Taurahe

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

Taurahe/Lexicon

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.



There is no official way to transliterate the language, and a many enduring transliterations use a non-standard method. For example, the Bloodhoof were first interpreted as pronouncing the word for spirit-biter as "washte pawne." It would instead be more appropriate to write "Waste Paane", as the "aw" diphthong doesn't exist in Taurahe, and most speakers say "st" rather than "sht" (or "shn", which is uniquely Bloodhoof). This page uses a standardized system, which results in many familiar words being written differently, and more accurately.


 * Ishamuhale = Aeesamuhale
 * Lar'korwi = Lara Køwee
 * Mazzranache = Masara Natse
 * Mojache = Motsatse

Orthography
Taurahe uses a basic CV (consonant-vowel) syllable form. Syllables contain exactly one vowel, and one consonant, although no consonant is required at the beginning of an utterance. The majority of words are CVCV, often compounded to form CVCVCVCV. Consonants are Y, W, R, T, D, S, Ts, St, L, N, P, F, M, K, and H. Vowels are A, E, O, and Ø.

Examples

 * o - it
 * stø - eight
 * kee - smile
 * tsee - you


 * pooka - love
 * teekee - hoof
 * peso - ear
 * sooha - two


 * dooletakee - weapon (fight-tool)
 * rawasoyo - reason (because-thing)

Consonants
Ceremonial Taurahe has a limited phonetic register.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! ! Lips ! Tongue ! Throat ! Plosive ! Nasal ! Fricative ! Approximant
 * p
 * t d
 * k
 * m
 * n
 * f
 * s
 * h
 * l r  y
 * w
 * }
 * }

The Bloodhoof Taurahe dialect shares the phonemes of Ceremonial Taurahe, but also has the following additional ones.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! ! Lips ! Tongue ! Throat ! Plosive ! Nasal ! Fricative ! Approximant
 * k
 * k
 * k
 * h
 * h
 * h
 * }
 * }
 * }
 * }

Grimtotem Taurahe is characterized by intervocalic voicing, and adds the following phonemes to the Ceremonial register.
 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! ! Lips ! Tongue ! Throat ! Plosive ! Nasal ! Fricative ! Approximant
 * n
 * n
 * n
 * f
 * s
 * h
 * }
 * }
 * }
 * }

Vowels
There are five vowels, and an additional three high vowels in the Bloodhoof dialect. Additionally, all vowels can be labially nasalized, such as [ẽʷ]. This is marked as an m after the labially nasalized vowels.
 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! ! Front ! Back ! Close ! Mid ! Open
 * ee [i] øø [y]
 * oo [ɯ]
 * e [e] ø [ø]
 * o [ɤ]
 * a [a]
 * a [ɑ]
 * }


 * {| class="wikitable"

!Taurahe !Ceremonial !Bloodhoof !Grimtotem
 * hee
 * [heː]
 * [çi]
 * [ɣeː]
 * tøme
 * [tømeː]
 * [tømi]
 * [tømeː]
 * stemde
 * [stẽʷde]
 * [ʃtẽʷdei]
 * [stẽnde]
 * teekee
 * [teːkeː]
 * [θici]
 * [teːgeː]
 * kaamko
 * [qɑ̃ʷːqɤ]
 * [qɑ̃ʷːqɤɯ]
 * [qɑ̃ːɴɢɤ]
 * hahem
 * [hahẽʷ]
 * [haheĩʷ]
 * [ɣaɣẽm]
 * }
 * hahem
 * [hahẽʷ]
 * [haheĩʷ]
 * [ɣaɣẽm]
 * }
 * }

=Grammar=

Noun Phrases
Noun phrases are composed of at least three pieces of information: the gender, thematic role, (any adjectives,) and finally the noun itself. The first word of any noun phrase is a compound word that identifies the gender and role.

Genders

 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Tag !Meaning !Example !Gloss
 * lø-
 * persons, animals, living creatures
 * løyo soo, løyo feefaa, løyo mada
 * child, creature, female
 * ko-
 * plants, ores, trees, resources
 * koyo tøø, koyo motsa, koyo daala
 * soil, tree, gold
 * o-
 * objects, buildings, tools, food
 * oyo statse, oyo koode
 * basket, shield
 * stee-
 * mythology and religion, magic, fire, intangible ideas
 * steeyo amsee, steeyo moosa, steeyo halo, steeyo foko
 * sun, moon, Earthmother, bravery
 * ha-
 * air, clouds, spirits, weather
 * hayo mapa, hayo hahe, hayo tømee, hayo yakee
 * cloud, breath, rainstorm, mist
 * am-
 * body parts
 * amyo kompa, amyo tsapø, amyo tefoo
 * hand, heart, eye
 * tsoo-
 * locations
 * tsooyo tøstø, tsooyo wara, tsooyo moogøø
 * valley, plains, Mulgore
 * maa-
 * actions
 * maayo kese, maayo pamsta, maayo søsee
 * rest, jump, fall
 * }
 * tsooyo tøstø, tsooyo wara, tsooyo moogøø
 * valley, plains, Mulgore
 * maa-
 * actions
 * maayo kese, maayo pamsta, maayo søsee
 * rest, jump, fall
 * }
 * }

