Alternian

A fan-conlang (fanlang?) of questionable quality, based on whatever the standard(?) language of Alternia from Andrew Hussie's Homestuck may or may not be.

Obviously, I do not own Homestuck or Hiveswap. This is a transformative work, done purely for fun.

The Alternian script used here is from Hiveswap, made by Hussie and What Pumpkin, and the font itself was compiled by OrangeyPeels on DeviantArt. The alphabet belongs to Hiveswap/What Pumpkin and Hussie, not me. Further information can be found on the "Credits" page via the sidebar.

This web is still being woven. Please don't be surprised if it changes slightly from time to time...

Phonology

Vowels:a ɛ e i ə* u o ɑ*
Trilled vowels: a̰ a̰ː o̰ o̰ː ɑ̰* ɑ̰ː*
Dipthongs:
Consonants: ʀ k g t t͡ʃ* d s z ʒ m l f v p b n h~ħ x* j kʼ* tʼ* pʼ* ʒ* d͡ʒ* ʃ* ŋ* ʀ̥* χ* v͡ʀ* f͡ʀ* s͡ʀ* z͡ʀ*
(Sounds marked with an asterisk are rare, archaic, of foreign loan origin, or are exclusively allophones of other sounds or phoneme combinations.)

Syllable structure (WIP): (S)(C)(R)V(N), where:
S = s
C = any consonant, [ks] or [kw]
R = ʀ/l/j
V = any vowel
N = n/m/s/t/k/ʀ/z/h/b/d

Syllable stress is a little unpredictable. It shifts preferentially to /ta/ and /ka/ syllables, or else to dipthongs or geminated vowel syllables, or to other syllables with /kV/ and /tV/ or /ʀV/ patterns. Otherwise, it typically defaults to the second syllable for two syllable words, or the penultimate syllable in longer words.

/x/, /tʃ/, /ɑ/ and /ʒ/ are found primarily in names, loanwords, highblood vernacular, and other particularly archaic terms.

Some general rules and patterns (very much subject to change as I figure out this bullshit phonology):

Uvular Trill Spreading

You've heard of nasal spreading, now get read for: trill spreading.. (Here's hoping I'm transcribing any of this correctly!)

Basically, the trill [ʀ] often spreads to and modifies neighboring sounds, adding a trilling influence to open and back vowels, some fricatives, and even a few bilabials.

Old historical rules (no longer in effect but maybe notable):

Troll Alphabet and Orthography

(If this isn't showing up for you as Hiveswap troll script, there's a problem, and this page won't be nearly as fun.)

a b ch d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Alternian
a aw ar b ch d e f g h i j k l m
IPA
a, ə ɑ a̰ː b d~dʰ ɛ f g h~ħ i ʒ k, kʼ l m
Romanized
a aw b ch d e f g h i j k l m

Alternian
n o or p r s t u v x y z qu hh
IPA
n o o̰ː p ʀ~ʀ̥~χ~ʁ s t, tʼ u v z, ks j, aɪ z kw x
Romanized
n o p r s t u v x y z qu hh

Doubled letters are also meaningful. Normally they represent consonant or vowel gemination (making a sound longer than normal), with two notable exceptions. One, "hh" (/x/), is indicated above. The other, "ee", is pronounced as /iː/ rather than /ɛː/.

Grammar and Syntax

Basics

Alternian is agglutinative and heavy on prefixes. Descriptors and adjectives both precede their nouns. Word order is typically SOV, but flips to VOS for binary (yes/no) questions.

It has four noun classes: low (or "warm"), high (or "cool"), neutral (or "green"), and wild. It also has four-ish cases (nominative, accusative, dative/lative, genitive/ablative), optionally marked by prepositional particles which agree with the noun's class (with the exception of pronouns, which are conjugated by inflection and classed by implicit status -- blood caste, the speaker's opinion, etc.) These are only needed for definite articles (i.e. "the".)

Verbs conjugate by tense (past, present, future), number (singular versus plural), and five different registers of formality: honorific, humble, formal, informal, and intimate.

Verb Conjugation

Conjugation of verbs is fairly complex, involving tense, subject and object noun class, and several registers of formality/respect.

In most compounds, conjugation prefixes are applied directly to the root verb, after other prefixes.

