Hasmo and Rodas

This is the myth of Hasmo (the god of beauty, youth and nature) and Rodas, his fatal love.

1. Ἁcмο ευzαрιтαтιο αнтрωπωc тeωcκε eрαπzοтα δυнιнου. 
2. Aφαнтεн αмφιαннοнтιο eδeαιι цιδιππει Uтυмαр εн αнтрωπειc. 
3. Διι ποᴧεc, αυт нιc eмεнι δοрιтeрιι ὁι ἑδε δοрιιгε ὡн ὁι. 
4. Διι ᴧeнειεc ὑттαрεcκε, αυт нιc eмεнι. 
5. Aрβαυмεн δεδιοнтιο, αмφιтωнтιο нιтωc φαυнιωc, δυнιнυ 
6. eεκιι αυт eмειнεнι δeυ φeᴧιтαιн υπтα ἑοπωнтιο Рωδαοн. 
7. Aгрιο ὑцεнο, δοрιтαтιι Ἁcмου ειδεтωнтιc, αнтαгεнι мεκεc. 
8. Aφαнтεн αмφιαннοнтιο αιcтωc εκαмβι e ᴧοмιωн αδнαιι. 
9. “Καᴧυ,” φι αнтαгοнтο, “нιтι’ ἑᴧecι’κε.” Cυнαмβωнтιεc 
10. Рωδαc eβαβι e Ἁcмο αυδαcκι cαφтιεc ᴧοгεc мυтεcκε. 
11. Єυтιεc εтαрec гεнεc e Uтυмαр тιδιει καᴧει eцιδιδι οрα e δeα. 
12. Тιδει Рωδαc καcтрιδι αφαнтεн δeαπeнειοнтιο e тιδει “ουнα” αнαᴧeгεтα. 
13. Καᴧει Рωδαc Ἁcмοι eᴧeгι: “Cε φeᴧιω.
14. Єι мε φeᴧιιc, цαтαυн нε δeαπeнειιc?” 
15. Καᴧει Ἁcмο Рωδαοι eᴧeгι: “Cε φeᴧιω.
16. Єι мε φeᴧιιc, цαтαυнгε δeαπeнeω? 
17. Δοрιтαтιιн мε αнтрωπωc тeωcκε φeᴧιιc ποιᴧιтeрιωн? 
18. Καccαрιтαтιιн мε αнтрωπωc тeωcκε φeᴧιιc οιгιтeрιωн?” 
19. Aυт ῾eι нοκтει тeιнтου ὑπнωнтιου αφαнтει βαᴧιцωн ειδι
20. οιοι αнтрωπιc αнтαгεтωнтιι φeᴧου e δeου οιδαтεн δοрιοн καccαрιοнцε. 
21. Ἁcмου ευzαрιтαтιου αнтрωπωc тeωcκε eрαπzοтα ευzαрου.

1. Hasmo, most handsome of humans and gods, was torn apart by loneliness.
2. Wearing a cloak all around, he descended on his vidippis (hippogriff) Utumar (Goodheart) amongst the humans. 
3. He went to the cities, but noone was more beautiful than he, or as beautiful as he.
4. He went to the plains and the seas, but noone was (there). 
5. Having went to the forest, being surrounded by his animal friends, the loneliness
6. left, but the need to be loved stayed, until having gazed at Rodas. 
7. The young farmer (~), most beautiful which Hasmo sees, is herding his goats.
8. Wearing his cloak all around, he walks out of the shadows and slowly comes closer. 
9. “’Day,” says the herder, “nice ‘nd sunny.” Walking together,
10. Rodas smalltalked and Hasmo listens carefully to his soft stories and tales. 
11. They become good friends and Utumar flew every single day up and down.
12. Every time Rodas asks to take down the cloak, and every time he is answered “no”. 
13. One day, Rodas said to Hasmo: “I love you.
14. If you love me, why don’t you take it down?” 
15. That day, Hasmo said to Rodas: “I love you. 
16. If you love me, why would I take it down? 
17. If I were the most beautiful of humans and gods, would you love me more? 
18. If I were the most badlooking of humans and gods, would you love me less?” 
19. But one night he looked under the cloak of the little sleeping god,
20. merely a human driven by love and a need to know if he was beautiful or ugly. 
21. By Hasmo’s beauty, most handsome of humans and gods, he was torn apart. 

