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Kiitra language

2015-09-09T02:08:02Z

Hirajnashaijaat:

The '''Kiitra language''' (''hirajna Kiitra'') is a [[constructed language]] featured in the [[science fiction]] novel ''[[Lamikorda]]'' by D. R. Merrill. Kiitra is the principal language of the Alplai, the avianoid species in the book. With a lexicon of over 4100 entries including colloquialisms and highly technical terminology, it is perhaps one of the largest and most functional of recent conlangs.

==Origins==
Merrill created Kiitra while writing ''Lamikorda'' "to give greater verisimilitude to the novel," but also with the hope that others would "study, utilize, and even offer suggestions as to its continued development", and has continued to expand its lexicon. The fictional backstory was that the Kiitra region of the planet Alplaa was inhabited by eight ethnolinguistic groups allied in a confederation; when the confederation government formed a commission to recommend how to deal with this multilingualism, the commission drew upon common elements of these closely related languages to construct a new Kiitra language. While intended for use in trade and government administration within the Kiitra Union, it would become the primary language of the region, as the different ethnicities melded into a common "Kiitra" identity. Because of its relative simplicity and regularity, other Alplai chose to make Kiitra their default auxiliary language, much like the similar role of [[English language|English]] on [[Earth]]. The fiction of Kiitra being constructed and regulated by an appointed government commission provides a rationale for Kiitra’s relatively regular structure.

==Phonology==
Merrill devised a highly regular phonology for Kiitra, with both its own orthography (including punctuation) and a simple Romanization standard.

===Vowels===
Kiitra uses eight vowels and two dipthongs:

* ''a'' as in '''A'''lpha = /æ/
* ''aa'' as in Sp'''a''' = /ä/ or /ɑ/
* ''ai'' as in '''Eye''' = /aɪ/
* ''e'' as in '''E'''cho = /ɛ/
* ''ei'' as in R'''ay''' = /eɪ/
* ''i'' as in '''I'''ndia = /ɪ/
* ''ii'' as in Ind'''i'''a = /i/
* ''o'' as in '''O'''scar = /ɔ/ or /ɒ/
* ''u'' as in '''U'''ncle = /ʌ/
* ''uu'' as in R'''oo'''m = /u/

With the exception of the ''ai'' and ''ei'' dipthongs, vowels are never "blended"; they are separated either by consonants or a [[glottal stop]].

Two of the trickiest elements of pronunciation is when words end with a single ''a'' or ''o'', as English speakers will tend to say these like "ah" and "oh" respectively. In the novel’s "Preface on pronouncing Kiitra" the author recommends:
* For ''a'' at the end of words: "say with mouth open and lips pulled back."
* For ''o'' at the end of words: "keep lips rounded and jaw still."

===Consonants===
Kiitra employs nineteen consonants and a [[glottal stop]] marker; Alplai linguistics, however, regard the "h" sound and glottal stop as a distinct intermediary category, called ''leidvona'' in Kiitra.

* ''b'' as in '''B'''ravo = /b/
* ''d'' as in '''D'''elta = /d/
* ''f'' as in '''F'''oxtrot = /f/
* ''g'' as in '''G'''olf = /g/
* ''h'' as in '''H'''otel = /h/
* ''j'' as in '''J'''uliet = /d͡ʒ/ or /ʒ/
* ''k'' as in '''K'''ilo = /k/
* ''kh'' as in Lo'''ch''' or Na'''ch'''t = /x/
* ''l'' as in '''L'''ima = /l/ or /ɫ/
* ''m'' as in '''M'''ike = /m/
* ''n'' as in '''N'''ovember = /n/
* ''p'' as in '''P'''apa = /p/|
* ''r'' as in '''R'''omeo = /ɹ/ or /ɾ/
* ''rh'' = [[Alveolar trill|trilled "r"]] = /r/ or /ʀ/
* ''s'' as in '''S'''ierra = /s/
* ''sh'' as in '''Sh'''are = /ʃ/
* ''t'' as in '''T'''ango = /t/
* ''v'' as in '''V'''ictor = /v/
* ''z'' as in '''Z'''ulu = /z/
* ''‘'' as in uh'''-'''oh = /ʔ/ ([[glottal stop]])

Notable by their absence is the ''w'' consonant, the /tʃ/ sound represented by the English digraph ''ch'', and the two dental fricatives both represented in English by ''th''. In the novel, this leads to the Alplai making approximations of these sounds when attempting to speak English (the principal "Terai" language), such as ''ii’uu'' for ''w''.

===Stress and cadence===
Syllabic stress is variable in Kiitra, and is the primary feature distinguishing various dialects and accents. It is thus left to particular groups of speakers to employ whatever cadence feels natural to them. As human instructors of Kiitra in ''Lamikorda'' would say: "Don’t stress about stresses!"

==Grammar==
Kiitra grammar follows a basic subject-verb-object typology. Additionally, many words may serve multiple functions – nouns, adjectives, and/or adverbs – thus making word order extremely important; adjectival modifiers, for example, precede the subject of a noun (e.g., ''vroza adra vrokajiit'' = "quick he run[past]" = "he ran quickly").

The morphology of Kiitra is highly agglutinative, with adjectival modifiers typically prefixed to a root noun. There are exceptions, however:
* Numbers and quantifying adjectives precede the noun as a separate word.
* Ethnic, geographic, linguistic and/or religious descriptors, as well as possessive pronouns, follow the noun as a separate word.
* There are also instances of rather long agglutinative constructions being shortened into more easily pronounceable forms (e.g., the word for a portable videophone or "smartphone" evolving from ''orpabejafaaz'' to ''orbefaaz'').