Ex:

kakangi (caused) --> kamxemrikakangot (one who caused [something - Warm or Green class] to be removed)
tiakanyi ([Warm noun] shines) --> xanintiakanyi  ([Warm noun] shines warmly)

Verb Conjugation (Prefixes)
PastPresentFuture Negative
Low/MidHigh/Wild Low/MidHigh/Wild Low/MidHigh/Wild. All
Honorific kaya- miya- tama- fro- raya- noya- vekya-
Humble kara- mina- ta- fo- rana- nona- veka-
Formal kir- min- ti- vi- rin- non- vek-
Informal ka- ma- - - ra- no-
Intimate ka- - - ro- ve-

Verb Conjugation (Suffixes)
Class:Low/MidHighWild
Honorific-k-v-mm
Humble-ss-fa-ss
Formal &
Informal
-s-d-m

In informal form, the final vowel of a verb becomes /a/. In intimate forms, the final vowel is discarded and the stem form is used instead.

Alternian has five commonly used registers of formality/intimacy:

Verbs beginning with a vowel /a/, /e/ or /i/ and non-geminated /t/, /r/, /l/, /s/ lose their initial vowel when conjugated with prefixes.

Kra eromma.
Kra eromma
I search.
Kra raromma.
Kra raromma
I'll (go) search.

Kra idokotavan aleda.
Kra idokotavan aledi.
I build bicycles.
Ka sum idokotavan vekleda.
Ka sum idokotavan vekledi
She did not build the bicycle.

Verbs beginning with /h/ also lose their initial consonant to prefixes ending in consonants.

Kra tihuski.
Kra tihuski.
I'm afraid.
Kra kiruski.
Kra kiruski
I was afraid.

Since a duplicate /k/ generally becomes /g/, and /kg/ is not allowed, verbs beginning in /k/ and /g/ will conjugate slightly irregularly for some negatives.

Gama kul ka
Gama kul ka
1ST-SG-INF-NOM 3RD-SG-M-INF-ACC INF-PRES.hate
I hate him.
Gama kul vekka
Gama kul vega
1ST-SG-INF-NOM 3RD-SG-M-INF-ACC NEG.hate.INF
I don't hate him.

Gama tu vigapyna
Gama tu kagapyna
1ST-SG-INF-NOM 3RD-SG-INAN-ACC PAST-INF-HIGH/WILD.touch
I touched it.
Gama tu vekgapyna
Vakan tu vegapyna
1ST-SG-INF-NOM 3RD-SG-INAN-ACC NEG-INF.touch.INF
I (did) not touch it.

Vocabulary

Particles

CLASSLowHighNeutralWild
Nominativesafatama
Accusativesumfutoo
Dativexifitivi
Genitivexaaaho

Pronouns

Alternian has a large collection of personal pronouns with varying implications, not entirely unlike, say, Japanese or Thai. Most or all can be conjugated for the four cases by their vowel ending, and are given in default nominative form here.

For conjugation: the final or penultimate vowel typically becomes /a/ for nominative, /u/ for accusative, /i/ for dative, and /o/ or rarely /i:/ for genitive.

ALTERNIAN
IPA
meaning
kokam
kokam'
I (very humble)
kokam
kra
kʀa
I (generic, usually a safe bet)
kra
muxa
muksa
I (casual, somewhat feminine)
muxa
gama
gama
I (casual)
gama
maz
maz
I (very casual, intimate register)
maz
maky
makaɪ'
I (arrogant, high-status - think JP. ore-sama)
maky*
vrota
vʀota
I (formal, higher-status)
vrota

enoky
ɛnokaɪ
you (honorific)
enoky*
novras
novʀas
you (respectful, generic)
novras
naxa
naksa
you (casual)
naxa
sat
sat
you (casual, crude)
sat
ba
ba
you (disparaging, common for kismesis)
ba
cha
tʃa
you (archaic, typically older highbloods addressing lowbloods)
cha
aka
aka'
you (intimate, usually reserved for quadrants)
aka

