High Cipritine

High Cipritine is the standardised form of the turian language. As the official state language of the Turian Empire, it is used in domestic governance, galactic diplomacy and interspecies relations, and acts as a vehicle for communication between the various turian colonies, each of which has its colonial variant of the turian language. It is written in cuneiform script, which is read from left to right.

As turians are a member of the Citadel Council, High Cipritine is also recognised as one of the official languages of the Council. As such, it is a legal requirement in Council Space to provide a High Cipritine translation of any written language, in both the public and private sectors (signage, legal documentation, medical prescriptions, allergen listings, etc.) Since 900 CE, High Cipritine has served as the de facto language of Citadel Security Services (C-SEC), however, its officers are personally trained in the use of all Council languages, while also being able to provide VI-assisted translations for all known galactic languages on demand.

## Alphabet

**A** - Short version: “a” as in “apple”. Long version: “a” as is “father”.

**AE** - Prefix/infix: long “a” as in “day”. Suffix: long “i” as in “cry”.

**AI** -  “i”, as in “cry”.

**AU** - “ow”, as in “owl”.

**B** - Same as it is in English.

**C** - Hard “c”, as in “cat”. Is often a substitute for K as they both make the same sound. However, C can also make a “ch” sound if it comes before either E, I, AE, or Y. To avoid confusion, galactic translators will often add in an H after a C, if C comes before any of these letters. This results in Anglicised versions of turian words, such as “Chellick” - the original turian spelling would be “Cellik”.

**D** - Same as it is in English.

**E** - Short version: “eh” as in “bet”. Long version: “a” as in “date”.

**EI** - “ay”, as in “day”.

**EU** - “u”, as in “uranium”.

**F** - Same as it is in English.

**G** - Hard “g”, as in “garden”. However, G can also make a “j” sound, as in “giant”, if it comes before either E, I, AE, or Y. Galactic translators will often substitute the “j” sound for a hard “g”, if G comes before any of these letters. This results in Anglicised pronunciation of turian words, such as “Gellix” - the original turian pronunciation is “Jellix”.

**H** - Hard “h”, as in “hat”.

**I** - Short version: “ih”, as in “sit”. Long version: “ee”, as in “machine”.

**J** - Hard “j”, as in “jump”. However, J can also make a “y” sound, as in “yellow”, if it comes before either E, I, AE, or Y. Galactic translators will often substitute the “y” sound for a hard “j”, if G comes before any of these letters. This results in Anglicised pronunciation of turian words, such as “Jirris” - the original turian pronunciation is “Yirris”.

**K** - Hard “k”, as in “kick”. Is often a substitute for C as they both make the same sound.

**L** - Same as it is in English.

**M** - Same as it is in English.

**N** - Same as it is in English.

**O** - Short version: “o”, as in “off”. Long version: “oh”, as in “holy”.

**OE** - “oi”, as in “oil”.

**P** - Same as it is in English.

**PH** - Soft “f”, as it is in English.

**Q** - Most commonly pronounced as "qu", as in "queen", but may also be pronounced as "k" in certain words. Eg: Quentius is pronounced as "kwentius", but "Qui'in" is pronounced as "ki'in". There are no clearly defined language rules to determine which form of Q is correct in any given circumstance of its use; its pronunciation is therefore situational rather than absolute.

**R** - Alveolar flap, otherwise known as a "rolled R".

**S** -Same as it is in English.

**T** -Same as it is in English.

**U** - Short version: “o”, as in “foot”. Long version: “oo”, as in “hoot”

**UI** - “wih”, as in “quick”

**V** - Same as it is in English.

**X** -Breathyclicking sound, similar tothe"ks" found in "socks". Unlike the English letter X, the turian letter X is never stressed or pronounced as "ex" or "z", regardless of its position within a word, eg: If "exam" were a turian word it would be pronounced as "ks-xam"; if "xenophobe" were a turian word it would be pronounced as "ks-enophobe".

**Y** - “i” sound, as in “cry”

**Z** -Same as it is in English.

### **Diphthongs**

Turian diphthongs differ from human ones, in that they do not follow the standard rule of the first vowel dictating the sound of the rest of the diphthong. For example, in English “ai” is always pronounced as a long “a”, as in “raider”, but for turians, it is pronounced as a long “i” instead. This can confuse prospective human students of turian languages and vice versa.