===Verbs===
Verbs follow simple and regular rules:
* Past tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iit''.
* Future tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iis''.
* All verbs end in consonants, both to facilitate addition of temporal tense suffices, and to distinguish them from "descriptor" (noun/adjective/adverb) forms (e.g., ''kaaj'' [to move], ''kaja'' [motion, movement, moving]).
Aspect, mood and evidentiality for verbs is indicated via modal auxiliaries, as in many Germanic languages.

The verb ''g’boz'' (to have, to possess) is a frequent copula verb when use to describe emotions and other attributes; thus the English sentence "she is happy" would more literally translate as "she has/possesses happiness/pleasure" (''avra g’boz nonsha''). Similar forms exist using such basic verbs as ''giron'' (to bring about, to cause, to make happen), ''kher'' (to do), ''ren'' (to get, receive something given), and ''ton'' (to give).

===Pronouns===
Some features of Kiitra personal pronouns include:
* No distinction between subjective and objective forms.
* Use of the suffix ''-luu'' to create possessive pronoun forms.
* A gender-blind/gender-neutral third-person singular form.
* The evolution of formal forms, as Kiitra and Alplai society became more egalitarian, to becoming used only in reference to deities or as a respectful reference to someone deceased.

===Interrogatives===
Interrogative words typically begin with ''f’t-''; their non-interrogative forms replace ''f'' with ''p''. Polar questions are created by placing the interrogative particle ''f’taa'' in front of a declarative sentence:
* ''inra hoshiis drof Marif'' = we will be traveling to Marif
* ''f’taa inra hoshiis drof Marif?'' = will we be travling to Marif?
''F’taa?'' by itself serves the same function as "Huh?" in English, and when combined with the Kiitra word for "please" (''f’taa miirvan?'') is equivalent to saying "Pardon?" or "Come again?" in reaction to something not clearly heard or understood.

===Affirmative/negative===
Kiitra uses a multi-form system for saying "yes" and "no", dependent primarily on strength of certainty:
* '''Generic''' forms include:
** ''shaa'' for yes in response to a positive question
** ''sheina'' for yes in response to a negative question
** ''naa'' for no in response to any question
* '''Definitive''' forms, indicating stronger certainty:
** ''shasha'' for the affirmative; also used as an intensifier, like "very" in English
** ''neija'' for the negative
* '''Dubitative''' forms, indicating weaker certainty:
** ''shipaa'' for the affirmative
** ''nipaa'' for the negative
** ''shipaanipaa'' for complete uncertainty

===Articles and demonstratives===
Kiitra has no indefinite article, and its definite article suffix ''id’-'' is restricted to things which are unique (e.g., ''id’hiirha'' = the Universe). The demonstrative prefix ''eja’-'' is heavily used, and may mean "this", "that", "these" or "those" depending upon whether the root noun is singular or plural, and whether it is follow by ''ega'' (here) or ''efa'' (there).

==Other Alplai languages==
Merrill also includes fragments of other Alplai languages (Baija, Konarai, Krishkarha and Saakh), both in the novel and the website. There are also examples of a global "Alplai Sign Language" (''heijajna''), used by the Alplai deaf community.

==Alplai’s alien culture and Kiitra==
Emphasizing the alien culture of the Alplai, Merrill constructed some distinct idioms in Kiitra:
* ''davna baaj, murkhtosh taaj'' = "storm above, maelstrom below"; a dilemma, equivalent to "between a rock and a hard place".
* ''egiirh okh bada beil eja’farg'' = "only one leaf on that tree"; insignificant contribution, equivalent to saying "only a drop in the bucket".
* ''lobel frem gopshii aira'' = "to repair the door between them"; indicating reconciliation, similar to "mending fences".
Kiitra also includes distinct words to describe such elements of Alplai society and culture as political parties (''gajanaat'', ''diirdeznaat'', ''belugaat'', etc.) and religions (''Shalranai'', ''Sadroshai'', etc.)

==See also==
[[Lamikorda]]

==External websites==
* [http://kiitralanguage.wordpress.com Kiitra language website]
* [http://cals.conlang.org/language/kiitra/ Conlang Atlas of Language Structures: Kiitra]
* [http://lamikorda.wordpress.com Lamikorda author's website]
* [http://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-kiitra/en/kiitra/ Of Languages and Numbers: Counting in Kiitra]

[[Category:Fictional languages]]

Kiitra language

2015-05-08T23:34:27Z

Hirajnashaijaat: /* Consonants */

The '''Kiitra language''' (''hirajna Kiitra'') is a [[constructed language]] featured in the [[science fiction]] novel ''[[Lamikorda]]'' by D. R. Merrill. Kiitra is the principal language of the Alplai, the avianoid species in the book. With a lexicon of over 4000 entries including colloquialisms and highly technical terminology, it is perhaps one of the largest and most functional of recent conlangs.

==Origins==
Merrill created Kiitra while writing ''Lamikorda'' "to give greater verisimilitude to the novel," but also with the hope that others would "study, utilize, and even offer suggestions as to its continued development", and has continued to expand its lexicon. The fictional backstory was that the Kiitra region of the planet Alplaa was inhabited by eight ethnolinguistic groups allied in a confederation; when the confederation government formed a commission to recommend how to deal with this multilingualism, the commission drew upon common elements of these closely related languages to construct a new Kiitra language. While intended for use in trade and government administration within the Kiitra Union, it would become the primary language of the region, as the different ethnicities melded into a common "Kiitra" identity. Because of its relative simplicity and regularity, other Alplai chose to make Kiitra their default auxiliary language, much like the similar role of [[English language|English]] on [[Earth]]. The fiction of Kiitra being constructed and regulated by an appointed government commission provides a rationale for Kiitra’s relatively regular structure.

