Vordynian (wıt W̄ørrdýnïjäm rrıha)

Workshop Conlanging
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Not much of a clue where else to post this, but:
The Vordynian Language (Wıt W̄ørrdýnïjäm rrıha [wɪt ʋɒɽ.dɘ.ˈniʝæm ɽɪɦɑ]) is a conceptual artlang spoken by the Vordynian Species (W̄ørrdýnïjäm), originally hailing from the planet of Vordynia (W̄ørrdýnuı [ʋɒɽ.dɘ.ˈnyi]), but forced to move to Earth after a cataclysm. It possesses a VO word order, a free syllable structure and a rather complex phonology. I haven’t really worked on much of the grammatical rules, or anything fancy like that, but it will be done.

SHORT INCIPIT:

Vordynian has a VO word order, with the subject as a suffix to the verb, so for instance, to say “I went to the Earth”, you would say roughly “Went-I to Earth”, or “Jämın’na măl Ïta”. The suffixed pronoun of the verb is preceded by a glottal stop in formal registers, but often it is omitted in informal “quick speech”. However, a consonant preceding the glottal stop is often silenced, or an epenthetic schwa is placed between that consonant and the glottal stop.
Instead of relying on tone, the language has three vowel lengths (Short, marked by a breve; Neutral, unmarked; and Long, marked by a macron), which fulfil a similar role to that in Tóaq, although this is not a loglang.

EXAMPLE SENTENCES:

“Mukaradjo’na dūrat x̄amaŭhab waï Amïkýn an kaı x̄a-mï̄krajot’na an jērapan”
/mykɐ.ˈrɑdʝoʔnɐ dyːrɐt̚ χɐ.ˈmɒʊ̯ħɐb wɐi̯ ɑmikɘn ɑn kɑɪ̯ χɐ.ˈmiːkrɑ.ʝoʔnɐ ɐn ʝɛːrɐpɐn/
pledge-have-I loyalty not-mortal to king it and not-plan-I it to-break
I have pledged undying loyalty to the King and I don’t plan on breaking it.

“Mōraddë’na kõ̆rjǟmı rø̄h kaı x̄a-kārjaĭ’an nad.”
/moːrɑ.ɖəʔnɐ kr̩.ˈʝæːmɪ rɒːː kɑɪ̯ χɐ.ˈkɑːrʝɐɪ̯ʔɐn nɐd/
is-able-I eating glass and not-hurt-it me
I can eat glass and it doesn’t hurt me.

MORE WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON

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There’s something always so cool about seeing seeing romanizations that are full of letters and diacritics (/gen). It’s so maximalistic in a cool way.

By the way! Sorry to nitpick, but you can style your subtitles with markdown like this:

## SHORT INCIPIT:
Vordynian has a VO word order, [...]

## Example Sentences:
[...]

It makes the post a bit easier to read!

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Thanks for the feedback, it is much appreciated.
Also, thanks for pointing out the thing for the subtitles, I corrected it just there.

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PHONOLOGY

Vordynian has 14 vowels and 39 consonants (listed in numeric order, i haven't a clue how else i should.).
Vowels are as follows, the variation on left is stressed, while on right is unstressed:

  1. ɑ~ɐ (A)
  2. æ (Ä)
  3. e~ɜ (E)
  4. ə (Ë)
  5. ɪ (I)
  6. i ~ j (Ï)
  7. o~ʌ (O)
  8. ɒ (Ø)
  9. œ~ø (Ö)
  10. ɤ (Õ)
  11. y~ʏ (U)
  12. u~ʊ (Ü)
  13. ɨ (Y)
  14. ɘ (Ÿ)

Consonants are as follows:

  1. b (B)
  2. c (C)
  3. t͡ʂ (Č)
  4. d (D)
  5. ɖ (DD)
  6. d͡z (DZ)
  7. d͡ʐ (DŽ)
  8. d͡ʑ (DŹ)
  9. f (F)
  10. g (G)
  11. ɣ~ʀ (Ḡ/Ğ)
  12. ɦ~ħ (H)
  13. ʝ (J)
  14. k (K)
  15. l~ɫ (L)
  16. ɭ (LL)
  17. ɬ (TL)
  18. m (M)
  19. n (N)
  20. ŋ (Ŋ)
  21. ɲ (Ń)
  22. ɳ (NN)
  23. p (P)
  24. r (R)
  25. ɽ͡r (RR)
  26. s (S)
  27. ʂ (Š)
  28. ɕ (Ś)
  29. t (T)
  30. ʈ (TT)
  31. t͡s (TZ)
  32. ʋ (W̄)
  33. w (W)
  34. x (X)
  35. χ (X̄)
  36. z (Z)
  37. ʐ (Ž)
  38. ʑ (Ź)
  39. ʔ (')

Diphthongs are present in the language. They are listed as follows:

  1. ɑi̯ (AÏ)
  2. ɑu̯ ~ ɒu̯ (AU/AO/AÜ)
  3. eɑ̯ ~ eɐ̯ (EA)
  4. ei̯ ~ ɛːɪ̯ (EI)
  5. eu̯ ~ ɜu̯ (EU)
  6. əi̯ (ËI)
  7. iɑ̯ (ÏA)
  8. iɜ̯ (ÏE)
  9. iʌ̯ (ÏO)
  10. iø̯ (ÏÖ)
  11. iu̯ (ÏÜ)
  12. iɨ̯ (ÏY)
  13. oɐ̯ (OA)
  14. oe̯ (OE)
  15. oə̯ (OË)
  16. øi̯ (ÖI)
  17. uɐ̯ (ÜA)
  18. uɜ̯ (ÜE)
  19. yi̯ ~ ʏɪ̯ (UI)
  20. ʏø̯ ~ ɥø (UÖ)
  21. ɘi̯ (ŸI/ÕI/YI)

RULES

  • A makes the /ɑ/ sound when stressed, and is /ɐ/ when unstressed.
  • E makes the /e/ sound when stressed, and is /ɜ/ when unstressed.
  • Ḡ/Ğ is realized as /ɣ/ when not next to a rhotic. If it is next to R or RR, it makes the /ʀ/ sound.
  • H, when following a long vowel word-finally, is realized as doubled length on the vowel.
  • Ï is both a vowel and a consonant, making /i/ in isolation or word-initially/word-finally, and making /j/ in most other positions.
  • O makes the /o/ sound when stressed, and is /ʌ/ when unstressed.
  • Ö can be pronounced as both /œ/ and /ø/, entirely depending on the speaker.
  • Õ, when unstressed, changes any rhotic, liquid or nasal after it into a syllabic. This property is shared with Ë, which is never stressed.
  • U makes the /y/ sound when stressed, and is /ʏ/ when unstressed. It also appears in diphthongs such as AU and OU, where it then serves as a /w/ glide.
  • Ü makes the /u/ sound when stressed, and is /ʊ/ when unstressed.
    For the purposes of clarifying stress, an underdot is sometimes used, but not mandatory.
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PRONOUNS, NUMBERS AND BASIC TERMS

PRONOUNS

Subject 1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person
Singular Nāh Illă Hÿna (Masc.), Hana (Fem.), An (Neuter)
Plural Nān Illăn Han (They), Kÿn (All)

NUMBERS

Vordynian operates under a decimal system, much like English, therefore, the number system is extremely simple.
0 - En /en/
1 - Nu /ny/
2 - Waï /wɐi̯/
3 - Rÿt /rɘt/
4 - Sïe /sije/
5 - Gÿto /gɘtʌ/
6 - Ēama /eːɑmɐ/
7 - Jākk /ʝɑːkː/
8 - Nōl /noːl/
9 - X̄ömïa /χømiɑ̯/
10 - Dwēhı /dʷɜːħɪ/

GREETINGS AND PHRASES (In random order)