Every Coin

Тιδιε xрεcмιнтε ἱ δακрεн.

Every coin have.3sg back.acc.

Every coin has a backside.

I've come up with my first Lurion proverb. It implies that every fortunate event can (but not necessarily must) be accompanied by a catch. When said to someone who is about to buy something or make some sort of deal, it is a warning that he or she must also look at the consequences and make sure it is not a scam; when someone notices that you or your deeds are not perfect, it can be used as a "that's life" apology.

Because the common people do not often use money, a more 'fitting' and of course more vulgar expression has come into existence: 

Тιδιι zωιc ἱ δακрεн. 

It literally means "Every animal has a backside," but "every animal has a behind / an arse" is obviously implied. In this context, the fortunate event is represented by a productive animal, whereas the catch is the feces and indirectly its food consumption.

However, it can also be used to state that everyone is but a human and therefore has his own flaws. It can be chanted whilst rebelling against an arrogant king; it can be exclamated when one is being punished for a mistake.

Wow.

Єϝтιε Mεтακαтαᴧυ!


What's that? A new letter?

Λυмοειн ὑπнεειнκε βωειтει ἁϝтιιϝ οφтιтeрιει. Єϝ ουрυ.

Lie.inf sleep.inf-and couch.dat self.gen old.comp.dat. Good life.

"To lie and sleep on a couch older than yourself. That's life." 

It is. Well, the Waua only appears in some dialects, such as the one seen above. It's some proto dialect, as it features unassimilated forms (-οειн instead of -οιн) and ancient noun conjugations (-ιϝ instead of -ου).

I have started writing down my grammar and collecting it all, as it seemed some rules were only on this paper, and other collocations can only be found on that webpage. Also, I have been working out the proto-languages' vowel assimiliation, as well as vowel elision.

Cupboard Utopia

Єтι Καтαᴧυ!

I've been working on some diachronics of some sort; it started with noun conjugations, but I will develop it to a couple of dialects. I'll probably put some of those into my conworld. You might just see something about all this sometime soon.

Δακрι мнεc xтωнc εмοнε οᴧβκε?

Back.dat is.3pl lands happiness.gen wealth.gen-and?

Are there lands of happiness and wealth on the other side?

Noortje was quite jumpy at that moment. Strolling across my table as if I weren't trying to get something done on my pc. I guess she noticed it was almost time for dinner, demanding some extra attention in the meantime.

And yes, both the ευтιε καтαᴧυ and The Sentence were written in a dialect of some sort. This one was created after first applying 'elesion' and then 'contraction'. Well, I haven't worked that out, really.

Mαнπαнυ (Breakfast)

Єн цοιδιцει οφт нε мαнπαнεн παнxω.

In vacation.dat often not breakfast.acc eat.1sg.
In my vacation, I often do not have breakfast.

This sentence does not only show both an interesting word and a special construction, it is also true. Not that I starve myself until lunch, it's just that I don't wake up until around noon. It's also true in weekends. My biological clock must hate me for that, 'cause I have to wake up at 7:00 to go to school every day. Am I glad I'm done with that for some weeks.

Oh, right, мαнπαнυ. Well, first of all, you might have noticed that the literal translation should actually be "I often do not eat breakfast". In English you 'have a meal' or 'have a dinner', whereas in ᴧυрιοнεcκι you "eat a meal".

Me waking up at noon is quite normal in higher social classes in Lurionas, where they wake up at around ten o'clock, and have ἑᴧπαнυ (< ἑᴧecε 'sun' + παнxυ 'meal'; "lunch") within an hour or two. Then at around eight in the evening, families regroup to enjoy some dinner, цεcтπαнυ (< цεcтεр 'evening'). Labourers, or мαнοιрec, on the other hand, have to wake up early to go to work. Therefore breakfast is called мαнπαнυ, which is shortened from мαнοιрιε παнxυ ("labours meal").

That may sound demeaning, but in Lurion it hardly is, as мαнοιрυ is much more approbative than ποιεрυ "work". Where ποιεрιc can mean anything from slave to teacher, from baker to soldier, мαнοιрιc, which has obviously something to do with мαнυ (hand), is used to show that someone works really hard, makes a decent living, puts his back into it.