kalta
kalta
he (formal, respectful)
kalta
kal
kal
he (semi-informal)
kal
xokat
zokat'
she (respectful, implies danger)
xokat
kakra
kakʀa
she (formal, respectful)
kakra**
ka
ka
she (semi-informal)
ka**
sotankya
sotaŋkjo
he/she/they (unfamiliar, dangerous)
sotankya
masmat
maʒmat
he/she/they (formal, neutral, somewhat distant)
masmat
akyomuxa
akjomuksə
he/she/they (familiar, friendly)
akyomuxa
kan
kan
he/she/they (informal) (sometimes archaically /kjan/)
kan
ga
ga
he/she/they (crude, somewhat demeaning, common w/ close friends)
ga

ta
ta
it
ta

gakan
gakan'
this (one)
gakan
sakan
sakan'
that (one)
sakan
sotan
sotan'
that (one) over there
sotan

amir
amiʀ
who
amir***
meer
miːʀ
what
meer*
mirok
miʀok
why
mirok*
urak
uʀak
when
urak
ankar
aŋkaʀ'
where
ankar

*Does not inherently conjugate.
**Conjugates with /i:/ for genitive.
***Irregular.

Pronouns that do not conjugate are given class particles as prefixes in dative and genitive cases. In formal speech, the accusative case gets a prefix as well.

Na ma meer gakan?
Na ma meer gakan?
INF-PRES.be ACC-WILD what NOM-this?
What is this?

Kan aenoky akafi kirygi.
Kan aenoky akafi kirygi.
3RD-SG-INF 2ND-SG-HON-GEN HON.coffee PAST-FML-LOW.drink
They (sg.) drank your [troll equivalent of] coffee.

The word for "what", amir, conjugates irregularly, inflecting with the first vowel instead of the last.

Naxa tu kirmari imir?
Naxa tu kirmari imir?
2ND-SG-INF-NOM 3RD-SG-INAN-ACC FML-PAST-LOW.sell DAT-who?
Who did you sell it to?

Nouns

Nouns pluralize with the prefix /va(t)/, added to the head/root word.

For example:

/uspe/ (shirt) --> /vatuspe/ (shirts)
/taʀkos/ (tube) --> /vadaʀkos/* (tubes)
/kaʀo/ (beast) --> /vakaʀo/ (beasts)
/miakaʀo/ (meowbeast) --> /miavakaʀo/ (meowbeasts)

*/tt/ --> /d/, though the word would still be written as vattarkos

A noun for a general concept needs neither a plural nor an article.

Kra sum miakaro favri.
Kra sum miakaro favri.
I like the meowbeast.

Kra miakaro favri.
Kra miakaro favri.
I like meowbeasts (in general).

Kra sum miavakaro favri.
Kra sum miavakaro favri.
I like the meowbeasts.

Low/Warm

akta
akta
chitin, (thin) shell; skin (for mammal etc.)
akta
an
an
thing, tool
an
anak
anak
temperature, heat
anak
anakyitiskis
anak'jitiskis
refrigerator ("thermal hull")
anakyitiskis
een
iːn
thief (common, low)
een
gapyntab
gapaɪntab
finger ("touch stub"), toe (less common)
gapyntab
grubbel
grubːel
insect, crawling thing
grubbel
gu
gu
dirt, earth
gu
kafi
kafi
cave fungus used for a popular Alternian drink
kafi
kampavrot
kampavrot
friend*
kampavrot
karo
kaʀo
beast, animal
karo
keparal
kɛpaʀal
name
keparal
keivah
keva(h)
bone
keivah
keivahdry
keva(x)dʀaɪ
bone bulge
keivahdry
kikam
kikam'
hatred (platonic)
kikam
kisam
kisam'
hatred (romantic)
kisam
ko
ko
wheel (archaic), circle
ko
kyotonot
kjotonot
friend, hatefriend*
kyotonot
ku
ku
cluster, blockage, clot
ku
idokotavan
idokotavan
bicycle (two-wheel-having-device)
idokotavan
okass
okas'
bottom, backside
okass
oakaro
oakaʀo
woofbeast, dog
oakaro
ota
otə
day
ota
otaz
otaz
dream
otaz
otanuk
otanuk
sun
otanuk
oxel
oksɛl
end, back, after
oxel
pemmunu
pɛmːunu
friendship (relationship)
pemmunu
pemmunot
pɛm:unot
friend* (most literal English translation)
pemmunot
saquu
sakwu
cartilage, gristle
saquu
savy
savaɪ
fire, storm, cataclysm
savy
suhei
suhe
wind
suhei
suhesavy
suhɛsavaɪ
storm, windstorm
suhesavy
syki
saɪki
psychic, psionic (troll)
syki
tallah
talːa
fat
tallah
tany
tanaɪ
room, space, "block"
tany
tarkos
taʀkos
tube, chute
tarkos
tara
taʀa
container, basket, trap
tara
tab
tab
nub, stump, stub
tab
tinuyi
tənuji
house, hive
tinuyi
tiskis
tiskis
vessel, container, cooking pan
tiskis
tunyi
tunji
mask
tunyi
ultux
ultuks
rope
ultux
uspe
uspɛ
cloth, shirt
uspe

