Sordish (Language)

Sordish is the language spoken by the people of Sordland in Suzerain.

## Origins

The Sordish language has its origins primarily in North-Merkopan and Markian, but has also recieved influences and loans from Rummish, Valgish (due to its colonies in Xina and Rika) and Bludic. Loans from other languages haven't been found yet, but are a possibility.

## Grammar

Sordish follows a grammar close to that of English and German, and is a fusional language. It has three grammatical genders.

### Noun Inflection

Sordish nouns are inflected by gender, number and posession:

* Three genders: Masculine, feminine and neuter. Masculine words start with a vowel or end in -ium or -ng. Feminine words start with a consonant and end in a vowel. The rest are neuter
* Two numbers: Singular and plural.
	+ For masculine words: "alem" *man*, "alemes" *men*
	+ For feminine words: "waime" *woman*, "waimes" *women*
	+ For neuter words: "prosdenten" *president*, "prosdentene" *presidents*
* Posessivity: -s suffix: "mastium" master, "mastiums" master's

### Verb Inflection

Sordish verbs are inflected based on aspect and tense:

* Aspect: Verbs have four different aspects: Simple, continuous, perfect and continuous perfect.
* Tense: Verbs have three different tenses: Past, present and future

### Verb Types

Sordish has 7 different types of verbs. These affect conjugation and sometimes even pronounciation (see types I and VI). The type of a verb is defined by its last characters

#### Type I

Type I verbs are identified by the ending letter -e. These are verbs commonly found in the game and in the original documents. The conjugation of other verbs is based on this verb.

In type I verbs, as well as type 6 verbs, the last vowel can be significantly reduced in pronounciation.

Type I words are classified as strong verbs, as they are what the other verb types are based on.

Example: 'gere' (to go)

 **Continous** |  | gerai
 **Perfect** | her geren

#### Type II

Type II verbs are identified by the ending -ae. This type of verb is very common in new words found on Sordish.org. This is due to a common way of ending verbs in Proto-Germanic ('-ana', diacritics are ignored in endings), which translates to '-ae' in Sordish based on the Sordish.org translation process. It is also common for verbs of this type to end with -cae.

Type II verbs are thought of as strong verbs, as their suffix keeps most of its form throughout conjugation

Example: 'rezecae' (to rise)

 **Continous** |  | rezecai
 **Perfect** | her rezecaen

#### Type III

Type III words end in a consonant, but never with -en. These words are common in all kinds of verbs, primarily found in the new words.

Type III verbs are thought of as weak verbs, due to the lack of a definitive suffix, and how that affect conjugation.

Example: 'plog' (to play)

 **Continous** |  | plogai
 **Perfect** | her plogen

#### Type IV

Type IV words end in -i, and are primarily Germanic. Common in new words.

Type IV verbs are thought of as strong verbs, as their suffix keeps most of its form throughout conjugation

Example: 'danki' (to thank / thanks)

 **Continous** |  | dankai
 **Perfect** | her dankin

#### Type V

Type V verbs end in -a, and are primarily Germanic but can also be found in Latin verbs. These are common in new words

Type V verbs are thought of as strong verbs, as their suffix keeps most of its form throughout conjugation

Example: 'hanha' (to suspend)

 **Continous** |  | hanhai
 **Perfect** | her hanhan

#### Type VI

Type VI verbs end in -o, and are primarily Latin. These are rare but found in newer Latin words. Verbs with suffixes not mentioned elsewhere here fall into this category.

Similarly to type I verbs, type VI verbs might drop the -o from the end in pronounciation.

Type VI words are though of as weak verbs, as the suffix -o does not sustain through

Example: 'operato' (to operate)

 **Continous** |  | operatai
 **Perfect** | her operaten

#### Type VII

Type VII words end in -en, and are primarily Latin.

Type VII verbs are thought of as strong verbs, as their suffix keeps most of its form throughout conjugation

Example: 'appretiaten' (to appreciate)

 **Continous** |  | appretiatai
 **Perfect** | her appretiatenen

### Word order

Sordish follows a word order similar of that to English: Subject, Verb, Object.

#### Questions

Questions can be formed in Sordish by using interrogative words (by putting the interrogative word first in the sentence), or by subject-auxiliary inversion.

### Definite articles and rules

Sordish has a definite article for each gender. When a word is definite, it is capitalized. The neutral and feminine articles can also be connected to the definite word with a '.

"Ely morgna wes core" *And* *morning will come,* "Ely a Morgna wes core" *And* *the morning will come,* "Ely a'Morgna wes core" *And the morning will come*.

## Writing system

No writing system has been confirmed by the developers, but in the game the Latin alphabet is used. For Sordish this would include: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, (j, ) k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.

