Ivu

The language of Ivu is the most widely spoken language on the planet of Aravu and is dominant in several regions of Kivria as well. It is the native language of all Yashelin, many Fas communities, and a startling number of Kivrian peoples as well. On top of the spiritual associations that the Aravun Yashelin make with their language, it is also the official language of the Kivrian religion of Lainism. While the language is not spoken in the same manner by every community, most are mutually intelligible, forming a convenient lingua franca across regional and even planetary boundaries.
The original, unaltered version of the Ivu language is primordial in its usage, passed down from the the Ida to its Yashelin creations starting with Ezeki, its first. As a living language, the Ivu language has undergone numerous changes over the course of its million year plus lifespan. Unlike all other living languages, however, its oldest speakers are still alive. Therefore, many of its changes have not occurred entirely naturally, especially amongst the Aravun Yashelin who had to negotiate these changes across entire generations of established practice.
The further away the Ivu language travels from its home planet of Aravu and Aravun Yashelin culture, the more distorted it becomes. Other dialects include, but are not limited to, Ivun Sign Language (ISL), Bes Ivu, and Lain Ivu. The present article focuses on the language of Ivu as it is used by the Aravun Yashelin people, but notes will be made regarding other dialects throughout the text as well.

Usages of the Ivu Language

Written Ivu

There are two traditional forms of the written Ivu language. The first mode is an alphabet, where each symbol corresponds to an individual sound. The second mode is hieroglyphic, where each symbol represents an entire word or concept. Not all words have hieroglyphs associated with them, but all words can be written using the alphabet system.
The alphabet and the hieroglyphs are nearly always combined except in rudimentary textbooks. Uri, for example, is rarely written out using the alphabet even though it is not technically incorrect. That is because the hieroglyph is one of the first that a Yashelin child learns.

Spoken Ivu

Ivu was a spoken language long before it was ever written down.

Signed Ivu

Sung Ivu

According to common belief, Ivu was likely sung by the Ida long before anyone else existed in the universe.

Cultural Anecdotes

Linguistic Authorities: Who Decides?

Aravun Yashelin: the Storyteller

Amongst the Aravun Yashelin, Ezeki is regarded as the leading authority on the Ivu language. The Yashelin Education System teaches Ivu strictly according to its appropriately high standards.
All proposed changes to the language, such as adding slang, allowing grammatical adjustments, or adapting foreign terminology to Ivu, must first pass across Ezeki's desk. Ezeki often confers first with Seri, the head of the Yashelin Education System, and the Council of Five. Most proposals stop there, and the vast majority are rejected.
A rejection does not imply that a speaker must change their speech patterns. The proposal is archived by the Kotuye Library for posterity, but no changes will be formally taught to children nor will the change appear in official documents.

Lainism: Order of Ivu Preservation

Lainism regards Ivu as a sacred language.  The Order of Ivu Preservation aims to preserve Ivu in as pure of a form as possible.
The order is not concerned with how, or even whether or not, the general public understands and/or speaks the language. Instead, it evaluates religious authorities and judges the quality of the Ivu language spoken at religious services.

"Kiana's purpose is to..." Ozim Laila drawls, leading him along.
Kiyal-Lantana squints hard at the table and repeats, “To mozin.”
“Mozin isn’t a verb, you can’t to mozin!”
“Why not?” Kiana replies haughtily, then backs up with a confused: “What’s a verb?”
“…Ok. I maybe see where I lost you,” Oz sighs while Seri giggles uselessly in the background. “A verb is like… Seri's purpose starts with to explore. Mine has to balance in it. So, your purpose is to...?”
“To…” Kiana’s still squinting at the table, perplexed by the spurious existence of verbs. “To education mozin?”
Coran side-eyes Ezeki knowingly. "No pressure, but don't fuck this one up, Ez."
"Ha! I’m a fan of to education mozin, myself! What is a verb, really?"