New As'hikan

Overview of New As'hikan

New As'hikan is the modernized version of the ancient As'hikan Vulgar, used as the contemporary Imperial and United World Language in the world of Arshmunnu. It retains the core grammatical and phonological structure of its predecessor but simplifies many of its more complex features to facilitate broader use.

Linguistic Characteristics

1. Phonology and Phonetics:

**Consonants:** New As'hikan retains a simplified consonant system from As'hikan Vulgar, focusing on clarity and ease of pronunciation.

**Vowels:** The vowel system is streamlined, reducing the number of diphthongs and triphthongs while maintaining distinct short and long vowels.

2. Grammar:

**Noun Declensions:** Nouns are still declined according to case, number, and gender, but with fewer endings and irregular forms.

**Verb Conjugations:** Verbs are conjugated based on tense, mood, and aspect, with fewer irregular verbs and simplified conjugation patterns.

**Adjectives and Adverbs:** Adjectives continue to agree with nouns in case, number, and gender, while adverbs are typically derived through regular suffixes.

3. Syntax:

The typical sentence structure follows a Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) order, reflecting its historical roots while accommodating modern usage.

Sentence complexity is maintained through the use of conjunctions and relative clauses, though with simplified conjunction forms.

Writing System

New As'hikan is written using a modernized script derived from As'hikan Vulgar glyphs. The script includes:

**Basic Characters:** 24 consonantal symbols and 6 vowel symbols, derived from the original but simplified for easier learning and use.

**Diacritics:** Limited use of diacritics to modify pronunciation and indicate stress, focusing on essential distinctions.

**Ligatures:** Reduced number of ligatures, focusing on the most common combinations.

Punctuation

Punctuation in New As'hikan is functional and straightforward, ensuring clarity in written communication. Some key punctuation marks include:
1. **᛫** (mid-dot): Used to separate words in compound terms or phrases. 2. **·** (high dot): Indicates a standard pause, similar to a comma. 3. **·᛫** (high dot followed by mid-dot): Marks the end of a sentence. 4. **¡!**: Denotes emphasis or exclamation. 5. **¿?**: Indicates a question. 6. **⸬** (double comma): Used for lists or series. 7. **„“**: Used for direct speech or quotations. 8. **⁇**: Indicates strong emphasis or rhetorical questions. 9. **« »**: Used for highlighting or emphasis.

Example Text in New As'hikan

Translation of a Simple Sentence:

**English:** "The king's wisdom shines brightly in the dark."

**New As'hikan:** "Yae althakumen vulon siron ni thule·᛫"

Explanation:

**Yae** (shines) – Verb.

**Althakumen** (wisdom) – Subject.

**Vulon** (the king's) – Noun in the genitive case.

**Siron** (brightly) – Adverb.

**Ni** (in) – Preposition.

**Thule** (dark) – Noun in the accusative case.

**·᛫** (sentence-ending punctuation).

More Detailed Example Text:

**English:** "In the ancient temple, the priestess sang a hymn of praise, her voice echoing through the sacred halls."

**New As'hikan:** "Siris kuros yae hymnes alaphos ni thelis thanos, vulonas tae egardhos ni sacraus halls·᛫"

Explanation:

**Siris** (sang) – Verb.

**Kuros** (priestess) – Subject.

**Yae hymnes** (a hymn) – Direct object.

**Alaphos** (of praise) – Genitive case.

**Ni thelis thanos** (in the ancient temple) – Prepositional phrase.

**Vulonas** (her voice) – Nominative case.

**Tae** (echoing) – Participle.

**Egardhos** (through) – Preposition.

**Ni sacraus halls** (sacred halls) – Accusative case.

**·᛫** (sentence-ending punctuation).