Classical Beltonian

Classical Beltonian (Bηmıusıδωαðη, Beminsidwade) or Imperial Beltonian (Modern Standard Beltonian: Bémesiawri Imperiáus) is the form of the Beltonian language that existed in the period of 900 to 1300 as a spoken dialect and lasted until 1500 in written form.

Classical Beltonian developed from Old Beltonian, primarily influenced by the Omchoke dialect and drawing further influence from Greek and Latin. It was the standard dialect of the government and educated speech in the Beltonian Empire. The period of Classical Beltonian is generally assumed to begin in the century after the rise of the Empire, which saw the standardization of the Beltonian alphabet and a distinct dialect for writing and educated speech. The dialect remained in use for longer in written form, until the rise of printing press and the Beltonian Reformation. Considered a poetic and literary language in Beltonia for many subsequent centuries, Classical Beltonian continued to influence the development of the language, especially Literary Beltonian.

Classical Beltonian is a highly inflected language. In common with the Beltonic languages it has multiple moods, and unlike its predecessors added combined inflections for mood and tense and introduced a form of imperfective aspect. It maintained the case system and gender marking, although the number of genders was reduced from two to three. It maintained a similar consonant inventory to Old Beltonian, adding front rounded vowels.