The sounds which turian diphthongs may also change depending on where they are located within a word. For example, “ae” makes a long “a” sound when used as a prefix or infix, as in the words Aephus and Taetrus. However, if “ae” is fulfilling the role of a suffix, it has a long “i” sound instead, as in the words Menae and Krysae.

Turian languages rely heavily on diphthongs and thus these vowel combinations are included in their alphabet as individual alphabetical characters, rather than two single ones put together.

## Grammar

### Stress

The position of stress in High Cipritine words is dictated by the penultimate stress rule. In words that have three or more syllables, this rule is used to determine where stress is placed. If the penultimate syllable in a word contains a long vowel or ends with a consonant, stress is placed on the syllable. If it contains a short vowel or does not end with a consonant, stress is instead placed on the previous syllable. For example; the word Imperator ("emperor") contains four syllables. The penultimate syllable in Imperator contains a long "a" vowel. This is where the stress is placed when speaking the word: *Im-pe-**RA**-tor*. Comparatively, the word Vastitas ("desert") has three syllables. The penultimate syllable in Vastitas does not contain a long vowel and does not end with a consonant. Because of this, the stress is instead placed on the previously syllable: ***VA**-sti-tas*.

In words with two or fewer syllables, stress is always placed on the first syllable. For example; ***LOU**-za* and ***LUX***.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, specifically in the pronunciation of names, which tend to borrow pronunciation rules from the colonial dialects.  For example; the name Desolas would be pronounced as *Des-**SOL**-las* under High Cipritine rules. However, because the name is of Thracian origin, it is instead bound by Thracian stress rules and is subsequently pronounced as ***DES**-sol-las*. Stress rules can sometimes indicate what a person's name will be shortened to by their family and close friends. Using Desolas as an example again, the name is shortened to Des as a nickname, because of the stress placed on the first syllable of Desolas.

Colonial citizens will often have their names mispronounced by native Palavenians, which can be a point of contention between different cultural groups. Primarchs, Duarchs and Conjuxes of Palaven with colonial ancestry have their names pronounced according to High Cipritine grammar rules as standard. For example, Primarch Adrien Victus was of Bostran ancestry but his first name was pronounced as *Ad-**DRI**-en*, as opposed to the correct Bostran pronunciation of ***AD**-dri-en*.

### Tenses

In High Cipirtine, there are six tenses - three simple and three perfect. The three simple tenses are the present, future and imperfect tenses. The three perfect tenses are the perfect, future perfect, and pluperfect tenses. These are illustrated below using the verb *amo*, meaning "I love". Notice how the verb ending changes depending on both which tense it is in and who is doing the verb.

### Cases

In High Cipritine, there are six cases -  nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, ablative, and vocative.

#### Nominative Case

The nominative case denotes the subjects of sentences, ie: the thing doing the verb. The nominative must always agree with the number of the verb, ie: if the nominative subject is singular then the verb must also be singular (eg: *Fidellion Marciam salutavit* - "Fidellion greeted Marcia"). Likewise, if the nominative subject is plural then the verb must also be plural (eg: *Primarcia legem disputaverunt* - "The primarchs debated the law"). In sentences with linking verbs, both sides of the verb will be in the nominative case (eg: *Sarena irata est* - "Sarena is angry").

#### Accusative Case

The accusative case is used primarily to denote the direct objects of sentences, ie: the thing receiving the verb directly (eg: *Fidellion Marciam salutavit* - "Fidellion greeted Marcia"). The accusative case is also used with certain prepositions, specifically those that deal with motion towards an object (eg: *Janus in villam ambulavit* - "Janus walked into the house"), but can also show motion around, through, near and across an object. Additionally, the accusative case can be used to show duration of time (eg: *Tres horas*, *quinque dies* - "For three hours", "for five days", etc).

#### Genitive Case

The genitive case is most often used to show possession and is usually translated with the word "of" placed before the noun (eg: *Mexta Fidelli -* "The sword of Fidellion" or, more commonly, "Fidellion's sword"). The genitive case can also be used to denote a part of something larger (eg: *Pars Cipritines* - "Part of Cipritine"), act as a descriptor (eg: *Femina maximae pulchritudinis* - "A woman of greatest beauty"), and can at certain times be the object of another noun (eg: *Timor shatharum* - "The fear of shatha").

