Language: Friland




History
The first people that colonized Friland in the 4th century BC most probably spoke Proto-Germanic, the hypothetical primeval language where modern languages like English, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Icelandic originate from. In Europe this language fell apart into three dialects: North- West- and East-Germanic. From the first group the Scandinavian languages originate, from the second group those in England and the European mainland and the third group is extinct. In Friland a fourth dialect developed: Atlantic Germanic, which is mainly known from a limited number of runic inscriptions.
        More elaborate texts, including on parchment, first appeared around the 8th century AD. The language in this period is called Old Frilandic. Characteristic of Old Frilandic was that it had highly simplified grammar and differed so little from modern Frilandic, that even today it can still be easily understood. It is very exceptional that a language exists for so long without undergoing many changes. Presumably the isolated location of Friland and the conservative nature of her inhabitants is partially responsible for this. A similar situation can be found in Iceland, where much of the language of the Vikings has been preserved.



The origin of Frilandic
The Frilandic language, mostly called "Frilandisk" or "Țeudisk", is regarded by many linguisticians as a grammatically simplified version of Proto-Germanic, which has undergone remarkably few changes since the first literary works from the 8th century. The most important changes of the language were:

  • Word endings like -az, -uz, -jo, etcetara have disappeared. Examples: *dagaz > dag (day), *mannaz > man (man), *halluz > hal (rock), *hason > has (hare), *bokiz > bok (book), *țewaz > țe (servant), *gunțjo > gunț (battle), *husam > hus (house).
  • The pronunciations however, remained largely the same; so *hason became "has" but is still pronounced with a long A like in "large" and not with a short A like in "that".
  • Without its -az ending a word like *mannaz would be spelled as "mann", but a double N is unnecessary in singular so it becomes "man". In case of plural the double N does return and it becomes "mannan".
  • When losing their ending words like *rekwez, *wihaz and *wentruz would respectively end with -w (rekw), -h (wih) or -r (wentr). However, because these last letters were not pronounced they were left out; so *rekwez > rek (dark) and *wihaz > wi (temple). With many -r words this also happened: digraz > dig (thick), but not with all words; *wentruz for example changed into wentar (winter). This also goes for -m words: *bliksmon > bliksam (lightning). The letters that were left out do return in conjugations: "ek wi" (I consecrate) > "iz wihiț" (he consecrates) > "wiz wihan" (we consecrate) and in plural: "ain ar" (one ear of corn) > "twai arwan" (two ears of corn).

    Cases
    The grammar was simplified and the six cases that the language originally had fell into disuse. Examples of the old and the new situation:

    Case: Proto-Germanic > Frilandic (translation)

    Singular nominative: *țat bokiz es digraz > țat bok es dig (that book is thick)
    Singular genitive: *ța seido țez bokiso > ța seid fan ța bok (the side of the book)
    Singular dative: *ek leso en țazm bokai > ek les en ța bok (I read in the book)
    Singular accusative: *iz lesiți ainaz bokin > iz lesiț ain bok (he reads a book)
    Singular vocative: *o boki! > o bok! (oh book!)
    Singular instrumental: *iz gawerpiți med țazm bokin > iz werpiț med ța bok (he throws with the book)
    Plural nominative: *ța bokijiz gawesan digraz > ța bokan wesan dig (the books are thick)
    Plural genitive: *ța seidoz țez bokem > ța seidan fan ța bokan (the sides of the books)
    Plural dative: *ek leso en ța bokmiz > ek les en ța bokan (I read in the books)
    Plural accusative: *iz lesiți țrejiz bokinz > iz lesiț țre bokan (he reads three books)

    Plural
    Grammar has also been simplified in plural:
  • In most cases a word in plural consists of stem + -an. Example: bok (book) > bokan (books).
  • Words with a "sjwa" (silent E) in the last syllable or that end with a vowel, end with an -s in plural. Example: fader (father) > faders (fathers).

    Articles
    Just like in English, the articles have simplified to "ța" (the) and "ain" (a).

    Personal pronouns
    These used to consist of singular, dual and plural, now only of singular and plural.

