Paigke Language

This is the language spoken by the Paigkein People of the Masun Forest region of Egoni.
The language is relatively unlike the Eagrok-Sunik language family, as it seems to not originate with any of the proto-Eagrok or Sunik languages. It's been spoken in Central and North-central Egoni for centuries. The neighboring language of Isantoi or Id̄ïtil̆eq̄aɕïian Language has similar noun classes, and loan words exist between the two due to extensive trade between the two peoples. Paigke does not have the tonal stress structure of Id̄ïtil̆eq̄aɕïian Language however, so some linguistics have speculated that the two are actually from two different language families, especially in regards to word structure. The origins of Paigke has been lost to history; however, the Paigke themselves hold an oral tradition of descendants of reindeer herders from the lost homeworld of humans. As for what 'reindeer' are, the oral traditions cannot agree.

Natively known as: pjäigkje /ˈpʰaigkʰe/

There are nine noun classes. In the Raliok dialect - the tribe settled near the lone Raliok tree in central Egoni - there is a tenth noun class: Comparative (compare-with, as in cat compares with another-noun). The class has a suffix of -kje /'kʰe/. It is likely that Paigke is a term reminiscent of this class, which is no longer used in the other two tribes.

Noun affixes

These are placed at the end of a root word. Most of the noun cases act as adpositions.

Nominative	No affix ëloe /ˈɛluo̯/ cat (doing the verb)
Accusative	Suffix -ie̯h ëloeie̯h /ˈɛluo̯ie̯h/ (verb done to) cat
Genitive	Suffix -yʃ ëloeyjj /ˈɛluo̯yʃ/ catʼs
Illative	Suffix -ɨk ëloeïk /ˈɛluo̯ɨk/ into (the/a) cat
Inessive	Suffix -ʉʃ ëloeüjj /ˈɛluo̯ʉʃ/ in (the/a) cat
Elative	Suffix -ie̯s ëloeie̯s /ˈɛluo̯ie̯s/ out of (the/a) cat
Comitative	Suffix -ib ëloeib /ˈɛluo̯ib/ with (the/a) cat
Essive	If ends with vowel: Suffix -r Else: Suffix -ɨe̯ ëloer /ˈɛluo̯r/ denotes state of being (or definitive period of time) cat exists doing the verb
Locative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -t Else: Suffix -i ëloet /ˈɛluo̯t/ near/at/by (the/a) cat

Noun number

This affix goes after the noun class. So the structure of a word is often: root-word + noun-affix + noun-number-affix. It is rare to see the two affixes reversed in order.

Singular	No affix ëloe /ˈɛluo̯/ cat
Plural	Suffix -ʉs ëloeüs /ˈɛluo̯ʉs/ cats
Dual	Suffix -eb ëloeeb /ˈɛluo̯eb/ two cats

Determiners

	Singular	Plural	Dual
Definite	pehtuä̈ /ˈpehtʰʉa̯/ the	fu /fu/ the	ujj /uʃ/ the
Indefinite	u /u/ a	vuehpie̯ /ˈvʉe̯hpʰie̯/ some	heäwue /ˈheɑ̯βʉe̯/

Numbers

paigke has a base-20 number system:
1 - adu
2 - tüe
3 - oehtsü
4 - nyo
5 - kjie̯tsie̯
6 - geët
7 - niïe
8 - gü
9 - htye
10 - tä
11 - kjïngu
12 - pjäüttso
13 - ëveëhtüvï
14 - nutsunjy
15 - jüä̯ëwo
16 - ükjois
17 - ëhtsüreä
18 - htikyo
19 - fïebeëhpyo
20 - eäseëïe
21 - dahpjüeë̯l eadtspjë kjetjïe “twenty and one”
100 - ënutjï
400 - süafob “fourhundred”
401 - süafob adu “fourhundred one”
500 - kjie̯tsie̯ ënutjï "fivehundred"
800 - tü süafob “two fourhundred”
1000 - uekeä
8000 - gükuekeä “eightthousand”
million - kükü
billion - tsngynyo
trillion - bdey
infinity - as
The word for 'zero' is a modified loan word from Id̄ïtil̆eq̄aɕïian Language.

Pronouns

	Singular	Plural	Dual
1st person	ngeëjuä̈ /ˈŋeɛ̯jʉa̯/ I, me, mine	ïe /ɨe̯/ we, us, ours	htsitj /hʦiʧ/
2nd person	pjun /pʰun/ you, yours	tjuehp /ʧʉe̯hpʰ/ you all, yours (pl)	ü /ʉ/
3rd person	ojj /oʃ/ he, she, him, her, his, hers, it, its	oe /uo̯/ they, them, theirs	tsïhts /ʦɨhʦ/

There are different 3rd person pronouns for different genders, which are dependent on the dialect. These pronouns have shifted considerably in the several hundred years since the Silence. Paigke have thus developed a 'ask-before-use' cultural norm.

Cultural words

Paigke regard gender and sexuality as a three-dimensional space of possibilities. Binaries rarely exist in any capacity within their culture, and there is much richness around the language of different aspects of self and self-with-others. New words invented from the bones of old happen frequently.
These are the traditional genders within the Paigke Tribal Coalition:

• Dihtse - identifies male
• dä̯htse - identifies female
• omgke - all-gender
• nullegke / mungke - no-gender ; first is used more in the Narlip dialect and the latter in Raliok dialect
• naellaske - "star-moon" gender, where an intersex individual is born in moonlight
• biejjigke - "sun" gender, where an intersex individual born in sunlight.

Writing System

Phonology

See Phonetics section below.

Morphology

Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = Suffix -ɛd
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Prefix ko-
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -ie̯ʃ
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -ɛʃ
noun → adverb = ɲi-

Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -r
Else: Suffix -ɨe̯

Noun to verb = Prefix bi-
Noun to verb (TO.CREATE) = -yt

Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -yo̯d
Tending to = Suffix -eg
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Prefix tu-


Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -v
Else: Suffix -ɨ

One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɲ
Else: Suffix -ʉ
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Prefix boɑ̯-
Diminutive = Prefix gʉe̯-

Augmentative = If ends with vowel: Suffix -h
Else: Suffix -ɛ

Phonetics

Spelling & Phonology

Consonant inventory: b d f g h j k kʰ l m n p pʰ r s t tʰ v ŋ ɲ ʃ ʦ ʧ β

Note: the superscript of "ʰ" stands for an aspirated sound, almost like the consonant is being blown through the lips or teeth.

↓Manner/Place→	Bilabial	Labiodental	Alveolar	Palato-alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal	m		n		ɲ	ŋ
Stop	p pʰ b		t tʰ d			k kʰ g
Affricate			ʦ	ʧ
Fricative	β	f v	s	ʃ			h
Approximant					j
Trill			r
Lateral approximant			l

.
.
Vowel inventory: a e eɑ̯ eɛ̯ i ie̯ o oɑ̯ u uo̯ y yo̯ ɑ ɛ ɨ ɨe̯ ʉ ʉa̯ ʉe̯
Note: vowels are generally unrounded. Only y and ʉ are rounded vowels. Linguists suspect these two vowels were loan vowels from the influence of neighboring languages.
Diphthongs: eɑ̯ eɛ̯ ie̯ oɑ̯ uo̯ yo̯ ɨe̯ ʉa̯ ʉe̯

	Front	Central	Back
High	i y	ɨ ʉ	u
High-mid	e		o
Low-mid	ɛ
Low	a		ɑ

. Stress pattern: Initial — stress is on the first syllable

Spelling rules:

Pronunciation	Spelling
b	b
d	d
f	f
g	g
h	h
j	j
k	k
kʰ	kj
l	l
m	m
n	n
ɲ	nj
ŋ	ng
p	p
r	r
s	s
ʃ	jj
t	t
ʦ	ts
ʧ	tj
v	v
β	w
hts	hts
hpʰ	hp
htʰ	ht
kk	gk
pʰ	pj
tʰ	tt
eɛ̯	eë
ɨe̯	ïe
oɑ̯	oa
uo̯	oe
ʉa̯	uä
ʉe̯	ue
yo̯	yo
eɑ̯	ea
a	ä
ɑ	a
ɛ	ë
e	e
i	i
ɨ	ï
ʉ	ü
u	u
o	o
y	y

Tenses

Verb affixes

Remote past

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Singular	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ʉa̯ hpojjop //ˈhpʰo̯ʃo̯p/ (I) learned (long ago)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -b Else: Suffix -ɨ hpojjob //ˈhpʰo̯ʃo̯b/ (you) learned (long ago)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -t Else: Suffix -eɛ̯ hpojjot //ˈhpʰo̯ʃo̯t/ (he/she/it) learned (long ago)
Plural	If ends with vowel: Suffix -yn Else: Suffix -y hpojjon /hpʰo̯ʃo̯yn/ (we) learned (long ago)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -n Else: Suffix -i hpojjon /hpʰo̯ʃo̯n/ (you all) learned (long ago)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -kk Else: Suffix -i hpojjogk /hpʰo̯ʃo̯kk/ (they) learned (long ago)
Dual	Suffix -ʉʧ hpojjoütj /hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉʧ/ learned (long ago)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -eɛ̯ hpojjom /hpʰo̯ʃo̯m/ learned (long ago)	Suffix -ʉa̯ʃ hpojjouä̈jj /hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉa̯ʃ/ learned (long ago)