==Phonology==
Merrill devised a highly regular phonology for Kiitra, with both its own orthography (including punctuation) and a simple Romanization standard.

===Vowels===
Kiitra uses eight vowels and two dipthongs:

* ''a'' as in '''A'''lpha = /æ/
* ''aa'' as in Sp'''a''' = /ä/ or /ɑ/
* ''ai'' as in '''Eye''' = /aɪ/
* ''e'' as in '''E'''cho = /ɛ/
* ''ei'' as in R'''ay''' = /eɪ/
* ''i'' as in '''I'''ndia = /ɪ/
* ''ii'' as in Ind'''i'''a = /i/
* ''o'' as in '''O'''scar = /ɔ/ or /ɒ/
* ''u'' as in '''U'''ncle = /ʌ/
* ''uu'' as in R'''oo'''m = /u/

With the exception of the ''ai'' and ''ei'' dipthongs, vowels are never "blended"; they are separated either by consonants or a [[glottal stop]].

Two of the trickiest elements of pronunciation is when words end with a single ''a'' or ''o'', as English speakers will tend to say these like "ah" and "oh" respectively. In the novel’s "Preface on pronouncing Kiitra" the author recommends:
* For ''a'' at the end of words: "say with mouth open and lips pulled back."
* For ''o'' at the end of words: "keep lips rounded and jaw still."

===Consonants===
Kiitra employs nineteen consonants and a [[glottal stop]] marker; Alplai linguistics, however, regard the "h" sound and glottal stop as a distinct intermediary category, called ''leidvona'' in Kiitra.

* ''b'' as in '''B'''ravo = /b/
* ''d'' as in '''D'''elta = /d/
* ''f'' as in '''F'''oxtrot = /f/
* ''g'' as in '''G'''olf = /g/
* ''h'' as in '''H'''otel = /h/
* ''j'' as in '''J'''uliet = /d͡ʒ/ or /ʒ/
* ''k'' as in '''K'''ilo = /k/
* ''kh'' as in Lo'''ch''' or Na'''ch'''t = /x/
* ''l'' as in '''L'''ima = /l/ or /ɫ/
* ''m'' as in '''M'''ike = /m/
* ''n'' as in '''N'''ovember = /n/
* ''p'' as in '''P'''apa = /p/|
* ''r'' as in '''R'''omeo = /ɹ/ or /ɾ/
* ''rh'' = [[Alveolar trill|trilled "r"]] = /r/ or /ʀ/
* ''s'' as in '''S'''ierra = /s/
* ''sh'' as in '''Sh'''are = /ʃ/
* ''t'' as in '''T'''ango = /t/
* ''v'' as in '''V'''ictor = /v/
* ''z'' as in '''Z'''ulu = /z/
* ''‘'' as in uh'''-'''oh = /ʔ/ ([[glottal stop]])

Notable by their absence is the ''w'' consonant, the /tʃ/ sound represented by the English digraph ''ch'', and the two dental fricatives both represented in English by ''th''. In the novel, this leads to the Alplai making approximations of these sounds when attempting to speak English (the principal "Terai" language), such as ''ii’uu'' for ''w''.

===Stress and cadence===
Syllabic stress is variable in Kiitra, and is the primary feature distinguishing various dialects and accents. It is thus left to particular groups of speakers to employ whatever cadence feels natural to them. As human instructors of Kiitra in ''Lamikorda'' would say: "Don’t stress about stresses!"

==Grammar==
Kiitra grammar follows a basic subject-verb-object typology. Additionally, many words may serve multiple functions – nouns, adjectives, and/or adverbs – thus making word order extremely important; adjectival modifiers, for example, precede the subject of a noun (e.g., ''vroza adra vrokajiit'' = "quick he run[past]" = "he ran quickly").

The morphology of Kiitra is highly agglutinative, with adjectival modifiers typically prefixed to a root noun. There are exceptions, however:
* Numbers and quantifying adjectives precede the noun as a separate word.
* Ethnic, geographic, linguistic and/or religious descriptors, as well as possessive pronouns, follow the noun as a separate word.
* There are also instances of rather long agglutinative constructions being shortened into more easily pronounceable forms (e.g., the word for a portable videophone or "smartphone" evolving from ''orpabejafaaz'' to ''orbefaaz'').

===Verbs===
Verbs follow simple and regular rules:
* Past tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iit''.
* Future tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iis''.
* All verbs end in consonants, both to facilitate addition of temporal tense suffices, and to distinguish them from "descriptor" (noun/adjective/adverb) forms (e.g., ''kaaj'' [to move], ''kaja'' [motion, movement, moving]).
Aspect, mood and evidentiality for verbs is indicated via modal auxiliaries, as in many Germanic languages.

The verb ''g’boz'' (to have, to possess) is a frequent copula verb when use to describe emotions and other attributes; thus the English sentence "she is happy" would more literally translate as "she has/possesses happiness/pleasure" (''avra g’boz nonsha''). Similar forms exist using such basic verbs as ''giron'' (to bring about, to cause, to make happen), ''kher'' (to do), ''ren'' (to get, receive something given), and ''ton'' (to give).

===Pronouns===
Some features of Kiitra personal pronouns include:
* No distinction between subjective and objective forms.
* Use of the suffix ''-luu'' to create possessive pronoun forms.
* A gender-blind/gender-neutral third-person singular form.
* The evolution of formal forms, as Kiitra and Alplai society became more egalitarian, to becoming used only in reference to deities or as a respectful reference to someone deceased.

