Friday 13 November 2015

Rana Myat: Fictional country and language










Ranian (Ořdrana/Оrдрана)



1: Phonology

Ranian uses a modified Cyrillic alphabet, with 31 characters. The last two sounds in this chart are common digraphs.

Cyr.
IPA
Lat.
Cyr.
IPA
Lat.
Cyr.
IPA
Lat.
A а
/æ/
A a
К к
/k/
K k
Ф ф
/f/
F f
Б б
/b/
B b
Л л
/l/
L l
Х х
/h/
H h
В в
/v/
V v
М м
/m/
M m
Ч ч
/tʃ/
C c
Г г
/g/
G g
Н н
/n/
N n
Ш ш
/ʃ/
Š š
Д д
/d/
D d
О о
/o/
O o
ь
/w/
W w
Е е
/ɛ/
E e
П п
/p/
P p
ы
/ɥ/
Y y
Ё ё
/jo/
Jo jo
Р р
/r/ɹ/
R r
Ю ю
/ju/
Ju ju
Ж ж
/ʒ/
Ž ž
R ʀ
/r̝/
Ř ř
Я я
/jæ/
Ja ja
З з
/z/
Z z
С с
/s/
S s
Ӄ ӄ
/q/
Q q
И и
/i/
I i
Т т
/t/
T t
Лл лл
/ɬ/
Ll ll
Й й
/jɪ/
Ji ji
У у
/u/
U u
Rӄ ʀӄ
/ᴚ/
Řq řq

2: Noun cases and declension

2.1: Sentence order, noun cases and plurals

2.1.1: Sentence order

The sentence order in Ranian is Verb-Subject-Object.

2.1.2: Cases 1, 2 – Absolutive, Dative

The absolutive is both the subject and direct object of the sentence, while the dative is the main indirect object of the sentence, usually the one using the preposition “to”. For example, in the sentence “The boy gave the flower to me”, “boy” and “flower” are absolutive, and “me” is dative.

2.1.3: Case 3 – Intransitive

The intransitive is used as the direct object after verbs which take a preposition, or so-called “intransitive” verbs. In practice, it often functions as a combination between an accusative, or object case, and a second dative.

For example, in the sentence “I ran to school”, because there is no object without a preposition, “school” would take the intransitive.

2.1.4: Case 4 – Interrogative

The interrogative is used for a noun that is being inquired about, for example, in the question “Where is the cat?”, “cat” would be interrogative. Its uses are discussed later on in the “Prepositions” section.

2.1.5: Case 5 – Antigerundic

Not technically a case, but the infinitive of an antigerund (verb form) of a noun. These verbs are essential to certain expressions which have no verb of their own.

2.1.6: Plurals

There are two plurals – the lesser, or partitive, plural, and the greater plural. The lesser plural indicates that only some of a larger group perform an action, while the greater plural expresses the idea that all of the group perform an action.

2.2: Declension of nouns & pronouns

2.2.1: Types of declension

For nouns, there are two types of declension – sibilant-dental and velar-labial. The nouns which take these classes depend on their final letter – here is a chart:

Sibilant-dental
Velar-labial
Sibilant-dental
Velar-labial
Ж
Г
Л
Х
Ш
К
З
Ӄ
Ч
Б
С
М
Т
В
Н
Vowel
Д
П
Р
Ф

2.2.2: Sibilant-dental declension

In many of these declensions, the vowel before the end consonant is modified – fortunately, the patterns shown here are consistent with all nouns of that class.

Example: Ӄиж (Qiž) = Cat


Singular
Lesser pl.
Greater pl.
Singular
Lesser pl.
Greater pl.
ABS
Ӄиж
Ӄиж
Ӄит
Qiž
Qiž
Qit
DAT
Ӄё
Ӄич
Ӄёт
Qjo
Qic
Qjot
INTR
Ӄя
Ӄя
Ӄят
Qja
Qja
Qjat
INT
Ӄи
Ӄижи
Ӄита
Qi
Qiži
Qita
ANT
Ӄижй
Qižji

2.2.3: Velar-labial declension

Example: Янег (Janeg) = sparrow


Singular
Lesser pl.
Greater pl.
Singular
Lesser pl.
Greater pl.
ABS
Янег
Янгет
Янгеж
Janeg
Janget
Jangež
DAT
Янгок
Янгот
Янгож
Jangok
Jangot
Jangož
INTR
Янга
Янгат
Янгаж
Janga
Jangat
Jangaž
INT
Янги
Янгит
Янгиж
Jangi
Jangit
Jangiž
ANT
Янгя
Jangja

2.2.4: Declension of pronouns

Pronouns only exist in absolutive, dative, intransitive (always the same as dative), interrogative and possessive forms – for the antigerundic form, the “surrogate noun” “Гaч”, meaning “person”, is declined and comes before them to show the appropriate feature.


