Banmek | |
---|---|
Banmijk | |
Region | Vanuku |
Language family |
Jelbo-Tukaric
|
Recognised minority language in | Vanuku |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | bnm |
The Banmek language (Banmijk sagad), also known as the Banster language, is a Jelbic language and the most widely spoken language in Vanuku. Owing to Vanuku's cultural isolation from the Jelbosphere until the Jelbic Renaissance, the language was not influenced by the linguistic reforms of the Jelbic Enlightenment that culminated in the creation of Old High Jelbic. This allowed the local Jelbic vernacular to develop its own literary standard, with an orthography based on that of Vanukeaans, Vanuku's official language, and with a closer approximation of the grammar and pronunciation of Vanukean Jelbics. In the 36th century the Jelbic culture of Vanuku received government recognition and support, and as a result Vanuku joined the other Jelbic nations in adopting Old High Jelbic as the classical and formal standard, leading in time to the development of Wrnukaek as the Vanukean variety of Old High Jelbic. Banmek has been gradually marginalized ever since, although unlike other Jelbic vernaculars it remains in use as a literary and spoken language in spite of competition from Old High Jelbic.
Phonology and orthography[]
Banmek has a phonology similar to other Jelbic languages, although Vanukeaans influence is very visible. Banmek uses the Selucian (Latin) script, however by having developed as a literary language in isolation from the Jelbic Enlightenment, Banmek did not adopt the standard Jelbic spelling. Instead Banmek orthography is heavily based on that of Vanukeaans.
Grapheme | OHJ equivalent | IPA | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|---|
a | a | a | like u in "cut" |
aa | á | ɑː | like ar in "far" |
b | b | b | like b in "burn" |
ch | h | x | like ch in "Loch" |
d | d | d | like d in "dirt" |
e | e, à | ə | like a in "Tina" |
è | e | ɛ | like e in "bed" |
ee | e | eː | like ay in "play" in Scottish English |
ë | - | - | Diaeresis indicates the start of new syllable |
f | v | f | like f in "influence". |
g | g | ɣ | like g in Dutch "gaan" |
h | f | ɦ | like h in "behind" in Received Pronunciation |
i | i | i | like i in German "bitte" |
ï | - | - | Diaeresis indicates the start of new syllable |
ie | í | iː | like ee in "bee" |
ij | é | ɛi | like ij in Dutch "ijs" |
j | j | j | like y in "yell" |
k | k | k | like k in "kiss" |
l | l | ɫ | like l in "milk" |
m | m | m | like m in "met" |
n | n | n | like n in "burn" |
o | o | o̞ | like o in Spanish "todo" |
ö | - | - | Diaeresis indicates the start of new syllable |
oe | u | u | like u in "mural" |
p | p | p | like p in "printer". Aspirated if start of word. |
r | r | ɾ | like tt in "better" in North American pronunciation |
s | s | s | like s in "sit" |
sj | sh | ʃ | like sh in "shoe" |
t | t | t | like t in "tape" |
u | y | œ, yː | like eu in French "jeune" |
v | v | f | like f in "influence" |
w | w | v, ʋ | like w in German "Werken" |
z | z | z | like z in "Zulu" |
Grammar[]
Banmek grammar has been heavily simplified when compared to Old High Jelbic. Sentence structure remains SOV, and particles are used to denote case, similarly to Old High Jelbic, although Banmek also relies on word order to indicate case. Notably Banmek does not use the Nominative and Topic markers; as a topic prominent language, the topic of the sentence is almost always the first word.
Particles[]
Predicates: no particle.
Topic: no particle.
Nominative/Subject: no particle.
Ger: Accusative/Object, location of action
Der: "in/to", "due to", indirect object, destination, passive voice agent, condition, instrumental.
Firja: From, Because
Timad: Until, Up to
-ij: Adjective
-ijk: Possessive
Teer: "and", "with", quote marker for direct speech
Meer: "too", "also", "as well"
Gerd: "than/compared to"
Mok: represents "more of"
Gerwè: "but/however"
Demwè: "even if, despite"
Urzaa: exclamation marker
Zi: question marker
Verbs[]
Banmek conjugation is less synthetic than that of Old High Jelbic, relying instead on auxiliary verbs to mark tense, mood, and aspect, although the old Jelbic conjugation retains a vestigial presence in certain set phrases. The two classes of verbs (-jo and -mo) of Old High Jelbic remain in Banmek (as -j verbs and -m verbs).