Λυрιοнιεc тecειc (Lurion temples)

The Luriones use тecειc (temples) as a place to pray, praise and meditate, as well as to meet for various reasons.

There are several types of temples, in most of them the seven main Gods, i.e. Δрαгο, Xωтαнο, Aκтοр, Ἱδοр, Ἁcмο, Cιцο and Mαο, are worshipped. Here I will discuss some of the most common.

Basic layout
Lurion temples housing multiple gods all have a similar layout, regardless of their shape.

The light blue area is the main room, which is available to everybody all during the day and night. The coloured areas are the actual rooms where each god is worshipped, praised and sacrificed to. These can only be entered by ᴧυрιοнιεc οικεнтec (Lurion citizens), thus not by βαрβαрec (barbarians, i.e. Fartes, Gerimes etc), δαмκαтec (slaves) or criminals, and only under the supervision or with the approval of тecec, priests.

Finally, the dark blue area is used as a back entrence for priests, a storage room and for other religious activities, e.g. removing animal sacrifices.

The front (shown at the bottom of the sketch) can be either a wall with one or multiple gates in it, or a мακουрυ (a row of pillars or columns). The whole temple can also be surrounded by a continuous мακουрυ, called an αмφιмακουрυ.

Тεтрειυ (Tetrium)
The Tetreiu or Tetrium is the most basic temple, it is rectangular but, unlike most Greek temples and modern churches etc, its main entrance is located on its longest side. It can be used to worship any combination of gods.

῾Єκтειυ (Hectium)
The Hekteiu has the shape of a hectagon, which is a holy shape in Lurion religion. Often with a dot in the middle, it resembles the seven main gods, with Δрαгο in the middle. However, for practical reasons, the rooms are position against the back three walls and are accessible via the main room in front. It is only used in the worship of these seven gods.

Κυκᴧειυ (Cyclium)
The Cyclium is a round temple, where most often only one deity is sacrificed to. It is often accompanied by a κυκᴧιмακουрυ (a circular αмφιмακουрυ), or sometimes by some other round formation of e.g. trees (like the Cyclarbrium), flames or stones.

Δουκᴧειυ (Duclium)
The Doukleiu, which is shortened from Δουικυκᴧειυ, has the shape of half a circle. It usually has a straight wall with only one door in it. When entering this, one can turn his head from left to right, eyeing the wide variaty of gods that is worshipped there. The rendezvous generally take place around the back side of the temple.

That's basically it, although villages and cities further away from the central Lurionas may have other types of temples.

A Naupilan Prayer

Here is a Naupilan prayer on the god of water, Ἱδοр. It is written with a naupilan accent and in capitals.

ΛAUΔEТAΙC ἹΔΟР ῾UТТAРЄC ΚЄНΙЄC MAРЄCΚЄ EΛΙЄC ῾UΔЄΓXЄCΚЄ ΔЄΔWНТΙΟ CЄUΦНΟН EНΟТWНТΙΟ ЄΓXΙНΟ UΚΙЄΔΙНΟΚЄ ΦAUΔΙНΟΚЄ ΔЄCΠΟ НAC НWC РΙΟРEΙCΚЄ.

Λαυδeтαιc Ἱδοр ὑттαрεc κεнιεc мαрεcκε eᴧιεc ὑδεгxεcκε δεδωнтιο Cευφнοн eнουтωнтιο εгxειнου υκιεδιнουκε φαυδιнουκε δεcπο нαc нωc рιοрeιcκε.

Praise.opt.pass. Hidor seas dark lakes-and light rivers-and give.pf.adj Seufno kill.pst.adj flow.inf.gen freeze.inf.gen boil.inf.gen master ships.acc our return.trans.opt.

"May you be praised, Hidor, who has given the dark seas and the light lakes and the rivers, who killed Seufno, lord of flowing and freezing and boiling, and may you let our ships return."

By the way, the last word shows a new feature/verb-infix I've added to Lurioneski: the 'transitivitiser', -οр-, to indicate causing the action to happen, turning an (often) intransitive verb into a(nother) transitive verb, e.g. ὑδεр φαυdι (the water boils) > ι φαυδοрω ὑδрεн (I boil the water).