High/Cool

abitara
abitaʀa
bathtub (ablution trap)
abitara
akyon
akjon
person, enemy, friend* (rarely)
akyon
alter
altɛʀ
troll (species)
alter
alternia
altɛʀ'nia
Alternia ("troll planet")
alternia
an
an
device, machine
an
aqus
akwus
strength, (physical) power
aqus
at
at
pain
at
daz
daz
idea, concept
daz
eistos
estos
rage, wrath
eistos
evut
ɛvut
leg (HV/archaic), limb, frond (of a plant)
evut
fafer
fafɛʀ
fish (animal)
fafer
feima
fema
poem
feima
hanuk
hanuk
moon
hanuk
harum
haʀum
sea (archaic)
harum
harumsamot
haʀumsamot
seadweller
harumsamot
harumvrit
haʀumvʀit
pirate
harumvrit
hi
hi
night
hi
hissu
his:u
mirror
hissu
hur
huʁ
sponge
hur
jegok
ʒɛgok'
deity, god (non-specific)**
jegok
rakya
ʀakjə
a period of time, life (a person's past)
rakya
ru
ʀu
beginning, front, future
ru
vrit
vʀit
thief (noble, implies cleverness, trickery)
vrit
xadavan
zadavan
vehicle
xadavan

Neutral/Green

bit
bit
ear (HV)
bit
gamya
gumjə
organ, brain
gamya
ikra
ikʀa
worth, value
ikra
kamya
kamja
mother, matron
kamya
kama
kama
female lusus
kama
keigin
kegən
coin
keigin
keigir
kegəʀ
Caegar (traditional Alternian currency)
keigir
lloet
l:oɛt
cloak, hood
lloet
lora
lora
mother*** (sometimes HV)
lora
mir
miʀ
question
mir
maryu
marju
leaf
maryu
meeakaro
miakaʀo
cat (meowbeast)
meeakaro
mer
mɛʀ
hand, foot
mer
nak
nak
stone
nak
namo
namo
head
namo
nara
narə
horn
nara
natu
natu
capacity, ability
natu
nia
nia
planet, world
nia
nok
nok
grub, livestock animal (generic)
nok
rihemilan
ʀihɛmilan
language
rihemilan
ro
ʀo
chunk, solid piece (of something)
ro
rum
ʀum
water
rum
xakos
zakos
tube, sphincter, throat
xakos

Wild

husko
huʃko
fear
husko
lusus
lusus
caretaker beast, guardian
lusus
kror
kʀoʀ
(the) north
kror
makra
makʀə
game
makra
nin
nin
thing (generic)
nin
pyn
paɪn
protrusion, feeler
pyn
saman
saman
a common migratory fish
saman
sut
sut
feeling, emotion
sut
tevet
tɛvɛt
(the) south
tevet
trol
təʀol, tʀol
troll (person), person (generic)
trol
tivrol
tivʀol
archaic form of tirol
tivrol
vohut
vohut
ally
vohut

HV: Highblood Vernacular - this word is typically only used by cooler castes, due to linguistic drift/dialect differences.

* The words for things like "enemy" or "friend" in Alternian are... complex. Any troll who isn't a quadrant or extremely close (and indeed, even those who are) can be classified as "enemy" due to Alternia's constantly hostile social scene. The terms often translated as "friend" and/or "enemy" identify connections to other trolls not by positive or negative relationship, but by familiarity and attachment. In a society rife with hate-romance and rule by intimidation, the strength of connection is considered more important than positive or negative relation -- assumption is that any relationship could easily flip to hostile, under the right circumstances.

