The Asan Language Language in Codai Sector | World Anvil
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The Asan Language

The Planet of Asan, known and feared sector-wide, has been isolated for many years. As a result, despite many places in the galaxy speaking some form of clearly Earth-Originating language, the Asan have developed their own language over these ages. Based within Chinese and Japanese, it's written system uses neither language's alphabet - instead, it has it's own constructed alphabet that uses the same "symbol-to-concept" system. This system is designed to be more restrictive in what can be written and discussed, allowing the upperclass to contain ideas by removing words from the language tactically.   But what about the upper class? That's where you'll see a bit more of it's origins. While some of the writing and spoken terms have carried up, some major areas of their lexicon still resemble Chinese. This language is kept well within the bounds of the social elite. No limits to language means potential for unrest. Unrest is not allowed here. It will never be allowed here. That's why the upper class can speak so many words; to keep it from happening.

Writing System

The basic alphabet is designed to be simple, but in such a way that combining symbology is not capable of stating advanced concepts. For example, the symbol for "Wall" is designed as a Square with 2 lines. However, adding the symbol for "Broken" to this creates the word "Security". It is extremely difficult to write accurate displays of resistance within this language, as every stroke of every character has been built to prevent this.

Geographical Distribution

This language is almost entirely limited to those on the planet Asan. It's use as a language of communication is quite limited, by design, and so most do not use it by choice.
Common Phrases
Being a restrictive language, people have had to get creative to come up with many terms of phrase. Swearing, especially, has been difficult to come across. That said, in the last 30-40 years, a few have begun introducing their own words into the language. Attempts to curtail this have so-far failed, and due to their spread are not believed to be stop-able without mass bloodshed.   Built-In Sayings:
Timeru Qūa
"Stop Area" / Used to refer to the area beyond which people of a certain class are not allowed to continue, i.e. a Checkpoint.
Jō Zǎo
"Top Morning" / A rare phrase. Initially sown by a traveler who took the time to learn the language. Used as a makeshift way to refer to an Uprising (Literal translation of "the upper area" and "The time you would wake up (rise)". While this is capable of being made within the rules of the language, it doesn't technically mean anything; it's meaning is solely by association.
  Constructed Sayings:
Bìbe Xiun
"Wall Down" / A local term that has been built to get around the anti-dissidence design. Neither word is as written in the language, and has been shifted according to rules of outside languages (The Asan language does not include conjugation or other such rules of any kind) and so neither word is accurate to it's original written or spoken sound. This phrase is used to refer directly to the prospect of destroying the city walls, and in turn the state
Naule Pòwarì Shǒshu
"Gone Means Broken" / Refers to the exterior walls. Citizens are propagandized that the walls of the city are always there, even when not seen. The walls are occasionally damaged by the local wildlife or by accidents in unprotected factories. This means that many citizens may see the hole in the wall, see beyond the city limit, and convince themselves that the wall is still standing - that there is no escape even then. This phrase is strenuously built, and hard to understand even for a native speaker, but conveys at least the elements for later revision.

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