Tretalleri

¹Priest: I ask all who are gathered today — Who is the Stranger?
²Congregation: He is Life.
³Priest: I ask again — Who is the Stranger?
⁴Congregation: He is Death.
⁵Priest: How can He be both?
⁶Congregation: For neither one can be without the other.

¹Di'Marrë: Qanë idë ormë têýnë mordenë vanto kiradana qarë idertë Di'Lertanys're
²Di'Averêni: Di'Teýna siltanë Di'Vaeýdë're
³Di'Marrë: Qanë idë fîtë retëne qarë idertë Di'Lertanys're
⁴Di'Averêni: Di'Teýna siltanë Di'Lertë're
⁵Di'Marrë: Qarë methi silnë Di'Teýna vinevi're
⁶Di'Averêni: Kirannë bila silnë nilvinë ζ sendë nilwydarmë're

— Excerpt from the Closing Rites in the Grey Missal

Tretalleri is the language of the tretâllë, which, traditionally, was constructed during the days of the enslavement of their ancestors by the Prophetess Llyrileýwa, as a means to circumvent the law that forbade them from speaking their mother tongue. The language has evolved and changed over time, becoming less and less a tool to preserve the tretalleri way of life, and more and more a symbol of the unity that the tretâllë have come to enjoy for themselves under the Dominion.
It is the language in which all the most important state documents of the Dominion are written in and is the sole basis for the interpretation of Dominion law, not any translation thereof. Although it is not a requirement for all who work under the umbrella of the government, those who seek appointment to higher positions must be fluent in Tretalleri so as to understand the requirements of their jobs, as well as orders from higher up the hierarchy.

Geographical Distribution

Speakers of Tretalleri are primarily concentrated in Di'Termalttë as it is the homeland of the tretâllë, but native speakers can be found all over the world as a result of tretalleri colonies in every major continent. Because of its origin as a language that was constructed during the slavery of the ancestors of the tretâllë, Tretalleri is a subject of fascination for linguists, particularly those interested in the way that it has evolved since its humble origins, making it easily the most studied language in the world.
The lingua franca of the Dominion, Dominean is derived primarily from Tretalleri.

Phonology

Consonants

Latinized Letter	IPA Pronunciation	Sound Name	(American) English Usage
b	/b/	voiced bilabial plosive	bat
c	/s/	voiceless alveolar fricative	sit
cs	/tʃ/	voiceless palato-alveolar sibilant affricate	chest
d	/d/	voiced alveolar plosive	dog
f	/f/	voiceless labiodental fricative	fair
g	/ʒ/	voiced post-alveolar fricative	genre
q / h	/h/	voiceless glottal fricative	hit
j	/dʒ/	voiced palato-alveolar affricate	jam
k	/k/	voiceless velar plosive	kit
kh	/x/	voiceless velar affricate	loch
l	/l/	voiced alveolar lateral approximant	late
m	/m/	voiced bilabial nasal	mate
n	/n/	voiced alveolar nasal	nap
p	/p/	voiceless bilabial plosive	pat
r	/ɾ/	voiced alveolar flap	better
s... / ...s...	/ʃ/	voiceless post-alveolar fricative	shape
ss / ...s	/s/	voiceless alveolar fricative	sip
t	/t/	voiceless alveolar plosive	tip
th	/θ/	voiceless dental fricative	thigh
v	/v/	voiced labiodental fricative	vine
w	/w/	voiced labial-velar approximant	wine
ý	/jɪ/	close front rounded vowel + near-close near-front unrounded vowel	yip
z	/dʐ/	voiced retroflex affricate	dzah

Vowels

Latinized Letter	IPA Pronunciation	Sound Name	English Usage
a	/æ/	near-open front unrounded vowel	cat
e	/ɛ/	open-mid front unrounded vowel	egg
i	/i/	close front unrounded vowel	tit
o	/ɔ/	open-mid back rounded vowel	thought
u	/ʌ/	open-mid back unrounded vowel	gut
y	/jɪ/	close front rounded vowel + near-close near-front unrounded vowel	yip

Common Phrases

Veýto vidmë Di'Lertanys fitë

May the Stranger protect you. — Used either as a greeting or a farewell.

Neda Veýto girë Di'Teýna fitë neto rissë

And may He guide you unto peace — The traditional response to the above greeting or farewell¹

Neda Veýto gîrë Di'Teýna fitë neto rissë

And may He usher you unto peace — Variation of the above used for people you don't particularly like.

Insults

Lylkima

White-lip — An insult hurled at someone who attempts to reach beyond their means by using underhanded tactics such as using sexuality, emulating the elledŷnnë

Nabevissë Virna

Green-eyed Monster — Someone who unremorsefully tramples over other people for their own personal goals.

Korkotë

Raven-raked — Used to describe a work of art that is so bad it looks as though it has been raked over and over by a raven's talons.

Vylohotë

Rustmonger — Used to describe someone who is careless and thoughtless (i.e. someone who lets their weapons rust).

Denezirë

One who hides from the sun — Used to describe someone who is lazy, esp. someone who does nothing to benefit society.

Lertepirë

Death-runner — A Coward. One who runs from death.

Khirtanë

Torchbearer — A traitor.

---

Common Female Names

Annara, Aleý, Brena, Blymë, Farna, Faellë, Irinna, Ircena, Jinara, Kaan, Mirnen, Qaennë, Searrë, Varna, Wirna, Zanyra

Common Male Names

Arnen, Arra, Bilnë, Brinë, Beýn, Cirwen, Cirrë, Cilmë, Kilnen, Kilyen, Kreýdë, Miernë, Morë, Tharnë, Tyennë, Vrist, Wreýn, Zavyrr