Gheldaght
This language is primarily used by the human race throughout the Principality of Caledon polity.
- It is a peripheral or minority language.
Description (Specifications)[edit]
Gheldaght is a linguistic descendant of an ancient Terran language spoken by the Terran forebears of the people who later formed the basis of the Principality of Caledon. It is spoken today among two audiences - highly-educated Caledonians, and lower-middle-class, mostly rural Caledonian culturalists.
Structure[edit]
No information yet available.
Morphology[edit]
Morphology is the study of the internal structure of words.
- morpheme, inflection, paradigm, declension, derivation, compound, etc.
Phonology[edit]
Phonology, the study of the sound systems of a language.
- phoneme, allophone, segment, mora, syllable, foot, stress, tone, etc.
Grammar[edit]
Grammar is the structure of a language.
- tense, aspect, mood and modality, grammatical number, grammatical gender, case, etc.
Syntax[edit]
Syntax is the study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences.
- phrase, clause, grammatical function, grammatical voice, etc.
Meaning[edit]
No information yet available.
Lexicology[edit]
A lexicon is the word supply of a language.
- word, lexeme, lemma, lexicon, vocabulary, terminology, etc.
Semantics[edit]
Semantics is the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics), and how these combine to form the meanings of sentences.
- meaning, sense, entailment, truth condition, compositionality, etc.
Pragmatics[edit]
Pragmatics is the study of how language is used by its speakers.
- presupposition, implicature, deixis
History & Background (Historical Linguistics)[edit]
Linguistics note that the language currently called Gheldaght was a niche language even on Terra, spoken by fewer than 10% of Terran "Scots".
- As the Anglo-Caledonian branch of the Terran diaspora moved toward what is now the Principality, scholars and linguists launched an aggressive effort to preserve the history, culture, traditions and language of traditional Terran-Scot life. Over time, this morphed into two separate avenues of proto-Caledonian cultural preservation, both of which use their respective dialects of Gheldaght as the basis for their different approaches to preserving the culture.
- Dialects: There are two major dialects of Gheldaght:
- Although there are many sub-dialects of "Low Gheldaght". All are mutually intelligible.
- "High Gheldaght" High Gheldaght is to a great extent an academic preservation of the ancient language, usually combined with extensive study of Caledonian history, art, culture and philosophy going back to ancient Terra. At least two years' study of "High Gheldaght", as well as the history and culture that go along with it, have challenged over a thousand years' worth of Caledonian university students and military academy cadets.
- In Game Terms: High Gheldaght is largely spoken by educated Caledonians; military officers above the rank of Colonel, senior government officials, and especially members of the traditional nobility. Indeed, learning High Gheldaght (and all of the history and culture thereunto appertaining) is a key task facing any middle-class character inducted into the nobility via knighthood.
- "Low Gheldaght":
- Low Gheldaght is the dialect handed down through hundreds of generations of Caledonian families - largely but far from entirely working/lower-middle class, very often from rural or remote parts of the Principality.
- Low Gheldaght is also usually taught in the context of a very aggressively-romantic recreation of traditional Caledonian culture; Low Gheldaght is the lingua franca of many unique aspects of traditional declasse Caledonian life - everything from "highland games" and mock battles to the traditional Caledonian bagpipe lullabye.
- In Game Terms: Many middle-class, and most lower-middle/working class Caledonians, will know at least some Low Gheldaght - enough to communicate the basics.
Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)[edit]
This language is primarily in use in the following areas:
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
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