Journey through Lurionas (Story)

I am going to write a story in lurioneski, both to improve my vocabulary and to further work out my conworld and conreligion. It is written by a Karvokan called Παυcαнιο (Pausanio; reference, anyone?) son of Fastizar ("thickface"). I'll post the first few lines here, where he explains why he is making his journey.

Παцcαнιοц Φαcтιzαрοцι Καрцοκαα

by Pavsanio Fastizarovi from Karvoka

Ποιᴧειc мε eκεκαcтрαc цαтαυн мε тαтιεн διεн ποιωнтιεн "ἑδε" ἁυтιεc αнαᴧeгοнтιεc "нε οιδιc?" Ι eαнαᴧeгω "гαр нε οιδω." Mεтα ὡc нε πειнοнтιωc ιнοc, цαᴧтε ῾eι ᴧαнгει ᴧeгοмα, αυтрιωc ᴧυрιοнωc cмικрυ οιδωмα.

(...)

Many had asked me why I did this journey, "or", answering themselves, "don't you know?" I answered "because I don't know." Because they didn't understand, [I said] that we, although we speak one language, know so little of the other luriones.

(...)

---
Edit: more paragraphs of this story will be posted under the tag 'diu'.

The Karvokan and Naupilan Accent

The Karvokes and the Naupiles, who live in my conworld, are by definition luriones, because they speak Lurioneski. They do, however, speak with an accent. Because there is no constant communications between the different cities, the way words are written changes as well. (You might want to have read phonology before continuing.)

The Karvokan accent
The main feature of the karvokan accent is that they pronounce a lot of weak υ's as ц's. For instance:

υ > ц;

Нαυπιᴧα (Naupila; [næʋpila]) is pronounced [nɐvpila] (or [nɐfpila]).

ευтιι ('good'; [ɛʋtii]) is pronounced [ɛvtii].

Another feature is that a lot of silent ε's are dropped:

ε > ';
ᴧυβεр ('book') > ᴧυβр.

The Naupilan accent
As naupiles are merchants, they are very busy men and therefore have no time to pronounce 'all those long vowels' *. The following changes have occured:

ει > ι;
ειδειн > ιδιн ('to see').
ου > ο;
παтрο мου > παтрο мο ('my father').
ιι > ι;
ευтιι > ευтι ('good').
ιι > ι ('he goes').

Also, strong vowel versions (α:, υ:, ι: and ι.) are ignored when vowel assimilation is concerned. E.g.:

ἁοмα > ὡмα ('we have').

Furthermore, υ's are pronounced (but not written) as ι's.
Finally, the ι: is pronounced as the semi-vowel [j] to form more diphthongs:

Λυтια (Lutia; [lytia] or [lytija]) is pronounced [lɪtja].

*This is actually quite paradoxal, because you can imagine how hard it might be to understand someone who speakes with such an accent.

The Luriad

The ᴧυрιαδ (luriad) is the 'national'* piece of clothing of the Lurionas; it is worn only by men**.

It basically has the shape of a longsleeved shirt, and can be formed from one easily.
There are 4 main ways to wear a luriad:

Lutian - ᴧυтιε ᴧυрιαδ
The elite of Lutia wears a luriad around their right shoulder. Most of it rests on the back, only a small part on the front of the shoulder. The sleeves are tied together somewhere across the chest or under the left arm.

Dorinian - δοрιнιε ᴧυрιαδ
The soldiers from Dorina sometimes wear nothing more than a luriad tied around their waist. Most of it hangs in front of the right hip, covering their crotch. The sleeves are tied together somewhere in front or on the side of their left hip. You could consider it some kind of loincloth, although a luriad is much larger and a dorinian luriad only covers the front.

Naupilian - нαυπιᴧιε ᴧυрιαδ
The fishermen of Naupila wear it simillar to the dorines, but they wear it on top of some (short) trousers, and on the back of their right hip. The sleeves are tied as with the dorinan luriad.

Izakrian - ιzακрιε ᴧυрιαδ
This style is not named after a city, but it is a variation on the luriad. It's much longer but has shorter sleeves. It is tied around the waist, leaving only the left hip visible. This is much more universal and can be weared by anyone at most occasions. There are also womens skirts in this style.