Verb Form | -j | jaj | Luthori |
---|---|---|---|
Present | -j | jaj | "[I] meet (someone)." |
Passive | -z + ajzoe | jaz ajzoe | "[I] am met." |
Conjunctive | -gak | jagak | "[I] meet/will meet/have met (someone) then..." |
Imperative | -ach | jaach | "Meet (someone)!" (an order) |
Past | -z + prsoj | jaz prsoj | "[I] met (someone)." |
Future | -z + trnaj | jaz trnaj | "[I] will meet (someone)." |
Desire | -gak + trnaj | jagak trnaj | "[I] want to meet (someone)." |
Negative | -j + nur | jaj nur | "[I] do not met (someone)." |
Gerund | -gad | jagad | "Meeting." |
Adjective/Participle | -z | jaz | "Approachable/Sociable" (lit., "meeting-like"), "Met" |
Adverb | -zè | jazè | "Approachably/Sociably" (lit., "meetingly") |
Verb Form | -m | ijlem | Luthori |
---|---|---|---|
Present | -m | ijlem | "[I] think (something)." |
Passive | -ie + ajzoe | ijl'ie ajzoe | "[I] am thought of." |
Conjunctive | -lak | ijlelak | "[I] think (of something) then..." |
Imperative | -ach | ijleach | "Think (something)!" (an order) |
Past | -ie + prsoj | ijl'ie prsoj | "[I] thought (of something)." |
Future | -ie + trnaj | ijl'ie trnaj | "[I] will think (of something)." |
Desire | -lak + trnaj | ijlelak trnaj | "[I] want to think (of something)." |
Negative | -m + nur | ijlem nur | "[I] do not think (something)." |
Gerund | -jad | ijlejad | "Thinking." |
Adjective/Participle | -ie | ijl'ie | "Thoughtful." (lit., "Thought-like"), "Thought (of)" |
Adverb | -jè | ijlejè | "Thoughtfully." (lit., "Thinkingly") |
The verb ajzoe ("to be") has an irregular conjugation. Its indicative form originates from the continuous form of the verb in old Jelbic (OHJ: "ajozuo"), which Banster abandoned for the other verbs. Its participle (jariez) comes from the verb jariej ("to stay").
Verb Form | ajzoe | Luthori |
---|---|---|
Present | ajzoe | "[I] am." |
Conjunctive | ajzoek | "[I] am then..." |
Imperative | ajzoech | "Be!" |
Past | jariez prsoj | "[I] was." |
Future | jariez trnaj | "[I] will be." |
Desire | ajzoek trnaj | "[I] want to be." |
Negative | ajzoe nur | "[I] am not." |
Gerund | ajad | "Existing." |
Adjective/Participle | jariez | "Been" |
Adverb | jariezè | "Existingly" |
Adjectives and adverbs[]
Adjectives in Banmek always precede their head noun. Just like in the other Jelbic languages, Banmek adjectives fall into three classes: "true" adjectives, which can be used as is, nominal adjectives - adjectives derived from nouns with the addition of the adjectival suffix -ij (which is also the suffix used to form adverbs from nouns, the distinction being based on context), and verbal adjectives - derived from verbs by replacing the -j or -m ending with -z and -ie, respectively. Both adjectives and adverbs are negated with the suffix -nur.
