Fylosan

Classification and Dialects
Fylosan is descended from Old Fylosan through Middle Fylosan. It is a member of the Fylosic branch of the Ngrial-Fylosic language family.

As a native language, Fylosan is spoken primarily by mountain and river dragons living in or around the Fylosan Mountain Range.

Phonology
Stress is volume-based and determined by the panultimate syllable.

Phonotactics
(C)(C)V(C)

Onsets: t, d, p, b, k, g, f,v, s, z, l, m, n, r, y, kr, tr, gr, w, tw, dw, pw, bw, kw, fw, sw, zw, mw, nw

Diphthongs: ua, ia

Codas: n, m, l, r, t ,d, p, b, k, g, f, v, s, z, l, m, n, r

Writing System
Fylosan was the first language in its area with a written form. In its early days, it developed logographs that were typically carved into stone or wood. Later, the literate population of dragons dwindled to nothing during the Fylsan Empire's internal collapse, but the written system was passed to a nearby human population (Tunisans) and adapted.

Text reads vertically, left to right.

On this wiki, the language has been romanized for convenience.

Syntax
VSO

PP-AdvP-V-Neg

D-N-Adj-Adv-PP

Accusative-case object comes before dative-case object.

Genitive-case NPs follow other NPs.

Verbs
Verbs inflect for two tenses and three persons. Modal verbs are used, but even when they're present, there may only be one verb per clause. (See "Modals.")

Modals
Modal verbs inflect like any other verb. When present, they force any other verb to become a noun with noun-class-2 suffix -(m)eir. (See "Predictable Derivations" for more information.) They force nouns from these other verbs to take the genitive case, attached to the sentence's subject.

V->N
-ma: forms the gerund for activities (class 3 suffix).

-byo: forms the gerund for experiences (class 3 suffix).

-(m)er: forms the gerund used with modals (class 2 suffix). The m is present if the verb base ends with a vowel.

-le: "one that Verbs" (class 1 suffix).

-(a)ria: "the method of Verbing/how to Verb" (class 2 suffix). The a is present if the verb base ends with a consonant.

V->A
-fya: forms an adjective with positive connotations (class 2 suffix).

-sor: forms an adjective with neutral connotations (class 3 suffix).

-ye: forms an adjective with negative connotations (class 4 suffix).

Nouns
Nouns are divided into three classes. They inflect for three cases and two numbers.

N->V
Zero derivation.

N->A
Class 1 nouns become class 1 adjectives through zero derivation.

Class 2 nouns become class 2 adjectives through zero derivation.

Class 3 nouns become class 3 adjectives through zero derivation.

Class 4 nouns become class 4 adjectives through zero derivation.

-biba: forms an adjective with positive connotations out of a class 5 noun (class 1 suffix).

-kya: forms an adjective with neutral connotations out of a class 5 noun (class 4 suffix).

-grol: forms an adjective with negative connotations out of a class 5 noun (class 2 suffix).

Verbs
Grin - to eat

Rema (modal) - to be obligated to occur

Nouns
Ka (class 2) - fish

Rizal (class 2) - human

Example text
Grindi boyergo kave. Boyer eats fish.

Grin boyergo kale. Boyer ate a fish.

Remadi boyergo grinerim rizalem. Boyer must eat a human.