Additionally, and tying slightly into the psychology behind kismessitude: a personally known enemy is considered a different kind of dangerous than an unknown one. While not necessarily safer, it is often seen more favorably, so "known enemy" terms often translate as more positive than unknown ones. Thus "akyon ho muxa" (my enemy) becomes a descriptor for someone probably (but not guaranteed!) semi-friendly -- this is your enemy in particular, one you know and can deal with -- but "sotan akyo" (that enemy over there) suggest a more potentially threatening individual -- a distant enemy, unpredictable and unknown.

TL;DR: troll relationship terms prioritize familiarity over positive or negative relationship, so there are lots of troll words for various degrees of familiarity, tolerance, wariness, and percieved threat, most of which translate as "friend" as easily as they do "enemy".

/end worldbuilding ramble

** This word (jegok) is actually an old loanword, now used primarily for obscenities, metaphor, and general reference to higher powers. Alternian culture is largely secular in the current era -- religion tends to be restricted to small movements and cults, most notable the indigo-caste clown cults. Most trolls consider the two concepts synonymous.

Verbs

Basic noun form of a verb can be made by using the verb stem (i.e. without the final [i].)

Generally gerunds are used for a general reference to an action, while stem form is used more for a single instance of a verb, or to a more general noun derived from the verb. (E.g. "the VERBing" = kam[VERB-STEM]i, "your verbing"/"a verbing" = [VERB-STEM])

abi
abi
to wash, to submerge (in water)
abi
ati
ati
to hatch, to emerge, to be born
ati
avi
avi
to be casual with, to be ~friendly with
avi
(a)ledi
alɛdi
to construct, to assemble
(a)ledi
ankayi
aŋkaji
to shine, to glow
ankayi
ayi
aji
to be related to, to be associated with
ayi
biti
biti
to hear, to listen
biti
dagvari
dagvaʀi
to feel neutral toward
dagvari
daki
daki
to copulate (for mammals, obscene)
daki
dani
dani
to blame, to accuse
dani
davi
davi
to strike (with a blunt object), to drum
davi
dei
de
to meet
dei
di
di
to have (a trait or thing) (anim.)
di
dokymi
dokaɪmi
to copulate (for trolls)
dokymi
dovri
dovʀi
to demand
dovri
drayi
dʀaji
to protrude, to bulge
drayi
eni
ɛni
to arrive
eni
(e)rommi
ɛʀom:i
to search
(e)rommi
(ei)stosi
estosi
to rage, to be wrathful, to be a highblood (inf.)
(ei)stosi
(e)trezi
ɛtʀɛzi
to argue
(e)trezi
favri
favʀi
to like, to be comfortable around
favri
festi
fɛsti
to sleep
festi
gapyni
gapaɪni
to touch, to sense
gapyni
gi
gi
to change
gi
(h)emmi
hɛm:i
to say
(h)emmi
(h)ori
hoʀi'
to wriggle, to squirm, to be alive
(h)ori
(h)oti
hoti
to blow (on), to push (for inanimate actor)
(h)oti
(h)uski
huʃki
to fear (something), to be afraid
(h)uski
iti
iti
to attempt
iti
iyequi
ijequi
to oblige, to require
iequi
iyytri
ijaɪtʀi
to wear (under something, or closely fitted)
iyytri
kangri
kaŋri
to cause
kangri
ki
ki
to hate
ki
kuni
kuni
to come (somewhere)
kuni
lamonsi
lamonsi
to confess, to admit
lamonsi
lozi
lozi
to use
lozi
llipi
l:ipi
to abandon, to depart (from)
llipi
makroi
makʀoi
to stab, to cut (with the point of a blade)
makroi
mari
maʀi
to sell, to trade away
mari
mati
mati
to desire, to want
mati
mayuvi
majuvi
to give (a gift)
mayuvi
mevi
mɛvi
to cut up, to divide, to split
mevi
miki
miki
to call out, to scream, to warn
miki
miri
miʀi
to ask, to interrogate
miri
moi
moi
to be fond of, to pity
moi
nafi
nafi
to die
nafi
nati
nati
to be able to
nati
ni
ni
to be
ni
ninkri
niŋkʀi
to buy, to trade for (something)
ninkri
nodi
nodi
to kill
nodi
nayy
najaɪ
to speak (generic)
nayy
oji
oʒi
to pose, to show off
oji
otri
otʀi
to wear (outer layer, or loosely), to be dressed
otri
ovri
ovʀi
to craft, to produce
ovri
pemmuni
pɛm:uni
to be familiar with, to know well
pemmuni
radi
ʀadi
to be lively, to be in good health
radi
ravi
ʀavi
to give (something), to surrender
ravi
rei
ʀe
to do
rei
rihemi
ʀihɛmi
to speak (with)
rihemi
sami
sami
to dwell, to live (in)
sami
savi
savi
to see, to observe, to pay attention to
savi
senkroi
sɛŋkroi
to cut (with a flat cutting blade)
senkroi
si
si
to strike, to stab
si
sommi
som:i
to fight
sommi
tanavri
tanavʀi
to pick over, to examine
tanavri
tavi
tavi
to imagine, to concieve of
tavi
teuli
tɛuli
to agree, to accept
teuli
ti
ti
to have (a trait or thing) (inan.)
ti
tazi
tazi
to think
tazi
tisofi
tisofi
to watch
tisofi
tomi
tomi
to prepare for
tomi
troli
troli
to bother, to harass, to call out to
troli
truvi
truvi
to dislike but tolerate
truvi
tukri
tukri
to know (of), to speak (a language)
tukri
ullaxi
ul:aksi
to make, to cook
ullaxi
uski
uski
to run
uski
ussi
us:i
to write
ussi
vikaryi
vikaʀji
to travel (a long distance)
vikaryi
virki
viʀki
to increase
virki
vrati
vʀati
to follow
vrati
vri
vʀi
to steal, to rob
vri
xadi
zadi
to go
xadi
qot... xaqi
kwot zakwi
to be greater than (comparator)
qot... xaqi
xemri
zɛmʀi
to remove, to doff
xemri
ygi
aɪgi
to eat, to drink
ygi

