About Mãreva
Mãreva language is a fantasy language for a fantasy people who live in a swamp. I'm from Florida and I don't see many good fantasy swamp stories, so I wanted to expirement with my own!
Key Features of the Language:
- Phonology:
- Includes breathy voiced consonants (bʱ, dʱ, gʱ)
- Uses nasal vowels (ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ)
- Favors CV (consonant-vowel) syllable structure
- Pronouns:
- Distinguishes between animate and inanimate in the third person
- Has inclusive and exclusive forms for first person plural
- Verb System:
- Basic tense system (present, past, future)
- Verbs are formed by adding suffixes to roots
- Recently added aspect and mood systems
- Noun System:
- Uses postpositions rather than prepositions
- No grammatical gender
- Word Order:
- Generally follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order
- Vocabulary:
- Reflects the swamp environment and culture
- Words often derived from natural elements and phenomena
- Unique Features:
- The language name "Mãreva" means "water-speak"
- Vocabulary and grammar reflect the fluid, adaptive nature of swamp life
Phonetics
- Consonants
- Plosives: p, b, t, d, k, g
- Breathy voiced consonants: bʱ, dʱ, gʱ
- Nasals: m, n, ŋ
- Fricatives: f, v, s, z, ʃ, ʒ, h
- Approximants: l, j, w
- Trill: r
- Vowels
- Oral vowels: i, e, a, o, u
- Nasal vowels: ĩ, ẽ, ã, õ, ũ
Pronouns
| Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | kev |
(Exclusive & Inclusive)
|
||||
| 2nd Person | nof | lof | ||||
| 3rd Person (Animate) |
mur | sur | ||||
| 3rd Person (Inanimate) |
zir | fir |
| Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | kem |
(Exclusive & Inclusive)
|
||||
| 2nd Person | nom | lom | ||||
| 3rd Person (Animate) |
mum | sum | ||||
| 3rd Person (Inanimate) |
zim | fim |
Examples
This is an example.
This is a translation.
Mur mu-ma mãbʱuk-pa.
She is in the boat.
Lof lo-kud-o sun.
You all will speak to them.
Kev ke-nõd-e mãbʱuk.
I see the water plant.
Bʱuk su-bʱur-e ʒi-se.
The plants are growing quickly.
Nas na-gad-o sũmã-pa.
We (inclusive) will hide in the mist.
Nas na-gad-o sũmã-pa.
We (inclusive) will hide in the mist.
Ta dʱa, Kev ʒive mãbʱu-pa. Kev nõde bã vo jã. Mur kude ken, "Nas sade bã?" Kev mae, "Vo! Nas sade bã vo pʱu." Sur ʒive mõ-pa vo rãde bã. Zũ mae, vo sur zũde mãbʱu-pa. Ta dʱa mae bʱudo vo mãdo.
One day, I go in a boat. I see fish and birds. He/she speaks to me, "Shall we (inclusive) eat fish?" I say, "Yes! We (inclusive) will eat fish and fruit." They go in the mud and hunt fish. Night comes, and they sleep in the boat. The day was green and wet.
Visitors: