Dalmatica

Dalmatica Delmeces'k ⰄⰅⰎⰏⰅⰜⰅⰞⰍ
Type	Fusional
Alignment	Nominative-accusative
Head direction	Initial
Tonal	No
Declensions	Yes
Conjugations	Yes
Genders	2
Nouns decline according to...
Case	Number
Definiteness	Gender
Verbs conjugate according to...
Voice	Mood
Person	Number
Tense	Aspect
Meta-information
Progress	50%
Statistics Nouns 50% Verbs 50% Adjectives 50% Adverbs 10% Syntax 20% Words about 220 of 2000
Creator	http://conlang.wikia.com/wiki/User:Basileus74

Context

The language is assumed to be spoken at "present" in an alt-historical setting. Among several other changes, this world has a tech level of about 1850 AD, with several centers of development (not only Europe, but southern and eastern Asia etc), still has Byzantium (the one true "Romania", albeit Greek-speaking) as an existing political reality of a certain geopolitical weight; and several Romance-speaking nations non-existing in our timeline (OTL).

I built it up as mashup of several linguistic influences: a strong Illyrian-Albanian sostrate, Rumanian, Old Dalmatian, even Friulian, with Greek and Slavic-influenced vocabulary. And presumably an Italian adstrate (Venetian, Apulian) related to navigation, trade, law etc.

"Dalmatia" is a two-century old independent polity, with its capital in Yeshpelc (OTL Split), albeit with an important ancestor state centuries before whose legendary doomed struggle for freedom against Constantinople rooted a national conscience. The language itself, profoundly innovative in sound but archaic in many other respects, came from the interior where this earlier kingdom had flourished, superseding and quickly replacing in the XVI-XVIIth centuries of the Christian Era a more Latinate-sounding cousin previously spoken along the coast and in the islands. This was due to intense immigration from the interior, coupled with lively emigration from the coast for trade/settlement elsewhere. Small communities in eastern and southern Italy still speak Old Dalmatian dialects.

The country is mostly Uniate Catholic, with relevant Orthodox presence; the language is indifferently written with the traditional Glagolitic script ("Ayëgrafyë", lit. Holy Writing), massively preferred in the interior, or with a clear Latin transliteration ("Vuarcë", in general parlance: the "orthodox", correct, modern writing) definitely fixed a couple centuries "ago" and in general use in cities.

Classification and Dialects

*Aryan-Italic-NeoLatin-*IllyroLatin

"Aryan" languages are those we'd call Indo-European. *Here* India never was linguistically colonized by IE speakers, remaining broadly divided between Dravidian and Austroasiatic influence. The term "Aryan" *here* has no unsavory political characterization, this world having seen no Nazis. "IllyroLatin" is the definition used by linguists for the dialects that gave birth to the modern language, by contrast with "DacoLatin" for Megavlach (OTL Rumanian) and the dubious, possibly political insertion of Old Dalmatian into the "RhaetoLatin" phylum.

The dialects are noteworthy if not else for their variety. The core area from which the modern language emerged can be broadly defined along the axis of OTL Sarajevo to Podgorica. There are found the most archaic forms of the speech, also showing a more definite Slavic influence. The coastal dialects, in particular in the innumerable islands, still show significant trace of the old and more clearly Latinate Dalmatian language (that in turn ITTL still survives, ironically, as a local dialect in the Kvarner Islands of Merania, OUTSIDE of the Dalmatian republic's borders). Of peculiar relevance is the dialect of the southern metropolis of Rauzyë (Ragusa), strongly influenced by Venetian and Byzantine Greek, and the only one to have gemination of liquids and other phonetically Albanian traits. Obviously ITTL there's no Slavic admixture there: "Dubrovnik" it's a completely unknown placename.

Phonology

Consonants

	Bilabial	Labio-dental	Dental	Alveolar	Post- alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Epiglottal	Glottal
Nasal	m			n		n'
Plosive	p b			t d			k g
Fricative		f v		s z	s'		x			h
Affricate				c [ts]	c' d'
Approximant						y	u [w]
Trill
Flap or tap				r
Lateral fric.
Lateral app.				l		l'
Lateral flap

Vowels

	Front	Near-front	Central	Near-back	Back
High	i				u
Near-high
High-mid					o
Mid			ë [ə]
Low-mid	e [ɛ]
Near-low
Low	a

