Atraelish language

Atraelish
Atraelish Tongue
Pronunciation:	/ˈeɪ.træ.lɪʃ/?
Language family:	Upcymlu-Amleian Amartolan Western Amartolan
Early forms:	Old Atraelish Middle Atraelish
Major dialects:	Upper Atraelish, Central Atralish, Jovaran Atraelish, Nicimian Atraelish, Xhequan Atraelish
Writing System
Writing system(s):	Atraelic alphabet
Sister system(s):	Etruarac, Virassic, Amulndian, Ewigic
Read:	Left-to-right
Official Status
Regulated by:	Atraeth Language Authority (Atraeth only)
The Atraelish speaking world
[Source]

Atraelish (Upper Atraelish: Atraelish Tongue; Xhequan Atraelish: Atraelish Language; Central Atraelish: Ætraliſh Linᵹuaᵹue tr. Aytralish Linguage) is a widespread world language, and is the official language of the nations of Atraeth, Ditira, Estoil, Pegard, Welbenth, and Xhequa, as well as the colonies of Atraelish Neira and Atraelish Urcinne. The language is the focal point-of-view language within the Industria Pacificum universe, being based on the real-world language of English to allow for an ease of bridging between the understood language of many readers, and the languages spoken, written and thought in by the characters of the universe.

Grammar

Within the setting

Atraelish's grammar is a collapsed form of the once highly regular and synthetic older Upcymlu-Amleian languages, having evolved to become a largely analytic language with little inflection, a fairly fixed SVO word order, and a complicated and irregular syntax. Many modern linguists cite a high degree of influence from Hobrian languages for Upper and Central Atraelish or Wunal for Xhequan after the collapse of the Amulndian Empire as being responsible for the language's drastic change over the centuries, however this is viewed highly controversial and is frequently discredited by many scholars, many of whom are funded by the Atraelish state and/or identify with the nation of Atraeth in a patriotic/nationalist sense.

Though its regular, synthetic capabilities have disappeared, several vestigial sound changes persist, such as the vowel change for the words "foot/feet" or "speak/spoke". Past vowel changes which established concepts such as plural or tense have been superseded in many cases by suffixes, e.g. for the words walked or languages. Vestiges of the gender system are found in the pronoun system (he/him, who/whom) and in the inflection of the copula verb to be. Atraelish also has a rich set of auxiliary verbs, such as "have" and "do", expressing the categories of mood and aspect once expressed by vowel shifts.

Outside the setting

Though its grammar and vocabulary roughly mimics that of a devolved Upcymlu-Amleian language, the actual language used in-setting is identical to modern English, which in reality is a Germanic language heavily influenced by Romance languages that has evolved from languages quite different from Upcymlu-Amleian. The language described and the language shown are different, with the shown Atraelish serving not a linguistically correct purpose, but rather allowing readers to easily read and understand the words spoken and written in-setting, as well as Atraelish translations of other languages whenever they appear.

Though the English used to represent Atraelish is modern in a grammatical sense, its vocabulary is divided into two parallels, with exclusive usage of words from an either Germanic or Romance roots denoting a specific dialect of the language, them being Upper and Xhequan Atraelish respectively, with Central Atraelish being a fusion between the two (coupled with unique spellings). This divide is primarily employed to illustrate a difference in dialects in a manner that is easily legible to readers.

Vocabulary

The Upper Ataelish vocabulary is inclined towards the roots of Old English (i.e. Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, etc) rather than those of Norman, Latin or Greek, which is seen in Xhequan Atraelish. In the vast majority of cases (with the exception of some very specific words that have no Germanic equivalent, e.g. "Imperial", which is caserlic in western Atraelish) the Old English-influenced words used are words that still remain in the modern English vocabulary, and therefore can still be understood by a general audience.

Atraelish modifies words and accepts prefixes and suffixes more readily than modern English, a feature more common in Old English. For example, prefixes like mis- or after- or suffixes like -ness find their way into words like "misthink" (instead of "mistakenly think"), "afterfollower" (successor) or "upness" (elevation). Some political words are replaced, e.g. perjury with "oathbreak", and some scientific words are also replaced, e.g. fetus with "birther".

Below are lists of examples adapted from "List of English words with dual French and Anglo-Saxon variations" and "List of Germanic and Latinate equivalents in English" on Wikipedia. Words in the left columns would be typical Atraelish expressions, whereas the words in the centre would be completely foreign and typical of Xhequan. Also supplied are words typical of Central Atraelish, on the right.

Foods

Anglo-Saxon (Upper Atraelish) words	Old French (Xhequan) words	Central Atraelish words
Cow (Old English Cū)	Beef (Anglo-Norman Beof; Old French Boef)	Cau
Calf (Old English Cealf)	Veal (Anglo-Norman Vel; Old French Veel, Veal)	Cælf
Swine (Old English Swīn), or Pig (Old English Picga)	Pork (Old French Porc)	Swain / Pic
Sheep (Old English Scēap) / Lamb (Old English Lamb)	Mutton (Old French Moton)	Seap / Lam
Hen (Old English Hen, Henn) / Chicken (Old English Cicen)	Poultry (Old French Pouletrie)	Hen / Shicen
Deer (Old English Dēor)	Venison (Old Norman Venesoun)	Deer
Snail (Old English Snægl)	Escargot (Old Norman Escargot)	Snæl
Dove (Old English Dūfe)	Pigeon (Old French Pijon)	Dov

