Adpositions
-im (eem as in Seem): This Connects two or more sentence clusters in which following clusters often contain other adpositions. It is an indication that the complete sentence is continued in following clusters. In many ways these proceeding clusters function like additional objects that can be swapped for or added to the object of the first cluster. They can also add objects to a sentence if the first cluster functions as a single word. This functions similar to many prepositional phrases and conjunctions in English.
Ia- (eeyuh as in academia): A preposition that indicates what follows is an explanation, a reason, or an answer to a question, whether the question is directly asked or implied by the statement. It functions similarly to the way the word "because" is used, but is used even if there is no presence of a question. Anytime a question is used this preposition will always be attached to a sentence structure that contains the answer, allowing it to follow other sentence structures in an attempt to answer questions that are implied or have yet to be asked.
-Is- (eece as in Greece) This handles fragmented word clusters that are neither compounded words, extensions of a previous cluster, or complete thoughts. These fragments are usually a series of descriptors, adjectives that describe the subject or object only in the cluster that appears before it. This functions similarly to "and," "or," and "but." However, which is said depends on flux vowels used.
Fun fact: Let Me Count The Ways...
The language of Ozlith is an anomaly for linguists in the present. The eldritch nature of the seven gods who created it and gave it to humanity makes it impossible to fully comprehend. This didn't stop the language from reflecting the culture of it's speakers as languages tend to do.
The Ozolithian language is known for being concise and rarely maintains different words for the same meaning. One of the only exceptions is the word for love.
Ozolith developed five words for love:
- Lith: which was only to be used in the context of the divine as the name was given by the gods to their people Oz-lith ( The land that the gods love.)
- Mith: romantic attachment, usually a deep and passionate attachment to the one referenced.
- Vith: love out of infatuation or lust which was regarded as the initial stage of development in obtaining Mith.
- Cith: a word that replaced Lith, meaning platonic or familial love.
- Kith: The love relating to non living things such as possessions, intellectual concepts, locations, etc.
Singular and Plural
Generally speaking, when using the language, you want to be as specific as possible. Formal Ozolithian has no way of altering words to indicate whether it is singular or plural, instead requiring the one using the language to specify. As such, everything is singular unless a word indicating more than one is used.
The same method is used in the informal variant, however, there are a lot more words to use that indicate or emphasize whether something is singular or plural. In the formal variant you are required to specify exact numbers if there is more than one, but in the informal variant there are general terms one can use to indicate there are more than one without specifying the exact amount in the same way that English uses "Many" or "A lot."
Pronouns
There are few pronouns in the language because they are simply not needed due to other rules at its disposal. The sentence you just read has 2 pronouns: "they" and "it." In both informal and formal Ozolithian, you would say the same thing, but need no pronouns to do so, The word substitute is used since the word pronoun has no translation.
Ozolithim dezon lit'i'aelis iadal.
The above sentence best translates to: The way of speaking in the land the gods love has few substitutes due to/because of (the) rules.
Possessive determiners
Because there is no sense of possession in the language, there are no possessive determiners. There are some unique proper nouns that do indicate possession which can be used as a possessive determiner, but the cultural meaning behind the word will be radically different than its English translation. An example would be the statements that relate to the first and second person. While pronouns do not exist in the language, flux vowels indicate functions like I, Me, They, and You, allowing one to discuss themselves and to address others. Flux Vowels are discussed here shortly.
Verbs
There is no change to a word indicate tense, but there are flex vowels and adpositions that allow one to specify when something is happening, if it is currently happening, or if it has happened. This means there are no perfective and imperfective aspects as well.
Flux Vowels
You may have noticed while reading that there is a major difference when spelling and saying Ozlith and Ozolithian. Why the added "O?" What function does it serve? Flux vowels are used as single syllables in a cluster to change some aspect of that cluster.
O (uh as in dug)
By inserting "O" between "Oz" and "Lith" you reverse the function of the words without restructuring the cluster. The most accurate way of translating Ozlith given its unique status in the language is: "(The land) loved by the gods," referring directly to the object of the gods love despite the word for land not being present. Ozolith is best translated to: "(The land) that loves the gods."
It's usage with other words that are not as unique waned drastically over the ages. It's usage exponentially decreases the later one goes in the language's history. The reason is because the vowel is redundant. It can often be easier to restructure your sentence and it's not always clear what to get reversed and how it is to be understood. This flux vowel is simply a figment of the formal variant of the language. The formal variant requires its use for the arcane effects to manifest, as as such, the one who is reading or hearing your words will know exactly how the vowel is intended to be used. With Informal Ozolithian, its use died long ago.
'i' (ih as in lit)
This represents a negative reversal of the word cluster it is placed in. Its used in a similar way that we use the word not, the -un prefix, and nor. By placing this in a cluster you are simply specifying the sentence is meant to be a negative. Usually this vowel is stressed, indicated by the quotes that surround it. An example is "litael."
Lit(leet as in elite): few
Ael(ale as in... ale) substitute/s
Litael (leet-ale): Few substitutes without the 'i' flux vowel.
Lit'i'ael (leet-ih-ale): many substitutes with the 'i' flux vowel.
A'(aw as in awesome)
This appears at the beginning of the first cluster in a sentence and is the only flux vowel you will see starting a cluster. It indicates that the entire sentence of word clusters after it are given as a question, a request for information with the expectation of a response. It is followed by one of five words indicating the nature of the question and stands as its own cluster. It is rarely seen in written form, but when it is, it is always capitalized.
Questions:
A'ra (aw-ray): "Who?" This is used to ask for a name on its own (who are you) or specific information about another person outside of the conversation when attached to a cluster.
A'ra Retaulos ozolithis - (is Retaulus Ozolithian)
Ret - (ret as in secret): Man
Aul - (all as in all): Strong
Os - (us as in must):Heart
Retaulos: Man of/with a strong heart (used as a name in this context.)
This.. is very detailed. ummm.... Ret kith ozlithim iadal. did I do it right? I need more WORDS! Also, put the existing ones in the dictionary!
Yeah, it wasn't supposed to so much. I was going for a naming language then decided it would have a bigger role... then I was trying to create a language and make it somewhat believable. Its... a task, to both write and read im sure. thanks for taking a look! OH MY GOD you got it perfectly. Ill be adding a flux vowel that relates to I/Me but with what ive written, youre spot on. You love the rules of Ozolithian! Well done! More words are coming and ill be adding the words in the article tonight as well. got to work out phonotactics first sadly. =/
ohhhhh wait, you missed the flux vowel O in Ozolithim. super minor thing cause the sentence still works in the context of World Anvil XD
Maybe add the prefixes and suffixes to the dictionary as well for completeness.
I'll have to reread the part about the extra 'o'. I'm not sure what the rule is.
The O is a redundant flux Vowel that is only really used with the word Ozlith. lol no need to reread the nonsense. Ozlith is more about the land overall, Ozolith is a product of the land. It's people, its culture, its trade goods, etc would all use Ozolithian, as opposed to Ozlithian