The Shadow Language is an ancient language in use by the
Shadow Empire.
Origin
At the founding of the
Shadow Empire, it was clear a secret language was needed to keep their communication safe. What started as a cipher for the common language, developed into a fully independent language. The language is only taught to the Shadow Agents.
Dictionaries
There are multiple dictionaries available of the shadowian language. All are linked to the master dictionary that is kept in the
Shadow Keep and to the end user. If either of them expire, so does the copy dictionary.
The Master Dictionary is the only dictionary that does not automatically expire when the end user dies. If a
Duke dies or is exiled, the Master Dictionary and all copies will turn into solid stone until a new
Duke is appointed.
Most times, Shadow Agents have to sign in their new dictionary with a
Void Pen, claiming that they will not intentionally share any of the contents, nor will they reproduce the book in any way.
Magical properties
Only the intended user of a dictionary may read its contents. To any other reader, it will look like a normal dictionary of the common language.
The
Duke can send a message to any or all copies through a secret spell. This communication, however, is one-way. It can show a bright symbol of the
Shadow Empire, a message on the cover or both.
Upon detection of someone creating a copy of a Shadow Dictionary, the book is set aflame and a message is sent to the master dictionary describing who was trying to copy it and where.
Common knowledge
While few know about the
Shadow Empire’s existence, even fewer know about the Shadow Language. A feat that is only possible due to the secrecy surrounding the language and the countermeasures of the dictionary.
Language
Natively known as: shadowian /shaˈdowiˌan/
...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
nde ta dvul ḍe ḷo jdon nde umpi ḷo símb ruru jum ríṭ
Pronunciation: /ⁿde ta dvul ɖe ɭo ʤdon ⁿde umˈpi ɭo sɨᵐb ɽuˈɽu ʤum ɽɨʈ/
Shadow Language word order: and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: b d f j k l m n p s t v z ɖ ɣ ɭ ɻ ɽ ʂ ʈ ʐ ʤ ʧ ᵐb ᵑg ⁿd
| ↓Manner/Place→ | Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Palato-alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar |
|---|
| Nasal | m | | n | | | | |
| Stop | p b ᵐb | | t d ⁿd | | ʈ ɖ | | k ᵑg |
| Affricate | | | | ʧ ʤ | | | |
| Fricative | | f v | s z | | ʂ ʐ | | ɣ |
| Approximant | | | | | ɻ | j | |
| Tap | | | | | ɽ | | |
| Lateral approximant | | | l | | ɭ | | |
Vowel inventory: a e i o u ɨ
| Front | Central | Back |
|---|
| High | i | ɨ | u |
| High-mid | e | | o |
| Low | a | | |
Syllable structure: Custom defined
Stress pattern: Second — stress is on the second syllable
Word initial consonants: bl dj dl dv f fj j k kl kv l lj m n nj nt p pl s sn t ts tv v z zj zn ɖ ɣl ɣn ɭ ɻ ɽ ʈ ʈʂ ʤ ʤd ʤj ʧl ᵐb ᵑg ⁿd
Mid-word consonants: b bb bd bl bt bz bʤ d dd dm ds f fd ff fl fp fɣ j jk jn k kd kj ks kt kv kʈ kʧ l lb ld lf lj lk ll lv lz lɣ m md mf mk ml mm mp mv mʤ n nd nf nj nl nm nn ns nʐ p pj pk pm pt s sd sj sk sl ss st sʧ t td tf tj tl tm v vb vd vj vv z zb zj zk zl zm zp zv ɖ ɣ ɣm ɣn ɭ ɭd ɭk ɭɭ ɻ ɻk ɽ ʂ ʂk ʂl ʂn ʈ ʈn ʈʂ ʈʈ ʐ ʐd ʐn ʤ ʤl ʤm ʤt ʧ ʧf ʧl ʧm ᵐb ᵑg ⁿd
Word final consonants: b f l m n p s t v z ɖ ɭ ɽ ʂ ʈ ʐ ʤ ʧ ᵐb ᵑg ⁿd
Spelling rules:
| Pronunciation | Spelling |
