# Furtasia: Thladiran Language

Author: Lycanthris
Tags: Blood of Atlantis, Fantasy, Furtasia, Linguistics, Wolf, language, world building

#4 of Furtasia - World Building

In my fantasy-world of Furtasia, one of the races of beings that I've given a considerable amount of time and thought in crafting are the wolf-like Thladirans. I've even gone so far as to develop the rudiments of a language for them.  
Their language is called Thladiranu Auwran, or simply Thladiranu.

**_Sounds_**  
**Vowels**  
Vowels are sounds that start in the throat, with the vocal cords, and are some times given a finishing formation with the lips.

Thladiranu recognizes ten vowel sounds. Five are known as 'long' vowels, and are roughly equivalent to how vowels are pronounced in most European languages. Five are known as 'clipped' or 'short' vowels, and are equivalent to how vowels are often pronounced in American English.  
**A a -** Traditional 'a' sound as read in most languages other than English. Such as heard in "ah", "ha", and "lah". Also the same vowel heard in words such as "stop", "shop", "plot".  
**Á á -** Short 'a' sound as usually heard in American English. Such as heard in "cat", "bat", "fat", "tap", "Alfred", "yeah", and "pal".  
**E e -**   Traditional 'e' sound as read in most languages other than English. Such as heard in "hey", "weigh", "say", and "stay".  
**É é -** Short 'e' sound as usually heard in American English. Heard in such words as "pet", "Jeb", "rebel", and "yell".  
**I i -**   Traditional 'i' sound as read in most languages other than English. Such as heard in "thief", "meet", "beat", and "key".  
**Í í -** Short 'i' sound as heard in the words "sit", "fish", "dim", and "squid".  
**O o -**   Traditional 'o' sound. Such as heard in "doe", "opal", "commando", and "bravo".  
 **ó -** Short 'o' sound as heard in the words "book", "look", and "shook".  
**U u -**   Traditional 'u' sound as read in most languages other than English. Such as heard in the words "shoot", "stoop", "dupe", and "ewe".  
**Ú ú -** Short 'u' sound as heard in the words "cup", "putt", "but", and "rubber".  
**Diphthongs**  
Diphthongs are blended vowel combinations. Thladiranu recognizes three standard diphthongs in the language. In other combinations of vowels, each vowel is pronounced individually:  
**ai -** As heard in "sigh", "shy", "pie", and "rye".  
**au -** As heard in "raw", "thought", "taught", and "brought".  
**oi -** As heard in the words "toy", "spoil", "royal", and "boy".