===Interrogatives===
Interrogative words typically begin with ''f’t-''; their non-interrogative forms replace ''f'' with ''p''. Polar questions are created by placing the interrogative particle ''f’taa'' in front of a declarative sentence:
* ''inra hoshiis drof Marif'' = we will be traveling to Marif
* ''f’taa inra hoshiis drof Marif?'' = will we be travling to Marif?
''F’taa?'' by itself serves the same function as "Huh?" in English, and when combined with the Kiitra word for "please" (''f’taa miirvan?'') is equivalent to saying "Pardon?" or "Come again?" in reaction to something not clearly heard or understood.

===Affirmative/negative===
Kiitra uses a multi-form system for saying "yes" and "no", dependent primarily on strength of certainty:
* '''Generic''' forms include:
** ''shaa'' for yes in response to a positive question
** ''sheina'' for yes in response to a negative question
** ''naa'' for no in response to any question
* '''Definitive''' forms, indicating stronger certainty:
** ''shasha'' for the affirmative; also used as an intensifier, like "very" in English
** ''neija'' for the negative
* '''Dubitative''' forms, indicating weaker certainty:
** ''shipaa'' for the affirmative
** ''nipaa'' for the negative
** ''shipaanipaa'' for complete uncertainty

===Articles and demonstratives===
Kiitra has no indefinite article, and its definite article suffix ''id’-'' is restricted to things which are unique (e.g., ''id’hiirha'' = the Universe). The demonstrative prefix ''eja’-'' is heavily used, and may mean "this", "that", "these" or "those" depending upon whether the root noun is singular or plural, and whether it is follow by ''ega'' (here) or ''efa'' (there).

==Other Alplai languages==
Merrill also includes fragments of other Alplai languages (Baija, Konarai, Krishkarha and Saakh), both in the novel and the website. There are also examples of a global "Alplai Sign Language" (''heijajna''), used by the Alplai deaf community.

==Alplai’s alien culture and Kiitra==
Emphasizing the alien culture of the Alplai, Merrill constructed some distinct idioms in Kiitra:
* ''davna baaj, murkhtosh taaj'' = "storm above, maelstrom below"; a dilemma, equivalent to "between a rock and a hard place".
* ''egiirh okh bada beil eja’farg'' = "only one leaf on that tree"; insignificant contribution, equivalent to saying "only a drop in the bucket".
* ''lobel frem gopshii aira'' = "to repair the door between them"; indicating reconciliation, similar to "mending fences".
Kiitra also includes distinct words to describe such elements of Alplai society and culture as political parties (''gajanaat'', ''diirdeznaat'', ''belugaat'', etc.) and religions (''Shalranai'', ''Sadroshai'', etc.)

==See also==
[[Lamikorda]]

==External websites==
* [http://kiitralanguage.wordpress.com Kiitra language website]
* [http://cals.conlang.org/language/kiitra/ Conlang Atlas of Language Structures: Kiitra]
* [http://lamikorda.wordpress.com Lamikorda author's website]
* [http://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-kiitra/en/kiitra/ Of Languages and Numbers: Counting in Kiitra]

[[Category:Fictional languages]]

Kiitra language

2015-05-07T23:37:10Z

Hirajnashaijaat:

The '''Kiitra language''' (''hirajna Kiitra'') is a [[constructed language]] featured in the [[science fiction]] novel ''[[Lamikorda]]'' by D. R. Merrill. Kiitra is the principal language of the Alplai, the avianoid species in the book. With a lexicon of over 4000 entries including colloquialisms and highly technical terminology, it is perhaps one of the largest and most functional of recent conlangs.

==Origins==
Merrill created Kiitra while writing ''Lamikorda'' "to give greater verisimilitude to the novel," but also with the hope that others would "study, utilize, and even offer suggestions as to its continued development", and has continued to expand its lexicon. The fictional backstory was that the Kiitra region of the planet Alplaa was inhabited by eight ethnolinguistic groups allied in a confederation; when the confederation government formed a commission to recommend how to deal with this multilingualism, the commission drew upon common elements of these closely related languages to construct a new Kiitra language. While intended for use in trade and government administration within the Kiitra Union, it would become the primary language of the region, as the different ethnicities melded into a common "Kiitra" identity. Because of its relative simplicity and regularity, other Alplai chose to make Kiitra their default auxiliary language, much like the similar role of [[English language|English]] on [[Earth]]. The fiction of Kiitra being constructed and regulated by an appointed government commission provides a rationale for Kiitra’s relatively regular structure.

==Phonology==
Merrill devised a highly regular phonology for Kiitra, with both its own orthography (including punctuation) and a simple Romanization standard.

===Vowels===
Kiitra uses eight vowels and two dipthongs:

* ''a'' as in '''A'''lpha = /æ/
* ''aa'' as in Sp'''a''' = /ä/ or /ɑ/
* ''ai'' as in '''Eye''' = /aɪ/
* ''e'' as in '''E'''cho = /ɛ/
* ''ei'' as in R'''ay''' = /eɪ/
* ''i'' as in '''I'''ndia = /ɪ/
* ''ii'' as in Ind'''i'''a = /i/
* ''o'' as in '''O'''scar = /ɔ/ or /ɒ/
* ''u'' as in '''U'''ncle = /ʌ/
* ''uu'' as in R'''oo'''m = /u/

With the exception of the ''ai'' and ''ei'' dipthongs, vowels are never "blended"; they are separated either by consonants or a [[glottal stop]].

