Shalvì

The Shalvì skearté, or just Shalvì, a dialect of the Skearté language, is spoken by around five million people scattered around the vast forests of the central plain (Félibat) of the Dh älkfé, the Empire, and is used in all the other provinces of the Empire as the official language.

Consonants
Consonants do not geminate, but some of them may be "lenghthened" as explained below.

Clusters of up to three consonants are allowed, but of only two word-initially and one word-finally.

Sound /z/ is written s when it does not separate two vowels. Sound /s/ between two vowels is written ss.

Vowels
Vowels æ,  ø and y can only follow, and not precede, vowels a, o, u, in the same word. If a suffix containing a, o, u is added to a word containing  æ,  ø or y, these are reduced to  ə, and are written, respectively, ì, é, à. For instance, paskyk /pa'sky:k/ + -ur = paskàskur /pask ə'sku:r/.

Allowed diphthongs are: /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /eu/, /oi/, /ui/

Though usually stressed vowels are long(er), e, i, and u can be long elsewhere. Thus, /e:/, /i:/, and /u:/ are written ay, ey, éy.

Phonotactics
The main stress in every word falls on the last syllable if the word ends with consonant or with accented a, e, i (à, é, ì), or on the penultimate syllable if the word ends with unstressed a, i or u. Words can start with up to two consonants, the possibilities beign b/d/dh/f/g/k/p/t/th/v + r, b/f/g/k/p/s + l, s + b/f/k/p/t/v, th + t, dh + v. They can end with a vowel or one consonant (with the exception of pronouns), the consonants being d, f, k, n, r, s, t. When a suffix (beginning with vowel) is attached these become, respectively, dr, ft, sk, nd, rd, sk, tk.

Nouns
Nouns are declined according to number (singular, plural), and case (there are six of them).

(1) Nouns ending with consonant

(Rassik, fire)

Suffixes are added after lenghthening the consonant:  d, f, k, n, r, s, t, become, respectively, dr, ft, sk, nd, rd, sk, tk.



<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(2) Nouns ending with in -é

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(Eyflé, water) <p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">  <span style="font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;">(3) Nouns ending with -ì

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">(Raftì, sea)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(4) Nouns with stress on the penultimate syllable

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">(Dhiva, heart) <p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">The principal prepositions are the following. They are used followed by the noun declined in the case indicated. (nominative = 1, genitive = 2 and so on). Some, like ai (of), which heve the same function as a case (here, genitive), can clearly be omitted or used for emphasis.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">ai (of) + 2

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">dés (with) + 6

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">tad (in/at/to) + 3/4 (dative if going to or locative if in/at some place)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">léyk (out of, from) + 3

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">fayr (by, in passives) + 3

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">oak/lak/doné (inside) + 4 (3 if going inside)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">okat (below); akas (above) + 3/4 (it depends, as in tad above, and the same is for the prepositions below)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">nomià (in front of); fulià (behind) + 3/4

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">ikon (next to); plas (far from) + 3/4

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">erì (for) + 5

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">erì/dukén (during) + 4

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">gazéyd (against) + 3/5

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<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">(5) The determinate article.

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">It is declined like nouns and it precedes them. Any of the alternative forms can be used at any time, but there are regional variations. <p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(6) the indeterminate article.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Nom. Ati

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Gen. Atin

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">Dat. Atkun

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">Loc. Atkan

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Acc. Atin

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Com. Atkés

<p class="Standard">

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<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(7) The personal pronouns

Where it does not generate confusion, personal pronouns can be omitted before the verb, since the information regarding person and number is conveyed by the verb.

As can be seen, the genitive and the accusative are almost identical. Anyway, the accusative pronoun is always used before the verb (Ka aysk tafthak, I love her) while the pronoun in the genitive is always used right after the nouns it refers to, having the same function as a possessive adjective (Jok noma kansk, Our house).

To express detachment/formality people are addressed with the use of pronouns <span style="font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;font-size:12pt;">Shä and Ra. They are not declined (there's the need for prepositions) and are followed by the third person singular of the verb:  <span style="font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;font-size:12pt;">Jak réyikandan ai Shä odan eriviaskidän, Your (formal) words are very wise.

Verbs
<p class="Standard"> <p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(1) The infinitive

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">There are three forms: -aì, -eì, -öì, corresponding to three different declensions.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(falblaì, jhaveì, faröì) (go, eat, live)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">The infinitive can also be used as a noun and declined. The use of the article is in this case compulsory.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT"> Verb oivaì (to be, irregular) will be presented in brackets before all tables, as here:  (oivaì, jéyk oivaì, kur oivus, kas oivas, kor oivaì, dés oivés) Eys poked skur jhavlad léyk kur jhaveyus, lit. He gets much pleasure from eating

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">(2) Present participle/gerundive

<p class="Standard"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif">All participles in shalvì have both a singular and a plural form

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Falblarok, jhaverok, farérok, singular (ovarok/orok)

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">Falblarak, jhaverak, farérak, plural (ovarak/orak)

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">(3) Past participle.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">falblarö, jhaverö, farörö (ovarö/orö) s.

<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family:"BaskervilleOldFace",serif; mso-ansi-language:IT">falblaräé, jhaveräé, faröräé (ovaräé/oräé) pl.

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard">

<p class="Standard">(4) Past gerundive. It is formed with the present gerundive of oivaì (orok, orak) plus the past participle of the verb.

<p class="Standard"> Orak <span style="font-weight:normal;font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;">jhav <span style="font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;font-weight:normal;">eräé, <span style="font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;font-weight:normal;"> eyn  <span style="font-weight:normal;font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;">falbl <span style="font-weight:normal;font-family:'BaskervilleOldFace',serif;">aräéd kur zalfreyus, Having eaten, they went to sleep

Example text
Jak thtaskà vi mavirì oladran ai Irving olaziretidrì jos Hädver kés spaidhatondìrkrak thragindés dak eyt oidrì palköräé dhalsì.

Hädver tretid kor avethreì jos alkalak jéyk obak, fanfrustak vi marturaton, jus trevalur, eylfarérok akas kur eyskus, mavires vi atkés dukluridän broskés.

Ati félibat ai potkaskaton vi skapserok dhuan odì okat kan halétkas eynsk. Atin aftus jok shikanì féltriad, fövillì kén thtaskà spräkliskén ai eys dak adukì éyd jok glodhärin eytsk, odì jok atì daita plaskarok eyskun.

“Va, viskräé aidak.” Irving arköröd, dés egleyés luktomarok léyk jun potkaskarak dukluskus jéyk dhuan. Iduké dak patirì stiflatkan oidrì elthoraräé, jhakì iduké dak Irving odì elthoratyn jos spaidhatondìrkrak thraskrin dask eys odì avethrerö, sayd kur potéyréyus jos eysk léyk atkun hulked volthadu, kor thvartaì jos gìntaded idhaf jos eysk, dak iduké odì nomià eyskas vi dask eys odì orö haldhraton kor eysk potéyröì iva klérok; rapé, iduké dak jok shiverérok vrök eylfarérok jakan svitriada eyziaskà odì spaidharö jos kléftus eysk erì kor mazarat, Irving eklasthötid jos lithés.