Holmgardian Languages

Overview

The group of Holmgardian languages are among the most widely spoken. Originating from the human tribesfolk of the Norgannothi mountains, Holmgardian languages spread with the expansion of the Empire and then diverged. In the 8th century, there are several subtypes of Holmgardian with varying degrees of intelligibility. Holmgardian is an inflective language which makes use of numerous compound nouns.

New Holmgardian
New Holmgardian (Middenspiel), usually just known in this era as "Holmgardian", is the dialect that emerged over centuries in the region of Middenheim from the variety of Old Holmgardian spoken by the Graeling tribe. It is mainly distinguished from Old Holmgardian by its heavy Valmeric influence. Old and New Holmgardian are mostly intelligible, though Old Holmgardian speakers in remote regions and New Holmgardian speakers from major cities may be unable to understand each other. New Holmgardian is probably the most widely spoken second language in the world, being spoken in all of the regions once held by the Holmgardian Empire, as well as by many folk in Lornham and Barovia. A sample of New Holmgardian is provided below:
Tyr, whose strength has always been great, who carries the spirit of the bear,
Tyr, whose wisdom lights our path, who flies on raven wings,
Tyr, who leads our folk with the honor of the wolf.
Tyr, mighty one, one-eyed, hear my voice as I call to you.

Give me the strength to persevere against my enemies
Let lies be uncovered when laid before me
Give me the devotion of my kin

Tyr, venda striga vic simbal greatas, va dade af ghastbeor.
Tyr, ner venda elfindas rada rodas, va fleot upen aedenkeor.
Tyr, va daden rogar mit der afden worgluotas.
Tyr, straganef, efeodas, sprachthreos em ich tenjar vael.

Lay mein strigvalakrothun
Olo undeceothas vend mein latuken.
Lay mein folksgebeiten

Old Holmgardian
Old Holmgardian (Norgsprakt) is the original form of Holmgardian, nearly unchanged in over 1000 years. It is mainly spoken by the skalds, shamans, and druids of Tyr, as well as the Lupercal tribe, and by rural folk in the northern Empire. In addition, many people in Thyssenmark, Drakenheim, and Lupenheim are fluent in it, even in the larger cities. Sample (taken from above):
Týr, vejnden strygr vyc gören valhr, ve dejden yv gheistbjör.
Týr, njör vejnden gerad radapathen, ve lugel ofsa ajdenkjör.
Týr, ve dejdendas rögr mit der yven varglejt.
Týr, stryrgrefen, fjördasefen, spraktnekka ajmik tenjarenvël.

Lö men strygrvalakaskröthn
Ole undekelfingr ven munt latöken.
Lö munt volkerhalig.

Rhudarian
Rhudarian, known also as West Holmgardian,  is a branch of New Holmgardian with heavy Balok and Lornish influence, spoken primarily by the ruling caste of the Kingdom of Rhudaria. It began as a regional accent around 300-400 years ago, but became sufficiently different to be called a separate language around the year 600 HR. It is mostly intelligible with New Holmgardian, but not Old Holmgardian. It is characterized by vowel and consonant shifts (a -> o, en -> ev, s -> t, f -> v) and a reduction in the number of compound nouns. In addition, the letter "j" is a hard consonant in Rhudarian.
Tur, vevdo siga vi timbol gretat, va dova av pizrak bjar.
Tur, ne vevda elfinda rad rovda, va luge upen aedakar
Tur, va dovan rozgar mid de vada volgluvata.
Tur, stragan eva, eva odas, spag threos em izh tenja val

Laj ma igralkrozhan
Ol un dezhas von ma latka
Laj man lyuds geben.

Writing System

The Holmgardian language is written in a modified form of Khazak - Runic.

Morphology

Holmgardian languages are all inflective, but make use of numerous compound nouns.

Syntax

The verb order in Holmgardian is subject-object-verb. For example the phrase "I danced with the orc" would be rendered as "I with the orc, danced".

Vocabulary

gard = fortress

  berg = town
graaht = large
karth = stone
strazh = sword
jak = knife iken = iron
holt = cliff
mar = mountain
platz = square, plaza
havn = hall
voten = wood
kranz = field
vot = wood
votkran = forest
hef = little
heim = land
mitun = middle/mid
ashbalit = obsidian
argiroen = silver
ur = father
tesen = sea
dar = gate
tarkad = charge
Urogar = Emperor
krazul = orc
makt = dance
rogar = people
mit = with
der = the
den = the (plural)
Hefrogar = Halflings
Jakrogar = Elves
Marogar = Dwarves

I = ich me = em who = va whose = venda give = lay light = rad flight = fleot strength = striga spirit = ghast bear = beor raven = keor wolf = worg perseverance against enemies = strigvalakrothun wisdom = elfindas

Common Phrases

Urogar tarkad = The Emperor protects. (Literally "the Emperor charges")
Un Krazul den makt. = To dance with an Orc.
Un Greil tor den Seif zuf = To separate the wheat from the chaff.
Zad Juren zad neur = As tough as burlap.
Senjaring! = Greetings! (Literally "good joining")
Senmirting! = Farewell! (Literally "good leaving")
Krazulsheis! = Orcshit
Slarten = whore
Barta = bitch
Farst = fuck
Larza = thanks

Common Female Names

Gisele Helga Gertrude Erika Anna Thyra Saskia Hilda Irmgard Hildegard Sigehild Derra Hilgred

Common Male Names

Erin Holger Sigfrid Sigurd Radulf Bjorn Beron Daeron Dagmar Dagren Karl