I have no idea if I've made myself clear, but I hope you get the idea.

(* Mind you, Λυрιοнαc is the collective name of the cities and villages where ᴧυрιοнεcκι is spoken, not an actual country.)
(** The luriones are quite sexist when it comes to elite and religious affairs. For instance, all the gods are male. Women are respected, though; only more as mothers and wifes.)

Λυрιοнιε Тeωнυ - Lurion Religion

The lurion religion is a polytheism, consisting of 7 main gods (тeec), 2 hypergods (αβωнтeec; 'top gods') and maybe some subgods (βαᴧιцωнтeec; 'below gods').

First, there was only nothing and the god of 'nothingness', Нαο. Then, there was everything and the god of everything, Eo. For ages, Нαo and Eo kept replacing eachother out of existence. Finally, there was balance and the god of balance, Δрαгο. From him came the other 6 gods:

Xωтαнο was the earth and the planets. On this earth Cιцο, air, formed. Then, Ἱδοр, water, and from this soil came the flora and fauna, Ἁcмο. To the humans did Eο give intelligence and the god Mαο, and Нαο gave them war and the god Aκтοр.

Whether or not these gods actually exist in my conworld, I don't know. I guess it doesn't matter, for the only way I will use them, is in myths and stories.
The 7 gods have the ability to become antropomorf, thus take the shape of humans. There are also mythological creatures that are antropomorf, for instance minotaurs (βοцαнтрec) and satyres (мεκαнтрec).

Here is a summary about the 7 тeec.

Δрαгο
God of Balance
He wears a robe and a hood, and has dragon wings on his back. When in battle, he might also have a dragons head, making him a δрαгαнтεр, i.e. a man with the head and wings of a dragon.

Xωтαнο
God of Earth and Death
He is a βοцαнтεр, a man with the head of a bull. He wears only a δοрιнιε ᴧυрιαδ (dorinian luriad*), and carries a double-faced axe, that he uses to open the skulls of the deceased (by age or disease) to let their soul be absorbed by the earth. Xotano collects these souls and returns them to Drago.

Aκтοр
God of Fire and War
He is a καтαнтεр, i.e. he has the head of a tiger or panther. He wears a dorinian luriad or trousers. He carries a sword in one hand. Victims of war should be cremated (not buried).

Ἱδοр
God of Water and Wealth
When he is in the water, he might be a ποcκαнтεр (a man with a fish's tail). When on land, he wears trousers and a naupilan luriad. He carries a sword and a shield. Men that die on sea should be delivered to the sea.

Cιцο
God of Air, Light and Crafts
He is a цιδαнтεр; he has the head and wings of a bird (often falcon). He wears trousers and a lutian luriad, and carries a bow and arrow.

Ἁcмο
God of Nature, Life and Beauty
The youngest of the gods, he has the appearance of a 16 year old boy, although sometimes he is a мεκαнтεр (having goat's legs). He always wears a hood and often a robe, to prevent mortals from becoming enchanted by his beauty. He is often accompanied by a falcon or a sparrow. He carries a knive and sometimes ropes.

Mαο
God of Night and Wisdom
He wears trousers or is a cεрπαнтεр (i.e. has a snake's tail), a lutian luriad and sometimes a cape. He carries a spear, which he sometimes throws from the sky (i.e. lightning).

(* For more information about the luriad - the lurion national clothing - please read the post above this one.)

Introduction to my Conworld

I'm working on a conworld as a setting for Lurion, here's a crude drawing I made (with pencil, finishing touch with the pc); click for a bigger version.

Basically, Lurion is spoken in the Λυрιοнαc (Lurionas), which is not so much a country as the name the citizens of numerous cities and villages call the lands they live in. Everyone that is not from the Lurionas is considered a βαрβαрιc (barbaris, i.e. barbarian). The places outside Lurionas are generally called the Βαрβαрαc.

There are four cities or ποᴧεc (poles) so far: Lutia, Dorina, Naupila and Karvoka. Lutia is the most scientific and philosophical; Dorina is quite a military city; Naupila is a trading city with enormous docks; the area around Karvoka is quite cold.

The Luriones do not often come in contact with the Fartes, let alone the Gerimes, when they do it most likely is to battle, although some trading does occure.

More will follow on these cultures as I develop it.