  • X̄ïwøırām /χʲɪwɒi̯rɐːm/ - Hello
  • Jōl mët’ıllă? /ʝoːl məʔɪɭə/ - How are you?
  • W̄ørra nāh, kaı ıllnă? /ʋɒɽ͡rɐ nɐːː kɐi ɪɭnə/ - I’m good, and you?
  • Rrāımīnar /ɽ͡rɐːɪ̯mɪːnɑr/ - Goodbye
  • Kasūmıllă /kɐsʏːmɪɭə/ - Farewell
  • Salüt! /sɐlut/ - Cheers!
  • Jōrom’ıllă? /jʌːrʌmʔ.ɪɭə/ - Who are you?
  • Raohına /rɒʊ̯ħɪ.nɑ/ - I am called/My name is
  • Järāomın _ēr jämınt’na? /ʝærɒʊ̯mɪn ∅ɜːr ʝæmɪn.nɐ/ - Which way do I go to _?
  • Jän’na? /ʝæn.nɐ/ - Where am I?
  • Galōŋddamaïn /gɐlʌ̃ːŋɖɑmɐi̯n/ - Thank you
  • Gaomıŋwõll /gɑʊ̯mɪ.nwɭ̩/ - You’re welcome/No worries
  • Sïapā! /sijɑ.pɐ/ - Help!
  • Kïrā’an /kirɐːʔɐn/ - They’re a friend.
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Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article One.

“Kÿn ïumanïjạ̈m w̄aïrră munab kaı w̄øttmab jạ̈ma ønnkaröı kaı mıwạrūı. Kerarrmo’han mo ërsānjo kaı x̄ërjorōme, kaı ēljarad’han w̄y̆r nūorbïm jạ̈ma mēlleara mă omÿnhıra.”
/kɘn ijʏmɐn.i.ˈʝɐm ʋɑiɽ͡rə mynɐb kɐɪ̯ ʋɒʈmɐb jæmɐ ɒɳkɐrøɪ̯ kɐɪ̯ mɪ.ˈwɑrʏːɪ̯. kɜrɑɽ͡rmʌʔɦɐn mʌ r̩sɑːnʝʌ kɐɪ̯ χr̩ʝʌrʌː.ˈme kɐɪ̯ ɜːʎʝɑrɐdəʔħɐn ʋɨ̆r nyːʌ̯rbim ʝæːmɐ mɜːɭeɐ̯rɐ mə ʌmɘnħɪrɐ/
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,

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Schleicher’s Fable (Āwï kaı Ïküen)

“Āwï kı x̄a-rạddın’an wõllnạ capāt’an ïkụ̈en, nuõrhan ïrrạr w̄agon jørğab, nuõrhan mõkkrạr hørarr rakïab, kaı nuõrhan hūara-mõkkrạr hÿnan. Ïküen rrıhıen’Āwï: «Capātar ïküen nalamïnhÿnan, lōšmïan kera’nah.» Rrıhıen’Ïküen: «Klāwe, Āwï! Capātar anhe lōšmïan keran’nanh: hLüõrjorạ hýnan, āmïkÿn, wıt wõllnạ Āwïh mën wērjạ kløwrạ̄b măhỵ̈nrō, kaı x̄a-rạddın’Āwï wõllnạ.» Klāwıd an bügëd’Āwï m’ rāmïeh.”
/ɑːwi kɪ χɐʔrɑɖɪnʔɐn wɭ̩nɑ cɑpɐːʔɐn ikuɜ̯n, nɥr̩ɦɐn iɽ͡rɑr ʋɑgʌn ʝɒʀɐb, nɥr̩ɦɐn mɤqʁɑr ħɒrɐɽ͡r rɑkjɐb, kɐɪ̯ nɥr̩ɦɐn yɐ̯rɐmɤqʁɑr ɦɘnɐn. ikuɜ̯n ɽ͡rɪħɪ̯ɜnʔɑːwi, cɑpɐːtɐr ikuɜ̯n nɑlɐminɦɘnɐn loːʂmi̯ɐn kɛrɐʔnɐː. ɽ͡rɪħɪ̯ɜnʔikuɜ̯n, klɑːwɜ, ɑːwi. cɑpɐːtɐr ɑn loːʂmi̯ɐn kɛrɐnʔnɐːnʰ. ɬʷr̩ʝʌrɑ ɦɘnɐn, ɑːmikɘn, wɪʔ wɭ̩nɑ ɑːwiħ mn̩ wɜːrʝɑ klɒʊ̯rɑːb məhɘnrʌː kɐɪ̯ χɐʔrɑɖɪnʔɑwi wɭ̩nɑ. klɑːwɪd ɐn bugəd̚ʔɑːwi mə rɑːmi̯ɜħ./