Writing System

Letter
Sound
Letter
Sound
Letter
Sound

Lexicon

Basic Numbers

1 Vuyën
2 Dvai
3 Tria
4 Tehër
5 Pyenc
6 Hëi
7 Hëp
8 Vuaic
9 Nuaiv
10 Zekë

Swadesh list

No.	English	Dalmatica
1	I	Yav (m.) / Yai (fem.)
2	[javascript:void(0) you (singular)]	Cu (m.) / Ci (fem.) / Zu (familiar and affectionate, used with children and/or love partners)
3	he	Yel (formal, literary), L'i (colloquial), Yeip ("himself")
4	we	Naun (m. dual) / Nani (f. dual); Nieltër (m. plur))/Nieltrë (f.plur.)
5	[javascript:void(0) you (plural)]	Vaun (m., also formal polite address) / Vuai (f.)
6	they	Avën (generic e m.) / Auni (f.)
7	this	Yas't
8	that	Yal
9	here	Fai
10	there	Loi
11	who	Koi
12	what	C'ë, Kauz (southern, dial.)
13	where	Kaimb? (interr.), Yenvoi
14	when	Kven? (interr.), Koin ("as, just as, while, during")
15	how	Kvam? (interr.), Muat (compar.)
16	not	Nai
17	all	Toic'
18	many	S'oir
19	some	Daihë (standard), Myerkë (southern dial.)
20	few	Pevël
21	other	Yeltër
22	one	Vuyën
23	two	Dvai
24	three	Tria
25	four	Tehër
26	five	Pyenc
27	big	Megai
28	long	Luand'
29	wide	Lec
30	thick	Kruas't
31	heavy	Grev
32	small	Perv (standard), Pevël (arch., northern dialectal)
33	short	Yes'koirt (standard), Paicël (northern, dialectal)
34	narrow	Yenvois't
35	thin	Fualë
36	woman	Xen'ë ("female adult"), Davn'ë ("lady")
37	[javascript:void(0) man (adult male)]	Fuan'
38	[javascript:void(0) man (human being)]	Neir
39	child	Fair ("a son"); Bëbëi (an infant, newborn); Benvain (kid)
40	wife	Muayë
41	husband	Haizex, Meraic
42	mother	Merë (standard, formal), Maike (general use), Mamë (familiar)
43	father	Petër (formal, archaic), Ec, Veip (familiar)
44	animal	D'uavën (standard), Kevs'i (southern, dialect.)
45	fish	Pës't
46	bird	Pehër
47	dog	Kein (m.) / Ken'ë (f.)
48	louse	Hir
49	snake	Hyarpën
50	worm	Vyarm
51	tree	Yervër (literary, archaic), D'ërv
52	forest	Hairvë (literary, archaic), S'oimë
53	stick	Lain'
54	fruit	Roic
55	seed	Hemënc
56	leaf	Xilëc
57	root	Raizë (standard, seabord dialects), Kvaryë (mountain dialects)
58	bark	S'kvarcë
59	flower	S'oyër
60	grass	Vyarp
61	rope	Vainkël
62	skin	Kvayër, Pyal ("human skin")
63	meat	Kren (literary, archaic, figurative), Mës'ë (current, colloquial)
64	blood	Yem
65	bone	Vuac
66	fat	Yazëp (noun), Kres't/Yazpau (adj.)
67	egg	Vuap
68	horn	Kvarn
69	tail	Kvad'
70	feather	Pën (bird feather), S'oimë (also "writing pen")
71	hair	Kuamë, Kevëi
72	head	Kauk
73	ear	Vraic'
74	eye	Vuac'
75	nose	N'eh
76	mouth	S'tuoma, Voikë
77	tooth	Daunc
78	tongue	Lainvë (organ), Yes'k (language, colloq.), L'end'ë (arch., literary)
79	fingernail	Vun'ë
80	foot	Pyaiz
81	leg	Nuagë
82	knee	Zënoir
83	hand	Xair
84	wing	Krexë
85	belly	Vryentë (literary, archaic), S'tomax (med.), Penc'ë (colloq.)
86	guts	Boircë, Kvarcë
87	neck	Kaul
88	back	Cerg
89	breast	Pyec'
90	heart	Kerd'
91	liver	Hikuc, Yekar (arch., fig. for "bravery")
92	drink	Ye pëivye
93	eat	Ye membye
94	bite	Ye muardye
95	suck	Ye hois'tye
96	spit	Ye s'poye
97	vomit	Ye (ye)vuamye
98	blow	Ye s'uaye
99	breathe	Ye s'pairye, ye nëvmye
100	laugh	Ye raizye
101	see	Ye vaizye
102	hear	Ye avzye
103	know	Ye n'us'tye
104	think	Ye kus'tye
105	smell	Ye hëncye
106	fear	Ye mëcye
107	sleep	Ye dvarmye
108	live	Ye vaivye
109	die	Ye mauzrye
110	kill	Ye oic'ezye
111	fight	Ye poin'e
112	hunt	Ye vëneye
113	hit	Ye poirs'e
114	cut	Ye kvarcye
115	split	Ye s'aimbye
116	stab	Ye trexic'e
117	scratch	Ye zgarye
118	dig	Ye xoizye
119	swim	Ye naidye
120	fly	Ye s'ucye
121	walk	Ye yanvlacye
122	come	Ye vën'e
123	lie	Ye koicye
124	sit	Ye hëzye
125	stand	Ye kauns'tye
126	turn	Ye cvarn'e
127	fall	Ye kazye
128	give	Ye dvaye
129	hold	Ye can'e (also: "to have, to possess")
130	squeeze	Ye s'trën'e
131	rub	Ye xëgraye
132	wash	Ye s'prëlaye
133	wipe	Ye s'tërye
134	pull	Ye cëraye
135	push	Ye (yem)pois'e
136	throw	Ye yaic'e
137	tie	Ye cen'e, ye leye
138	sew	Ye kavs'e
139	count	Ye kauncye
140	say	Ye zec'e
141	sing	Ye kencye
142	play	Ye yavc'e
143	float	Ye s'oitërye
144	flow	Ye s'oye
145	freeze	Ye yen'ecye
146	swell	Ye yens'ëye
147	sun	Haur (standard), S'uar (dialect., "sunlight" in standard dictionary)
148	moon	Loinë
149	star	Yes'tër (stand.), S'tyarë (north., regional dialectal)
150	water	Yapë
151	rain	Yauvë
152	river	S'oyëm (standard, "major river"), Rai ("stream, creek")
153	lake	Lei
154	sea	Mer(ë)
155	salt	Her
156	stone	Pyairë (standard, general), Hes't ("small stone")
157	sand	Hevyë (also "gravel"), Jernë ("fine sand")
158	dust	Puarvë (stand.), Praxt (colloq.)
159	earth	Permënc ("ground, soil, floor"), Tarë ("planet earth")
160	cloud	N'oivlë
161	fog	N'evyë
162	sky	Cër
163	wind	Vuara (colloq.), Vënc (lit., formal)
164	snow	S'n'ei
165	ice	Yevc
166	smoke	Xoim
167	fire	Xuak
168	ash	Kenaizë
169	burn	Ye voirëye
170	road	Roigë (stand.), Kalë ("lane")
171	mountain	Mal, Pran'ë ("range"), Muainc (arch., poetic)
172	red	Rois't
173	green	Presën (standard), Vjard', Zyenë (dialect.)
174	yellow	Kaitrë
175	white	Levkë (brilliant white), Yerb ("dull" white, also "colorless")
176	black	Nayër
177	night	Nuac'
178	day	Mërë (standard), D'aur (arch,. interior dialects)
179	year	Yen'
180	warm	Kert
181	cold	Raic'
182	full	L'iun
183	new	N'oiv
184	old	Vyec'
185	good	D'avbër, Baun (arch., literary)
186	bad	Kex
187	rotten	Podrëd'
188	dirty	Soic
189	straight	Raic'
190	round	Arcoimb
191	sharp	Akoic
192	dull	Avcoi
193	smooth	L'ën
194	wet	Fumë, Van'ac
195	dry	Hirk, Cer
196	correct	Yois't
197	near	Apruapë
198	far	Diluand'
199	right	Vres'të
200	left	Ares'të
201	at	Ai
202	in	En
203	with	Koin, -ku (clitic)
204	and	Ye, -pë (clitic)
205	if	D'ehi
206	because	Parkei
207	name	Vuan'e (colloq.), Nuam (literary, arch.)