#### Dative Case

The dative case is used to denote the indirect objects of sentences; ie: the object which receives the direct object. It is usually translated with the words "to" or "for" placed before the noun (eg: *Achaeus donum Melairae do* - "Achaeus is giving a gift to Melaira"; Melaira is in the dative case because she is receiving the direct object of the verb, the gift which is being given). The dative case can also be used as a reference, when using the word "for" in translation (eg: *Ego villam tibi aedifico* - "I am building a house for you"). The dative case can also be used to show possession, again when using "for" (eg: *Mihi nomen est* - "My name is"; this translates literally as "There is a name for me").

#### Ablative Case

The ablative case is perhaps the most complex of all six of High Cipritine's cases. It is usually translated with the words "by", "with", "from", "in" or "on" placed before the noun, illustrating the many functions of this particular case. Use of the ablative case turns the noun into an adverbial (eg: *Antraxes mexta vulneratus est* - "Antraxes was wounded by a sword"). In short, the ablative case can show something which did an action ("by"), accompaniment ("with"), separation ("from"), or where something took place ("in/on") and often answers the question of "How?". The ablative case can also be used to show when something happened (eg: *Quarta hora* - "At the fourth hour"). Additionally, like the accusative case, the ablative case is used with certain prepositions, particularly those which show location (eg: *In villa* - "In the house") or motion away from something (eg: *Ex Acre* - "From the Citadel").

#### Vocative Case

The vocative case is used when directly addressing another person and identifies exactly who is being spoken to. The vocative form is the same as the nominative for most nouns, regardless of whether they are singular or plural (eg: *Domina* is the same in both cases). However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Nouns ending in *-us* in the nominative case become *-e* in the vocative case (Eg: *Nihlus* becomes *Nihle*). Names that end in *-ius* in the nominative become *-i* in the vocative (eg: *Alasius* becomes *Alasi*). The adjective *meus* becomes *mi* in the vocative (eg: *Mi care amice* - "My dear friend") as do second declension masculine nouns (eg: *Mi fili* - "My son"). The vocative case is primarily found in sentences which have a 2nd person verb (eg: *Marke, quid **tu** agis?* - "Markus, what are **you** doing?"). It is also used heavily with imperatives.

### Word order

In High Cipritine, the word order of a sentence is very different from human English. Whereas sentences in English are structured using the subject-verb-object format (SVO), sentences in High Cipirtine are structured using the subject-object-verb format (SOV).

If one were to take a typical sentence in English - "The dog chases the cat" - and change its format from SVO to SOV, it would then read as "The dog the cat chases". This completely changes how a sentence is read, corrupting its original meaning.

High Cipritine accounts for this corruption by changing the case a word, based on its role within a sentence. This grammatical rule firmly establishes who is doing the action and who is the receiver of the action, allaying any potential confusion on the part of the reader/listener. The subject of a sentence will always be written/spoken in the nominative case. Likewise, the object of a sentence will always be written/spoken in the accusative case.

### Declension of Proper Names

All words in High Cipritine are declined to show their gender, number and case. This is also true of the proper names of people and locations. A name's suffix will determine how it is declined in a sentence. When being spoken to directly a person's name will always be spoken in the vocative case, eg: Nihlus would be called Nihle when spoken to directly, as opposed to Nihlus.

#### -a Names

Names which end with -a are most commonly female names, eg: Sarena, Rea, Marcia, etc. However, there are also male names ending with -a, although they are much rarer and usually come from colonial dialects, eg: Barca. -a names include names ending with the common female suffixes -aea, -ea and -ia.

#### -e Names

Like -a names, names which end with -e are most commonly female names. However, there are also male names ending with -e, although they are much rarer and usually come from colonial dialects, eg: Vamire.

#### -us Names

Names which end with -us are male names, eg: Castus, Claudius, Gaius, etc. -us names include names ending with the common male suffix -ius.

**Note:** Turian surnames can sometimes be written in the genitive case when one wishes to emphasise the particular family they belong to. For example, Desolas Arterius' name can be written as *Desolas Arteri*, which translates literally as "Desolas of the Arteriuses" but has the more generalised meaning of "Desolas of House Arterius".

