Ma Lomoso (ma ˈlo.mo.so)

"Only an ignorant foreigner could possibly confuse Ma Lomoso and Wa Fonanga! They are obviously competely different!" - an exasperated Mangimoi merchant

Ma Lomoso is the most widespread language in the Mangimoi Archipelago, and is used as a lingua franca among the various cultures who live there. Because of this, many words from Ma Lomoso have been incorporated into the Common Tongue, particularly the Galuglossa dialect. It is inspired by Ternate and Tidore.

Dialects

Ma Lomoso is divided into two major dialects, spoken by the Mangimoi and Ngofangare people respectively. Confusingly, the two groups refuse to acknowledge that they speak the same language, and often claim not to understand the other dialect at all. Ma Lomoso is the name of the Mangimoi dialect, and is the more widely spoken version. The Ngofangare call their dialect Wa Fonanga, and will explain at length about how it is the more beautiful language. To outsiders, the differences between Ma Lomoso and Wa Fonanga is largely a matter of accent and vocabulary, and they have no trouble understanding both. More than once, this has led to a foreign sailor "translating" for Mangimoi and Ngofangare merchants by simply repeating whatever was said in an exaggerated accent.

Interesting Features

Ma Lomoso has many homophones with context-specific meanings. For the novice speaker, this can be confusing, since using the same word in a different context can have a radically different meaning. These words can also have different contextual meanings depending on the dialect, which is a frequent point of contention between speakers of Ma Lomoso and Wa Fonanga, particularly when the context is an idiom or metaphor.

Related Languages

Ma Lomoso is not related to the other languages of the archipelago, and there are no known relations elsewhere in the Great Ring.

Naming Traditions

Speakers of Ma Lomoso typically have a personal name and a clan name (with the clan name presented first). The personal name will change over the course of their lifetime - children are typically given a nickname at birth that represents a quality they have (like "Gugunu", meaning "pudgy", or "Pipinu", meaning "tiny"). These are not considered permanent, and when they become an adult they will leave this childhood name behind and adopt an adult name. Once they have their adult name, they may also earn honorifics or descriptors based on life events. For example, someone who is exceptionally strong might have the honorific "Lakowa" added to their name. When two people marry, they will add each other's adult name to their own, with the prefix 'an-'. Ma Lamoso names are not gendered.

Writing System

Ma Lomoso has its own unique script, called Lomosoka in the Mangimoi dialect and Matawa by the Ngofangare. It is a logographic system, with the individual characters made up of swirls and curves in rectangular blocks. it is read from top to bottom, and individual logograms can convey complex ideas.

Geographical Distribution

Ma Lamoso is spoken throughout the Mangimoi Archipelago, and is the common languages in the Kingdom of Gailo, Kingdom of Pagi, and Kingdom of Kodu.

Alternative Name

Wa Fonanga

Spoken by

• Mangimoi
• Ngofangare

Common Phrases

• Lahémo - Hello
• Lahoñga - Goodbye
• Tabaine - Thank you
• Angiyo! - Help!
• Makopo niyo? - How much?
• Pangoma tana. - Please come here.
• Maña siloma? - Where are you from?
• Yantuma. - I don't understand.
• Kalito niyo? - What is your name?
• Nomola tanama. - I'm looking for food.

Common Unisex Names

• Kumali
• Tayana
• Lingoro
• Palatu
• Makoro
• Sinuru
• Yubali
• Galipo
• Rumata
• Bolinu

Common Family Names

• Tandoyo
• Salanga
• Koruwi
• Ngamotu
• Laguni
• Manoro
• Bilanga
• Soruba
• Talimba
• Kanupo