük
  • Holenagic
  • Urkunkian (often considered a group of two different languages, usually called North and South Urkunkian as almost every town gives it its own name — both are spoken in Olymagù, one of only seven[1] countries in Evandor whose official and majority language is not an Evandorian one)

Writing

There are three different scripts in use for Evandorian languages:

  • Most languages in the family use an adapted variant of the Íscégon script: such languages include all of the Western and Central branches plus Holenagic (isolate among the family), Nordûlaki, Spyŋun, Hyxynen, and Gathura (all Northern), Auralian and Gazimyük (Southern) and, since the last fifteen years, also Menbörük and Avathian (both Narenian languages).
  • The Nivarese script is mainly used in the southern part of Evandor, and is the writing system used for Nivarese and the Agrôkian languages (all Southern), the Kegdevian languages, and Megorian (a Narenian language).
  • The Véraj script, originally an offshoot of the Nivarese script, is used for the Landward Velken languages (except Hyxynen) and Ëgusic (a Narenian language).

Numbers in various Evandorian languages

Proto-Evandorian Central Evandorian Northern Evandorian Southern Evandorian Western Evandorian Holenagic
Hgâhlenaihduq
Íscégon Cerian
Čérízon
Besagren
Besodxun
Nordulaki
Nordûlaki
Kalese
Kalávyn
Hyxynen Genestian
Ğeneštven
Gathura
Gatḫuruiš
Ancient Nivarese
Nīvaʼōnīs
Nivarese
Niveóni
Auralian
ahAwralyir
Majo-Bankravian
Majustin ~ Bankrawstin
*ŋ̊ʷe "one" nue nau ge že že že g̃e qe ki ḥa hngav [ŋ̊ɔ]
*sip "two" sipo šíu seu xiu ší šiv šiv šib sep sif sif sip hluib [ɬupʲ]
*srwaɁ "three" liúa iúa dxu surá thrá šro sró sura surwō surov srway swörr svaq [svaq]
*l̥its "four" tisís tiše tissi lleix ļiš liš liš liz śit šet ṣir sjis hleihh [ɬeç]
*däps "five" depso deuso dessu tait toš toš toš teš dafes dáfis tefs dast dehf [teː]
*dä.m̥eɁ "six" iame ján dxame teim tém tim tím teme dufē dufí tfeɣ täm dahm [ta]
*Ɂʷi.täɁs "seven" uisies víše bisse deit zöš jež zýš iz ʼisōs isó yaswa kwess qehtas [q͡χɛss̩]
*kʰo.dol "eight" hodó odò kau ko qul khovol khuvú ḥuẓl hjådn qâl [q͡χɔw]
*laks "nine" dax dáso dassu llas lás vos lós las lax laš laks läx lahs [laːj]
*Ɂal.lakʷ "ten" ádau ódo addo olbá óvä uvo úva alaḫ ʼalox áluš arḥ ågl qarhh [q͡χarx]

Notes

  1. ^ 40% of Rūfīyya is not in Evandor, but most of its population is.