Lithon languages

The Lenidian or Lithon languages are a family of languages originally spoken on the exoplanet Lithos by the Lithon species. It has hundreds of billions of speakers in multiple star systems.
== Classification ==
Ancient Lithon (Lēnidzan ) was spoken from 50 thousand to 20 thousand years ago. It was a descendant of the unattested language of the Phelithoi. 
Around 20 thousand years ago, a dialect continuum began to emerge based on class divisions. Though many initially developed, just 3 lasted more than 5 thousand years: Lenidic, Rendic, and Lithic. This dialect continuum at this stage is sometimes just called Lithon. Later, they became distinct languages with differing grammar and vocabulary.
Later, Rendic would evolve into the modern low-caste language Rinten, and Lithic would form the basis of Rikutsaren. Lenidic continues to be used as a literary language.
== Distribution ==
Ancient Lithon was spoken on Lithos and all of its outlying colonies. Its use was mandated by the Theongorai, and evolution of any dialects or nonstandard speech was prevented by harsh measures. Today it is still understood by older Lithoi, and until recently it was the official government language.
The Lithon languages are spoken on all planets around Porios, all current Lithon colonies, and many former ones. They are likely also spoken in other places by deserters, though it's impossible to know how many.
Additionally, the use of each specific language was largely caste-based, and some were restricted to certain interactions.
* Lenidic was and still is primarily used by the high castes of Lithos. All lower castes speak Lenidic to their superiors.
* Rendic was spoken by low castes outside the Porios system, including Earth during its occupation.
* Lithic was spoken by low castes within the Porios system, especially on Lithos.
==Physiology==
Lithon speech is produced differently than that of humans. They speak through a) the pure tonal vibration of nanoparticles, and b) the creation and manipulation of cavities (to modify the pure tones into various other sounds) in their body.
In practice, modern Lithon speech does not take full advantage of this anatomy, using less sounds overall than the average human language. However, the language of the Phelithoi likely had tones and a wider range of consonants. Additionally, the lines between sounds were likely blurred (in a sort of "sound continuum") due to the precise articulation Lithoi are able to perform.
The reason for this reduced form of speech is not entirely known, but likely has to do with Modozath and her efforts to control her subjects (similar to Newspeak in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four).
==Phonology==
Due to how Lithoi produce speech, there are sounds in the Lenidian family that are impossible to articulate for Humans.
Non-human linguistic terms used here include:
*full: closure of the full length of the vocal cavity.
*dilated: complete lack of closure in the vocal cavity.
*psammic: articulated via the mixing and collision of nanoparticles, almost like a hiss. Name is from Greek ψᾰ́μμος (psámmos), meaning "sand."
*surface: articulated on the outer boundary or surface of the body.
 	Front	Mid 	Back	Full 	Dilated
Nasal 	m 	n 	 	ɴ 	
Plosive 	p~b 	t~d 	k 	c~q 	
Affricate 	 	ts~dz	x~ɣ 	cŝ~qẑ	
Fricative 	v~f 	s~z 	 	ŝ~ẑ 	
Approximant	 	l 	j 	w 	
Trill 	 	r̥~r 	 	 	
Psammic 	ɸ~β 	ᴛ 	 	ʜ 	h
===Vowels===
 	Surface	Front	Mid	Back
Small	ᴇ 	i 	 	u
Mid 	ᴇ 	e 	ə 	o
Large	ᴇ 	 	a 	ɑ
==Writing System ==
The writing system for Lithon began as a logography but evolved later into an Abugida.
[still a big WIP]
==Vocabulary==
The Ancient Lithon language currently has 439 words, but it's constantly being expanded and reworked.
==Grammar==
=== Nouns===
Nouns in Ancient Lithon were declined by 4 cases: the Nominative, Accusative, Genitive, and Vocative.