Other words

Anglo-Saxon (Upper Atraelish) words	Old French (Xhequan) words	Central Atraelish words
Thinking, Mindful	Pensive	Ðinking, Meindful
Kingly	Royal	Cinᵹly
Brotherly	Fraternal	Bruðerly
Ask, Beseech	Enquire	Arsk, Beseſh
Lord	Liege	Lord
Bring, Bear	Carry	Brinᵹ, Bear
Amaze, Stun	Astound	Amaſe, Stun
Fair, Fair-haired	Blond/Blonde	Faer
Ghost	Phantom	Gost
Uphold, Undergird, upstay	Support	Upold, Undergird
Smell, Stench	Odor	Smel, Stenſh
Hue, Blee	Colour	Hu, Blie
Blossom	Flower	Bloſom
Help, Bestand, Bestead	Aid, Abet, Assist	Help, Beſtand, Beſted
Buy	Purchase	Bay
Eld	Age	Eld
Belief	Faith	Belif
Wonder	Ponder	Ƿunder
Selfhood	Identity	Selfhud
Sake	Reason, Cause	Sayk
Weep, Sob	Cry	Wip, Sob
Knowledge	Science	Noleᵹe
Lawyer	Attorney	Loier
Shirt	Blouse	Shirt
Deem	Consider, Judge	Dim
Harbour	Port	Harbor
Hosen, Britches	Pants	Hosen, Brites
Sunder	Sever	Sundar
Answer	Reply, Response	Anser
Follow	Ensue	Folow
Athel	Noble	Aþel
Atheling	Prince	Aþelinᵹ
Fall, Harvest	Autumn	Fal, Harveſt
Stound	Hour	Stound
Burn	Broil	Burn
Leave	Permission	Leaf
Note	Use, Utility	Noat
Seethe	Boil	Siþ
Hunt	Chase	Hunt
Bookstaf, Bookstave	Letter	Bukstaf, Bukstayf
Wisdom	Prudence / Sagacity	Ƿisdom
Weird, Fremd	Strange	Ƿeird, Fremd
Behaviour	Manner	Behafior
Uncouth	Rude	Uncuth
Owndom, Belongings	Property	Oundom, Belonᵹinᵹs
Steven, Reard	Voice	Stefen, Rerd
Folk, Lede (Leod)	People	Folc, Led
Forgive	Pardon	Forᵹif
Darling	Favourite	Darlinᵹ
Worthy	Valuable	Ƿorðy
Drought, Dearth	Famine	Draut, Derð
Wish, Will, Yearning, Longing	Desire	Ƿiſh, Ƿil, Yerninᵹ, Loninᵹ
Span	Distance	Span
Tumble	Somersault	Tumbl
Drink (noun + verb)	Beverage, Imbibe	Drinc
Deal	Amount	Deal
Freedom	Liberty	Freidom
Arm	Poor	Arm
Haven	Port	Haven

Germanic (Upper Atraelish) words	Latinate (Xhequan) words	Central Atraelish words
abandon, leave, leave off, forsake, forlet, give up, blin	relinquish, abdicate, desert, renounce
ache, hurt, smart (noun), woe, sore, throe, wark	pain, agony
allegiance, troth	fidelity, loyalty
alive, quick (living)	animate
anger, wrath	rage, ire
array, row, range, rank, line, lineup, set, lot, list	series, order, sequence
ask, frain, beseech, beg, seek	inquire, request
aware, abreast, up to speed	cognizant
beacon, buoy, flag, herald, harbinger, guide	signal, indicator
before, beforehand, ahead of, ere	prior
behaviour, bearing, etiquette, guise, way	action, attitude, manner, conduct
behest, bidding	command, order
behoof, gain, foredeal, boon, blessing, welfare	advantage, benefit
begin, start	commence
belief, mindset, gospel, truth, leaning	creed
belive (be + live), belave, abide, tarry, stay	remain
belly, midriff, womb	abdomen
big, great, stour, mickle, huge	large, grand
birthday, yeartide	anniversary
blee, hue, dye, shade, lit	color
bloom, blossom, bud, burgeon	flower
body, embodiment, frame, makeup, lich	corpus, corpse, carcass, cadaver
brotherly	fraternal
bug, beetle	insect
build, rear, raise	construct
business, undertaking, note	affair, enterprise
buy	purchase

Alphabet

Atraelish and its dialects are written in the Atraelic alphabet, which currently exists in two forms, respectively named the old and new alphabets. The only dialect that still uses the old alphabet is Central Atraelish, i.e. the dialects spoken in and around Estoil and Welbenth, whereas all other dialects have shifted to use the new alphabet.

Consonants

Old alphabet	A a	Æ æ	B b	C c	D d	Ð ð	E e	F f	G ᵹ	H h
New alphabet	A a	ae / ay	B b	C c	D d	th	E e	F f	G g	H h
Old alphabet	I i	J j	c	L l	M m	N n	O o	P p	cu	R r
New alphabet	I i	J j	K k	L l	M m	N n	O o	P p	Q q	R r
Old alphabet	S ſ	T t	Þ þ	U u	f	Ƿ ƿ	X x	Y y	ſ
New alphabet	S s	T t	th	U u	V v	W w	X x	Y y	Z z

Further Reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_English_words_by_country_or_language_of_origin
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_French_origin
• http://hord.ca/projects/eow/ (Modern English - Old English dictionary)