Two of the trickiest elements of pronunciation is when words end with a single ''a'' or ''o'', as English speakers will tend to say these like "ah" and "oh" respectively. In the novel’s "Preface on pronouncing Kiitra" the author recommends:
* For ''a'' at the end of words: "say with mouth open and lips pulled back."
* For ''o'' at the end of words: "keep lips rounded and jaw still."

===Consonants===
Kiitra employs nineteen consonants and a [[glottal stop]] marker; Alplai linguistics, however, regard the "h" sound and glottal stop as a distinct intermediary category, called ''leidvona'' in Kiitra.

* ''b'' as in '''B'''ravo = /b/
* ''d'' as in '''D'''elta = /d/
* ''f'' as in '''F'''oxtrot = /f/
* ''g'' as in '''G'''olf = /g/
* ''h'' as in '''H'''otel = /h/
* ''j'' as in '''J'''uliet = /d͡ʒ/ or /ʒ/
* ''k'' as in '''K'''ilo = /k/
* ''kh'' as in Lo'''ch''' or Na'''ch'''t = /x/
* ''l'' as in '''L'''ima = /l/ or /ɫ/
* ''m'' as in '''M'''ike = /m/
* ''n'' as in '''N'''ovember = /n/
* ''p'' as in '''P'''apa = /p/|
* ''r'' as in '''R'''omeo = /ɹ/ or /ɾ/
* ''rh'' = [[Alveolar trill|trilled "r"]] = /r/ or /ʀ/
* ''s'' as in '''S'''ierra = /s/
* ''sh'' as in '''Sh'''are = /ʃ/
* ''t'' as in '''T'''ango = /t/
* ''v'' as in '''V'''ictor = /v/
* ''z'' as in '''Z'''ulu = /z/
* ''‘'' = [[glottal stop]] = /ʔ/

Notable by their absence is the ''w'' consonant, the /tʃ/ sound represented by the English digraph ''ch'', and the two dental fricatives both represented in English by ''th''. In the novel, this leads to the Alplai making approximations of these sounds when attempting to speak English (the principal "Terai" language), such as ''ii’uu'' for ''w''.

===Stress and cadence===
Syllabic stress is variable in Kiitra, and is the primary feature distinguishing various dialects and accents. It is thus left to particular groups of speakers to employ whatever cadence feels natural to them. As human instructors of Kiitra in ''Lamikorda'' would say: "Don’t stress about stresses!"

==Grammar==
Kiitra grammar follows a basic subject-verb-object typology. Additionally, many words may serve multiple functions – nouns, adjectives, and/or adverbs – thus making word order extremely important; adjectival modifiers, for example, precede the subject of a noun (e.g., ''vroza adra vrokajiit'' = "quick he run[past]" = "he ran quickly").

The morphology of Kiitra is highly agglutinative, with adjectival modifiers typically prefixed to a root noun. There are exceptions, however:
* Numbers and quantifying adjectives precede the noun as a separate word.
* Ethnic, geographic, linguistic and/or religious descriptors, as well as possessive pronouns, follow the noun as a separate word.
* There are also instances of rather long agglutinative constructions being shortened into more easily pronounceable forms (e.g., the word for a portable videophone or "smartphone" evolving from ''orpabejafaaz'' to ''orbefaaz'').

===Verbs===
Verbs follow simple and regular rules:
* Past tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iit''.
* Future tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iis''.
* All verbs end in consonants, both to facilitate addition of temporal tense suffices, and to distinguish them from "descriptor" (noun/adjective/adverb) forms (e.g., ''kaaj'' [to move], ''kaja'' [motion, movement, moving]).
Aspect, mood and evidentiality for verbs is indicated via modal auxiliaries, as in many Germanic languages.

The verb ''g’boz'' (to have, to possess) is a frequent copula verb when use to describe emotions and other attributes; thus the English sentence "she is happy" would more literally translate as "she has/possesses happiness/pleasure" (''avra g’boz nonsha''). Similar forms exist using such basic verbs as ''giron'' (to bring about, to cause, to make happen), ''kher'' (to do), ''ren'' (to get, receive something given), and ''ton'' (to give).

===Pronouns===
Some features of Kiitra personal pronouns include:
* No distinction between subjective and objective forms.
* Use of the suffix ''-luu'' to create possessive pronoun forms.
* A gender-blind/gender-neutral third-person singular form.
* The evolution of formal forms, as Kiitra and Alplai society became more egalitarian, to becoming used only in reference to deities or as a respectful reference to someone deceased.

===Interrogatives===
Interrogative words typically begin with ''f’t-''; their non-interrogative forms replace ''f'' with ''p''. Polar questions are created by placing the interrogative particle ''f’taa'' in front of a declarative sentence:
* ''inra hoshiis drof Marif'' = we will be traveling to Marif
* ''f’taa inra hoshiis drof Marif?'' = will we be travling to Marif?
''F’taa?'' by itself serves the same function as "Huh?" in English, and when combined with the Kiitra word for "please" (''f’taa miirvan?'') is equivalent to saying "Pardon?" or "Come again?" in reaction to something not clearly heard or understood.