    1st person singular nominative:
    1st person singular genitive:
    1st person singular dative and accusative:
    1st person plural nominative:
    1st person plural genitive:
    1st person plural dative and accusative:

    2nd person singular nominative:
    2nd person singular genitive:
    2nd person singular dative and accusative:
    2nd person plural nominative, genitive, dative and accusative:

    3rd person singular nominative (masculine):
    3rd person singular nominative (feminine):
    3rd person singular nominative (neuter):
    3rd person singular genitive (masculine and neuter):
    3rd person singular genitive (feminine):
    3rd person singular dative and accusative (masculine and neuter):
    3rd person singular dative and accusative (feminine):
    3rd person plural nominative:
    3rd person plural genitive:
    3rd person plural dative and accusative:
    3rd person (as reflexive pronoun):
    ek (I)
    min (mine)
    mik (me)
    wiz (we)
    unsa (our)
    uns (us)

    țu (you/thou)
    țin (your/thee)
    țik (yours/thy/thine)
    jiz (your)

    iz (he)
    si (she)
    it (it)
    sin (his)
    sin (her)
    im (him)
    im (hers)
    ija (they)
    iz (their)
    ija (theirs)
    sek (himself/herself/itself)

    Interrogative pronouns
    hwe (who)
    hwat (what)
    hwar (where)
    hwan (when)
    hwarum (why)
    hwo (how)
    hwelik (which)

    Demonstrative pronouns
    hiz (this/these)
    ția (that/those)
    țat (that)
    swa (so)
    swalik (such)
    swalik ain (such a)

    Verbs
    Here the simplification is also clearly visible: depending on the conjugation the stem of a verb always gets an -iț or -an suffix (present tense) or a -ța or -țan suffix (past tense). So in the past tense people literally say things like "he standed", "he drinked", "he sleeped", "he flyed" or "he throwed", which sounds weird to our ears but is normal in Frilandic.

    Conjugation of the verb "wesan" (to be):

    Present simple
    ek wes (I am)
    țu wesiț (you are)
    iz/si/it/man es (he/she/it/one is)
    wiz wesan (we are)
    jiz wesan (you are)
    ija wesan (they are)

    Present perfect
    ek hab gawesan (I have been)
    țu habiț gawesan (you have been)
    iz/si/it/man es gawesan (he/she/it/one has been)
    wiz haban gawesan (we have been)
    jiz haban gawesan (you have been)
    ija haban gawesan (they have been)

    Past simple
    ek wesța (I was)
    țu wesța (you were)
    iz/si/it/man wesța (he/she/it/one was)
    wiz wesțan (we were)
    jiz wesțan (you were)
    ija wesțan (they were)

    Past perfect
    ek habța gawesan (I had been)
    țu habța gawesan (you had been)
    iz/si/it/man habța gawesan (he/she/it/one had been)
    wiz habțan gawesan (we had been)
    jiz habțan gawesan (you had been)
    ija habțan gawesan (they had been)

    Present future
    ek skul wesan (I will be)
    țu skuliț wesan (you will be)
    iz/si/it/man skuliț wesan (he/she/it/one will be)
    wiz skulan wesan (we will be)
    jiz skulan wesan (you will be)
    ija skulan wesan (they will be)

    Present future perfect
    ek skul gawesan haban (I will have been)
    țu skuliț gawesan haban (you will have been)
    iz/si/it/man skuliț gawesan haban (he/she/it/one will have been)
    wiz skulan gawesan haban (we will have been)
    jiz skulan gawesan haban (you will have been)
    ija skulan gawesan haban (they will have been)

    Past future
    ek skulța wesan (I would be)
    țu skulța wesan (you would be)
    iz/si/it/man skulța wesan (he/she/it/one would be)
    wiz skulțan wesan (we would be)
    jiz skulțan wesan (you would be)
    ija skulțan wesan (they would be)

    Past future perfect
    ek skulța gawesan haban (I would have been)
    țu skulța gawesan haban (you would have been)
    iz/si/it/man skulța gawesan haban (he/she/it/one would have been)
    wiz skulțan gawesan haban (we would have been)
    jiz skulțan gawesan haban (you would have been)
    ija skulțan gawesan haban (they would have been)

    Past participle
    gawesan (been)

    Present participle
    wesaniț (being)

    Imperative mood
    wes! (be!)

    Subjunctive
    wesa (be, as in "the powers that be")

    Prefixes
    The examples use the verb "geban" (to give).

    ab- (off-)
    an- (on-)
    and- (to undo-)
    bi- (be-)
    en- (in-)
    far- (for-)
    ga- (have-)
    her- (re-)
    un- (un-)
    up- (up-)
    ut- (out-)
    til- (to-)
    ubar- (over-)
    um- (en-)
    abgeban = to give off
    angeban = to give on (to turn in)
    andgeban = to undo-give (poetic word for "taking away")
    bigeban = to begive
    engeban = to give in
    fargeban = to forgive
    gageban = to have given
    hergeban = to re-give (to give again)
    ungeban = to ungive (to give wrong)
    upgeban = to give up
    utgeban = to give out
    tilgeban = to give to (to admit)
    ubargeban = to give over (to surrender)
    umgeban = to engive (to surround, to encircle)