Past

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Singular	Suffix -ʉd hpojjoüd /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉd/ (I) learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -u hpojjop /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯p/ (you) learned	Suffix -eɑ̯b hpojjoeäb /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯eɑ̯b/ (he/she/it) learned
Plural	Suffix -ɛkk hpojjoëgk /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɛkk/ (we) learned	Suffix -ɨkk hpojjoïgk /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɨkk/ (you all) learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -d Else: Suffix -o hpojjod /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯d/ (they) learned
Dual	Suffix -eɑ̯ʦ hpojjoeäts /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯eɑ̯ʦ/ learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ŋ Else: Suffix -y hpojjong /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ŋ/ learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -ɨe̯ hpojjoh /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯h/ learned

Present

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Singular	Suffix -oɑ̯k hpojjooäk /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯oɑ̯k/ (I) learn	Suffix -yk hpojjoyk /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯yk/ (you) learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʧ Else: Suffix -ɑ hpojjotj /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʧ/ (he/she/it) learns
Plural	If ends with vowel: Suffix -l Else: Suffix -i hpojjol /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯l/ (we) learn	Suffix -ob hpojjoob /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ob/ (you all) learn	Suffix -ym hpojjoym /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ym/ (they) learn
Dual	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦ Else: Suffix -u hpojjots /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʦ/ learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -e hpojjom /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯m/ learn	Suffix -iʦ hpojjoits /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯iʦ/ learn

Future

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Singular	Suffix -it hpojjoit /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯it/ (I) will learn	Suffix -ɨe̯t hpojjoïet /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɨe̯t/ (you) will learn	Suffix -ek hpojjoek /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ek/ (he/she/it) will learn
Plural	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʦ Else: Suffix -ʉ hpojjots /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʦ/ (we) will learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -s Else: Suffix -ɑ hpojjos /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯s/ (you all) will learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -t Else: Suffix -y hpojjot /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯t/ (they) will learn
Dual	Suffix -uo̯d hpojjooed /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uo̯d/ will learn	Suffix -eb hpojjoeb /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯eb/ will learn	Suffix -ud hpojjoud /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ud/ will learn

Remote future

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Singular	If ends with vowel: Suffix -d Else: Suffix -y hpojjod /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯d/ (I) will learn (far in future)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -m Else: Suffix -ɨ hpojjom /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯m/ will learn (far in future)	Suffix -ɨl hpojjoïl /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɨl/ will learn (far in future)
Plural	Suffix -uo̯ʧ hpojjooetj /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uo̯ʧ/ (we) will learn (far in future)	If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -ɨ hpojjoh /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯h/ will learn (far in future)	Suffix -ɨb hpojjoïb /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɨb/ will learn (far in future)
Dual	Suffix -uʧ hpojjoutj /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uʧ/ will learn (far in future)	Suffix -uo̯ɲ hpojjooenj /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uo̯ɲ/ will learn (far in future)	Suffix -eɛ̯h hpojjoeëh /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯eɛ̯h/ will learn (far in future)

Negative Verb affixes

Paigke has a negative form of most verbs.

Singular

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Non-pastindicative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ab Else: Suffix -ɨ hpojjoab /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ab/ (I) no learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ad Else: Suffix -eɑ̯ hpojjoad /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ad/ (you) no learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -eʦ Else: Suffix -y hpojjoets /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯eʦ/ (they) no learn
Pastindicative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -as Else: Suffix -eɑ̯ hpojjoas /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯as/ (I) no learned	Suffix -ep hpojjoep /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ep/ no learned	Suffix -ʉv hpojjoüv /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉv/ no learned
Non-pastimperative	Suffix -ɑp hpojjoap /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ɑp/ (I) no learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ap Else: Suffix -y hpojjoap /ˈhpʰyo̯ʃyo̯ap/ no learn	Suffix -ʉa̯g hpojjouä̈g /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉa̯g/ no learn
Pastimperative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -es Else: Suffix -eɑ̯ hpojjoes /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯es/ (I) no learned	Suffix -ep hpojjoep /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ep/ no learned	Suffix -ʉv hpojjoüv /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉv/ no learned

Plural

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Non-pastindicative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -em Else: Suffix -e hpojjoem /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯em/ (we) no learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -le Else: Suffix -ʉ hpojjole /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯le/ no learn	Suffix -oɑ̯h hpojjooäh /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯oɑ̯h/ no learn
Pastindicative	Suffix -iʦ hpojjoits /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯iʦ/ (we) no learned	Suffix -ʉa̯v hpojjouäv /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉa̯v/ no learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -dɑ Else: Suffix -ɑ hpojjoda /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯dɑ/ no learned
Non-pastimperative	Suffix -oɑ̯ʧ hpojjooätj /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯oɑ̯ʧ/ (we) no learn	Suffix -ug hpojjoug /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ug/ no learn	If ends with vowel: Suffix -py Else: Suffix -e hpojjopy /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯py/ no learn
Pastimperative	Suffix -iʦ hpojjoits /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯iʦ/ (we) no learned	Suffix -ʉa̯v hpojjouäv /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉa̯v/ no learned	If ends with vowel: Suffix -yd Else: Suffix -ɑ hpojjoyd /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯yd/ no learned

Dual

	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
Non-pastindicative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -hi Else: Suffix -i hpojjohi /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯hi/ no learn	Suffix -yb hpyojjyoyb /ˈhpʰyo̯ʃyo̯yb/ no learn	Suffix -oh hpojjooh /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯oh/ no learn
Pastindicative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -gi Else: Suffix -ɛ hpojjogi /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯gi/ no learned	Suffix -uo̯t hpyojjyooet /ˈhpʰyo̯ʃyo̯uo̯t/ no learned	Suffix -uby hpojjouby /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uby/ no learned
Non-pastimperative	Suffix -yv hpojjoyv /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯yv/ no learn	Suffix -ʦʉe̯ hpojjotsue /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʦʉe̯/ no learn	Suffix -ʉht hpojjoüht /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ʉht/ no learn
Pastimperative	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ge Else: Suffix -ɛ hpojjoge /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ge/ no learned	Suffix -uo̯t hpojjooet /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯uo̯t/ no learned	Suffix -ub hpojjoub /'hpʰo̯ʃo̯ub/ no learned

Sentence Structure

Main word order: Subject Object Verb (Prepositional phrase).

“Mary opened the door with a key” turns into Mary the door opened with a key.

Paigke: märy /mary/ | pehtuä /pehtʰʉa̯/| yjouettsaie̯h /ˈyjoˌʉe̯tʦɑie̯h/| gäie̯snjueäb / ˈgaie̯sˌɲueɑ̯b/ | gkleohtïib /ˈkkleohˌtɨib/
Gloss: Mary | the | door (accusative form) | opened (singular past) | key-with (comitative form) |

Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned after the noun.
Adposition: postpositions

Another example: Two black cats climbed through a window.
Paigke: ëloeeb /ˈɛluo̯eb/ | unüiie̯l /'unʉˌiie̯l/ | wävetja /ˈβaveʧɑ/ | u /u/ | dhtëvïie̯h /ˈdhtɛvɨie̯h/ | ïseëeäts /ˈɨseɛ̯eɑ̯ʦ/ |
Gloss: Two cats (dual nominative form) | black (dual form) | through | a | window (accusative form) | climbed (past dual conjugation).

Adjective Order

Adjective affixes

Adjectives are generally placed after the noun they are describing.

	Nominative	Accusative	Genitive	Illative	Inessive	Elative	Comitative	Essive	Locative
Singular	No affix ïejjïyo /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯/	Suffix -iɲ ïejjïyoinj /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯iɲ/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ɑ ïejjïyop /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯p/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ʧ Else: Suffix -ʉ ïejjïyotj /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯ʧ/	Suffix -id ïejjïyoid /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯id/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -y ïejjïyop /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯p/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ht Else: Suffix -o ïejjïyoht /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯ht/	Suffix -un ïejjïyoun /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯un/	Suffix -oɑ̯t ïejjïyooät /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯oɑ̯t/
Plural	Suffix -ir ïejjïyoir /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯ir/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -b Else: Suffix -ɑ ïejjïyob /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯b/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -h Else: Suffix -ʉa̯ ïejjïyoh /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯h/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -i ïejjïyok /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯k/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -ht Else: Suffix -u ïejjïyoht /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯ht/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -b Else: Suffix -a ïejjïyob /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯b/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -kk Else: Suffix -ɨe̯ ïejjïyogk /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯kk/	Suffix -oɑ̯v ïejjïyooäv /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯oɑ̯v/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -ʉe̯ ïejjïyop /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯p/
Dual	Suffix -ie̯l ïejjïyoie̯l /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯ie̯l/	Suffix -eɛ̯r ïejjïyoeër /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯eɛ̯r/	Suffix -er ïejjïyoer /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯er/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -s Else: Suffix -uo̯ ïejjïyos /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯s/	Suffix -ʉt ïejjïyoüt /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯ʉt/	Suffix -ykk ïejjïyoygk /ˈɨe̯ʃɨˌyo̯ykk/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -p Else: Suffix -a ïejjïyop /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯p/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -k Else: Suffix -ɨ ïejjïyok /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯k/	If ends with vowel: Suffix -d Else: Suffix -ʉe̯ ïejjïyod /ˈɨe̯ʃɨyo̯d/

Dictionary

4354 Words.

Spoken by

• Paigkein