Additionally, nouns were divided into 4 patterns of declension: major strong, major weak, minor strong, and minor weak. The major declension refers to the "major" vowels /ɑ/, /a/, /e/, and /o/, and the "minor" vowels are /ᴇ/, /ə/, /i/, and /u/.
 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	PLURAL	PLURAL
 	MAJOR (ɑ, a, e, o)	MAJOR (ɑ, a, e, o)	MINOR (ᴇ, ə, i, u)	MINOR (ᴇ, ə, i, u)	MAJOR 	MINOR
 	STRONG 	WEAK 	STRONG 	WEAK 	MAJOR 	MINOR
Number	1 	2 	3 	4 	1, 2 	3, 4
NOM 	-ɑᴛ 	-ah 	-eᴛ 	-eh 	-ɑq 	-eq
ACC 	-ɑnid(z) 	-at 	-enid(z) 	-et 	-atɑq 	-etaq
GEN 	-an 	-aq 	-en 	-əq 	-anɑq 	-en(e)q
VOC 	-ɑ 	-ɑ 	-e 	-e 	-ɑ 	-e
As the language evolved, these cases began to change. In High Lithon and Low II Lithon a Dative case developed, and Low Lithon II lost the Vocative case entirely.
High Lithon	High Lithon 	High Lithon 	High Lithon 	High Lithon 	High Lithon	High Lithon
 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	PLURAL 	PLURAL
 	MAJOR (a, o, u)	MAJOR (a, o, u)	MINOR (y, e, i)	MINOR (y, e, i)	MAJOR 	MINOR
 	STRONG 	WEAK 	STRONG 	WEAK 	MAJOR 	MINOR
NOM 	-os 	-a 	-os 	-e 	-o(h) 	-e
ACC 	-onis 	-at 	-enis 	-et 	-oto(h) 	-eta
DAT 	-or 	-ar 	-er 	-er 	-erek 	-erek
GEN 	-on 	-on 	-en 	-en 	-enk 	-enk
VOC 	-o 	-o 	-e 	-e 	-o 	-e
Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"	Low Lithon I "Rendic"
 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	PLURAL 	PLURAL
 	MAJOR (a, e, o) 	MAJOR (a, e, o) 	MINOR (ə, i, u) 	MINOR (ə, i, u) 	MAJOR 	MINOR
 	STRONG 	WEAK 	STRONG 	WEAK 	MAJOR 	MINOR
NOM 	-aᴛ 	-eh 	-eᴛ 	-eh 	-ei 	-ei
ACC 	-and 	-et 	-end 	-et 	-etai 	-etei
GEN 	-an 	-ei 	-en 	-ī 	-onai 	-enei
VOC 	-a 	-a 	-e 	-e 	-a 	-e
Low Lithon II "Lithic"	Low Lithon II "Lithic"	Low Lithon II "Lithic"	Low Lithon II "Lithic"	Low Lithon II "Lithic"
 	SINGULAR 	SINGULAR 	PLURAL 	PLURAL
 	MAJOR (a, e, ø, o) 	MINOR (i, u) 	 	
NOM 	-ê 	-ê 	-ek 	-ek
ACC 	-e(n)ᴛ 	-e(n)ᴛ 	-e(n)ᴛek 	-e(n)ᴛek
DAT 	-ar 	-ar 	-arek 	-arek
GEN 	-an 	-en 	-enek 	-enek
==Verbs (WIP)==
VERBS	VERBS 	VERBS
 	singular 	plural
1st 	-in 	-is
2nd 	-iv 	-il
3rd 	-eq 	-im
 	 	Ancient Lithon didn't have verbal moods
Cond 	?? > -naor 	from verb "want"
Hort 	zol > -sol 	from verb "owe"
Imp 	ᴛor > -sur 	from verb "need"
Perm 	?? > -guz 	from verb "allow"
Pot 	*-zolᴇka > -solø	from verb "owe" + "fact"
Epi 	ɸeruh > -eru 	from verb "be able to"
Category:Languages
Category:Lithos