## Dictionary

### **A**

* **Abavia**: *Great-great-grandmother*
* **Abavus**: *Great-great-grandfather*
* **Abnepos**: *Great-grandson*
* **Abneptis**: *Great-granddaughter*
* **Abrudas**: The state of being emancipated, lit. *"he of broken chains"*
* **Abrulorum**: *Chains, fetters, bondage*
* **Adnepos**: *Great-great-grandson*
* **Adnepos**: *Great-great-granddaughter*
* **Adunatio Salarianus**: Salarian Union, lit. *"Union of the Salarians"*
* **Aequita**: *Equality*
* **Aequitor**:*Equaliser*
* **Aethon**: *Shining light, blaze*
* **Alligia**: *Alliance*. Abbreviated name for the Human Systems Alliance
* **Alligia Systematum Humanorum**: Human Systems Alliance, lit. *"Alliance of the Human Systems"*
* **Amita**: *Paternal aunt*
* **Amita Magna**: *Paternal great-aunt*
* **Animus**: *Spirit*
* **Antaeus**: *Shield*
* **Apparita**: *Certainty*
* **Aquila**: *Darkness*
* **Arrae**: *Sanctuary, refuge*
* **Arx**: The Citadel
* **Atavia**: *Great-great-great-grandmother*
* **Atavus**: *Great-great-great-grandfather*
* **Aureli'i**: Of or pertaining to Aurelion *Imperator*
* **Avia**: *Grandmother*
* **Avunculus**: *Maternal uncle*
* **Avunculus Magnus**: *Maternal great-uncle*
* **Avus**: *Grandfather*

### **B**

* **Balkus**: Winged beetle native to Palaven, considered a delicacy

### **C**

* **Caelum**: *Airforce*
* **Caelus Coronae**: *Crown of Caelus*, turian name for the "Milky Way"
* **Caesor**: *Breaker, he who breaks*
* **Caestum**: *Trial, ordeal*
* **Canrum**: *Costly endeavour, great loss*
* **Carifinum**: Ministry of Emergency Management
* **Castellus**: *Fortress*
* **Choitadix**: *Gap-toothed*
* **Classis**: *Navy, fleet*
* **Consilium Arcis**: Citadel Council, lit. *"Council of the Citadel"*. Often shortened to *'Consilium*' ("the Council")
* **Cubernator**/**trix**: *Helmsman/woman*

### **D**

* **Daemon**: *Spirit of Protection*
* **Datrium**: A type of religious offering to the Spirits, lit. *"tribute"*
* **Digera**: *Order*
* **Diluvian**: *Flooded, saturated*
* **Duarch**: Military advisor to a Primarch, lit. *"second ruler"*
* **Duis**: *Second*

### **E**

* **Enrarium**: *Postal office*
* **Erros**: *An overlook, beautiful view*
* **Essenus**: The act of existence, lit. *"being"*
* **Exercitus**: *Army*

### **F**

* **Facinus**: *Evil deed, crime, wickedness*
* **Feriotrum**: *Striker*
* **Filia**: *Daughter*
* **Filius**: *Son*
* **Fortis**: *Strength*
* **Frater**: *Brother*

### **G**

* **Galactica**: *Galactic*
* **Gemmae**: *Jewel, precious gem*
* **Graxen**: Dextro equivalent of popcorn

### **H**

* **Hastatim**: Citizen suppression units, lit. *"execution squads"*
* **Hielae**: Courts on which the turian sport of throwball is played
* **Hierarchia**: The Turian Hierarchy
* **Horosk**: Dextro hard liquor, green in colouration. Induces stupors if ingested in large enough quantities
* **Humani**: *Human(s)*
* **Hyax**: Herbivorous animal native to Palaven, bred as livestock

### **I**

* **Impera**: *Command, governance, the rule of law*
* **Imperator**: *Emperor*
* **Imperatrix**: *Empress*
* **Imperium**: *Empire*
* **Invictus**: *Unconquerable, undefeated*
* **Iritum**: *Anger, rage*

### **L**

* **Labina**: *Avalanche*
* **Laena**: *Cloaked, disguised*
* **Laudatix**: Ministry of Citizenship Rankings
* **Louza**: Domesticated fowl native to Palaven, bred as poultry
* **Lux**: *Light*

### **M**

* **Magna**: *Largest, greatest, most important*
* **Maiores**: *Ancestors*
* **Maitrum**: Turian high-security prison planet, lit. *"The Great Instrument"*
* **Malleus**: *Hammer*
* **Mater**: *Mother*
* **Matertera**: *Maternal aunt*
* **Matertera Magna**: *Maternal great-aunt*
* **Mornax**: *Mistake*

