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Mateis is the language spoken by the Matis. The name of the language is derived from the Mateis word mate which means speech.
Alphabet
a, b, c, d, e, f, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, rh, s, t, u, v, y, z
Pronunciation
The Matisian language makes use of mostly soft sounds. There are very few double consonants, and many vowels and diphthongs. There are very few hard sounds such as t and k, which are reserved for words that have an often negative or unpleasant connotation, or sometimes to convey importance or superiority. For example, the former use includes "Kterhos", which means "Fyros" and, containing 3 hard consonants, is considered one of the harshest words in the Matisian language.
Vowels
| IPA | Grapheme | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| a | pronounced like its French counterpart | |
| e | pronounced as the French would pronounce é | |
| i | pronounced like its French counterpart | |
| o | pronounced like its French counterpart | |
| u | a sound between the french u and ou | |
| y | can be considered both a vowel and a consonant, as a vowel it is pronounced as i |
Consonants
Note: All consonants in the Matisian language are sounded. Also, sounds not listed here are pronounced as they would be in French.
| IPA | Grapheme | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| /b/ | b | almost always found in proper nouns, e.g. Bravichi |
| c | hard sound and pronounced like one would pronounce it in French | |
| /tʃ/ | ch | pronounced as tch similar to English ch, e.g. cherae is pronounced tchéraé. |
| /d/ | d | |
| /f/ | f | |
| /h/ | h | |
| /ʒ/ | j | used for words of foreign origin and the Karavan word "Jena" |
| /k/ | k | hard sound and pronounced like one would pronounce it in French |
| /l/ | l | |
| /m/ | m | |
| /n/ | n | |
| /p/ | p | |
| /ʁ/ | r | pronounced from the back of the throat, similar to French r or halfway between Spanish r and English r. |
| /x/ | rh | harshest sound in the Matisian language and is pronounced similarly to the Spanish j or Scottish ch in loch and comes from the back of the throat. |
| /s/ | s | |
| /ʃ/ | sh | pronounced like the French ch |
| /t/ | t | hard sound and pronounced like one would pronounce it in French |
| /v/ | v | |
| /j/ | y | can be considered both vowel and a consonant, as a consonant it is pronounced like the English initial y in "you" |
| /z/ | z | not often used, mostly found in proper nouns and foreign words, e.g Zachini, Zoraï and Zora |
Notes
- The c and k usually denote a negative or an important notion such as in the word "necat" (end) or the honorific "-karan" (king). c when followed by and e or i is pronounced ké and ki respectively.
- rh is rare and only appear in words with a strong negative connotation.
- Double consonants like ss lengthens the sound, double consonants are usually exceptional, like "nasse" (poison)
Common Phrases
| Phrase | English |
|---|---|
| aiya(e) | Hey (lit. "blessed") |
| davae naia | Good evening (lit. "sweet night") |
| deles aiye | Greetings! (this is less formal than "deles silam" but stronger than "aiya") |
| deles silam | Good day, (lit. "good time", this phrase contains no notion of time) |
| deles necat | Goodbye (lit. "ending time") |
| meria naia | Goodnight |
| deles cherae | Good luck! (lit. "chance time") |
| erates file | Congratulations! (lit. "Be proud!") |
| naete | Please |
| fila(e) | Thank you |
| neis | You're welcome |
| Jena aiye | Blessed be Jena! |
| ser(ae) | Mr/Ms |
| nec | used for negation, e.g. nec mindaleis = I dislike |
| nec | No |
| sil | Yes |
Note: letters in brackets indicate the letter to be added for the word's feminine form.
Prefixes
- ata- : again
- mai(ae)- : good, beneficial, well
- ulca(e)- : malicious, bad
Suffixes
Honorifics
- -wivan : underling, honorific used for someone beneath your standing
- -modin : equal, honorific used for someone equal to your standing
- -kin : lord, honorific used for someone of higher standing i.e. a superior or noble
- -karan : king, reserved honorific for the Matis king
Adjectives and Passive forms
- -a : masculine singular
- -ae : feminine singular
- -ai : plural (masculine or feminine)
Nouns
Note: matal = fight
- -e : singular
- -ei : plural
- -ena : a contraction of "-e nar". Marker indicating a person performing an action, e.g. matalena = the (male) warrior, one who fights
- -enae : feminine form of -ena, the person performing the action is a female, e.g. matalenae = the (female) warrior
- -enai : plural of -ena, e.g. matalenai = the warriors
- -a/ae/ai : marker, used in the passive voice, to indicate the person or object undergoing an action, e.g. matala = the beaten, the fighting
Verbs
Note: mindal = love; mot = work
- -eis : present tense and infinitive marker, e.g. mindaleis = I love
- -eiti : past tense marker, e.g. mindaleiti = I loved
- -ias : future tense marker, e.g. mindalias = I shall love
- -ates : imperative marker, e.g. motates = work!