Absolutive
Dative/Intransitive
Interrogative
Possessive
1st. person sing.
Гу - Gu
Е
Ей - Eji
Го – Go
2nd person sing. masc.
Ал - Al
Ла - La
Лий - Liji
Ало – Alo
2nd/3rd person sing. fem.
Ан - An
На - Na
Лини - Lini
Ано – Ano
3rd person sing. masc.
Ам - Am
Ма - Ma
Ми - Mi
Мо – Mo
1st. person plu. inclusive
Гау - Gau
Ге - Ge
Ги - Gi
Гьо – Gwo
1st. person plu. exclusive
Гаин - Gain
Гем - Gem
Гй - Gji
Гано - Gano
2nd person plu. masc.
И – I
Ия - Ija
Ий - Iji
Иё – Ijo
2nd/3rd person plu. fem.
Ин - In
Тя - Tja
Ай – Aji
Ино – Ino
3rd person plu. masc.
А – A
Тя - Tja
Ай - Aji
Аё - Ajo

2.3: Inflection & position of adjectives

2.3.1: Position of adjectives

All adjectives, except for numbers and colours, must come after the noun.

2.3.2: Inflection

There is no inflection for plurals, but there are three different forms depending on the case, and two classes of verbs – vowel, and no-vowel, depending on whether or not the word ends in a vowel.


No vowel – Яф – Jaf - White
Vowel – Сучо – Suco - Bright

Cyrillic
Latin
Cyrillic
Latin
ABS
Яф
Jaf
Сучо
Suco
DAT
Янa
Jana
Сучa
Suca
INTR
Янa
Jana
Сучa
Suca
INT
Ян
Jan
Суч
Suc
ANT
Ян
Jan
Суч
Suc

2.4: Numerals

Note that numbers are never declined in their normal form, instead they take a surrogate noun (“Габас” “number”), which comes before the number and is declined instead. Of course, when they are simply adjectives (as in "three cats"), this is irrelevant.

Ceʀo (Seřo)
0
Oмoи-я (Omoi-ja)
21
Я (Ja)
1
Eрoи (Eroi)
30
Oми (Omi)
2
Roи (Řoi)
40
Eр (Er)
3
Чoи (Coi)
50
Re (Ře)
4
Taи (Tai)
60
Чe (Ce)
5
Нoи (Noi)
70
Te (Te)
6
Oлoи (Oloi)
80
Нo (No)
7
Пaи (Pai)
90
Oли (Oli)
8
Мя-oмaж (Mja-omaž)
100
Пa (Pa)
9
Oмoи-oмaж (Omoi-omaž)
200
Мя (Mja)
10
Eрoимaж (Eroimazh)
300
Ми (Mi)
11
Мяюл (Mjajul)
1000
Мo (Mo)
12
Oмoиюл (Omoijul)
2000
Мoр (Mor)
13
Мян Мяюл (Myan Mjajul)
10000
Meʀ (Meř)
14
Oмoин Мяюл (Omoin Mjajul)
20000
Meч (Mec)
15
Мя-oмaж Мяюл (Mja-omaž Mjajul)
100000
Meт (Met)
16
Мeлиян (Melijan)
1000000
Meн (Men)
17
Мяюл Мeлиян (Mjajul Melijan)
1000000000
Meли (Meli)
18


Meп (Mep)
19


Oмoи (Omoi)
20



3: Verbs, adverbs and compounds

All verbs in Ranian end in either one of three stems in the infinitive: “-ja”(“-я”), “-ji”(“-й”) and “-ju”(“-ю”). However, only six verbs end in the “-ju” stem, and they are conjugated as “-ja” stem verbs.

3.1: Basic rules

3.1.1: Incorporated tenses

Verbs have five tenses that are shown through suffixes:

·         Present
·         Past
·         Future
·         Abnormal (for an event that was not expected to happen by the speaker)
·         Unknown/Aorist (for an event that occurs at an unknown or unspecified point in time)

3.1.2: Conditionals

The conditional of each of these tenses is formed by following the object noun of the verb with the particle “e”. Formally, the sentence order is shifted so that the subject noun comes before the verb, but this is optional in less formal speech.

3.1.3: In compounds

In long compound words, verbs can only take two modifications – the first for present, future and abnormal, and the second for past and unknown. In the lists below, these are referred to as first-order and second-order respectively.

3.1.4: Adverbs

Adverbs, when they occur as separate words and are not compounded, are split into three forms – active, passive and intransitive. Active adverbs apply to verbs of motion, intransitive apply to intransitive verbs and passive adverbs apply to the rest. This system occurs in the same process as the adjectives, shown in section 2.3.2 – the absolutive form is equivalent to the passive, the dative and intransitive to the active, and the last form to the intransitive.