**Consonants**  
Thladiranu recognizes 15 distinct consonants, 8 of which have both a 'voiced' and 'unvoiced' form. 'Voiced' consonants are when the vocal cords are vibrated in the forming of the sound, 'unvoiced' consonants are formed only in the mouth, without resonating the vocal cords. Thladiranu consonants are as follows:  
**P, B -** P is the unvoiced, and B is the voiced form of this consonant.  
**K, G -** K is the unvoiced, and G is the voiced form of this consonant. K is pronounced as the hard 'k' sound we hear at the beginning of words such as 'card', 'cat', 'cook', and 'cut'. It's voiced form, 'G' is the hard sound we hear at the beginning of words such as 'guard', 'got', 'gorilla', and 'great'.  
**S, Z -** S is the unvoiced, and Z is the voiced form of this consonant.  
**T, D -** T is the unvoiced, and D is the voiced form of this consonant.  
**F, V -** F is the unvoiced, and V is the voiced form of this consonant. We hear 'F' at the beginning of words like 'fear', 'fallow', 'father', and 'fake'. We hear 'V' at the beginning of words such as 'victory', 'valiant', 'vase', and 'veranda'.  
**Th, Tzh -** Th is the unvoiced, and Tzh is the voiced form of this consonant. English does not distinguish either of these sounds, so it's a bit difficult to explain. 'Th' is the sound at the beginning of words like 'thought', 'think', 'thorn', and 'thread'. 'Tzh' is the sound heard in the common pronunciation of words like 'that', 'the', 'there', and 'this'. Each of these sounds has it's own letter in the Thladiranu alphabet, instead of being a combination of more than one letter as in English.  
**Sh, Zh -** Sh is the unvoiced, and Zh is the voiced form of this consonant. English does not distinguish either of these sounds, so it's a bit difficult to explain. 'Sh' is the sound at the beginning of words like 'shout', 'shirt', 'short', and 'show'. 'Zh' sounds as the 'j' in the pronunciation of 'soup de jour'. Think about this for a moment, the 'j' or 'zh' sound as we describe it, is not quite as hard as the 'j' sound in words like 'jar', or 'jack'. Each of these sounds has it's own letter in the Thladiranu alphabet, instead of being a combination of more than one letter as in English.  
**Ch, J -** Ch is the unvoiced, and J is the voiced form of this consonant. 'Ch' is the sound at the beginning of words like 'chair', 'choice', 'check', and 'chance'. 'J' is the sound at the beginning of words like 'jar', 'jack', 'jeep', and 'jet'. 'Ch' has it's own letter in the Thladiranu alphabet, instead of being a combination of more than one letter as in English.  
**H -** An unvoiced consonant without a voiced form. 'H' is heard in words like 'hat', 'hair', 'harrowing', and 'heard'.  
**L -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'L' is heard in words such as 'love', 'like', 'lower', and 'loud'.  
**M -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'M' is heard in words like 'mother', 'mood', 'morning', and 'make'.  
**N -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'N' is heard in words like 'now', 'neither', 'new', and 'not'.  
**R -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'R' is heard in words like 'rat', 'row', 'rent', and 'record'.  
**W -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'W' is heard in words like 'wake', 'wet', 'weather', and 'warrant'.  
**Y -** A voiced consonant without an unvoiced form. 'Y' is heard in words like 'yap', 'yew', 'yarn', and 'yellow'.  
**_Grammar_**  
**Adjectives**  
-u - The suffix 'u' is attached to roots to form adjectivals.  
Adjectives precede the words they modify.  
**Adverbs:** There are no distinct adverbs in Thladiranu, all descriptors, whether for nouns or for verbs, or for other adjectives are formed as adjectives.  
**Prepositions**  
Most prepositions in Thladiranu are really adjectival forms of words.   
**Nouns**  
-an - The suffix 'an' is attached to roots in order to form nouns.  
**Plurals:** Thladiranu nouns do not distinguish between singular and plural. If more than one of a noun is being talked about, then some sort of quantity is named, either an exact number or something like many, few, millions, etc.  
**Compound Nouns:** Many Thladiranu nouns for more complex ideas or objects are formed by one or more adjectives compounded with a terminal noun. When the terminal consonant of the adjective-part (the one preceding the 'u' suffix) is the same as the initial consonant of the noun, then the 'u' is dropped, and the words are compacted together further. For example: the word 'leru' describes anything to do with the sea. The word 'ritalan' is any type of rogue, scoundrel, thief, etc. By combining these into 'leritalan' (leru + ritalan, but minus the u because the consonants are the same), one gets the Thladiranu word for 'pirate' (a rogue/ scoundrel of the sea).  