|---|
| ⁿd | nd |
| ᵑg | ng |
| ᵐb | mb |
| ɨ | í |
| j | y |
| ɖ | ḍ |
| ɣ | g |
| ɭ | ḷ |
| ɽ | r |
| ʂ | ṣ |
| ʈ | ṭ |
| ʐ | ẓ |
| ʤ | j |
| ʧ | ch |
| ɻ | ŕ |
Grammar
Main word order: Subject Verb Object (Prepositional phrase). “Mary opened the door with a key” turns into
Mary opened the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Nouns
| Singular | No affix
jyes /ʤjes/
dog
|
| Plural | Suffix -on
jyeson /ʤjeˈson/
dogs
|
Articles
| Definite | Indefinite |
|---|
| Singular | fyí /fjɨ/
the
| to /to/
a
|
| Plural | fyi /fji/
the
| ít /ɨt/
some
|
Uses of definite article that differ from English:
- Used for languages: ‘The English’
Pronouns
| 1st singular | dval /dval/
I, me, mine
|
| 2nd singular | ŕu /ɻu/
you, yours
|
| 3rd singular masc | ta /ta/
he, him, his, it, its
|
| 3rd singular fem | ŕa /ɻa/
she, her, hers, it, its
|
| 1st plural | dli /dli/
we, us, ours
|
| 2nd plural | am /am/
you all, yours (pl)
|
| 3rd plural | dlel /dlel/
they, them, theirs
|
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular | dvu /dvu/
my
|
| 2nd singular | ḍa /ɖa/
your
|
| 3rd singular masc | ḷo /ɭo/
his
|
| 3rd singular fem | ḍe /ɖe/
her
|
| 1st plural | mís /mɨs/
our
|
| 2nd plural | ndi /ⁿdi/
your (pl)
|
| 3rd plural | ndej /ⁿdeʤ/
their
|
Verbs
| Future |
|---|
| 1st person | Suffix -os
yuos /juˈos/
(I/we) will learn
|
| 2nd person | Suffix -a
yua /juˈa/
(you/you all) will learn
|
| 3rd person | If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʤ
Else: Suffix -aʤ
yuj /juʤ/
(he/she/it/they) will learn
|
Shadow Language uses a standalone particle word for past tense:
| Past | Particle before the verb: ta -
ta yu /ta ju/
learned
|
Imperfective aspect
The ‘imperfective’ aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as
I am learning and habitual actions, such as
I learn (something new every day).
Shadow Language uses a standalone particle word for imperfective:
| Imperfective | Particle before the verb: ʧlɨ -
chlí yu /ʧlɨ ju/
learns/is learning
|
Numbers
Shadow Language has a base-20 number system:
1 -
ru
2 -
fyu
3 -
vi
4 -
ḷun
5 -
ḷí
6 -
i
7 -
koṭ
8 -
jokta
9 -
ri
10 -
fonda
11 -
fum
12 -
jezyoṣ
13 -
ndasyap
14 -
maŕo
15 -
noṭṭiv
16 -
ḷon
17 -
íska
18 -
luḷ
19 -
yalfe
20 -
dvir
21 -
ru nde dvir “one and twenty”
400 -
ru jyí “one fourhundred”
401 -
ru jyí ru “one fourhundred one”
800 -
fyu jyí “two fourhundred”
8000 -
ru ḍí “one eightthousand”
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = Suffix -u
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -s
Else: Suffix -as
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -am
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -on
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -eʤ
Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʂ
Else: Suffix -oʂ
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -az
Tending to = Suffix -ɨf
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -ov
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n
Else: Suffix -on
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -p
Else: Suffix -op
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n
Else: Suffix -en
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -t
Else: Suffix -at
Augmentative = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʐ
Else: Suffix -oʐ
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