Embolalian language
Embolalian (Y Gymra) is a language spoken almost exclusively in Embolalia and the Embolalian Archipelago. The language is known to be at least 2,000 years old, and is not known to be related to any other languages. However, there are noted similarities between Embolalian and Welsh and other Celtic languages. It is unknown if the languages are anthropologically related. As such, Embolalian is usually considered to be in its own linguistic class.
History[edit | edit source]
Like much of Embolalian history, the exact origins of the Embolalian language are largely unknown. Civilization in Embolalia has been traced to approximately 27 A.D.. However, records written around 270 A.D. have been uncovered, written in the Embolalian language, which suggest that Embolalian culture may date back to around 1840 B.C. It is unknown whether the Embolalian language was spoken at that time.
Embolalian was the only known language at the time of the first known European arrival in 1643. Under British colonial rule, use of the Embolalian language was forbidden in public. When the Commonwealth of Embolalia was formed in 1813, this restriction was lifted. However, Embolalian did not become an official language until the formation of the United Commonwealth of Embolalia in 1882.
Orthography[edit | edit source]
The Embolalian language originally had an alphabet system. Upon European colonization, it was Romanized. The current system was modeled by the colonizers on that used in modern Welsh. The modern language uses 28 "letters", where combined letters like dd and ll are counted as one:
- a, b, c, ch, d, dd, e, f, ff, g, ng, h, i, l, ll, m, n, o, p, ph, r, rh, s, t, th, u, w, y
Older writings will occasionally use other letters in borrowed words like kilogram, though this is now mostly considered incorrect.
Consonants are mostly pronounced as an English speaker would expect. There are some exceptions. 'dd' is pronounced much like 'th' in the English "that". 'ff' is like in "find", where 'f' is similar to the 'v' in "vat". 'r' is voiced, as in "rat", while 'rh' is usually (but not always) unvoiced. 'll' is not present in English, but is similar to its Welsh counterpart. An English speaker can approximate it by forming an 'l' with the tongue, while blowing out as in an 'h'.
Vowels are also mostly similar. They can be either short or long.
- 'a' as in "cat"
- 'â' as in "father"
- 'e' as in "bed"
- 'ê' is close to "hey"
- 'i' as in "bit" or as consonant in "yes"
- 'î' as in "machine"
- 'o' as in RP "bog"
- 'ô' as in Scottish "stove"
- 'u' as in "bit" (though i is preferred)
- 'û' like German 'ü'; Make a 'u' with your mouth, and then an 'e' sound.
- 'y' as in "bit"
- 'ŷ' as in "machine"
Diacritics, as used above, are common in older writing. The circumflex is used to denote a long vowel. An acute accent is used to denote an emphasized syllable when it is not on the second to last syllable. Recently, there has been a movement to bring back diacritics, especially in formal writing. However, they are not common in most modern and informal writing, and length and emphasis must be assumed.
Grammar[edit | edit source]
The usual Embolalian word order is Verb–Subject–Object. In addition to a verb and a subject, Welsh typically organizes additional information as follows:
* Preverbal particle * Verb * Subject * Direct object * Adverbials