Personal pronouns[]
singular | plural | ||
---|---|---|---|
first person | kaè (I) | isrè (we) | |
second person | chië (you) | trzijchië (you) | |
third person |
masculine | rè (he) | zrè (they) |
feminine | rië (she) | ||
neuter or epicene |
techè (it, s/he) |
Numerals[]
Numeral | Ordinal | Cardinal | Luthori |
---|---|---|---|
0-9 | |||
0 | Noeza | Noeba | "Zeroth"/"Zero" |
1 | Isre | Isreba | "First"/"One" |
2 | Zewiek | Zwieba | "Second"/"Two" |
3 | Torze | Torba | "Third"/"Three" |
4 | Kenze | Kenba | "Fourth"/"Four" |
5 | Senze | Senba | "Fifth"/"Five" |
6 | Cheze | Cheba | "Sixth"/"Six" |
7 | Naaze | Naaba | "Seventh"/"Seven" |
8 | Uze | Uba | "Eighth"/"Eight" |
9 | Kuze | Kuba | "Ninth"/"Nine" |
10-19 | |||
10 | Deze | Deba | "Tenth"/"Ten" |
11 | Deïsreze | Deïsreba | "Eleventh"/Eleven" |
12 | Dezwiekoze | Dezwba | "Twelth"/"Twelth" |
13 | Detorze | Detorba | "Thirteenth"/"Thirteen" |
14 | Dekenze | Dekenba | "Fourteenth"/"Fourteen" |
15 | Desenze | Desba | "Fifteenth"/"Fifteen" |
16 | Decheze | Decheba | "Sixteenth"/"Sixteen" |
17 | Denaze | Denaba | "Seventeenth"/"Seventeen" |
18 | Deuze | Deuba | "Eighteenth"/"Eighteen" |
19 | Dekuze | Dekuba | "Ninteenth"/"Nineteen" |
20-100,000 | |||
20 | Zwiekodeze | Zwikodeba | "Twentieth"/"Twenty" |
30 | Tordeze | Tordeba | "Thirtieth"/"Thirty" |
40 | Kendeze | Kendeba | "Fourtieth"/"Forty" |
50 | Sendeze | Sendeba | "Fiftieth"/"Fifty" |
60 | Chedeze | Chedeba | "Sixtieth"/"Sixty" |
70 | Naadeze | Naadeba | "Seventieth"/"Seventy" |
80 | Udeze | Udeba | "Eightieth"/"Eighty" |
90 | Kudeze | Kudeba | "Nintieth"/"Ninety" |
100 | Seze | Setbie | "Hundreth"/"Hundred" |
200 | Zwiekoseze | Zwisetbie | "Two Hundreth"/"Two Hundred" |
300 | Torseze | Torsetbie | "Three Hundreth"/"Three Hundred" |
400 | Kenseze | Kensetbie | "Four Hundreth"/"Four Hundred" |
500 | Senseze | Sensetbie | "Five Hundreth"/"Five Hundred" |
600 | Cheseze | Chesetbie | "Six Hundreth"/"Six Hundred" |
700 | Naaseze | Naasetbie | "Seven Hundreth"/"Seven Hundred" |
800 | Useze | Usetbie | "Eight Hundreth"/"Eight Hundred" |
900 | Kuseze | Kusetbie | "Nine Hundreth"/"Nine Hundred" |
1,000 | Moze | Motbie | "Thousandth"/"Thousand" |
10,000 | Zalze | Zalbie | "Ten Thousandth"/"Ten Thousand" |
100,000 | Kutze | Kutbie | "Hundred Thousandth"/"Hundred Thousand" |
Multiples of 100,000 | |||
Jukze | Jukbie | "Ten Billionth"/"Ten Billion" | |
Wakze | Wakbie | "Quadrillionth"/"Quadrillionth" | |
Zrnze | Zrntbie | "Hundred Quintillionth"/"Hundred Quintillion" |
Vocabulary[]
Due to centuries of coexistence, Banmek borrowed a very large amount of vocabulary from Vanukeaans, in addition to some influence from Kalopian, Augustan, or Majatran. The core vocabulary of Banmek remains clearly Jelbic, however. Banmek influenced Wrnukaek in turn, which borrowed much vocabulary from the local vernacular to replace loanwards used in other varieties of Old High Jelbic.
Meaning | Banmek | OHJ |
---|---|---|
Father | hrt | frto |
Mother | checha | hàha |
Son | srmk | srmko |
Man | kai | kai |
Girl | kuz | kyz |
Person | chik | hiko |
Blood | eestihloez | estifluz |
Head | kaach | káhe |
Hair | chakam | hekam |
Eye | mu | mye |
Hand | chnd | hnd |
Horse | hers | fers |
Cattle | kroe | kru |
Dog | dnoe | dnu |
Fish | sehk | sàfk |
House | oejo | ujoj |
Fire | hrij | frj |
Ash | hrijsrl | frjsrl |
Water | chudwaa | hydwas |
Sun | zol | hyéon |
Cloud | koed | kud |
Star | strchoesie | strhosí |
Earth | soekr | sukr |
Hill | hok | hok |
Tree/Wood | trk | trk |
New | swadij | suadja |
White | nrl | nrl |
Black | grak | grak |