**Names**  
**Males names:** Thladiran male names have a root with one of the following suffixes attached, depending on what consonant precedes it:  
**-ar:** m, n, h, or y  
**-er:** s, z, sh, zh, ch, j, or l  
**-ir:** t, d, f, or v  
**-or:** p, b, th, tzh, r, or w  
**-ur:** k or g  
**Female names:** Thladiran female names always have the suffix -li attached to the root.  
**Verbs**  
**Conjugation:** Thladiranu verbs have only two conjugations; completed actions (past tense) and incomplete actions (present and future tenses). In this way, it is much like the Human Japanese language. Thladiranu verbs are not conjugated according the subject(s) performing the action, as with most European Human languages.  
**Present Tense:**  
-e - The suffix 'e' attached to a root denotes the incomplete-tense verb form, and is also used as the 'infinitive' form of the verb.  
**Past Tense:**  
-a - The Suffix 'a' attached to a root denotes the complete-tense form of a verb.  
**Subjects:** In all cases the subject performing an action immediately precedes the verb. For example:"Soler auwre shafu Domar otha." translates as "Soler (is) speaking (while thinking) about Domar (having) fought."  
**Numbers**  
Numbering in Thladiranu is fairly straightforward. Thladirans use a base-ten mathematical system (just like humans).   
**Cardinal Numbers:** Cardinal numbers are counting numbers; one, two, three, etc.; exist as word-roots, without any type of word-ending suffix.  
yai - zero  
yíp - one  
ér - two  
arp - three  
saif - four  
bak - five  
pog - six  
ruchét - seven  
hók - eight  
noi - nine  
rúf - ten  
**Ordinal Numbers:** Ordinal numbers are adjectives of a sort; first, second, third, etc.; are the corresponding word-root with the adjectival suffix, -u, added on. The adjectival form is also used as an adjective to describe multiple times of an amount or other noun.  
yaiyu - none  
yípu - first/single/solitary/alone  
éru - second/double  
arpu - third/triple  
saifu - fourth/quadruple/quad  
baku - fifth/quintuple  
pogu - sixth/sextuple  
ruchétu - seventh/septuple  
hóku - eighth/octuple  
noiyu - ninth/nontuple  
rúfu - tenth  
In order to form 11 through 19, the word for ten, "rúf", is compounded with the word for each other number; "rúfyíp" for eleven, "rúfér" for twelve, and so on. The adjectival form is also used in constructing larger, complex numbers. Twenty is "érurúf"; literally "double ten"; thirty is arpurúf; "triple ten"; and so on. Numbers within each set of ten, are formed in the same manner as 11 through 19. Twenty one would be "érurúfyíp", twentytwo "érurúfér", and so on.  
**Other numeric idioms:** The nominal form of each number is used as a word for a set of each amount. Some of these set-amounts correspond to idioms used in English, and other human languages.  
yaiyan - nothing, nothingness  
yípan - the one (used as a pronoun, as in "I wanted the one over there.")  
éran - both, a couple, a pair, a duo, twins  
arpan - a thrice (a set of three is a common unit of organization/grouping/goods in Thladiran culture. It corresponds roughly to how a "half-dozen" is used). Also means triplets, in context.  
bakan - a handful/pawful, a few (an indeterminate amount that is more than a thrice, but less than a set of nine).  
noiyan - a set of nine (in Thladiran culture, a set of nine is used in the same way a "dozen" is a common unit of organization/grouping/goods).  
**Multiplication:** The verb form of the first five numbers can be used to indicate the action of multiplying by a given amount. For multiplying by larger amounts, the verb "jate" is used with the prepostion "atu" and the number being multiplied by. The first five multiplying amounts, are only used in a colloquial manner. In a formal, mathematical context, "jate" and "atu" are always used when multiplying by any number. "Saif jate atu arp," would mean "four multiply by three".  
yípe - to make single, to make solitary, to make something alone  
ére - to double  
arpe - to triple  
saife - to quadruple  
bake - to quintuple  
**Fractions:** The adjectival form of a number is compounded with the noun "haifan"; partition/division to indicate the denominator, or number of pieces of the whole. So, "arp saifuhaifan" is three-fourths; literally, "three quad-partitions".  
**Division:** Similar to multiplication, the verb "haife" and the preposition "atu" are used for mathematical equations. "Rúfér haife atu arp," would mean "twelve divide by three."