## Phonology

Sordish phonology is based on Latin and Proto-Germanic influence

### Vowels

In Sordish vowels are either short or long:

These sounds correlate to the letters:

 /i/
 /e/
 /ɔ/
 /ɑ/

Long vowels are created by stacking two vowels next to each other

### Consonants

#### Notes

* <c> is pronounced as /ts/
* <ng> is pronounced as /ŋ/
* <nk> can be pronounced as either /ŋk/ or /nk/
* <sk> can be pronounced as /ʃk/ in more rural accents
* <kw> is pronounced as /kʷ/ and /gw/ is pronounced as /gʷ/
* <q> is pronounced at the start and end of a word as /kʷ/ but in voiced situations it is pronounced as /gʷ/
* <z> is pronounced as /dz/, but can also be pronounced /z/ in Southern accents
* <f> can be pronounced labially as /ɸʷ/ in older dialects, and is pronounced as /fʷ/ in newer dialects
* <t>, <d> and
 are all dental or retracted dental

## Dialects

### Southern/Bludish Dialect

The Southern dialect, also known as the Bludish dialect, of Sordish is spoken within the Bludish minority and in many areas of Bergia. It is a mixture of the phonologies of Sordish, Bludish and Wehic. Its characteristics include:

* Varied vowel length
* Use of non-sibliant fricatives
* Use of the phoneme /j/

### Agnolian Dialect

The Agnolian dialect of Sordish is primarily spoken by the Agnolian groups of Sordland, especially in Agnland. Its characteristics are:

* Use of the phoneme /j/

### Rural Dialect

The rural dialect of Sordish is spoken in the rural areas of Sordland. Its characteristics are:

* Use of Schwa /ə/
* Reduction of vowels

### Urban/Upper Class Dialect

The urban dialect of Sordish, also referred to as the dialect of the upper class, is primarily spoken by higher class individuals. Its characteristic are:

* Vowels are further apart from each other, such as /u/ being closer to /u:/ (see "Phonology")

## Examples of the language in the game and around it

### A Morgna wes core, vectern sis da!

This is perhaps the most known Sordish phrase. It is often chanted in the game, as well as near the very beginning. It translates to "The morning will come, victory is near". Alternative spellings include using an alternative spelling for the definite article ("A'Morgna wes core") and instead of a comma, using an exclamation mark ("A Morgna wes core! Vectern sis da!").

### Radio

A radio can be found on the left top of the game map. It has place names in it, as well as three directions: Sod, Nor and Est. It is fairly easy to figure out what these words are: South, North and East. This information was used to finding the last one, Ves.

### Letter to the president

In the game on the left hand side of the screen a letter can be found written in what appears to be Sordish. This was used as one early source to figure out the Sordish language. The letter is partially translatable, and a few translations have been made on the Discord server. The most known and used translation was made by Coleslaw, and reads the following:

> 'Good President,
>
>

> “Education is the premise of progress, in all societies, in all families.” Certainly great, but can the State be great? Sordland is the best land in the world, if we can make it good. Mostly, Sordland will be free and great. Albrecht Renan was one great man.
>
>

> The Institute of Sordland Economics is not made in Algregna of Sestimum. However, there is we, the Merla of Kongrate and Institute of Agriculture, most always (made in Algregna of Sestimum). We tried strength and have met humanity together. Perhaps in all of the mornings of never tense drinking, our world is made in the winery. Should we in the group make up? No - in all quickness - not always.
>
>

> “The morning will come” is certainly greatly endearing, however unmade. Albiclea of Jasmia suggests that Erzaren is over Deyr. Expectantly, the city of Deyr is East in Bergia. Regional suppliers will all amend the Agnarica of Sestimum. However, of Verengia to all, we can trust. Man agitated the Mercla Institute of Sordland. Best land in the world even if we can tell all one son’s master. Hol is of Communist and Fascist background, his deserved reputation.
>
>

> We bid farewell.
>
>

> Good day,
>
>

> Secretary to the Minister of Economics and Finance'
>
>

This was used extensively in "Coleslaw's dictionary" and "Pyrde's dictionary" of Sordish.org's dictionary page

### The motto of the military

The motto of the military appears in dialoque of the game in English and was translated to Sordish on sordish.org:

> **ENG:** *Always watching, always ready*
>
>

> **SOR:** *Ollamort sohwai, ollamort redi*
>
>

### The poems of Bernard Circas

Three poems of Bernard Circas can be found in the game in dialoque in English, and were translated to Sordish on sordish.org. They are the following:

Poems of Bernard Circas
*knowing that we will perish,*
*knowing nothing more absolute.*
*kneai dat iem wes perire,*
*Those who died, died fighting.*
*They are now buried in the sun.*
*No need to mourn,*
*there is a raid to the sun.*
*De wi dawcaen, dawcaen fohtai*
*Tem bes nov borgecaen inta sonna*
*Ne noodi de mornae,*
*They are afraid, afraid of the dawn.*
*They are afraid of hope,*
*but our songs will be sung.*
*Tem bes ozfred, afred ev morgnademstrae.*
*Tem bes ozfred ev hopan,*
*dua unss sangwaes wes sangwaere.*

### Sordish Anthem

The Sordish anthem was revealed to the Discord community by the developers on 13/10/2020, and does not appear in the game. It is translatable, and reads the following:

> *"Greci Sordland wes ollamort bise Freci.*
>
>

> *A Morgna wes core, Vectern sis da!*
>
>

> *Greci Sordland, selv beniwoll bes tuem?*
>
>

> *Tu bes er etnis Land inta olla Globa.*
>
>

> *Oh Greci Sordland!*
>
>

> *Selv beniwoll bes Tuem?"*
>
>

A translation has been made by Pyrde Pavkki:

> *"Great Sordland will always be free*
>
>

> *Morning will come, victory is close*
>
>

> *Great Sordland, are you doing well?*
>
>

> *You are the best country in the whole world*
>
>

> *Oh great Sordland!*
>
>

> *Are you doing well?"*
>
>

## Resource

* sordish.org (this is not a joke, it is a real website with significant research and information relating to the Sordish language. Information for this page should be retrieved from here)