===Affirmative/negative===
Kiitra uses a multi-form system for saying "yes" and "no", dependent primarily on strength of certainty:
* '''Generic''' forms include:
** ''shaa'' for yes in response to a positive question
** ''sheina'' for yes in response to a negative question
** ''naa'' for no in response to any question
* '''Definitive''' forms, indicating stronger certainty:
** ''shasha'' for the affirmative; also used as an intensifier, like "very" in English
** ''neija'' for the negative
* '''Dubitative''' forms, indicating weaker certainty:
** ''shipaa'' for the affirmative
** ''nipaa'' for the negative
** ''shipaanipaa'' for complete uncertainty

===Articles and demonstratives===
Kiitra has no indefinite article, and its definite article suffix ''id’-'' is restricted to things which are unique (e.g., ''id’hiirha'' = the Universe). The demonstrative prefix ''eja’-'' is heavily used, and may mean "this", "that", "these" or "those" depending upon whether the root noun is singular or plural, and whether it is follow by ''ega'' (here) or ''efa'' (there).

==Other Alplai languages==
Merrill also includes fragments of other Alplai languages (Baija, Konarai, Krishkarha and Saakh), both in the novel and the website. There are also examples of a global "Alplai Sign Language" (''heijajna''), used by the Alplai deaf community.

==Alplai’s alien culture and Kiitra==
Emphasizing the alien culture of the Alplai, Merrill constructed some distinct idioms in Kiitra:
* ''davna baaj, murkhtosh taaj'' = "storm above, maelstrom below"; a dilemma, equivalent to "between a rock and a hard place".
* ''egiirh okh bada beil eja’farg'' = "only one leaf on that tree"; insignificant contribution, equivalent to saying "only a drop in the bucket".
* ''lobel frem gopshii aira'' = "to repair the door between them"; indicating reconciliation, similar to "mending fences".
Kiitra also includes distinct words to describe such elements of Alplai society and culture as political parties (''gajanaat'', ''diirdeznaat'', ''belugaat'', etc.) and religions (''Shalranai'', ''Sadroshai'', etc.)

==See also==
[[Lamikorda]]

==External websites==
* [http://kiitralanguage.wordpress.com Kiitra language website]
* [http://cals.conlang.org/language/kiitra/ Conlang Atlas of Language Structures: Kiitra]
* [http://lamikorda.wordpress.com Lamikorda author's website]
* [http://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-kiitra/en/kiitra/ Of Languages and Numbers: Counting in Kiitra]

[[Category:Fictional languages]]

Lamikorda

2015-05-04T02:40:39Z

Hirajnashaijaat: Created page with "'''''Lamikorda''''' is a science fiction novel by D. R. Merrill. It focuses on the avianoid Alplai species, and the arrival of Terran settlers from a devastated Earth to t..."

'''''Lamikorda''''' is a science fiction novel by D. R. Merrill. It focuses on the avianoid Alplai species, and the arrival of Terran settlers from a devastated [[Earth]] to their solar system.

==Plot==
The Alplai are a peaceful and advanced avianoid species, native to the planet Alplaa; they abandoned warfare a millennia ago, built a prosperous society, and established colonies on other planets and moons in their solar system; their use of the slipstream field generator allows them to "jump" from one gravity well to another, making interplanetary travel routine and connecting their colonies on Totrana and Rekar's moons to the homeworld.

Ganak, the recently appointed Commissioner for Space Exploration, leads a delegation of Commission staff to visit the settlement on Rekar Three. The space observatory there reports that an asteroid from outside their solar system has been discovered, and is due to pass Rekar. The asteroid is given the name ''Lamikorda'' - an ancient word from the Saakh language meaning: "unexpected but welcome visitor." Later on, the observatory reports that the asteroid is changing course, now heading into the heart of their solar system; astronomers calculate that it will approach Totrana in a matter of months, possibly causing seismic and tidal activities. The Space Exploration Commission now begins to organize a survey mission, using Rekar Three as its base, to reach the asteroid-ship and attempt to change its course.

The survey manages to establish contact and land a shuttle inside one of its hangar bays. The shuttle crew, led by its pilot Toralok, discover that the asteroid-ship is an automated colony vessel, its passengers in suspended animation, and witness the revival of one of the mammalian aliens. Marok, the Commission's Director of Scientific Programs, finds a linguist to travel to the vessel and establish communication with the aliens. The linguist Fajrok succeeds in convincing the aliens to change course, and begins the process of teaching them the Kiitra language and exchanging information.

The Alplai learn that the aliens have left their world "Teraa" after a series of asteroid collisions, hoping to find a new world for the 1.2 million colonists to rebuild their civilization. The "Terai" request help refueling their vessel and finding another solar system, but Ganak and other Commission leaders propose that they settle in the newly prepared but vacant "Eastern Sector" of Totrana. The Terai leaders accept, and Ganak helps to persuade the Totrana government to approve the plan.

The colonists are revived in groups, vaccinated to protect them from Alplai pathogens, and transported to an orientation center on Totrana for intense language and cultural instruction, after which they travel to their new homes in the Eastern Sector. When the colony ship's nuclear reactors show signs of losing containment, the settlement plans are accelerated, with a larger facility being built in the Eastern Sector, and Terai pilots being trained to fly Alplai shuttles.

Things appear to be going well, aside from some cultural clashes, when a new disease erupts among the Alplai living on Totrana. As the disease spreads to Alplaa and the Rekar colonies, a new anti-Terai political movement is formed. The Terai continue to face discrimination and occasional violence, but create new political organizations to represent their interests and form alliances with Alplai supporters. The novel ends several decades later, when the elderly Terai pilot Sergey Rudov attends a ceremony to launch the first interstellar exploration vessel; Rudov's granddaughter serves on the crew, and one of the speakers is the son of a young settler who now serves as Co-President of the system-wide government.

