The Ora Language ------------------------- Words are composed of 'triads' Each triad takes the form of CVC or VCV Triad forms always alternate Vowels and consonants come in 'dark' and 'light' Sound pairs within a triad must balance: one dark, one light sounds: - Vowels .dark: ü ö ä ï .light: o a e i - Consonants .dark: t p d f g k j s .light: r w z l v n m y Subject-verb-object grammar Verb conjugation is simple case/subject agreement suffix Two forms of each, depending on the final triad of the word being conjugated Pronoun can be dropped for simple sentences where basic pronoun is used: ilömek-igä. (You fly.) Pronoun Past Present Future --------------------------------------------------------------- 1st ilä itä/til igä/gil ikä/kil 2nd jän jön/öji jün/üji jïn/ïji 3rd ekö etö/tev epö/pev efö/fev Possessive suffix is -nim/inö (depending on previous triad) Plural suffix is -gol/ogä Noun forms of verbs made with -kar/akä Adverbs/adjectives always agree with suffix of the verb/noun. Genetive case (such as 'of the/of' in English) is in the form of prefix imö/mög (often used in names/titles or as an origin referent, cf. Gäntal Mögorö, "Gäntal of Orö") Compound words that break triad alteration can be 'glued' with öta/töv Questions are always predicated by the preamble 'kïz', and can be paired with one of the question words or used to turn the verb of the sentence into a query. 'Kïz ilömek-igä?' (Do you fly?) 'Ezü'/'zük' (no) can be used as a negative modifier to verbs or even whole sentences. 'Ezü ilömek-igä.' (You do not fly). Sometimes this modifier is even used in compound nouns to indicate a negative state, as with 'anti-' in English, for example 'mog' (matter)/'mogezü' (antimatter) The fulcrum 'h'/'u': in order to maintain word flow, an exception to the triad construction is allowed in the form of the fulcrum 'h'. When a VCV triad in a new word follows a VCV triad from the previous word, it takes on a leading 'h' consonant. Similarly the U is used in paired CVC/CVC situations. The H/U is never included in standard spellings, except with some compound words. Lexicon ------------------- air ilö fly (v) ilömek face säz move (v) mek make (v) köl expression säzötamek (lit. 'face move') to be (v) päv proud agönad self orä one öka two üka three ïka truth kezinö yes kez only kav all öga infinity ögapavakä being pavakä from omä and töv other ekïhorä give (v) gal life üvo birth (v) galüvo enemy agö fulcrum dalöko balance dal point öko no ezü sentinel evïkon star tal see (v) gän matter mog antimatter mogezü greed ulöpavöga want (v) ulö food vok eat (v) ovü hunger ulövok prison/cage kelüva during telpäv time äve starvation vokezü break (v) käz