Minotaur Language Notes

Minotaur Language Notes

Summary: Sound based on Gaelic, Welsh and a little Old English. Some Latin-derived words and grammar rules, due to in-universe linguistic interaction with a Latin-speaking power.

Phonology

Vowels: Æ, A, Á, E, É, E, I, O, U, Ú, U

Combined Vowels: Need to work on some.

Consonants: B, C (always hard, C replaces K), D, F, G, H, L, M, N, R, S, V, W

Note: There is no T sound in the language. Instead, Ts are pronounced as Ds, for example "delephone" (telephone), "decdonic" (tectonic) and "didder" (titter).

Combined Consonants:

Ds = Zh
Bh = P
Fh = Th
Ll = glottoral H (as in Welsh)
Se/Si = Shuh/Shee (as in Gaelic)
-ch = pronounced in the back of the throat (as in Gaelic)
Gh = Y
-ice/-ece = C becomes Ch and E is always pronounced (as in Old English)

'/, = Raise or lower ears, which is generally used to dictate the mood of the word. Raised ears often indicate a positive mood, such as happiness or hopefulness, whereas lowered ears may indicate a negative mood, such as anger or fear. This is not a strict rule, as ears can also be used to indicate more neutral moods, such as interest (ears raised) or embarrassment (ears lowered). If both are used (',) it represents an ear flick, which is a sign of flippancy, insincerity, sarcasm or disinterest.

Humans, who generally cannot move their ears, use their hands instead.

! = Snort or stamp hoof/foot, generally used to transform an adjective into a more extreme from, for example bad into terrible, pretty into beautiful or hungry into starving. It may also be used to express a mood, depending on context.


Basic Words and phrases

Hello: Mullen, oril!</i> (Greetings, friend!)
Goodbye: Hece!</i> (Health (to you)!)
Yes: Úr</i>
No: Ser
Please: Mo ca celaring.</i> (I will love you)
Thank you: 'Sla! túring (Thanks a lot! <Lit.: Great gratitude>)
How are you?: ('*)Gwebh hàrach ca nasil? (Are you in good health? <Lit: Question: You are healthy?)
I am well, and you?: Mo nase hàrach, ('*)gwebh gweca? (I am healthy, and you?)
Pardon?/What did you say?: Gwebh ca cuhàn? (Lit.: Question: You spoke?)

*Indicates anxiousness or genuine concern

Grammar

Grammar

Dibh: A definite article, however it does not differentiate between distances as this and that does. Any word that goes without dibh is generally an indefinite article, or else relies on context to differentiate subjects from each other. Most minotaurs will gesture at objects if they’re discussing something that is physically present as an alternative. In most societies, use of the word dibh to refer to another person is considered rude, as it generally refers to objects rather than people.

Gwe-: “And”, it is also attached to words that are linked together to form a list. Gwearling gwearlang (gweh-aarling gweh-aarlahng) would mean “Bull and cow” for example. Gwe is always pronounced separately to the rest of the word. This does not apply to numbers beyond ten, wherein gwe is instead used as it would be in English, between the different values (Hangweghern = Four and ten).

Amongst minotaur populations that have been in close contact with Geni, gwe has started to be used in a similar fashion to the Geni word et and placed separately from nouns and adjectives. As such, the above statement would instead reading arling gwe arlang.

Gwebh: Always placed at the beginning of a sentence. It transforms that sentence into a question. So a sentence that once read “You speak Taurian” (“Tori hàn ca”) now reads as “Can you speak Taurian?” Minotaur populations in close contact with Geni have started to use Geni words (such as quid) to form questions, either alongside or instead of gwebh.

Cases:
Adjective: (Noun)-ha-(Adjective)

Ablative: du-
Genitive: bha-

Tenses:
cu- Past tense
ce- Future tense

Word Order
OVS (Object Verb Subject) or VOS (Verb Object Subject)?

Glossary

Arling/Arlang: Bull/cow, in the same sense as “man/woman”.
Gwebh: Transforms a sentence into a question.
Hàn: To speak
Hàru: Language
Hece: Physical health, vitality.
Fhral: Slave
Laring: Love, affection, close friendship. Generally not romantic or sexual in nature.
Lurl: The world, Earth, Creation.
Rach: General well-being, how one is feeling -- can relate either to general mood or actual state of health.
Ru: So/Thus/And then
Sèn: To migrate, or to travel without intention of return.
Sla: Of great quantity

Ghan - 1
Dan - 2
Bhan - 3
Han - 4
Dsèbh - 5
Ghandsèbh - 6
Dandsèbh - 7
Bhandsèbh - 8
Handsèbh - 9
Ghern - 10
Ghangweghern - 11 (Lit. one and ten)
Dangweghern¬ - 12
Bhangweghern - 13
Dern - 20
Bhern - 30
Hern - 40
Dsern - 50
Ghap - 60
Dap
Bhap
Hap
Dsap
Ghuring - 100
Ghafhring - 1000
Ghing - 10,000 (also used poetically to refer to things beyond counting)

Should minotaur number systems be based on 6s rather than 5s/10s? A minotaur, when looking at the body, would count two arms, two legs and two horns. Maybe 8s if including the eyes?

Even numbers are a sacred or lucky number to the minotaurs, as they are all multiples of 2. In minotaur thought, 2 represents fellowship and society, as well as the natural symmetary of the minotaurs’ bodies. You have two hands, two legs, two eyes etc. The tail and the head are usually counted together in order to preserve this line of thinking. Likewise two minotaurs are never alone, two genders are necessary for procreation, and having two of everything allows for those items to be shared with a friend. In this manner of thought, the number 2 is highly regarded by minotaur society at large and it is common for it or its multiples to be employed in their rituals, art and architecture.

Genesis 10 -- The Tower of Babel

Lurlhasla gwehàru gwehàn kughan/The great quantity of world language and speech was one. Ru kufharing, kuneve llabh dusan, ru kudsén llabh úrinhadece kuillen Sinar, kulouthaflem llabh/Then it happened, journeyed they to the east, then found they a flat plain called Shinar, dwelled there they.

Gwebh duhurin cesarl ca arnmo? -- Will you go to the river with me?

Fhafhing i Ar mo, rinlobh mo. - The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want.

Dibharlang rindrenar mo. - I do not recognise/know this minotaur/bull.