Rough translation, keeping Vordynian verb order:

A sheep that didn’t have wool, it saw horses, one of them pulling a heavy wagon, one of them carrying a big load, and one of them carrying a man quickly. To the horses said the sheep: “Seeing horses being driven by a man hurts my heart.” Said the horses: “Hark, sheep! Seeing this hurts our hearts: Maketh a man (the master) the wool of the sheep into a comfortable garment for himself, and hath the sheep no wool.” Having heard this, fled the sheep into the plain.

Translation, using normal English

A sheep that had no wool saw horses, one of them pulling a heavy wagon, one carrying a big load, and one carrying a man quickly. The sheep said to the horses: “My heart pains me, seeing a man driving horses.” The horses said: “Hark, sheep! Our hearts pain us when we see this: A man, the master, makes the wool of the sheep into a warm garment for himself, and the sheep has no wool.” Having heard this, the sheep fled into the plain.

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Poor sheep :(

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The Queen and the Sun Mother

In Vordynian culture, traditionally the queen has more power than the king, so this text is slightly changed from its original to reflect Vordynian culture rather than Proto-Indo-European.

Āmïka kaı Ïanha’āma

“Nuanha āmïka mët. Gan’mïba mët’hana. Orāgmïa’hana ōba. Küerkad’hana jērahanh: «Nøl mët’ōba w̄aïrră mălna!» Rrıhıe’jēra măl Āmïka: «Jaḡome măl Ïanha’āma, Ïante.» X̄ørkalld’āmïka wıt dïaha Ïantï măl jaḡomnar nuwaï mălhana. «Klāwe, āma Ïante!» Korḡõmbït’dïaha Ïantï măn Ïanharamïeh. «Meï orāgmïan’ıll?» «Orāgmïa’na ōba.» «Nø̄l mëtjo,» rrıhıen’Ïante kǖnhïrab. Sōw, w̄aïrrān’āmïka ōba.”
/nyɐnħɐ ɑːmikɐ mət̚. gɑnmibɐ məʔħɑnɐ. ʌrɐːgmi̯ɑʔħɐnɐ oːbɐ. kuɜrkɑdəʔħɐnɐ ʝeːrɐʔħɐnʰ, nɒːl məʔoːbɐ ʋɐi̯ɽ͡rɑ̆ məlnɑ. ɽ͡rɪħɪɜʔʝeːrɐ məl ɑːmikɐ, ʝɑɣʌmɜ məl iɑ̯nɦɐʔɑːmɐ, iɑ̯ntɜ. χɒrkɐɭdəʔɑːmikɐ wɪt diɑ̯ɦɐ iɑ̯nti məl ʝɑɣʌmnɐr nywɐi̯ məlɦɐnɐ. klɑːwɜ, ɑːmɐ iɑ̯ntɜ. kʌʀm̩biʔdiɑ̯ɦɐ iɑ̯nti mən iɑ̯nɦɐrɐmi̯ɜ. mei͜ ʌrɑːgmiɐ̯nʔɪɭ. ʌrɑːgmiɐ̯ʔnɐ oːbɐ. nɒːl məʔʰʝo, ɽ͡rɪħɪɜnʔiɑ̯ntɜ kuːnħirɐb. soːw, ʋɑiɽ͡rɐːnʔɑːmikɐ oːbɐ./

Translated

Once there was a queen. She was childless. The queen wanted a son. She asked her priest: “May a son be born to me!” The priest said to the queen: “Pray to the Sun Mother, Ïantï.” The queen approached the goddess Ïantï to pray now to her. “Hark, mother Ïantï!” The goddess Ïantï came down from Heaven. “What do you want?” “I want a son.” “Let this be so,” said the bright Ïantï. Thus, the queen bore a son.