**_Glossary_**  
arp - numeric 1). three  
arpan - noun 1). a thrice. (A set of three is a common unit of organization, grouping, and goods in Thladiran culture. It corresponds roughly to how a 'half-dozen' is used in English). 2). triplets  
arpe - verb 1). to triple  
arpu - adj. 1). third, 2). triple  
atu - prep. 1). by, 2). by means of, 3). mathematical: jate atu multiply by, 4). mathematical: haife atu divide by  
auwran - noun 1). howling, 2). song, 3). speech, 4). voice  
auwre - verb 1). to howl, 2). to speak 3). to talk  
bak - numeric 1). five  
bakan - noun 1). a set of five, 2). a handful/pawful, 3). a few (Any indeterminate amount between that is more than an arpan but less than a noiyan). 3). quintuplets  
bake - verb 1). to quintuple  
baku - adj. 1). fifth, 2). quintuple  
bosan - noun 1). fish  
brekmran - noun 1). first-born son  
deidran - noun 1). sadness, 2). sorrow, 3). melancholy  
deidru - adj. 1). sad, 2). sorrowful, 3). melancholy  
draknan - noun 1). darkness, 2). The Darkness, 3). Hell.  
draknu - noun 1). dark (as in sinister, not absence of light), 2). scary, 3). evil, 4). malevolent  
entan - noun 1). an Ent, 2) tree, 3). wood(s), 4). forest  
entu - adj. 1). wooden, 2). made of wood  
ér - numeric 1). two  
éran - noun 1). both, 2). a couple, 3). a pair, 4). a duo, 5). twins  
ére - verb 1). to double  
éru - adj. 1). second, 2). double  
freyan - noun 1). snow  
freylan - noun 1). first-born daughter, 2). heir  
haifan - noun 1). partition, 2). division, 3). piece, 4). mathematical: -fraction  
haife - verb 1). to part, 2). to divide, 3). mathematical: haife atu to divide by  
haldan - noun 1). bird 2). a Hallud  
hemlan - noun 1). aunt, 2). sister (used for adults)  
hók - numeric 1). eight  
hóku - adj. 1). eighth, 2). octuple  
janlan - noun 1). grandmother  
jate - verb 1). multiply; jate atu... multiply by...  
jeyu - adj. 1). blue  
jísélan - noun 1). gold  
jísélu - adj. 1). golden (color), 2). made of gold (metal)  
kliopu - adj. 1). famous  
kothnan - noun 1). grandfather  
kordan - noun 1). heart, 2). compassion, 3). soul  
kristan - noun 1). virgin, 2). maiden  
kristu - noun 1). virginal, 2). pure, 3). chaste  
leran - noun 1). sea, 2). ocean, 3). any large body of salt water  
leritalan - noun 1). pirate  
leru - adj. 1). of the sea, 2). oceanic; leru bosan - saltwater fish  
línan - noun 1). freshwater spring, 2). a pool of freshwater  
línu - adj. 1). of freshwater; línu bosan - freshwater fish  
methran - noun 1). uncle, 2). brother (used for adults)  
nelkran - noun 1). younger son, 2). son, 3). brother (used for children)  
noi - numeric 1). nine  
noiyan - noun 1). a set of nine (A set of nine is a common unit of organization, grouping, and goods in Thladiran culture. It corresponds roughly to how a 'dozen' is used in English.  
noiyu - adj. 1). ninth, 2). nontuple  
noran  - noun 1). honor  
noru - adj. 1). honorable  
orénu - adj. 1). white  
othan - noun 1). fighting, 2). martial art  
othe - verb 1). to fight, 2). to make war, 3). to attack  
peman - noun 1). stone, 2). rock, 3). boulder  
pemu - adj. 1). made of stone, 2). made of rock  
pog - numeric 1). six  
pogu - adj. 1). sixth, 2). sextuple  
ressan - noun 1). knife, 2). dagger, 3). blade  
resse - noun 1). to stab, 2). to knife  
ritalan - noun 1). a rogue, 2). a swashbuckler, 3). a charismatic criminal  
ritalu - adj. 1). charismatic 2). rogue-ish, 3). dashing  
ruchét - numeric 1). seven  
ruchétu - adj. 1). seventh, 2). septuple  
rúf - numeric 1). ten  
rúfu - adj. 1). tenth  
saif - numeric 1). four  
saife - verb 1). to quadruple  
saifu - adj. 1). fourth, 2). quadruple  
sailan - noun 1). bravery, 2). courage  
sailu - adj. 1). brave, 2). courageous  
shafan - noun 1). thought, 2). idea.  
shafe - verb 1). to think (about), 2). to ponder (over)  
shafelan - noun 1). younger daughter, 2). daughter, 3). sister (used for children)  
shafu - prep. 1). about, 2). concerning, 3). (think) over. Used whenever a subject is performing a verb where the subject is expressing or formulating a thought.  
simban - noun 1). dawn  
solu - adj. 1). tall, 2). long, 3). lanky  
Thladiran - noun 1). a child of Thladir, 2). a member of the Thladiran race, 3). a person, 4). a sentient being  
Thladiranu Auwran - noun 1). The Thladiran language. Literally 'The Song of the Thladirans' commonly shortened to just 'Thladiranu'.  
thladran - noun 1). father  
vamlan - noun 1). mother  
yai - numeric 1). zero  
yaiyan - noun 1). nothing, 2). nothingness  
yaiyu - adj. 1). none  
yíp - numeric 1). one  
yípan - noun 1). the one (pronoun)  
yípe - verb 1). to make single, 2). to make solitary, 3). to make something alone  
yípu - adj. 1). first, 2). single, 3). solitary, 4). alone  
zerzhan - noun 1). royalty, 2). (a) royal  
zerzhu - adj. 1). royal, 2). regal