3.1.5: Negatives

Negatives of verbs are shown with the particle “рa”(“ra”) before them. 

3.2: “-ja” stem verbs

3.2.1: Standard conjugation

Example: Боя – Boja – To carry (transitive)


Present
Past
Future
Abnormal
Unknown
Singular
Бои (Boi)
Бо (Bo)
Бояс (Bojas)
Боь (Bow)
Боыя (Boyja)
Plural
Бол (Bol)
Бо (Bo)
Боян (Bojan)
Боы (Boy)
Боыя (Boyja)
3rd person
Бог (Bog)
Бос (Bos)
Бояс (Bojas)
Боь (Bow)
Боьa (Bowa)

3.2.2: Compounding conjugation

1st-order: -бoн-

2nd-order: -бo- 

3.3: “-ji” stem verbs

3.3.1: Standard conjugation

Example: Бой – Boji – To keep, to hold (transitive)


Present
Past
Future
Abnormal
Unknown
Singular
Бор (Bor)
Бою (Boyu)
Бойс (Bojis)
Боч (Boc)
Богa (Boga)
Plural
Бот (Bot)
Бою (Boyu)
Бойн (Bojin)
Бош (Boš)
Богa (Boga)
3rd person
Бох (Boh)
Бою (Boyu)
Бойс (Bojis)
Боч (Boc)
Богю (Bogju)

3.3.2: Compounding conjugation

1st-order: -бoт-

2nd-order: -бoж-
3.4: Antigerundic forms

3.4.1: Patterns

As shown in section 2.2.2, sibilant-dental nouns take the “-ji” stem in their antigerundic infinitive and labial-velar nouns take the “-ja” stem in the antigerundic infinitive.

3.4.2: Uses of standard antigerundic conjugation

The standard conjugations are used to show the predicate (“to be”) – for example, “Янги гу” (“Jangi gu”) , literally “Sparrow I” translates to “I am a sparrow”, and “Янгол ин” (“Jangol in”) translates to “You (pl.) are sparrows”. Other tenses, such as the past tense, indicate the predicate in the past.

3.4.3: Other possible conjugations

For both “-ja” and “-ji” stems, these conjugations are identical.


“to like”
“to have”
“to know/trust”
“to need”
“to want”
Singular
Янгви
Янгoш
Янг
Янгил
Янгнoи
Plural
Янгвaк
Янгoд
Янгтaм
Янгил
Янгнa
3rd person
Янгвaк
Янгдoч
Янг
Янгил
Янгнoи

These constructions can also be used with non-antigerundic verbs to create expressions such as “Ӄагви гу” (“Qagvi gu”), from the verb “Ӄагя” (“Qagya”, “to eat”), which translates to “I like to eat”.

3.5: Compounding

3.5.1: Basic rules of compounding
If a noun has a number of properties, or subordinate clauses, these will simply be attached to the noun to which they belong, even if these sentences involve verbs. The compound conjugations, discussed in Sections 3.2.2 and 3.3.2, are used here in these words.
The order of this system in its basic form is Verb-Object-Subject - for example “Oвлoиыяг” translates as “the man who stole the box”, a compound of “Oвля” (“Ovlja”, “to steal”), the verb, “иыи”(“iyi”, “box”), the object, and “aг”, a contraction of “гaч” (“gac”), meaning “man”, and the object.

3.5.2: Complex compounds

For more complex compounds (even though these are unlikely), the sentence order is yet again corrupted. While the VOS system stays the same, the verbs from each sentence are stacked on each other in order of appearance in the phrase, and likewise with the subjects and objects of each sentence. For example, the phrase “Oвлoкeтмoыиысигaг” (“Ovloketmoyiysigag”) translates to “the man who opened the box and stole its contents” by combining these words in that order.

Oвля
Иыи
Кeтмя
Иысиг
Гaч
To steal
Box
To open
Contents of the box
person

Theoretically this process can be infinite.

4: Prepositions & postpositions

Edit: There is also the article "лo", which comes after an absolutive noun to show the preposition "of", and the possessed noun comes before this noun as well.

Some articles can change meaning depending on whether they come before (prepositions) or after (postpositions) the noun in question. They nearly always occur with the dative or intransitive case, but have another meaning as well with the interrogative case. These are a list of those which come before the noun, and the case applied to them, with the meaning:


Prep.
Post.
Interr.
Мa (“ma”)
In
Beside
Where?
Зи (“zi”)
But, except for, without

Why?
Eт (“et”)
Therefore, because
Across
Here
O (“o”)
For
Over
Who?
Ни (“ni”)

Between

Шe (“še”)
Under
From
There

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