Shentonia Languages & Culture
Shentonia Languages & Culture
An introduction to the Shei dialect in Fable's End
Although Shentonia has many languages, the most prestigious of them is the one spoken by the ruling Shei people. While mostly intelligible to any uneducated, non Shei person (esp. those who do not have an imperial post, or live in an area where it is spoken regularly) it remains the lingua franca of the empire. Unlike other Shentoni dialects it is also the most formalized, both in grammar and written form.
The Shei dialect is a phonetic language. In other words, the consonants and vowels always have the same sound irrespective of a word’s spelling (unlike English.) Vowels do not blend, they must be pronounced individually. Also, the diacritic mark about certain vowels means you should both double the length of the vowel itself, and pronounce it with a slight downwards inflection.
Consonants - As in...
b - balloon
d - day
h - hammer
k - kick
kh - the k from kick, followed by the h from hammer
(‘kuh-huh’)
l - light
m - many
n - nice
p - party
q - quick
r - like the trilled ‘r’ in Spanish
s - simple
t - ticket
v - victory
w - wet
y - yellow
Vowels - As in...
a - market
e - end.
i - igloo
o - off
u - the ‘oo’ in oof!
Yaelon : Yah-eh-lon
Diyavid : Dih-yah-vihd
Guli : Guh-li
Shàli : Shaah-lih (Note: Falling tone on the long vowel.)
Isatàra : Ih-sah-taah-rah (Note: Falling tone on long vowel. Rolled 'r')
Yèmeni : Yeah-meh-nih
khatùra
The social classification for Shentoni people. It’s similar to the concept of a caste system. But, where people in a caste are capable of performing a variety of duties/tasks that their society at large might not allow, a Shentoni has been engineered to be only good at specific duties and inadequate at others. Each khatùra is easily identifiable, whether by physical appearance, speech patterns and accent, or even by stance and demeanor. It is almost impossible for a member of one khatùra to pass themselves off as another.
Shei
The ruling caste in Shentonia, split into three main classifications: shehèmni, emnèti (for women: emnòne) and alarèi. The shehèmni is the supreme commander of Shentonia and, as such, is the only individual with this title. The emnèti are responsible for military leadership and often take direct action on the battlefield. Alarèi take on high level administration duties, especially in towns, cities and provinces. Although they have equal prestige among the lower castes, the emnèti are the most celebrated as they often have the opportunities for heroics. The only chance an alarèi has for advancement is if a) an emnèti is killed in battle and has no children to take his place, or b) they somehow marry into a family with emnèti status.
Dali
The intelligentsia. If you want something engineered, researched or fabricated the dali are the best Shentoni for the job. In service to shei families they often provide military intelligence and work as translators between the commanders and the lower castes. Almost all dali who take up official duties are graduates of Ketakopà – the largest school for dali and the nexus of learning for all of Shentonia. They are often disliked by the other khatùra as they come off as being too objective intellectually and too distant emotionally.
Tei
Often laid back and fun loving, the tei are the artists, performers, medics and servants of the Shentoni empire. They are the second most numerous of all the khatùra, and so can be found throughout every quarter of the planet. The tei, even more so than their counterparts, are loyal to the shei and idolize them to no end. Almost all tei seek to gain employment within a shei household. Given the numbers few can, and even fewer find opportunities to realize their secret dream: to become the partner of either an emnèti, or an emnòne. They are often criticized by other khatùra for being indolent, incompetent, childish and, at times, deceptive – especially when they want something they’re not supposed to have.
Kheti
Hard headed, pragmatic and bold, the kheti provide more than the grunt labor to the Shentoni empire, they are also the most frank and dependable. Often the first to go charging into the fray with whatever weapons they have on hand, the kheti are also invaluable as builders, foresters or demolition experts. Of all the khatùra the kheti have the shortest lifespans on average. This is often because they undertake the dangerous jobs in the empire, the most hazardous of all being front line troops in the ongoing war of attrition with Julu-Kiata. They are honest, often to a fault, and are usually large and intimidating in appearance.
Feni
Although the kheti are the most willing to die in battle, the most dangerous Shentoni are the feni. Often distant and culturally incompatible, the feni live a pure warrior’s ethos and care little for the ways of other khatùra. They are often criticized for having little concern for the empire, and their service stems more from a sense of obligation than desire. When in service, though, they are lethal, and even with a bladed weapon are capable of ten times the carnage of any other Shentoni. They are only ever found in two roles: 1) as the direct guardians of a shei family, 2) as fast, close-quarter attack squads that are almost impossible to kill.
Miyèi alauwa - Good morning.
Emnèti mayà - My emnèti.
Sai to yamina te? - How are you today?
Ma pèna yamina, bisa? - I'm very well, and you?
Mawe satùru - Excuse me / forgive me.
Towe kusu - Thank you.
chepì - a unit of currency made from precious metal.
gati - A handgun used by Shei often plasma powered.
gotanse - sleepwear worn by Shei nobility.
hàtore - An armored, aerial transport vehicle.
heke - an ugly and invasive rodent species.
heni - A handwoven silk gown worn by female nobility.
jakatari- An ancient, throwing spear.
ketai - A plasma powered automatic rifle.
pasi - A traditional gown for high rank female Teiji.
sani - A bladed weapon used by the Feni.
tukuwe - A small marsupial that is delicious to eat.
urè - A blended tea with medicinal benefits.
zetai - A large, pluck-able stringed instrument.
More coming soon!