'Round Erelae in twenty questions (or more)

[So Haleza Grise]

After some pretty severe storms cut off my internet connection, for the last few weeks I've been able to view the board only intermittently. Which is a pity, because for a while I've been formulating new questions about Almea, that I couldn't get the chance to ask!

So I'm planning to pepper Zomp with a few random postings in this forum over the next few days as I try to remember them all . I was also planning to ask them in Verdurian, but I really need to brush up on/expand my vocabulary.

First off, the Ethnologue:

Are you now planning to designate Sarroc as a dialect of Ismain (of course, they'd probably be very different even if they were mutually intelligible - decadent fops and trembling slaves don't have the same linguistic environments ?

Just to remove any doubt, the Qarau and Eynleyni families don't have any genetic relationship - do they?

And just a brief note on coinage - I noticed that some of the Elcarin coins listed in the "kingdom of Verduria" page (as well as the Verdurian and Barakhinei lexicons). Also, Elkar?l is spelt under the old spelling (with a ?) in various spots around Virtual Verduria - I'm still trying to spot them all.

And now for inter-species linguistic relationships. Is Barakhinei phonology influenced in any way by Elcarin, or are the phonetic similarities mainly coincidence?

I understand that murtanin languages are considerably more diverse and more changeful than Elkaril. Is that correct?

Are there human languages that have been influenced in any significant way by the grammars of non-human languages? For example, the unfortunate humans in Metauro who had to endure the brief murtanin occupation.

More random questions as I come up with them . . .

[zompist]

Are you now planning to designate Sarroc as a dialect of Ismain (of course, they'd probably be very different even if they were mutually intelligible - decadent fops and trembling slaves don't have the same linguistic environments ?

No, Sarroc is a separate language. I listed it on the same line just to save space; but it's not in italics-- dialect names are all in italics.

Just to remove any doubt, the Qarau and Eynleyni families don't have any genetic relationship - do they?

They are if you ask Greenberg, or his Almean equivalent Verdparna. On the key in the Historical Atlas, you can see that they're linked by a medium-gray line-- indicating that the relationship is speculative but not completely wacky.

And just a brief note on coinage - I noticed that some of the Elcarin coins listed in the "kingdom of Verduria" page (as well as the Verdurian and Barakhinei lexicons). Also, Elkar?l is spelt under the old spelling (with a ?) in various spots around Virtual Verduria - I'm still trying to spot them all.

The first sentence is missing a verb... the coins what?

If you can, make a note of where the old spelling occurs (I don't have any easy way of doing multi-file searches).

And now for inter-species linguistic relationships. Is Barakhinei phonology influenced in any way by Elcarin, or are the phonetic similarities mainly coincidence?

It's very possible, since they're neighbors. There are definite suspicious similarities, though perhaps exaggerated by the similar transliterations.

I understand that murtanin languages are considerably more diverse and more changeful than Elkaril. Is that correct?

Yep.

Are there human languages that have been influenced in any significant way by the grammars of non-human languages? For example, the unfortunate humans in Metauro who had to endure the brief murtanin occupation.

No major languages, though dialects very near nonhuman settlements (such as those in the islands east of Flora) will show some influence.

[So Haleza Grise]

Are you now planning to designate Sarroc as a dialect of Ismain (of course, they'd probably be very different even if they were mutually intelligible - decadent fops and trembling slaves don't have the same linguistic environments ?

No, Sarroc is a separate language. I listed it on the same line just to save space; but it's not in italics-- dialect names are all in italics.

Just to remove any doubt, the Qarau and Eynleyni families don't have any genetic relationship - do they?

They are if you ask Greenberg, or his Almean equivalent Verdparna.

Heh. Maybe every planet has a Greenberg. Reminds me of Douglas Adam's "gin and tonic" gag.

And just a brief note on coinage - I noticed that some of the Elcarin coins listed in the "kingdom of Verduria" page (as well as the Verdurian and Barakhinei lexicons). Also, Elkar?l is spelt under the old spelling (with a ?) in various spots around Virtual Verduria - I'm still trying to spot them all.

The first sentence is missing a verb... the coins what?

Whoops - sloppy editing. I meant to say that some of the names of the Elcarin coins in the Kingdom of Verduria appear to be out of date and incompatible with Elcarin phonology. Specifically, khvarshi and khinalug. At any rate, I can't find them in the Elcarin lexicon, although khinalug could be related to khina. I believe those two forms also occur in the Barakhinei lexicon (I didn't realise occlusives could be voiced finally in Barakhinei? Other loanwords, such as kishkard, suggest that they can). And while I'm at it, the Kingdom page lists mach?l as machal, and buduk as budukh.

If you can, make a note of where the old spelling occurs (I don't have any easy way of doing multi-file searches).

Yep. It only seems to be in a few places.

[zompist]

Yeah, I need to update the kingdom page. The correct names and values (in terms of buduqaj) are:

mach?l - 18
khurind - 6
buduq
nkhin?luq - 1/2
kphath - 1/12

[So Haleza Grise]

I found the old spelling (Elkar?l) in the following places -

• In the Historical Atlas maps - specifically, the "cities and literacy" ones.
  On the map of Eastern Languages on the Proto-Eastern page.
  Throughout the Cadhinor, Barakhinei and Verdurian-English lexicons.
  In the cuezian lexicon, under the entry for elcar, it is listed as [Elkar?]

While we're on the subject, I note that on the Barakhinei map, the capital city of Elkarinor is Khatelian - I would have thought it would be something closer to Khatelh?n or something?

While looking at the map, I noticed that there are still m?rtanin settlements reasonably close (well, okay, across a desert) from human communities. I didn't realise this - does this mean that the dwellers on the west of the plain are ever bothered by them? The Barakhinei lexicon doesn't seem to have a word for them, so maybe there isn't any contact.

[Drydic]

While we're on the subject, I note that on the Barakhinei map, the capital city of Elkarinor is Khatelian - I would have thought it would be something closer to Khatelh?n or something?

From the Elkar?l grammar, Khately?n.

[So Haleza Grise]

While we're on the subject, I note that on the Barakhinei map, the capital city of Elkarinor is Khatelian - I would have thought it would be something closer to Khatelh?n or something?

From the Elkar?l grammar, Khately?n.

Yes, but I'm talking about its name in Barakhinei.

[Drydic]

While we're on the subject, I note that on the Barakhinei map, the capital city of Elkarinor is Khatelian - I would have thought it would be something closer to Khatelh?n or something?

From the Elkar?l grammar, Khately?n.

Yes, but I'm talking about its name in Barakhinei.

Oops. My bad.

[zompist]

While we're on the subject, I note that on the Barakhinei map, the capital city of Elkarinor is Khatelian - I would have thought it would be something closer to Khatelh?n or something?

While looking at the map, I noticed that there are still m?rtanin settlements reasonably close (well, okay, across a desert) from human communities. I didn't realise this - does this mean that the dwellers on the west of the plain are ever bothered by them? The Barakhinei lexicon doesn't seem to have a word for them, so maybe there isn't any contact.

Thanks for the list of 'Elkar?ls'. The ones on the maps are a hassle to change, but it'll get done eventually.

M?rtan? are trouble for whoever they're near-- if they're intimidated militarily, they just result to thievery and vandalism instead. The Barakhinei lexicon isn't complete; they do call them something. 'Walking vermin' maybe.