==Kiitra language==
Merrill also created the [[Kiitra language]], and incorporated it into the narrative and dialogue, often with "subtitles" following in brackets. The language not only provides a sense of realism, but also shows the difficulty of translating certain cultural concepts. Differences in Alplai and Terran politics, for example, revolve around different questions; while the Alplai embrace a mixed economy similar to Earth's "Nordic model," they continue to debate whether the balance of power should belong with the legislative or executive branches; thus with economics a "settled question," the Alplai do not have words for the concepts of "capitalism" or "socialism", yet they must explain the historical context behind the names and ideologies of their major parties (Conversionist/''gajanaat'', Traditionalist/''diirdeznaat'', Pragmatist/''beluugaat'').

==Reader reviews and awards==
The novel has been discussed on the Goodreads site, with an average review of 4 stars out of 5, and chosen as a "book of the month" by one of its science-fiction fan groups. It was also selected as a 2014 Book of the Year by the fansite [http://www.scifi365.net/the-2014-scifi365-net-books-of-the-year/ SciFi365.net], citing its richly detailed description of the Alplai and their world.

==External websites==
* [http://lamikorda.wordpress.com Lamikorda author's website]
* [http://kiitralanguage.wordpress.com Kiitra language website]

Kiitra language

2015-05-04T02:39:51Z

Hirajnashaijaat: Created page with "The '''Kiitra language''' (''hirajna Kiitra'') is a constructed language featured in the science fiction novel ''Lamikorda'' by D. R. Merrill. Kiitra is the princi..."

The '''Kiitra language''' (''hirajna Kiitra'') is a [[constructed language]] featured in the [[science fiction]] novel ''[[Lamikorda]]'' by D. R. Merrill. Kiitra is the principal language of the Alplai, the avianoid species in the book. With a lexicon of over 3900 entries including colloquialisms and highly technical terminology, it is perhaps one of the largest and most functional of recent conlangs.

==Origins==
Merrill created Kiitra while writing ''Lamikorda'' "to give greater verisimilitude to the novel," but also with the hope that others would "study, utilize, and even offer suggestions as to its continued development", and has continued to expand its lexicon. The fictional backstory was that the Kiitra region of the planet Alplaa was inhabited by eight ethnolinguistic groups allied in a confederation; when the confederation government formed a commission to recommend how to deal with this multilingualism, the commission drew upon common elements of these closely related languages to construct a new Kiitra language. While intended for use in trade and government administration within the Kiitra Union, it would become the primary language of the region, as the different ethnicities melded into a common "Kiitra" identity. Because of its relative simplicity and regularity, other Alplai chose to make Kiitra their default auxiliary language, much like the similar role of [[English language|English]] on [[Earth]]. The fiction of Kiitra being constructed and regulated by an appointed government commission provides a rationale for Kiitra’s relatively regular structure.

==Phonology==
Merrill devised a highly regular phonology for Kiitra, with both its own orthography (including punctuation) and a simple Romanization standard.

===Vowels===
Kiitra uses eight vowels and two dipthongs:

* ''a'' as in '''A'''lpha = /æ/
* ''aa'' as in Sp'''a''' = /ä/ or /ɑ/
* ''ai'' as in '''Eye''' = /aɪ/
* ''e'' as in '''E'''cho = /ɛ/
* ''ei'' as in R'''ay''' = /eɪ/
* ''i'' as in '''I'''ndia = /ɪ/
* ''ii'' as in Ind'''i'''a = /i/
* ''o'' as in '''O'''scar = /ɔ/ or /ɒ/
* ''u'' as in '''U'''ncle = /ʌ/
* ''uu'' as in R'''oo'''m = /u/

With the exception of the ''ai'' and ''ei'' dipthongs, vowels are never "blended"; they are separated either by consonants or a [[glottal stop]].

Two of the trickiest elements of pronunciation is when words end with a single ''a'' or ''o'', as English speakers will tend to say these like "ah" and "oh" respectively. In the novel’s "Preface on pronouncing Kiitra" the author recommends:
* For ''a'' at the end of words: "say with mouth open and lips pulled back."
* For ''o'' at the end of words: "keep lips rounded and jaw still."

===Consonants===
Kiitra employs nineteen consonants and a [[glottal stop]] marker; Alplai linguistics, however, regard the "h" sound and glottal stop as a distinct intermediary category, called ''leidvona'' in Kiitra.

* ''b'' as in '''B'''ravo = /b/
* ''d'' as in '''D'''elta = /d/
* ''f'' as in '''F'''oxtrot = /f/
* ''g'' as in '''G'''olf = /g/
* ''h'' as in '''H'''otel = /h/
* ''j'' as in '''J'''uliet = /d͡ʒ/ or /ʒ/
* ''k'' as in '''K'''ilo = /k/
* ''kh'' as in Lo'''ch''' or Na'''ch'''t = /x/
* ''l'' as in '''L'''ima = /l/ or /ɫ/
* ''m'' as in '''M'''ike = /m/
* ''n'' as in '''N'''ovember = /n/
* ''p'' as in '''P'''apa = /p/|
* ''r'' as in '''R'''omeo = /ɹ/ or /ɾ/
* ''rh'' = [[Alveolar trill|trilled "r"]] = /r/ or /ʀ/
* ''s'' as in '''S'''ierra = /s/
* ''sh'' as in '''Sh'''are = /ʃ/
* ''t'' as in '''T'''ango = /t/
* ''v'' as in '''V'''ictor = /v/
* ''z'' as in '''Z'''ulu = /z/
* ''‘'' = [[glottal stop]] = /ʔ/

Notable by their absence is the ''w'' consonant, the /tʃ/ sound represented by the English digraph ''ch'', and the two dental fricatives both represented in English by ''th''. In the novel, this leads to the Alplai making approximations of these sounds when attempting to speak English (the principal "Terai" language), such as ''ii’uu'' for ''w''.