Example texts

Toic' nercër nes'tyen laivrët yekvertpë zë dain'ëcë zëpë draic. Avënhyet c'anen raugos' ye kauns'tyancën ye zëvyen ye hyezye vuyën yeltur n'aumku yezelpi.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Petër nieltrëm fo cëri yas', ayëxyas'tër Nuam Coi. Vën'ec ves'ail'ë Coi. Xaic vuancë Coi haik tari oic cëri. Dvaini haimërë pen'ën nieltrëm vuan'ezyes'ken, yas'koiznipë zëvyëtëz haik yas'koiznom zëvyëtvarz nieltri, nuzazaivinipë taindec'aunën, vaicë yelaivrini ekexi. Hëmb Coi yës't ves'ail'ë, Cuyë pus'të, Cuyë daus'ë, vuan'ayauni. Amën.

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Dalmatica : Lë vuan'i herë pracërën pre fo yervës'ti
• Latin : Illa Claudit semper fenestram antequam cenat.
• Spanish : Ella siempre cierra la ventana antes de cenar.
• Portuguese : Ela Fecha sempre a janela antes de jantar.
• French : Elle ferme toujours la fenêtre avant de dîner/souper.
• Italian : Lei chiude sempre la finestra prima di cenare.
• Romanian : Ea închide totdeauna fereastra înainte de cină.
• Catalan : Ella sempre tanca la finestra abans de sopar.
• English : She always closes the window before dining.