Valespeak

Valespeak is the native language of the Vale Verdial people. As a language developed in an environment known for its tree-sized fungi, Valespeak is notable in that it is typically spoken softly, de-emphasizing 'breathy' sounds and open vowels to reduce the inhalation of spores. At the same time, Valespeak features an inventory of rounded and back vowels more expansive than Iuxat or Tae na Lepidesn.

Writing System

Valescript, the written form of Valespeak, has a semi-featural alphabet. These curvy symbols are traditionally finger-painted on surfaces in colored (sometimes glowing) inks or powders, but modern writers prefer small, cylindrical brushes.

Vocabulary

Because of it's origins among the Verdials, Valespeak contains the most exhaustive vocabulary for botanical, horticultural, and agricultural terms among all languages in the Manifold, making it the preferred scientific language for researchers in these fields; when a Vale Verdial employs 'flowery prose,' the idiom is apt to be taken literally. The language also contains a number of difficult to translate terms for creatures and concepts unique to the Distal Tesseract.

Phonetics

Valespeak sorts its consonants into categories as shown:

p, t, tʃ (ch), k
b, d, dʒ (j), g
m, n, *, *
l (orthograph l), *, *, *
f, θ (orthograph th), s, ʃ (orthograph sh)
ʋ (orthograph v), *, *, *

Note: Asterisks are used to indicate relative placement on the script chart. The purpose of this categorization is to establish the relative location of articulation within the mouth, as Valescript is somewhat featural in nature. Sounds appearing earlier in each set are interpreted by speakers as being articulated closer to the lips while latter sounds are interpreted as being articulated closer to the glottis. The difference between Group 1 (unvoiced) and Group 2 (voiced) is shown by the presence or absence of the 'voice' diacritic in the script; the difference between Group 5 (unvoiced) and Group 6 (voiced) is similarly denoted. Valespeak sorts its vowels into categores as shown:

e, i, j (orthograph y), u, ɚ (orthograph r)
æ (orthograph a/ah), *, *, o, ʌ (orthograph uh)

Note: Asterisks are used to indicate relative placement on the script chart. As with consonants, the purpose of this categorization is to establish the relative location of articulation within the mouth. Vowels appearing earlier in the list are more front-oriented, while later vowels are more back-oriented. Group 1 vowels are more closed, while Group 2 vowels are more open. Group 2 vowels are denoted with an 'open' diacritic in Valescript. Note that, in the eyes of Vale Verdials, the rhotic is regarded as a vowel because it does not obstruct the flow of air through the mouth with contact between surfaces (unlike the ʋ or l in many cases).