Karrnathi
Karrnathi is a complex, consonant-rich language with a phonetic system that emphasizes both hard and soft sounds, reminiscent of Slavic languages. The language employs a variety of sounds, with a notable use of palatalization, softening consonants before certain vowels, resulting in a phonemic distinction that provides a sense of aggression or intensity in speech. Its grammar is synthetic, incorporating inflection to convey tense, mood, and aspect, combining roots with various affixes to create meaning. Nouns are marked for case, and verbs undergo significant conjugation depending on their subject and aspect. The overall structure of Karrnathi promotes a direct, forceful communication style, often conveying emotion and strength.
Writing System
Karrnathi uses a modified alphabet, with additional characters to represent unique sounds. This writing system simplifies pronunciation for non-native speakers, while retaining the language’s distinctive phonetic traits.
Phonology
Vowels
Karrnathi features eight distinct vowel sounds: a, e, i, o, u, æ, ö, and y, creating a rich phonetic environment for syllables.
Consonants
The consonant inventory is extensive, including hard sounds like b, g, k, t, and several soft sounds like d', l', n', featuring a range of voiced and voiceless pairs (e.g., p/b, k/g) to enhance expressiveness.
Syllable Structure
The typical syllable structure is CVC or CCV, allowing complex sounds and clusters at the beginning or middle of words.
Stress Pattern
Stress usually falls on the first syllable, but can shift depending on inflection or emphasis.
Morphology
The pronoun system includes personal pronouns (I, you, he/she/it, we, you (plural), they) categorized by case. Reflexive pronouns are also present.
Verbs are marked for tense (past, present, future) and aspect (perfective and imperfective). They also include mood markers (indicative, imperative, subjunctive), affecting the form of the verb.
Nouns have a rich case system: nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and locative, each affecting how the noun is conveyed in sentences. They are marked for number (singular, plural, dual).
Adjective → adverb = Prefix ʤa-Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix ʧö-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Prefix u-
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix ɢ-
Else: Prefix ɢy-
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If starts with vowel: Prefix z-
Else: Prefix zi-
Noun to verb = Prefix di-
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Prefix i-
Tending to = If starts with vowel: Prefix eʁt-
Else: Prefix eʁtu-
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If starts with vowel: Prefix v-
Else: Prefix vi-
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If starts with vowel: Prefix χ-
Else: Prefix χi-
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Prefix ʄö-
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If starts with vowel: Prefix s-
Else: Prefix sö-
Diminutive = If starts with vowel: Prefix ut-
Else: Prefix utu-
Augmentative = If starts with vowel: Prefix s-
Else: Prefix si-
Syntax
Syllable structure: (C)V(C)
Stress pattern: Initial — stress is on the first syllable
Stress pattern: Initial — stress is on the first syllable
| Singular | Plural | Dual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | j’ic̈h /ʄic͡ç/ I, me, mine | nop /nop/ we, us, ours | khæj’ /χæʄ/ I, me, mine, we, us, ours |
| 2nd person | kad /kad/ you, yours | c̈hov /c͡çov/ you all, yours (pl) | d’a /ɗa/ you, you all, yours, yours (pl) |
| 3rd person | eb’ /eɓ/ he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its | did’ /diɗ/ they, them, theirs | ke /ke/ he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, theirs |
