Tärkeinieli

Tärkeinieli is a family of languages spoken by giants. Though most scholars define it as a language group, native speakers refer to it a single language known as Jotunväite; however, each species of giants refer to their own specific dialect as the proper one, and other dialects as a improper and inarticulate. It is one of the oldest active languages on Theras, and evolved from the language of primordials.

Jotunalder

Spoken by stellar giants, it is the most similar to Jotunväite, and can be reasonably understood by all giants. This language has not changed in tens of thousands of years and is used in formal settings such as ceremonies.

Writing System

Tärkeinieli is written with the dwarven script, though it is speculated that the dwarven script is in fact derived from a predecessor script used for Tärkeinieli.

Related Languages

Ögagan, spoken by cyclopes. Closely related to Jotunalder, this tongue was created before the rise of humanity.

Jogishk, spoken by ogres. A simplified form of Jotunhaug, Jogishk has only two tenses, no adverbs, no inflections, and only a few dozen abstract nouns.

Hídlakók, spoken by trolls. A group of hundreds of local pidgins and creoles, Hídlakók isn’t a language as much as it is a linguistic phenomena. Most versions of Hídlakók contain loanwords from Orcish, Goblinic, Cackle Common, and Jogishk. Trolls from different locations are unlikely to understand each other.

Root Languages

• Primordialoque

Languages

Jotunuvar, spoken by storm giants. Jotunuvar has seven to eight formal registers, but no vernacular forms.

Jotunskye, spoken by cloud giants. This language is very nuanced, and utilizes a system of tonal inflections.

Jotunise, spoken by frost giants. closely related to Jotunhaug, with an emphasis on fricative consonants.

Jotunild, spoken by fire giants. Vocabulary consists of many loanwords from Ignan.

Jotunhaug, spoken by hill giants. Closely related to Jotunise, with an emphasis on interjections.

Jotunstein, spoken by stone giants. Jotunstein has an additional non-verbal form, called metamorpherie, which uses its own script.