Radimeli Langauges

The Radimeli languages are a family of languages found at the extreme south of the Blessed Isle and on the satellite island called Radimel’s Seat. Although today one of the smallest langauge families on the Isle, the See of Radimel was once an important nautical power which contested the Realm and Arjuf through their control of the Strait of Garu. Thanks to a longtime colonization of the shores of the Bay of Radh, today Radimeli languages are spoken both on Radimel’s Seat and on the coast southwest of the Dragonswrath Desert.

The Radimeli languages seem to be related to the Arjufi languages, although they are also quite dissimilar; it is a case of being more similar to one another than to anything else. Although small in number and distribution, the Radimeli languages are still going strong, since they are uncontested for use on the tropical Seat itself.

Characteristics of the Radimeli Languages

The Radimeli languages share an element found nowhere else on the Isle, a notion of tenseness: some sounds are produced with force and pressure, almost a catch in the throat. These distinctly Radimeli sounds are a clear indication that the coastal languages are Radimeli. In addition, Radimeli also distinguishes voiced and unvoiced stops, but does not care about aspiration.

Radimeli languages allow more complicated finals than the Arjufi or Wànzi languages by the combination of liquids and stops. In the middle of a word, only a single consonant can end a syllable; but at the end of a word, a combination like -lk or -nd is allowed. Tense consonants cannot end a syllable. They often do not distinguish r and l, tending to l.

In general, the Radimeli languages are not tonal, or at the most complicated have two tones, high and low. Most have a tone accent system, where the stress of a word is indicated, in part, by a tonal inflection. The Radimeli languages generally have more than just the five basic vowels: most include eu, a sound like “oo” but without the lips rounded, and/or ae, like the “a” in “cat”. Generally these are ‘tight’ vowels which occur around tense consonants, but they can also be found independently.

Grammatically, the Radimeli languages often retain the use of clitics, and a freer word order than the Wànzi languages. Like Arjufi, they often lack tenses completely, focusing on a variety of aspect/mood distinctions. Like most of the Eastern Isle’s languages, they are analytic, and do not generally use much inflection or compound words.

Status of the Radimeli Languages

The Radimeli languages are very laid-back and lazy. They live in a beautiful and verdant tropical paradise detached from the rest of the world. Island time, baby. In fiction, pirates and sailors often have Radimeli-type accents.

Accent Features of the Radimeli Languages

If you want your character to have a Radimeli accent, you might mention some of the following vocal habits:

• You blend your r and l sounds depending on where they are in the word;
• Your aspirated sounds are particularly sharp;
• In closed syllables, your vowels are more tense and less proper, like using the ‘a’ in “cat” instead of a proper a sound.

Given how small the Radimeli languages are, it is very unusual to encounter a Dynast with a Radimeli accent. Usually, such Dynasts hail from the island of Radimel itself, born and raised at a resort town or plantation.

Making a Radimeli Name

Radimeli names are distinct for including tense consonants and for their interesting vowels.

The tense consonants are tense or even ejective. They are written as doubles: pp, ss, etc. For the purposes of English, just pronounce them as if they were single.

The Sounds

For a stereotypical Radimeli name, you should use the following consonant symbols: p, b, pp, t, d, tt, k, g, kk, ch, j, jj, m, n, f, ff, s, ss, h, l. You can use an r if it goes between two vowels, otherwise use an l.

For vowels, make use of the following symbols: i, e, a, u, o, ae, eu, and ü if you think it’s cool.

The Shape

A syllable has a vowel and probably a consonant at the beginning; you can use any consonant. If you want a tense consonant – one of the doubled letters – you have to put it at the start of the syllable.

You can end a syllable with any single-letter consonant, except for h. You can also combine -l with -p, -t, -k, -m if it’s at the end of a word.

Two or three syllables will give you a good flow.

Some Examples

Kajjang, Feuda, Poraen (poh-rann), Ükka, Ssangalm, Lok, Chuffan, Halju.