### **N**

* **Navarch**: Admiral, lit. *"ship ruler"*
* **Nepos**: *Grandson*
* **Neptis**: *Granddaughter*
* **Nihlus**: *Emptiness, the absence of life, nothing, The Void*
* **Nios**: *Nest*
* **Noverca**: *Stepmother*
* **Novercae Filia**: *Maternal step-sister*
* **Novercae Filius**: *Maternal step-brother*

### **P**

* **Palavinis**: Palavenian-born citizen, lit. "o*f Palaven"*
* **Parriarch**: Head of a turian bloodline or household, lit. "e*qual ruler"*
* **Pater**: *Father*
* **Patruelis**: *Paternal cousin*
* **Patru'us**: *Paternal uncle*
* **Patru'us Magnus**: *Paternal great-uncle*
* **Pax**: *Peace*
* **Phaeston**: *Spirit of Creation*
* **Pheiros**: *Lighthouse*
* **Pietas**: *Duty*
* **Proamita**: *Paternal great-great-aunt*
* **Proavia**: *Great-grandmother*
* **Proavunculus**: *Maternal great-great uncle*
* **Proavus**: *Great-grandfather*
* **Procella**: *Hurricane*
* **Promatertera**: *Maternal great-great-aunt*
* **Propatru'us**: *Paternal great-great uncle*
* **Protecatus Volorum**: Vol Protectorate, lit. *"Protectorate of the Volus"*
* **Praedator**: *Predator*
* **Primarch**: Ruler of an imperial colonisation cluster, lit. *"first ruler"*
* **Primus**: *First*
* **Privigna**: *Stepdaughter*
* **Privignus**: *Stepson*
* **Punitor**: *Punisher*

### **R**

* **Radiatum**: Turian legislative building in which Primarchs and their advisors legislate planetary laws
* **Respublicae Asari**: Asari Republics, lit. *"Republics of the Asari"*
* **Restitutor**: *Restorer, he who restores*
* **Rixor**: *Brawler*

### **S**

* **Septemis**: *Seven*
* **Signis**: Turian executive building which acts as the official home and workspace of a ruling Primarch
* **Sobrinus**/**ina**: *Maternal cousin*
* **Soror**: *Sister*
* **Spiritus**: *Breath, exhaled air*
* **Stella**: *Star*
* **Stilus**: *Pointed tool*
* **Surruotor**/**trix**: *Saboteur*. Name given to Armiger Legion engineers
* **Systemata Terminalia**: Terminus Systems

### **T**

* **Taetrus**: *Gloomy, foreboding*
* **Taitus**: *Honourable*
* **Temerarus**: *Spirit of Daring*
* **Terra**: Earth, human homeworld
* **Tonitrus**: *Thunder*
* **Trasiro**: *Crossfire*
* **Traxus**: Limbless carnivorous reptile native to Palaven. Its venom is highly lethal and used to make the Titan's Tears poison
* **Trebian**: Relating to a star or stars
* **Triginta**: *Thirty*
* **Turbo**: *Tornado*

### **U**

* **Unitatis**: *Oneness, unity; state of being one or undivided*
* **Umbra**: *Shadow*. Name given to Armiger Legion infiltrators

### **V**

* **Vallum**: *Bulwark, fortification*
* **Vastitas**: *Desert, barren wasteland*
* **Vastotor**/**trix**: Lit. *"he/she who devastates, ravages or lays waste"*. Name given to Armiger Legion soldiers
* **Vecchio**: Lit. *"old one"*
* **Victus**: Lit. *"he who brings victory"*
* **Vigilia Obscura**: The Blackwatch, a turian spec-ops/espionage division tasked with eliminating threats to the safety of Palaven. Lit. *"Shadowy/indistinct vigil"*
* **Vinka'ar**: *Bad*
* **Vir**: *Soldier*
* **Vitrici Filia**: *Paternal step-sister*
* **Vitrici Filius**: *Paternal step-brother*
* **Vitricus**: *Stepfather*
* **Vivus**: *Living, alive*
* **Vox**: *Voice*

### **X**

* **Xemna**: Herbivorous herd animal native to Palaven, bred as livestock
* **Xera**: - *Conception, beginning of life*