Lyxaris Language Stuff

Lyxaris language stuff!

Suffixes:
title (-uhl)
past (-oveh)
present ('raiz)
future ('ehret)

These suffixes are usually tacked on at the end of a sentence to denote a few things. Lyxaris language does not use separate words based on tense, but instead presents the elements and then, at the end of each sentence, denotes what tense they're in. Usually, in text or in long speeches, tense will only be denoted once until it is changed. 'uhl' is used to denote proper titles.

Lyxaris sentence structure is rather simple, and is quite familiar to English. As previously stated, they largely present the elements of their statement rather flatly, and in written text there is no punctuation. Sentences are marked as 'finished' by a single, straight vertical line between them. Text, however, is where it becomes more interesting.

Usually, entire words are written as singular, complex symbols, usually about the size of an average word in English. These symbols contain individual elements that put together concepts. For instance, aspects of a word such as formality or perhaps the state of being a descriptor, modify symbols in unique ways by adding or removing elements from them. Hence, for Lyxaris, every large symbol denotes a single word with defined boundaries, and thus becomes significantly easier to read than, say, blocks of English text without spaces. The previously noted suffixes are their own symbol. Though they are pronounced only at the end of a sentence in spoken words, they are placed at both ends of the text where it may apply. For instance, if tense shifts several times, all blocks of symbols affected by each change are basically bracketed by these modifying symbols, whereas if tense remains static through an entire book, it would bracket each page.

Notably, in written text (but not digital text), tone can also be conveyed based on the angularity of the symbols. Sharper angularity indicates a more stern or rigid tone, whereas less angularity and more curvature indicates a relaxed and calm tone. Also, in text which is quoted, tense brackets will be placed at either end of it even if neither bracket was placed within the quote in the original text, so that tense is always known.

Word pronunciation is arguably the most complex part of Lyxaris language, and ties in to the complexity of individual symbols in writing. When English phonetics are applied, Lyxaris language is extremely consonant-heavy and avoids soft consonants such as b, d, f, j, g, w, and p, while tending more towards harsh consonants like k, q, t, x, c, and s.

An average Lyxaris sentence may look something like this, when translated into English text for the sake of understanding pronunciation:

Ehsu'eh-krein-tyghairot'veirtuhk-uhzehri'avhul'ehret.

' and - indicate the end of an individual component of the sentence, usually denoted by very short pauses. This sentence roughly translates to:
"They and their royal blade will journey forth into the end with pride."
They (they) eh-krein- (and their) tyghairot (royal blade) veirtuhk-uhzeri (into the end) avhul (with pride) ehret (future tense).

Simply altering 'ehret into -oveh changes the sentence to, in effect:
"They and their royal blade had journeyed forth into the end with pride."

Soft consonants are not completely unheard of, they're just less present. It is because Lyxaris words are so difficult to pronounce that it is very hard for non-Lyxaris born citizens to learn the language. To add to this, properly and fluidly communicating in the Lyxaris language requires the use of more primitive sounds that some species may not be able to make at all, such as insectoid clicks and chirps, or hissing. These sounds are usually interspersed with normal dialogue, and help Lyxaris better express emotion.