    Suffixes
    -ai (-y/establishment)
    -ar (-er/-ard)
    -bar (-ible)
    -haid (-ness)
    -ig (-y/-ish)
    -il (-y/little)
    -in (-ess/feminine suffix)
    -isk (-ish/-ic/being part of)
    -kunst (proficiency in/research of)
    -laus (-less)
    -lik (-ly)
    -sam (being something)
    -skap (-ship)
    -ung (-ing/-one)
    geutarai = foundry
    spilar = player
    etbar = edible
    godhaid = goodness
    mihstig = misty/foggy
    hundil = doggy/little dog
    tigarin = tigress
    Irisk = Irish
    witkunst = mathematics (lit: "knowledge/search for wit")
    andlaus = endless
    sweslik = friendly
    ainsam = lonely (lit: "alone-ness")
    frijondskap = friendship
    jungalung = youngling/young one

    Pronunciation
    In Frilandic the stress is always on the first syllable. Because many people are not familiar with phonetic symbols a simple explanation of the most used sounds will follow here, with an example:

    a (as in "Aachen" and "bark")
    au (as in "wow")
    ai (as in "Shanghai")
    b (as in "bear")
    d (as in "day")
    e (as in "hey", "get" and "singer")
    ei (as in "fight")
    eo (as in "lay-over")
    eu (as in "boy", sometimes also as "ay-oo")
    f (as in "fringe")
    g (as in "good")
    h (as in "hat")
    i (as in "breach", sometimes also as "pit")
    iu (as in "ee-oo")
    j (as in "yarn")
    k (as in "king")
    l (as in "large")
    m (as in "man")
    n (as in "new")
    ng (as in "bringing")
    o (as in "low", "pot" and "long")
    p (as in "plow")
    r (rolling R, as in German "Regen")
    s (as in "sand", sometimes also as "zero")
    t (as in "tar")
    ț (as in "father", in between of the D- and the T-sound)
    u (as in "bloom")
    w (as in "very")
    z (as in "zero", sometimes also as "sand")

    Loanwords
    Just like the Icelandic language Frilandic knows very few loanwords; many Frilanders consider the adoption of loanwords language pollution. Therefore everything that doesn't have a name yet is given a new, Frilandic word instead of directly taking it over from another language. Examples are "rekanar" (computer), "utstallung" (museum), "hertkunst" (cardiology) and "tidunglistmen" (communication satellite). Brand- and personal names are left unchanged. The same goes for names of areas, cities and countries, unless there is a Frilandic alternative for it. However, the spelling can sometimes be adapted because there are no C, Q, V, X or Y in Frilandic runic writing. For example, the name of cruise ship "Queen Victoria" is spelled as "Kwin Wiktorija" ( ).
            Unlike many other European languages, Frilandic has relatively few Latin or Greek loanwords. Even French, the language of eastern neighbour Hiveria, has had little influence on Frilandic. This is probably due to the hostile relationship between both countries. However, there are some Celtic loanwords in Frilandic, most of which originate from as far back as the Iron Age. Examples are: "ambaht" (profession), "aiț" (oath), "gisal" (companion/hostage), "gaiz" (spear), "rik" (rich/rule/dominion) and "isarn" (iron). The arrival of Christendom also brought some loanwords with it, examples are: "Kristandom" (Christendom), "Bibal" (Bible), "aiwangeli" (evangel/gospel), "biskop" (bishop), "psalm" (psalm) and "psalter" (psalter). To separate their religious terms from those of the non-christian religion (Ferna Sed), the Frilandic Christians also used loanwords; they say for example "praufet" (prophet) and "prest" (priest) while the Ferna Sed believers have kept using the native words "weitag" and "gud".

    Dialects
    Frilandic has the following dialects:

