Common Elvish
Also known as Tat Thìm
A saying: half of a man is made of hate (ref. to the words pìl and pì)
in response to how are you: do, (shì) pìsa do (not well, need support)
Writing System
There are two writing systems used by elves: a set of primary glyphs, mainly used to learn the language, and a set of secondary ones. The primary set contains 26 glyphs, each corresponding to a different sound, whereas the secondary set has 153 glyphs, each corresponding to a consonant and a vowel sound.
| Sound | Glyph | Sound | Glyph |
|---|---|---|---|
| ɑ | a |
o | o |
| b | b |
p | p |
| d | d |
ŋ | q |
| ɛ | è |
ɹ | r |
| ɜː | e |
s | s |
| f | f |
t | t |
| g | g |
ʊ | u |
| ʃ | h |
v | v |
| ɪ | ì |
θ | w |
| k | k |
z | z |
| l | l |
aɪ̯ | ä |
| m | m |
eɪ̯ | ë |
| n | n |
ɔɪ̯ | ö |
Geographical Distribution
It is mainly spoken around
Bælyn Mountain, Skòweryn and Dulmìr Mountain.
Phonology
Consonant inventory: b d f g k l m n p s t v z ŋ ɹ ʃ θ
Vowel inventory: aɪ̯ eɪ̯ o ɑ ɔɪ̯ ɛ ɜː ɪ ʊ
Diphthongs: aɪ̯ eɪ̯ ɔɪ̯
Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable
Sound changes (in order of application):
{p,b} → m / V_V
{nk,mk} → ŋ
m → n / _d
Morphology
Syllable structure: (C)V(C)
Spelling rules: Pronunciation Spelling
| ɛ — è | aɪ̯ — ä |
| ɑ — a | ɔɪ̯ — ö |
| ɜː — e | ɹ — r |
| ʊ — u | θ — th |
| ɪ — ì | ʃ — sh |
| eɪ̯ — ë | ŋ — ng |
Derivational morphology: Adjective → adverb = Suffix -zɑ
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -ɹɛ
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -bɑ
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -ŋeɪ̯
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -sɑ
Noun → verb = Suffix -baɪ̯
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -bɜː
Tending to = Suffix -pɔɪ̯
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -ʃeɪ̯
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -zɛ
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Suffix -ŋo
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -teɪ̯
Diminutive = Suffix -seɪ̯
Augmentative = Suffix -gʊ
Syntax
Negation:
The negation is positioned just before the verb, using rä /ɹaɪ̯/.
Punctuation:
The punctuation is the only marker for exclamative or interrogative sentences, the words' order don't have any incidence.
Tenses
| Present | Past | Future |
|---|---|---|
| No affix
ëlo /eɪ̯ˈlo/ (pron.) learn(s) |
Suffix -kɑ
ëloka /eɪ̯loˈkɑ/ (pron.) learned |
Suffix -naɪ̯
ëlonä /eɪ̯loˈnaɪ̯/ (pron.) will learn |
Perfect aspect:
The perfect aspect in English is exemplified in ‘I have read this book’, which expresses an event that took place before the time spoken but which has an effect on or is in some way still relevant to the present.
Common elvish uses an affix for the perfect aspect, used before the tense:
Suffix -dɑ
ëloda /eɪ̯loˈdɑ/
have learned
ëlodaka /eɪ̯lodɑˈkɑ/
had learned
Sentence Structure
Main word order: Subject Object (Prepositional phrase) Verb
Adposition: postpositions, meaning prepositions are always after the noun or phrase they refer to.
Nouns:
Nouns have two cases:
• Ergative is the doer of a verb, when the verb is done to something: dog bites man.
• Absolutive is used in two scenarios: the doer of a verb when not done to something (dog bites), and the done-to of a verb (man bites dog).
• Ergative is the doer of a verb, when the verb is done to something: dog bites man.
• Absolutive is used in two scenarios: the doer of a verb when not done to something (dog bites), and the done-to of a verb (man bites dog).
| Ergative | Absolutive |
|---|---|
| If starts with vowel:
Prefix ɪm- Else: ɪmɑ- ìmagopì /ɪmɑ'gomɪ/ dog (doing a transitive verb) |
No affix
gopì /gomɪ/ dog (doing an intransitive verb) |
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| No affix
gopì /gomɪ/ dog |
Suffix -an
gopìan /gomɪˈɑn/ dogs |
Nota Bete: For nouns ending in -ɑ, the plural transforms the -ɑ sound into -aɪ̯. Example: nìsa becomes nìsäan in plural form.
Adjective Order
Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Structural Markers
Articles:
Possessive:
| Definite | Indefinite | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | è /ɛ/
the |
da /dɑ/
a |
| Plural | mì /mɪ/
the |
mä /maɪ̯/
some |
Uses of definite article that differ from English:
• Definite article can be omitted: ‘I am going to supermarket’
• Used for languages: ‘The English’
Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:
• Not used for non-specific mass (uncountable) nouns: non-specific means ‘Would you like some (any) tea?’ whereas specific means ‘Some tea (a specific amount) fell off the truck’
Pronouns:
| Ergative | Absolutive | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sing. | shì /ʃɪ/
I |
sa /sɑ/
me |
| 2nd sing. | ngä /ŋaɪ̯/
you |
nga /ŋɑ/
you |
| 3rd sing. | uë /ʊeɪ̯/
he, she, it |
vë /veɪ̯/
him, her, it |
| 1st pl. | sìè /sɪɛ/ or tìè /tɪɛ/
we (incl.) or we (excl.) |
da /dɑ/ or ì /ɪ/
us (incl.) or us (excl.) |
| 2nd pl. | sè /sɛ/
you all |
më /meɪ̯/
you all |
| 3rd pl. | ten /tɜːn/
they |
ö /ɔɪ̯/
them |
The difference between the inclusive ‘we/us’ and the exclusive ‘we/us’ is wether it includes the listener or not. Moreover, the pronoun ‘I’ can be omitted.
| Determiner | Pronoun | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sing. | sha /ʃɑ/
my |
la /lɑ/
mine |
| 2nd sing. | gèn /gɛn/
your |
mì /mɪ/
yours |
| 3rd sing. | gì /gɪ/
his, her, its |
sha /ʃɑ/
his, hers, its |
| 1st pl. | lë /leɪ̯/
our |
ga /gɑ/
ours |
| 2nd pl. | ten /tɜːn/
your (pl) |
è /ɛ/
yours (pl) |
| 3rd pl. | mo /mo/
their |
pol /pol/
theirs |
The determiner is placed before the noun it refers to: Det (Adj) Noun.
Dictionary
Root Languages
Common Phrases
Hello — Sìng
Goodbye — Rër
How are you ? —
I'm fine —
Not well — Do
Please — Satìè
Thank you — Thaku
You're welcome — Rat
I'm sorry —
Excuse me —
Now — Dog
Today — Dìr
Yesterday —
Tomorrow — Dèngè
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