Verb Modifiers

kam
kam
(prefix indicating a gerund)
kam
vyo
vjo
(prefix for passive voice) (uncommon)
vyo
by
baɪ
(prefix for continuous action)
by
tom
tom
(perfect prefix, used like 'yet' or 'already')
tom

Adjectives

Adjectives are negated with prefix /vek/.

Verbs can become adjectives/modifiers by conjugating the final /i/ as /ot/, for animate nouns, or /av/ for inanimate, or by simply using the verb's stem (i.e. removing the final /i/.) The latter is more common in older, calcified terms; the former is more modern and sometimes has a different meaning to the verb-stem version of a compound.

Nouns can be adjective-ified by the verb /di/ or /ti/ (to possess a trait or quality, for animate and inanimate actors respectively) or /yi/ (relating to, being associated with.)

General

adia
adiə
whole, complete
adia
ar
one's own
baz
baz
kind, type
baz
horot
hoʀot
juvenile, young
horot
kapyo
kapjo
small, short (for time)
kapyo
kraro
kʀaʀo
true, real
kraro
mihak
mihak
close (distance)
mihak
myko
maɪko
far
myko
my
maɪ
sharp
my
marka
maʁkʀ̥a'
dull
marka
rakek
ʀakɛk
(right) now
rakek
roqo
ʀokwo
skilled, competent
roqo
saquan
sakwan
big, great
saquan
tavak
tavak
narrow, closed (space or opening), cramped, tight
tavak
van
van
all
van
kotro
ko'tʀo
high, tall
kotro
symit
saɪmit
low, short
symit
qot
kwot
more
qot
ylla
aɪlːa
broad, open (space or opening), loose
ylla