  • Agmarisk (Agmar): is spoken by the Agmar minority in Zawiyah. The sentence structure and vocabulary are so strongly influenced by Arabic, that speakers of Frilandic and Agmar can hardly understand eachother. Some linguisticians therefore believe that Agmar should not be regarded as a Frilandic, but Arabic dialect. For example, in Agmar a sentence like "hello, do you speak Agmar?" is "wessalam, takalam tu alog alagmarija?" (compare: Arabic "salam, hal tatakallamu alloghah alagmariah?" and Frilandic "weshail, kwediț țu Agmarisk?")
  • Arjakisk (Arjak): is spoken by the Arjak minority in Wulfmark and is strongly influenced by the Inuit language Inuktitut, from which many words have been borrowed in "frilandized" and often abbreviated form. The q or k sound from Inuktitut is usually corrupted into a g sound, except in older borrowings and place names. The Old Frilandic dual pronoun "wit" (we both), which has fallen into disuse in modern Frilandic, was also preserved in Arjak under the influence of Inuktitut, which also has dual pronouns. An example of this is the sentence "farleițan wit" ("depart we both"), a literal translation of Inuktitut "aullaqtuguk". In Frilandic this is "wiz bai farleițan" ("we both depart"). An example sentence in Arjak is "diganijarwik gang ek" ("post office go I"), whose syntax and word for post office (titiqqaniarvik) are borrowed from Inuktitut. Compare with Inuktitut "titiqqaniarvimuulangajunga" ("post office go I") and Frilandic "ek gang til ța sandungsambaht" ("I'm going to the post office").
  • Dagalau-Frilandisk (Tagaloan Frilandic): although it's spoken on the other side of the world, this dialect doesn't differ much from standard Frilandic. This is because most colonists on Tagaloa came from the shires of Riksga and Berglaft. However, there are loan words from Tagaloan (Polynesian) and Maluan (Melanesian), such as "fahut" (Tag. "fautasi" = sloop), "wahe" (Tag. "vavae" = kapok tree) and "wak" (Mal. "waqa" = Maluan canoe).
  • Kumanga-Frilandisk (Kumangan Frilandic): this dialect is spoken overseas by the Frilandic minority in Kumanga. It's not very different from standard Frilandic but it does contain a couple of loan words from Kumangan, especially from the dialect of the Bombutu tribe. Examples of this are "herin" (Kum. "erin" = elephant), "afar" (Kum. "afárá" = bridge), "filkun" (Kum. "fi ìlà kùn" = fence), "mosal" (Kum. "mósálásí" = mosque), "atuk" (Kum. "atóka" = mouse) and "labar" (Kum. "labalábá" = butterfly).
  • Medgawisk (Middleshirish): this is spoken in the area between the Langfergun and the rivers Aigar and Edruns, where people kept speaking some sort of primeval Frilandic. To linguisticians Middleshirish is therefore very interesting. Example: "Ța jagar nemiț sin gawar and skeutiț ța fuhs" (The hunter takes his rifle and shoots the fox) is pronounced in Middleshirish as: "Ța jagonaz nemiți sinaz gawarijaz andi skeutiți ța fuhsaz".
  • Mekilhusisk (Mekilhusish): this dialect is spoken in the area around Mekilhusan. When this village was still a British crown colony the inhabitants took over many English words and pronunciations because they thought it sounded classy. Until today people there pronounce the R and the W like the English do, something where people elsewhere in Friland often joke about. Mekilhusish sometimes looks like a phonetic version of English; for example, they pronounce the sentence: "Ța lutila hus habiț sebun windaugan and twai duran." (The little house has seven windows and two doors) as "Țe litel haus hes sefun windos en tu doran".
  • Nurț-Frilandisk (North Frilandic): this is spoken in a number of areas in Nurțland and Langmark. Characteristics are an exaggerated rolling R and an A that is pronounced as an Ô.
  • Skakisk (Skakish): in Skak, the westernmost shire of Friland, people have the tendency to nasalize an -n or -ng at the end of a syllable, just like the Low Saxons in Eastern Netherlands and Northwestern Germany. Example: "Ța kowan werțan gahropan" (The cows are called) is pronounced in Skakish as "Ța kô'n werț'n 'ahrôp'n".
  • Aust-Țernhulmisk (Eastern Tern Islandic): this dialect is spoken on the Tern Islands. It's closely related to the dialect of the Frilandic shire Skak, from where many early colonists came.
  • West-Țernhulmisk (Western Tern Islandic): this dialect is spoken on the Tern Islands. It's strongly influenced by Portuguese. For example, a sentence like "My name is Segmer and I live in Gamaburg" is in Western Tern Islandic "Meju nome es Segmer and eju wiwo en Gamaburg" (compare: Portuguese "Meu nome é Segmer e eu vivo em Gamaburg" and Frilandic "Min nam es Segmer and ek wun en Gamaburg").
  • Walamarkisk (Walamarkish): this is mainly spoken in southern Walamark. Besides some influences from French and Irish Gaelic many words and pronunciations from Old Norse were also adopted. A ship for example is called "kjoll" and a tree is called "lundur". The word "wisau" (bird) originates from French "oiseau" and "gelak" (moon) from Irish Gaelic "gealach".

    Other languages
    The only official language is Frilandic, which every Frilandic citizen is expected to master. In Wulfmark, there is also recognition at provincial level for Arjak and in Walamark there is recognition at municipal level for Irish Gaelic.
            Because Friland is a trading nation, learning other languages is highly valued there. At every school English is therefore an obligatory subject and a vast majority of the Frilanders can speak it. Besides that there are French, German and Icelandic as optional subjects and many schools also offer Danish, Spanish, Chinese and Russian.