Alatika (Atlantean Language)

Atalantean, or Alatika, is the official language of all nations under the Atlantean Empire.

Dialects

The various dialects of Atlantean include:

• Standard (in books, etc.)
• Aristocrian (spoken almost exclusively by traditionally "noble" families. Seen as extremely old-fashioned and pretentious)
• Epistimonian (highly technical language spoken by scientists and technologists)
• Kalitekian (song-like language spoken by artists and artisans)
• Metic (harder, blunter language spoken by salt-of-the-earth working folk)

Writing System

Atlantean uses a syllabic script for its alphabet.

Geographical Distribution

Atlantean is spoken in all nations in the empire of Atlantis, from the original settlements near the Mediterranean to the offshoots in the Atlantic, Indian, and central Pacific Oceans.

Phonology

Atlantean is a logophonetic language that uses symbols to represent sounds. They follow the pattern of CCV, CV or V syllables--that is, an (optional) consonant sound or sounds followed by a vowel sound.

Morphology

Atlantean nouns decline for 7 cases: accusative, dative, locative, instrumental, nominative, genitive, and vocative. Verbs conjugate for 3 tenses: past, present, and future; 4 aspects: perfect, progressive, perfective, and imperfective; 4 moods: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, and optative; 3 voices: active, middle, and passive; 3 persons: first, second, and third; infinitives and verbal adjectives. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and articles are all gender neutral.

Syntax

Sentences in Atlantean follow a pattern of OSV (object, subject, verb). Think Yoda-speak and you'll have a pretty good idea.

Vocabulary

Untranslatable Words

Like with many languages, there are some words in the Atlantean language that simply don't have an English translation. For example:

Dysarete

The discontent one feels when they think they are wasting their life

Midenisapathe

The inability to bring oneself to care when faced with the idea that life is meaningless

Orgiesia

The act of stepping into a leadership role when nobody else can or wants to

Panaphilia

The desire to surround oneself with as many close friends as possible

Should vs. Ought To

One interesting aspect of the Atlantean language is the connotations of prepei (should) vs. tha eprepe (ought to). Generally, if someone comments that you should do something, there's a genuine level of respect involved. However, if someone comments that you ought to do something, it tends to be more sarcastic or insulting. For example:

Gia Gerousia prepei na trexei

You should run for the Senate (I think you have excellent ideas in regards to the political climate and that you could make a good career out of implementing them)

Gia Gerousia tha eprepe na trexei

You ought to run for the Senate (You are as two-faced and full of hot air as most politicians and I think you'd be right at home among them)

Phonetics

Vowels

• A - Pronounced like the "a" in "father"
• E - Pronounced like the "e" in "bed"
• I - Pronounced like the "ee" in "free"
• O - Pronounced like the "o" in "no"
• U - Pronounced like the "oo" in "food"
• Y - Pronounced like the "i" in "sit"

Common Phrases

The Basics

Eila!

Hello!

Po kanei?

How are you?

Kala, esei?

Fine, and you?

Autio

Goodbye

Alatida einai apo ti; Alatiko einai

I am from Atlantis; I am Atlantean

Banio pu einai to?

Where is the bathroom?

Se agapa

I love you

Synomi

Sorry

Parakalo

Please

Efaristo

Thank you

Nai

Yes

Ochi

No

Kalimera

Good morning

Kaliapoma

Good afternoon

Kalispera

Good evening

Kalinyta

Good night

The Important Stuff

Malaka

Wanker, asshole, jerk

Gamo

Fuck

A gamisou

Fuck off

Kopro

Shit

Trolodai

Dumbass, idiot

Katotrophe

Lowlife, crook, someone who takes advantage of others (lit. bottom feeder)

Glaroi eretes

Drop dead, go to hell (lit. go to the gulls)

Ena prokirixi tha eprepe na grasei

You talk too much/You're full of yourself (lit. You ought to write a manifesto)

Just Because

Kelies mou aerofaera einai gemato me

My hovercraft is full of eels