Colors (vader)

ter
tɛʀ
color
ter
xan
zan
red (usually dark); warm; low (blood)
xan
ipan
ipan
brown, orange
ipan
xalu
zalu
yellow
xalu
goza
goza
gold (material)
goza
kriyy
kʀijaɪ
light/yellow green
kriyy
natek
natek
mid-green/"olive"
natek
kamyat
kamjat
jade
kamyat
tayoz
tajoz
teal
tayoz
xuv
zuv
cerulean, greener blue (from /xa iquv/, "blue (low)")
xuv
kroquv
kʀokwuv
indigo, purpler blue (from /kraro iquv/, "true blue")
kroquv
uskan
uskan
purple
uskan
rumter
ʀumtɛr
violet, "royal purple" (from /harum ter/ "sea color"); cold
rumter
tyrin
taɪʀin
pink (tyrian)
tyrin
tanivroder
tanivʀodɛʀ
rust (from /ta nivrot ter/, "metal decay color")
tanivroder
xalukriyy
zalukʀijaɪ
yellow-green (spectrum)
xalukriyy
naktak
naktak
green (generic)
naktak
iquv
ikwuv
blue (generic); high (blood)
iquv
anka
aŋka
bright, light, luminous; pale
anka
pisit
pisit
dark, black
pisit

Adverbs

dam
dam
very, extremely
dam
ipor
ipoʀ
already
ipor
rakay
ʀakaɪ
eventually, at last
rakay
ton
ton
probably
ton
uota
uota
ideally, perhaps, if (one is) lucky
uota
ulto
ulto
only
ulto

-n, -in
-n, -in
(adjective -> adverb, or "for...")
-n, -in

Conjunctions, Etc

az
az
but, however
az
hak
hak
as, while
hak
fen
fɛn
with, at (for high or neutral nouns)
fen
ken
kɛn
with, at (for low or wild nouns)
ken
krofa
kʀofa
and then
krofa
ko
ko
too, as well
ko
so
so
and
so
vro
vʀo
about
vro

Interjections, Etc.

y
hey, oy
y

Numbers

ari
aʀi
one
ari
ido
ido
two
ido
xor
zoʀ
three
xor
am
am
four
am
tox
toks
five
tox
xat
zat
six
xat
nu
nu
seven
nu
yo
jo
eight
yo
tam
tam
nine
tam
vrix
v͡ʀiks
ten
vrix
-it
it
(ordinal suffix)
-it

Number Variant - Highblood Vernacular

Highblood terms sometimes make use of more archaic numbers forms, which also inflect like pronouns for case. All are given in nominative form.

v'a
ʀa
1
v'a
pat
pat
2
pat
sora
soʀa
3
sora
navam
navam
4
navam
choxa
tʃoksa
5
choxa
zach
zatʃ
6
zach
nahh
nax
7
nahh
ja
ʒa
8
ja
dama
dama
9
dama
v'ika
ʀika
10
v'ika

Dialect Variations

Lowbloods

The /a/ sound is often raised slightly, closer to /æ/.

/ɑ/ is a fairly rare sound in modern Alternian is also sometimes pronounced /aː/.

SAVFRODOVRI IKRAVEKDOT HUMAN
sævf͡ʀodov͡ʀi ikʀæ̰vekdot human
GERUND.pay-attention.PRES-HON-HIGH.demand worth.NEG.have.ADJ human
GREETINGS, WORTHLESS HUMAN.

Indigos & Subjuggulators

The first person pronoun /maz/ and second person pronoun /aka/ are used more frequently, especially when speaking with other trolls within the church.

Some particles are doubled up for extra cases - ablative is constructed with genitive followed by nominative, lative is formed with dative and accusative, and instrumental is formed with dative and genitive.

When auxiliary verbs are used, the affected verb is often just used in stem form.

Ejectives are less common and reserved more for emphasis.

Aka o ankir xadtaza?
akʼa o aŋkiʁ zadaza
1ST-SG-INT ACC where-DAT go.think.PRES-INF
Where d'you think you're going?

Seadwellers

Seadwellers typically turn initial [h] into a glottal stop, pronounce midword [h] as /j/, and drop the final h (h) sound. They also often slur the midword x (x, /ks/) as a /kʃ/ or /ktʃ/ sound, which is sometimes formalized in name pronunciations (ex. Peixes gets pronounced as /pekʃis/.)

/ʁ/ is a more common realization of /ʀ/, and trilled vowels often go untrilled, through still appropriately lengthened.

Vrota ka 'arumvrit kamnataza.
v͡ʀota ka ʔaʁumvʁit kamnata'za
1ST-HON-SG-NOM 3RD-F-NOM pirate GERUND.PRES-INF.be.PRES-INF.think
Vrota ka 'arumvrit kamna taza.
I think she's a pirate.

