Old Tongue Conventions and Pronunciation
In rendering the Old Tongue I have used the "Lęsų system" because of its
general familiarity, despite its obvious drawbacks. I am grateful to the University of Lęsų
and the Hosyindre Institute for their help in reconstructing a
12th century Forest dialect. What
passes for Middle Age Old Tongue in television and movies is, of course, generally
a very modern (say, 17th century)
Mountain dialect. Since the peoples of Uliante and Huascarįn split before 0 AR,
even by the 12th century they were
quite distinct.
In particular I wish to thank Prof. Omar Ovetnye of the Hosyindre Institute,
who actually read all my dialogue and compared it to his linguistic drift analyses,
and the librarian at UL, Ms. Ragny Olafson, who let me listen to actual wire recordings
of elderly children of Uliante, dating from the beginning of the previous century.
Pronunciation
| Vowels |
| a | as in tot |
| e | as in bet or kate |
| i | as in bit or beet |
| o | as in coat |
| u | as in butt or boot |
The Lęsų system is largely easy, with a few inacuracies. Embarassingly, two of these
include the names Epijanio and Isijio, which are more properly spelled Epizanio
and Isizio. The "j" in these cases represents not the aspirated "h" of "Jose," but
the "zh" sound rendered "si" in "television." "Zh" was an allophone of "z," not "j."
There is also the needless distinction between the soft "h" of "Hasyendri" and the
aspirated "h" of "Jisi."
Otherwise, vowels tend to follow standard European norms (in which a long "e" is pronounced
"ay" rather than "ee"). Exceptions are noted in the table at right.
| Consonants |
| c | as in cub |
| g | as in gone |
| j | as in Jose or hope |
| r | with slight "hr" sound, not rolled |
| w | as in well, NOT where |
| z | as in television or zero |
Consonants are pronounced as is standard in English, with a few exceptions noted
at right.
Double consonants involving "r" or "y" in the second position are, in fact, a single
consonant, and never split into separate syllables. This second position "r" does
not have the "hr" sound of a solo "r." Thus it is "Es-te-dri," not "Es-ted-ri,"
and "Ho-syen-dri," not "Hos-yen-dri."
Stress is fairly regular, typically falling on the second syllable, "iSIjio,"
and often noted with an accent when there is a variance, "RAStiĮN." One notes in
this case that the stress on the first syllable is assumed. Following common practice,
I omitted the accent that should appear on "Epijįnio," and in other names still in
common use and spelled without accents ("Jįvel").
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