===Stress and cadence===
Syllabic stress is variable in Kiitra, and is the primary feature distinguishing various dialects and accents. It is thus left to particular groups of speakers to employ whatever cadence feels natural to them. As human instructors of Kiitra in ''Lamikorda'' would say: "Don’t stress about stresses!"

==Grammar==
Kiitra grammar follows a basic subject-verb-object typology. Additionally, many words may serve multiple functions – nouns, adjectives, and/or adverbs – thus making word order extremely important; adjectival modifiers, for example, precede the subject of a noun (e.g., ''vroza adra vrokajiit'' = "quick he run[past]" = "he ran quickly").

The morphology of Kiitra is highly agglutinative, with adjectival modifiers typically prefixed to a root noun. There are exceptions, however:
* Numbers and quantifying adjectives precede the noun as a separate word.
* Ethnic, geographic, linguistic and/or religious descriptors, as well as possessive pronouns, follow the noun as a separate word.
* There are also instances of rather long agglutinative constructions being shortened into more easily pronounceable forms (e.g., the word for a portable videophone or "smartphone" evolving from ''orpabejafaaz'' to ''orbefaaz'').

===Verbs===
Verbs follow simple and regular rules:
* Past tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iit''.
* Future tense is indicated by adding the suffix ''-iis''.
* All verbs end in consonants, both to facilitate addition of temporal tense suffices, and to distinguish them from "descriptor" (noun/adjective/adverb) forms (e.g., ''kaaj'' [to move], ''kaja'' [motion, movement, moving]).
Aspect, mood and evidentiality for verbs is indicated via modal auxiliaries, as in many Germanic languages.

The verb ''g’boz'' (to have, to possess) is a frequent copula verb when use to describe emotions and other attributes; thus the English sentence "she is happy" would more literally translate as "she has/possesses happiness/pleasure" (''avra g’boz nonsha''). Similar forms exist using such basic verbs as ''giron'' (to bring about, to cause, to make happen), ''kher'' (to do), ''ren'' (to get, receive something given), and ''ton'' (to give).

===Pronouns===
Some features of Kiitra personal pronouns include:
* No distinction between subjective and objective forms.
* Use of the suffix ''-luu'' to create possessive pronoun forms.
* A gender-blind/gender-neutral third-person singular form.
* The evolution of formal forms, as Kiitra and Alplai society became more egalitarian, to becoming used only in reference to deities or as a respectful reference to someone deceased.

===Interrogatives===
Interrogative words typically begin with ''f’t-''; their non-interrogative forms replace ''f'' with ''p''. Polar questions are created by placing the interrogative particle ''f’taa'' in front of a declarative sentence:
* ''inra hoshiis drof Marif'' = we will be traveling to Marif
* ''f’taa inra hoshiis drof Marif?'' = will we be travling to Marif?
''F’taa?'' by itself serves the same function as "Huh?" in English, and when combined with the Kiitra word for "please" (''f’taa miirvan?'') is equivalent to saying "Pardon?" or "Come again?" in reaction to something not clearly heard or understood.

===Affirmative/negative===
Kiitra uses a multi-form system for saying "yes" and "no", dependent primarily on strength of certainty:
* '''Generic''' forms include:
** ''shaa'' for yes in response to a positive question
** ''sheina'' for yes in response to a negative question
** ''naa'' for no in response to any question
* '''Definitive''' forms, indicating stronger certainty:
** ''shasha'' for the affirmative; also used as an intensifier, like "very" in English
** ''neija'' for the negative
* '''Dubitative''' forms, indicating weaker certainty:
** ''shipaa'' for the affirmative
** ''nipaa'' for the negative
** ''shipaanipaa'' for complete uncertainty

===Articles and demonstratives===
Kiitra has no indefinite article, and its definite article suffix ''id’-'' is restricted to things which are unique (e.g., ''id’hiirha'' = the Universe). The demonstrative prefix ''eja’-'' is heavily used, and may mean "this", "that", "these" or "those" depending upon whether the root noun is singular or plural, and whether it is follow by ''ega'' (here) or ''efa'' (there).

==Other Alplai languages==
Merrill also includes fragments of other Alplai languages (Baija, Konarai, Krishkarha and Saakh), both in the novel and the website. There are also examples of a global "Alplai Sign Language" (''heijajna''), used by the Alplai deaf community.

==Alplai’s alien culture and Kiitra==
Emphasizing the alien culture of the Alplai, Merrill constructed some distinct idioms in Kiitra:
* ''davna baaj, murkhtosh taaj'' = "storm above, maelstrom below"; a dilemma, equivalent to "between a rock and a hard place".
* ''egiirh okh bada beil eja’farg'' = "only one leaf on that tree"; insignificant contribution, equivalent to saying "only a drop in the bucket".
* ''lobel frem gopshii aira'' = "to repair the door between them"; indicating reconciliation, similar to "mending fences".
Kiitra also includes distinct words to describe such elements of Alplai society and culture as political parties (''gajanaat'', ''diirdeznaat'', ''belugaat'', etc.) and religions (''Shalranai'', ''Sadroshai'', etc.)

==See also==
[[Lamikorda]]

==External websites==
* [http://kiitralanguage.wordpress.com Kiitra language website]
* [http://cals.conlang.org/language/kiitra/ Conlang Atlas of Language Structures: Kiitra]
* [http://lamikorda.wordpress.com Lamikorda author's website]
* [http://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-kiitra/en/kiitra/ Of Languages and Numbers: Counting in Kiitra]

[[Category:Fictional languages]]