Taurahe

Taurahe is the language spoken by the Tauren from the Warcraft universe.

Alphabet
There are 16 letters in the Taurahe alphabet. The alphabet is extremely seldom used except by those few Tauren who choose to learn it. Very few do choose to learn to write since it is cumbersome to carry many writing tools around while being nomadic, and that most others can't read or write, so it serves little purpose to be literate in an almost unused script.



Transliteration
The alphabet is transliterated into English as follows. Note the variation:

A Y/E/EE/I W/O/U R/Œ T D S/Sh Ch/Ts/Tsh St/Sht/Shn L N P F M K H

There are many ways to transliterate the language, mostly dependent on the writer but also on the speaker. For example, the Bloodhoof were first interpreted as pronouncing the word for white-mist as "echeyakee". "Aichiyaki" would also be appropriate. However, a Grimtotem saying the same word might seem to be saying "Aitsiyaki". Transliteration is a matter of speaker, listener, and preference.

Orthography
Taurahe uses a basic CV (consonant-vowel) syllable form. Every syllable contains exactly one vowel, and one consonant. The majority of words are CVCV, often compounded to form CVCVCVCV. Consonants are A, Y, W, R, T, D, S*, Tsh*, St*, L, N, P, F, M, K, and H. The letter A as a consonant is silent. Vowels are A (pronounced this time), E*, O*, and Œ.

* or equivalent.

Examples

 * ao - it
 * stœ - eight
 * ke - smile
 * tshe - you


 * poka - love
 * teke - hoof
 * peso - ear
 * soha - two


 * kodokoro - kodo-riding
 * doletake - weapon (fight-tool)
 * rawasoyo - reason (because-thing)

Phonology
These are the technical symbols for standard Bloodhoof Taurahe. Other tribes speak slightly differently, but would be able to understand and be understood.

Vowels
The five vowels are fairly fluid in their pronunciation.