Avariel
Speech
of the Winged Elves
This language was inspired by the Winged Elves from D&D fame. I was thinking of creating a Elvish language that was unlike any of Tolkiens. I wanted an airy sound to it thats why vowels and diphthongs are used quite a bit. I also wanted a somewhat simple grammar. The dual tonal aspect came about because I wanted it to have a sung quality to it.
The avariel, or winged elves, is a rare race of reclusive elves that dwells high in the mountains away from other civilizations. They appear even more delicate than their landbound brethren, their facial features even more chiseled and angular. The characteristic of the avariel that is most stunning, however, is their beautiful, soft wings. Although these wings are generally white, avariel have been seen with wings whose colors range to black. The wings are their pride and joy, and an avariel who has lost his wings is intensely pitied by the other avariel. Since elves do not generally accept the pity of others, a wingless avariel often leaves the community to find a life elsewhere.
Avariel eyes tend to be a little larger than most elves', although they are the same color that most grey and high elves possess. Their hair is most often white or black, but there have been numerous exceptions. The avariel have a tendency to adopt a far-off look in their eyes when their immediate attention is not required. They are very much at home in the outdoors, and they appear out of place indoors or underground.
Avariel clothing is most reminiscent of togas, for other types of clothing often snag on their wings. Togas and their like wrap easily around the avariel's body and wings
* PHONOLOGY *
Consonants:
| dVoiced dental or alveolar | |
| tVoiceless retroflex stop | |
| kVoiceless velar stop | |
| fVoiceless labiodental fricative | |
| vVoiced labiodental fricative | |
| sVoiceless alveolar fricative (hisser) | |
| zVoiced alveolar fricative (hisser) | |
| lDental or alveolar non-fricative lateral | |
| rAlveolar trill | |
| nDental or alveolar nasal | |
| mBilabial nasal | |
| hVoiceless glottal fricative |
Vowels:
| a | Unrounded open front | as in father |
| i | Unrounded close front | as in seem |
| y | Unrounded close central | as in it |
| e | Unrounded half-close front | as in ace |
Diphthongs:
The diphthongs are treated like full vowels.
ae, ia, ya, ae, ie
* PHONOTAX *
VC
CV
VCV
CVC
*MORPHOLOGY*
Avariel is
a dual tonal isolating language.
The basic order is Topic-Comment or SVO
* THE NOUN *
Nouns are words that represent things: inanimate objects, living things, or concepts. All nouns are given in the singular form, and plural forms of those nouns are produced by adding an -'aes
Nouns are not marked for case. The rigid syntax signifies which nouns is what.
I am dead.
Ade nyk ___
English: You went inside the house.
Avariel: Alya dral fim'le de.
Literal Trans.: You go home(inside) (Past Complete)
* PRONOUNS *
Singluar |
Plural |
||||
| 1 | ade | I/me | ade'aes | We/us | |
| 2 | alya | You | alya'aes | You | |
| 3 | aza | He/She | aza'aes | Them | |
*RELATIVE PRONOUNS*
Relative pronouns introduce a clause that describes a noun. Avariel has two; 'asae' used to refer to living things, and 'alae' used for non-living objects.
English :
The man who has the helmet is running
Literal Trans.:
English :
The shop that has the book is open.
Literal Trans.:
*MODIFIERS*
With a few
exceptions, the modifier precedes the modified. An adverb
always precedes the stative verb that is modifies. Sometimes two or
more adverbs occur in sequence. In this case the first modifies the
second, the second modifies the third etc. MA-Movable adverbs occur
before or after the topic of the sentence, with no discernible
difference in meaning.
The [1] and
[2] indicate multiple meanings that are inferred from the
text or the tone of the speaker.
[1] being a
high tone
[2] being a low tone
Item without a tone marker are in a middle neutral tone
*LEXICON*
kas |
woman |
ziek |
[1] child; [2] seed, egg |
aenia |
[1]grow, cultivate, plant; [2]care, concern, to look after |
ade |
I, me |
aza |
he, she |
alya |
you(sing) |
nyk |
[1] be, mean, be true that; |
vem |
[2]ask; ask about |
dral |
go; go to |
fim |
[1] home, family; |
ledyl |
inside |
-'le
|
inside
- localizer
|
dyl |
nominal suffix???? |
bryk |
play, have fun, have a good time, play with |
mym |
[1] speak, say, talk about [2]explain, explicate |
bris |
because |
fet |
therefore, so |
hivra |
for what reason, why |
ra |
what?, any, anything |
enya |
[1] reply, answer [2] think |
bras |
do |
anie |
this (as topic only) |
mia |
that |
mia'tys |
that - specific person or object |
-'tys
|
single
person or object
|
aefie |
stop, cease, dismiss, suspend, quit, finish |
avya |
start, begin |
hys |
help, assist |
ale |
time |
tiek |
[1] harass, bother, annoy, disturb, agitate [2] worry, feel concerned |
eza |
[1]have [2] there is |
miel |
negative for 'have' mieleza -not have, there is not |
fae |
[1]spirit, god, deity [2] smart, clever, intelligent |
braed |
in this way; to this degree, so, such |
draed |
in that way, to that degree, so, such |
hin |
the present, now |
vez |
must, have to, ought to, should |
de |
sentence particle indicating a completed action in the past |
va |
sentence particle indicating a question. |
| nya | air, wind, sky, heaven |
en'- |
negator |