Thematic roles
The second half of the compound determines the thematic role of the noun. Most commonly are -yo and -soo, respectively referring to the agent and patient of the verb.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Løyo
 * taloo
 * te
 * føyee,
 * yo
 * lø
 * emke
 * nomke
 * løsoom
 * madam
 * soom.
 * it.AGT
 * mother
 * PRS
 * want
 * AGT
 * it
 * REL
 * find
 * it.PAT.pl
 * REFERENT-AGT.pl
 * child.pl
 * colspan="11"|The mother wants to find her children.
 * }
 * colspan="11"|The mother wants to find her children.
 * }


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Løyo
 * masaranatse
 * løsoo
 * resoo
 * feetee
 * fø
 * sekoo.
 * it.AGT
 * Mazzranache
 * it.PAT
 * gentle
 * hunter
 * REM
 * chase
 * colspan=7| Mazzranache chased the gentle hunter.
 * }
 * colspan=7| Mazzranache chased the gentle hunter.
 * }

Location and Motion
Additionally, there are three locative tags, corresponding to inside, outside, and touching surface. There are also three motion tags, describing motion towards, away from, and along. These combine to form twelve basic tags describing location and motion.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! !Inside !Outside !Surface !no motion !towards !from !past
 * -daa (inside)
 * -foo (outside)
 * -ka (on)
 * -daamoom (into)
 * -foomoom (towards)
 * -kamoom (onto)
 * -daayøø (from)
 * -fooyøø (out of)
 * -kayøø (off of)
 * -daatoo (through)
 * -footoo (past)
 * -katoo (along)
 * }


 * {| class="wikitable"


 * Hayo
 * po
 * amkamoom
 * noo
 * soopo
 * na
 * tsee.
 * it.AGT
 * wind
 * it.onto
 * REFERENT-POS
 * back
 * POS
 * you
 * colspan=7|May the wind be at your back.
 * }
 * colspan=7|May the wind be at your back.
 * }

Pronomial Phrases
Class tags can stand on their own, acting as the English word he, she, it, or they, if they are preceded by the appropriate case tag. The two words ana and tsee are also used in this way.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Løyo
 * doole
 * løsoom
 * kaakam
 * te
 * feetee.
 * Yo
 * lø
 * soom
 * løm
 * meeke
 * de
 * maamaam.
 * it.AGT
 * warrior
 * it.PAT.PL
 * strider.PL
 * PRS
 * hunt.
 * AGT
 * it
 * PAT.PL
 * it.PL
 * REL
 * then
 * eat.
 * colspan=13|The warrior hunts the striders. He then eats them.
 * }
 * colspan=13|The warrior hunts the striders. He then eats them.
 * }


 * {|class="wikitable"


 * Steeyo
 * kømkemoosa
 * ya
 * pawene
 * stemde
 * soo
 * ana.
 * it.AGT
 * great.moon
 * HAB
 * always
 * wake
 * it.PAT
 * I.
 * colspan=7|The full moon always wakes me up.
 * }
 * colspan=7|The full moon always wakes me up.
 * }

Verb Phrases
Verb phrases consist of at least two words of information, the first describes the tense, and the second is the content verb. There are six tenses, plus a relative tense whose meaning varies in different contexts.


 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!colspan=2|Past !colspan=2|Present !colspan=3|Future !rowspan=2|Relative !Remote !Recent !Immediate !Gnomic/ Habitual !Near !Remote !Predictive
 * fø
 * pa
 * te
 * ya
 * tede
 * tsøla
 * kowa
 * emke
 * }
 * }

Valency
Verbs may have 0, 1, or 2 arguments.

Avalent verbs have 0 arguments, and can stand alone as sentences.
 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Te
 * kahee.
 * PRS
 * snow
 * colspan="2"|It is snowing.
 * }
 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"
 * }
 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Fø
 * søøsa.
 * REM
 * quiet
 * colspan=2|It was quiet.
 * }
 * colspan=2|It was quiet.
 * }

Monovalent verbs take either an agent or a patient, depending on the volition of the subject. Because no action is required on part of the subject, "I am sleeping." takes a patient (a -soo noun), whereas "I am walking." takes an agent (a -yo noun). Some verbs will take either, depending on meaning: "I ate." versus "The apple was eaten."


 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Soo
 * lø
 * te
 * tsootsa.
 * PAT
 * it
 * PRS
 * sleep.
 * colspan=4|He is sleeping.
 * }
 * colspan=4|He is sleeping.
 * }


 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"


 * Yo
 * lø
 * te
 * maamaa.
 * AGT
 * it
 * PRS
 * eat
 * colspan=4|He is eating.
 * }
 * colspan=4|He is eating.
 * }


 * {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"

ø
 * Kosoo
 * rootsee
 * te
 * maamaa.
 * it.PAT
 * meat
 * PRS
 * eat
 * colspan=4|The meat is eaten.
 * }
 * colspan=4|The meat is eaten.
 * }