Albidosian (ˈæl.bɪ.doʊ.sɪ.ən)

"When Solis ruled the northern parts of Ynys, she experimented a lot with fear and the Egregoric Force. In Rheged, she made the people fearful, but in Cait she made them strange. That's probably why they have eighteen words for shadows in their language."

— Arvandus, court wizard of Creoda, during a lesson to the Prince Aldric

Albidosian is the language of the Albidosi people, and the official language of the Kingdom of Cait. It was more impacted by the experiments of the Clarati than most languages, and some claim that cats and shadows speak this language naturally. It is a part of the Dhewen language family, and is inspired by Pictish.

Dialects

While Albidosian is only spoken within the Kingdom of Cait, it has several dialects. The area is full of high mountains and deep, isolated valleys, each with its own idioms and vocabulary. It is said that someone who knows Albidosian well can place someone within three miles of their home based on listening to them speak for only a few minutes. The variant most often spoken by foreigners is the Dunfirth dialect, as the port city has the most regular contact with people from outside Cait.

Interesting Features

Albidosian has an unusual and somewhat distressing vocabulary. They have at least eighteen words for shadow, some of which refer to qualities shadows are not typically ascribed. They also have a lot of words for cats, forms of confinement, and the ways in which two or more people may become emotionally and intimately interconnected. Students of Albidosian find themselves encountering concepts that they had never previously contemplated on a regular basis.

Related Languages

Albidosian is related distantly to the other Dhewen languages, such as Albannach and Amhrán. It is not mutually intelligible with any of them.

Naming Traditions

Albidosian children are named on the ninth day after birth, and they celebrate their naming day annually. They are commonly named for ancestors or famous Albidosians that the parents admire. In addition to their personal name, they will inherit a family name from their mother, which does not change during marriage or other life events.

Some Albidosian words for Shadow

• Lànfhionn - The shadow that moves on its own.
• Cruitheach - The shadow that clings too closely to the body, as though it wishes to merge with the flesh.
• Sgàthrú - The shadow that whispers at the edges of one's vision, always just out of sight but never absent.
• Dubhghlòir - The shadow that is unnaturally dark.
• Fuarshàil - The cold shadow.
• Ceangailm - The shadow that intertwines with another.
• Gluasadhradh - The shadow that moves first.
• Cneasgairm - The shadow that presses gently and intimately against the skin.

Writing System

Albidosian uses the same writing system common in the other Dhewen languages, which uses angular characters written from top to bottom in columns called staves. It was originally carved into wooden dowels or rods, but is now typically writen on paper, parchment, or vellum.

Geographical Distribution

Albidosian is spoken only in the Kingdom of Cait in northeastern Ynys, and in a few communities in the Kattalands where it has not been fully replaced by Eyjamannaræða.

Spoken by

• Albidosi

Common Female Names

• Erinna
• Feaorna
• Lannach
• Cirenna
• Maelta
• Brighia
• Maernagh
• Droga
• Ultanna
• Selcach

Common Male Names

• Maelcenn
• Truan
• Feradach
• Catharnach
• Brethgoin
• Ruadan
• Cormag
• Domangart
• Ulanach
• Dubhach

Common Unisex Names

• Tethna
• Cruithan
• Largach
• Solais
• Aerach
• Uirenn
• Grianach
• Taelan
• Maetach
• Cairnna

Common Family Names

• Maelrud
• Brethnach
• Donagh
• Airmhor
• Ceardach
• Grianard
• Sgathan
• Cairbreach
• Dubhglas
• Fearthach