HUMAN ALPHABETS


MAP OF PRESENT LANGUAGES

MAP OF HISTORICAL LANGUAGES

ALPHABET TRANSLATIONS

There are five "Mother Tongues" or root languages on Trishore, each related to a particular Human Kindred or other race that has influenced the humans. Below you will find the alphabet or "script" for each of the surviving languages that descended from these original Mother Tongues. You will also find brief notes on the sound and rhythm of each language.

Note that not all human languages on Trishore have an alphabet or script that goes with them (and this is certainly true for many non-human races and species as well). Thus, some languages are spoken but have no writing. Conversely, some dead or unused languages (where all the peoples who once spoke the language have all died out long ago) did have an alphabet and have left written records for scholars and sages to decipher.

Mother Tongue
Mantagish Valish Thralish Domodese Gypsy Queen (aka Falgorian)


MANTAGISH

Spoken primarily by the Mantaten kindred, the offshoot languages of Mantagish are full of accents, soft consonants and long vowel sounds. This kindred's tendency to group into smaller units and clans has given rise to a greater number and variety of offshoot languages as compared to other human kindreds. All of the societies speaking a Mantagish tongue which have writing use the Knorian Script.
The script is often stamped or punched using a die for each symbol. It is difficult to scribe by hand, and this was done on purpose: the Mantaten kindred developed literacy after the Sapoy and they wished to ensure it would remain "theirs" alone.
Aff Beff Cheff Desh Ench Ish Osh Phash Peff Ush Mem Nen Tam Seff Shush
Kee Lee Aire Ash Gia Wa An Do Ta Karat Senk Sens Sep Wep Neaf Deas

The Knorian Script is (or was) used by the following Mantagish offshoot languages:

  • Mannish
  • Tahlian
  • Knorian
  • Geldian (dead language -- lost after Firefall)
  • Falais (dead language)

The following Mantagish offshoot languages have no written form:

  • Sulose
  • Mantagish (root language is still spoken amongst Snow Nomads)
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VALISH

Spoken primarily by the Sapoy kindred, the offshoot languages of Valish are characterized by variable vowel lengths, extremes in pitch and tone, and a sing-songy rhythm. This kindred has only a few offshoot languages. All of the societies speaking a Valish tongue which have writing use the Old Sapoy Script.
The script is normally written using ink and a brush, giving each symbol a flowing, fluid shape. It is common for writers to develop their own unique patterns for forming each symbol, and amongst some Sapoy societies using the Valish script this has evolved into an appreciated artform.
Ai Bo Chang Eo Zei Ho Fing Pau Un Min Ning Tao Si Shu Keng Ru Ri Hu
De Go Wing Vanh Jao Jat Je San Say Mim Rok Tat Bao Gat Sup

The Old Sapoy Script is (or was) used by the following Valish offshoot languages:

  • Old Sapoy
  • Klingot
  • Ingerspak (dead language -- lost during Ylthic plagues)

The following Valish offshoot languages have no written form:

  • Valish (dead root language)
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THRALISH

Spoken primarily by the Burdue kindred, the two offshoot languages of Thralish are characterized by short, sharp syllables arranged in complex groups, with a very regular grammar and rhythm. This kindred has often had members forced into slavery, giving rise to one tongue strongly influenced by the various "owners", with no written form and lacking a variety of words (e.g. "freedom"), and another language of the "free" Burdue.

While both tongues are strongly influenced by the mother tongue of Thralish, the slave owners have disdainfully named their creation "High Burdese", and the free Burdue have since come to have their tongue called "Low Burdese". They simply call their spoken and written tongue Thralish.

Thralish writing uses a series of symbols, each one conveying one or more entire words or concepts. This pictographic system is very subtle, and requires great familiarity to read with any fluency. The fact that each symbol may mean one or more things based on context only makes it more confusing for the novice to understand.

The Thralish pictogram "script" is used only by speakers of Thralish/"Low Burdese". High Burdese has no written form. These are the only two offshoot languages of Thralish, and "Low Burdese" is clearly the most closely related to the mother tongue of the two.
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DOMODESE

Spoken primarily by the Ylthic kindred, the offshoot languages of Domodese are gutteral and throaty, commonly using "Y" as a vowel (pronounced "eh" or "ih"). All of the societies speaking a Domodese tongue which have writing use the Ylthic Script.
Avid wood carvers, and having little patience to make paper, their script is largely straight lines and designed for use with a sharp knife and a thin block of wood or soft stone.


The Ylthic Script is (or was) used by the following Domodese offshoot languages:

  • Ylid
  • Domodese (dead language -- at least on continental Trishore)

The following Domodese offshoot language has no written form:

  • Faresh
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FALGORIAN

The mysterious Gypsy Queen came and left Trishore long ago, but not without leaving their mark on many aspects of life on Seteria. Avid traders, they sought an easy means of communication with the various races they found, and in dealing with the two most populous Human kindreds (the Mantaten and Sapoy) they found it advantageous to create a new language that allowed easy cross-communication.

The Gypsy Queen combined elements of thier own language, Knorian and Old Sapoy to create an entirely new language. The tongue was named Falgorian. There was also a City and a country State named Falgor at this time, and whether the language is named after these central and powerful locations, or vice versa, is not clear.

It is clear that this language used the Gypsy Queen script for its writing. Given the unity of the lands over the span of the Golden Years it is not surprising that this writing and language spread far and wide.


In the years after Firefall Falgorian was lost as a spoken tongue. However, its use as a common language for trade and communication between a variety of cultures lived on. Without the influence of living Gypsy Queen present to add their own influences, what was left of Falgorian changed over time to become "neo-Falgorian", or what most on Trishore know as Common.

Common uses a script very similar to Falgorian, but it too has evolved over time.



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