**_Name Glossary_**  
Auwror/Auwli  - Howler, singer, talker  
Deidror/Deidruli - one who is sad, one who is sorrowful, one who is melancholy  
Derohar/Derohli -   
Domenar/Domenli -   
Éntir/Éntli - person of wood, tree-like (a complement to Thladirans)  
Freyar/Freyuli - snowy one/snow furred, of the goddess, Freyuli  
Haldir/Haldli - one who soars, bird-like  
Hémar/Hémli - of the forest, hunter, of the goddess, Hémli  
Jeyar/Jeyuli - of the color blue  
Jíséler/Jíséli - golden one  
Kliopor/Kliopli - famous one  
Kordir/Kordli - one with compassion  
Kresher/Kreshli -  
Kristir/Kristli - virgin, chaste one  
Línar/Línli - one of the freshwater, one from a spring  
Methor/Methali - of the forge, of the god, Methor  
Noror/Norli - honorable one  
Othor/Othli - fighter/warrior  
Orénar/Orénli - white one/white furred  
Pemar/Pemli - person of stone, stoic person  
Ritaler/Ritali - dashing, rogue-ish  
Sailer/Saili - brave, courageous  
Sheror/Sherli -  
Simbor/Simbli - of the dawn, of the demigod, Simbor; cup-bearer of the god, Thladir  
Soler/Soli - tall one  
Volstir/Volstli -  
Zerzher/Zerzhli - royal one, regal one

Thladirans have several names; their clan name, their surname (or packname), and their given name. In Thladiran culture, the group is of more importance than the individual, so names are always given in that order; clan name first, packname second, and given name last. Clan names and packnames are almost always the adjectival form of a word. Most often, they are the adjectival form of an ancestor's given name. So, the name "Hémlu Soleru Sailer" would be Sailer, of Soler's pack, of Hemli's clan. Adjectival forms of place names and regular adjectives are also used as clan names and packnames, but less so often. Very rarely are word roots or nouns used as surnames.

Just as with English, names can be passed down through several generations, especially among nobility. For names that incorporate a number, like Richard III, in Thladiranu, the adjectival of the number comes before the clan name. So, for a Thladiran prince named Orénar X, in Thladiranu, his name would be Rúfu Orénaru Orénaru Orénar (The tenth Orénar, of Orénar's pack, of Orénar's clan).

Source: https://sofurry.com/view/711403