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I’m having such a difficult time trying to pronounce that lol.

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Wıt Bērọnhï-akklōrab kaı Ïanha

"Dïaḡmọ̃bıad'an wıt Bērọnhï-akklōrab kaı Ïanha mă meïro lüẹnab mët, kōı ïŋorḡọ̃mbït kadüa džnārwẹ̄ab kāurr plōr kalōrab.
Lōrø̣kkïad'an, mör hēna kmï kørad nūõrb x̄orbọ̆nnür plōr m'kadüa, lŭzōtmıeb mëtjōwe mör rakïalüẹnab na mõnụı.
Sŏ berend Bērọnhï-akklōrab wē-rakïarnab wē-lüȳrnÿ, kace ïrakïo berend ïrakïo w̄ojënmïad'kadüa plōr'hÿnh čürōmhÿn;
kaı füerad Bērọnhï-akklōrab atẹmt mōnmẹ̆ra. Sŏ ïanrad Ïanha kalōrab, kaı ïmẹnherab x̄orbọrröd kadüa plōr'hÿnh.
Sōw, mëthï Bērọnhï-akklōrab šüankïab m'rrānhïmar kĕ mëthï Ïanha rakïaluẹnab na waïhe."
/wɪʔ bɜːronʱiʔɐqlʌːrɐb kɐɪ̯ iɑ̯nʱɐ
djɐɣmɤbʲɐɾəʔɐn wɪʔ bɜːronʱiʔɐqlʌːrɐb kɐɪ̯ iɑ̯nʱɐ mːɛi̯rʌ lʊ̯enɐb məʔ, koːɪ̯ ĩŋʌʀɤmbit kɑdʊ̯ɐ d͡ʐnɐːrweːɐ̯b kɒʊ̯ɽ͡r ploːr kɑlʌːrɐb
lʌːrɤqiɐɾəʔɐn, mør hɛːnɐ kmi kɒrɐɾ nʏɥr̩b χʌrbŏɳʊr ploːr məkɑdʊ̯ɐ, lʏ̆zoːtmɪɜ̯b məɟ͡ʝoːwɜ mør rɑki̯ɐlʷɛːnɐb nɐ mn̩yː
sʌ berɜnd bɜːronʱiʔɐqlʌːrɐb wɘːrɑki̯ɐrnɐb wɘːlu̯ɨːrnɘ, kɑcɜ irɑki̯ʌ berɜnd irɑki̯ʌ ʋoʝn̩mi̯ɐɾəʔkɑdʊ̯ɐ ploːrɦɘnʱ t͡ʂurʌːmʱɘn, kɐɪ̯ fuɜ̯rɐd bɜːronʱiʔɐqlʌːrɐb ɐtɛmt mʌːnmɛra. sʌ iɑ̯nrɐɾ iɑ̯nʱɐ kɑlʌːrɐb, kɐɪ̯ imɛnʱɜrɐb χʌrboɽ͡ɾød kɑdʊ̯ɐ ploːrɦɘnʱ.
soːw, məʔħi bɜːronʱiʔɐqlʌːrɐb ʂuɐ̯nkiɐ̯b məɽ͡ɾɑːnʱimɐr kɜ̆ məʔħi iɑ̯nʱɐ rɑki̯ɐlʷɛnɐb nɐ wɑi̯ħɜ./

The North Wind and the Sun

The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger, when a traveler came along wrapped in a warm cloak.
They agreed that the one who first succeeded in making the traveler take his cloak off should be considered stronger than the other.
Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew the more closely did the traveler fold his cloak around him;
and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt. Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveler took off his cloak.
And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.

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