Idioms and other fun stuff

"Dressed for your ninth"

xitamitatotan otri
zitamitatotan otʀi
DEF-LOW.nine.ORD.hatch.day.ADV be-dressed

(to be) dressed for the ninth hatchday

Sometimes also phrased variously as xitamitorotan otri ("dressed for the ninth wriggling day") or naxotamitin otri ("dressed for your ninth"), or even xitamitin otri ("dressed for the ninth").

To put on airs of maturity and importance. To be literally "dressed for [one's] ninth hatchday" is to be dressed for one's conscription day, when a young troll leaves the Alternian homeworld for enlistment into Imperial forces. Conscription is usually a young troll's first big interaction with the larger empire. Offworld, it suggests immaturity, in the sense of being young and inexperienced; on Alternia, it implies attempting to look older and more important than one actually is.

Translations

Subject to repeated changes and alterations. Might need to take with a grain of salt, depending on how recently I've made any drastic changes to the language.

CG: SAVFRODOVRI IKRAVEKDOT HUMAN
CG: SAVFRODOVRI IKRAVEKDOT HUMAN
savf͡ʀodov͡ʀi ikʀavɛkdot hjuman
attention.PRES-HON-HIGH.demand worth.NEG.have.ADJ human

CG: GREETINGS (lit. "[DEMAND] ATTENTION") WORTHLESS HUMAN

CG: GAKAN SIT JEGOK KAMFRONAYY NA.
CG: GAKAN SIT JEGOK KAMFRONAYY NA.
gakʼan sit ʒegokʼ kʼamf͡ʀonajaɪ na
this-NOM you-GEN deity GERUND.PRES-HON-HIGH.speak INF.be

CG: THIS IS YOUR GOD SPEAKING.

CG: KALTA QOT SAT KAMUSKA ITAKARANATI XAQA SUTKISAMOT FROSTOSOT JEGOK FRONI.
CG: KALTA QOT SAT KAMUSKA ITAKARANATI XAQA SUTKISAMOT FROSTOSOT JEGOK FRONI.
kʼaltʼa qʷot sat kʼamuska itʼakʼaʀanati zaqʷa sutv͡ʀokʼisamotʼ f͡ʀostosot dʒɛgok f͡ʀoni.
he-HON-NOM than you-NOM GERUND.PRES-INF-fear attempt.PAST-HUMBLE-LOW.be-able-to be-greater you-ACC romantically-hate.ADJ PRES-HON-HIGH.be-wrathful.ADJ deity PRES-HON-HIGH.be
CG: IT IS A WRATHFUL GOD WHO DESPISES YOU MORE THAN YOU COULD HAVE POSSIBLY DARED TO FEAR.


Another sample, with some different politeness and pronoun choices.

GA: Kri Ulto Kamtukritadovri
GA: Kra Ulto Kamtukritadovri
kʀa ulto kʼamtukʀitʼadov͡ʀi
I-FML-NOM only GERUND.know.HMBL-PRES-LOW.demand*
GA: I Just Want To Know

GA: Tomvinafi Novros Lusus
GA: Tomvinafi Novros Lusus
tomvinafi nov͡ʀos lusus
yet.FML-PRES-HIGH-die GEN-HIGH.you-FML-GEN lusus
GA: Is Your Lusus Dead Yet

*Using the humble register changes the verb /dovri/ ('to demand') to something like 'to want' or 'to request'.


And, for even more fun:

enoky ankayon oja, vrix fitamitin otra
enokaɪ aŋkajon oʒa, v͡ʀiks fitamitin otʀa
2ND-SG-HON bright.ADV PRES-INF.pose ten DEF-DAT-HIGH.nine.ORD.ADV PRES-INF.be-dressed
You pose brightly / A ten dressed for the ninth

vatku vatgamo mik so gotrakya vekbita
vatkʼu vatgamo mik so gotʀakja vekbita
PL.clot (ear) PL.2ND-INF-GEN scream and PRES-INF.change.ADJ.time NEG-INF.hear
Clots deaf to our screaming / And to the changing times

Bonus

Because I felt like it, I'm trying out some different homebrewed Alternian script fonts. You can see the test page here.

CreditsTop