| Perfective | Imperfective | |
|---|---|---|
| Past | Prefix u- ug̈æv /ˈuɢæv/ learned | If starts with vowel: Prefix p- Else: Prefix po- pog̈æv /ˈpoɢæv/ learned |
| Present | If starts with vowel: Prefix l- Else: Prefix lo- log̈æv /ˈloɢæv/ learn | Prefix ö- ög̈æv /ˈöɢæv/ learn |
| Future | Prefix a- ag̈æv /ˈaɢæv/ will learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix ʧ- Else: Prefix ʧæ- chæg̈æv /ˈʧæɢæv/ will learn |
| Perfective | Imperfective | |
|---|---|---|
| Indicative | If starts with vowel: Prefix p- Else: Prefix pe- peg̈æv /ˈpeɢæv/ learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix b- Else: Prefix by- bÿg̈æv /ˈbyɢæv/ learn |
| Subjunctive | Prefix ʄe- j’eg̈æv /ˈʄeɢæv/ learn | If starts with vowel: Prefix æs- Else: Prefix æsö- æsög̈æv /ˈæsöɢæv/ learn |
| Imperative | Prefix u- ug̈æv /ˈuɢæv/ learn! | Prefix kö- kög̈æv /ˈköɢæv/ learn! |
| Singular | Plural | Dual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | If starts with vowel: Prefix m- Else: Prefix mo- | Prefix ky- | If starts with vowel: Prefix ʄ- Else: Prefix ʄa- |
| Accusative | If starts with vowel: Prefix j- Else: Prefix jö- | If starts with vowel: Prefix ynʧ- Else: Prefix ynʧa- | Prefix tö- |
| Genitive | Prefix y- | Prefix gæ- | If starts with vowel: Prefix ʁ- Else: Prefix ʁæ- |
| Dative | Prefix χi- | Prefix e- | If starts with vowel: Prefix ɢ- Else: Prefix ɢi- |
| Locative | If starts with vowel: Prefix n- Else: Prefix næ- | Prefix vi- | Prefix pi- |
Vocabulary
1 - j’i
2 - so
3 - o
4 - gö
5 - nge
6 - bön
7 - söch
8 - si
9 - mi
10 - g̈iwlip
11 - fövu
12 - guyli
13 - ÿi
14 - kussÿ
15 - g̈oto
16 - veo
17 - tög̈i
18 - b’i
19 - ɟ͡ʝÿ
20 - ÿsmij’ö
400 - fewva
8000 - g̈eg
2 - so
3 - o
4 - gö
5 - nge
6 - bön
7 - söch
8 - si
9 - mi
10 - g̈iwlip
11 - fövu
12 - guyli
13 - ÿi
14 - kussÿ
15 - g̈oto
16 - veo
17 - tög̈i
18 - b’i
19 - ɟ͡ʝÿ
20 - ÿsmij’ö
400 - fewva
8000 - g̈eg
Phonetics
Consonant inventory: b c͡ç d f g j k l m n p q s t v w z ŋ ɓ ɗ ɟ͡ʝ ɢ ʁ ʄ ʤ ʧ χ
Co-articulated phonemes
Vowel inventory: a e i o ö u y æ
| ↓Manner/Place→ | Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Palato-alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ŋ | ||||
| Stop | p b | t d | k g | q ɢ | |||
| Implosive | ɓ | ɗ | ʄ | ||||
| Affricate | ʧ ʤ | c͡ç ɟ͡ʝ | |||||
| Fricative | f v | s z | χ ʁ | ||||
| Approximant | j | ||||||
| Lateral approximant | l |
| ↓Manner/Place→ | Labial-velar |
|---|---|
| Approximant | w |
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | i y | u |
| High-mid | e | o |
| Near-low | æ | |
| Low | a |
| Pronunciation | Spelling |
|---|---|
| ɗ | d’ |
| y | ÿ |
| j | y |
| ŋ | ng |
| ʁ | r |
| ʤ | j |
| ʄ | j’ |
| ʧ | ch |
| ɓ | b’ |
| ɢ | g̈ |
| c͡ç | c̈h |
| χ | kh |
Adjective Order
Adjectives precede nouns and agree with them in case and number.
Structural Markers
Sentence word order: Subject-Verb-Indirect object-Direct object. “She gave the dog a bone” turns into She gave the dog a bone.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Dictionary
Spoken by
Common Phrases
You can break a single arrow, but not ten in a bunch
While the wolf drinks, the dog looks on
Edible birds don’t live long
There’s more to good ale than a silver flagon
Blunted
Common Female Names
Adalgisa, Alinda, Asta, Bauin, Clotrila, Demuth, Ebba, Ermena, Forsindh, Gisaul, Harika, Haedrun, Karola, Lorelea, Mauriana, Menelda, Oydelis, Renilda, Syardis, Syele, Theda, Valpaea, Vaunn
Common Male Names
Adalstan, Alarich, Arend, Berend, Brenius, Detlev, Drago, Evetius, Falko, Fraedus, Garrick, Geroldt, Gertan, Gustavus, Halden, Leonus, Leodegar, Maenrad, Rochus, Rolund, Sigor, Theoban, Vedim, Vorik, Wultram
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