Important! Matisian verbs only indicate time and do not conjugate, in other words, they do not change according to the subject performing the action. When a subject is not present the first person singular (I) is automatically the subject, or in case of the present tense form, an infinitive is sometimes implied.
Articles
| Article | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| Definite article: | i | the |
| Partitive article: | di | of |
Notes on articles:
- There is no indefinite article, e.g. "i ende" means "the heart" while "ende" can mean either just "heart" or "a heart"
- The partitive article can also be used to mean "from" or "by", e.g. "tuleiti di Zora" means "I came from Zora"
Pronouns
Personal pronouns
| Word | English |
|---|---|
| ne | I, me |
| le | you (singular) |
| se | he, she, it |
| nye | us, we |
| lye | you (plural) |
| sye | they |
Possessive Adjectives
| Masculine Singular |
Feminine Singular |
Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| na | nae | nai | my |
| la | lae | lai | your |
| sa | sae | sai | his, her, its |
| nya | nya | nyai | our |
| lya | lya | lyai | your |
| sya | sya | syai | their |
Note: Possessive adjectives agree with the number and gender of the noun they modify, e.g. na mane e nai sanei = my food and my thoughts
Examples:
- sa nar : his homin
- sae narae : her homin
- la mindalena : your lover
- lae mindalenae : your lover
- na mindala : my darling
- nae mindalae : my darling
- na mate : my labour
- nai matei : my labours
Interrogative pronouns
- ma : which/what?
- il : when?
- lar : where?
- manya : how?
- ye : who?
Indefinite pronouns
| Word | Basic Meaning |
|---|---|
| mailya | everything |
| mamine | something, anything |
| mane | nothing |
| ililya | all the time |
| ilmine | perhaps |
| ilne* | ever |
| larilya | everywhere |
| larmine | somewhere, anywhere |
| larne | nowhere |
| manyailya | by all means |
| manyamine | somehow |
| manyane | by any means |
| yeilya | everyone |
| yemine | someone, anyone |
| yene | noone, nobody |
* By adding "nec" in front of these words the word is negated, eg. nec ilne = never;
Demonstrative pronouns
- tana : this, that, these, those, etc
Examples:
- tana ma : "what's that?" or "what are those?" or "what are these?"
- tana ye : "who's that?" or "who's this?"
Determinatives
| Present Tense | Past Tense | Future Tense | Basic Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| neis | neiti | nias | that's me |
| leis | leiti | lias | that's you |
| seis | seiti | sias | that's him/her/it |
| nyeis | nyeiti | nyias | that's us |
| lyeis | lyeiti | lyias | that's you (plural) |
| syeis | syeiti | syias | that's them |
Other pronouns
- ena : there
- hya : here
Prepositions
- a : to, at, by
- an : towards, upwards (motion)
- apa : against, on
- ento : after
- epe : before
- ilya : with
- imi : in, on, aboard
- ten : for, towards
Conjunctions
- cil : or
- e : and
- nan : but
- nasie : because
Adverbs
- anda(e) : far, long
- ata : still, again, yet
- hara(e) : near, short
- ilya : together
- uvea : many, much
- yale : finally, at last
- laye : very
- sin : as well
Numerals
| Number | Matis | English |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | mane | zero |
| 1 | mine | one |
| 2 | ate | two |
| 3 | nele | three |
| 4 | came | four |
| 5 | leme | five |
| 6 | ene | six |
| 7 | ote | seven |
| 8 | tole | eight |
| 9 | nere | nine |
| 10 | caine | ten |
Adjectives
| Matis | Basic Meaning |
|---|---|
| aiya(e) | blessed |
| alta(e) | built, manufactured, engineered (for plants) |
| anda(e) | far, long |
| ara(e) | owned, propertied |
| arya(e) | left, left-sided, left-handed, clumsy, awkward |
| avala(e) | nice, pleasant, agreeable |
| cadera(e) | fallen |
| chera(e) | lucky |
| dava(e) | sweet, tender, soft, gentle |
| decata(e) | painful, sorrowful, sad |
| era | being (as adjective) |
| ferya(e) | righteous, right-sided, right-handed, straight, adroit, skillful, dexterous |
| fila(e) | proud |
| filira(e) | noble |
| firha(e) | dead, extinct |
| hara(e) | near, short |
| lela(e) | Continuous, uninterrupted, unceasing |
| loida(e) | material, physical |
| luma(e) | living, live, vibrant |
| lutae | enchanting, enchanted |
| mai(ae) | good, favourable, well |
| mana(e) | eaten |
| matala(e) | beaten, battered, defeated |
| mata(e) | speaking, spoken |
| mena(e) | gone |
| mera(e) | wanted, desired |
| meria(e) | beautiful |
| mindala(e) | loved |
| mota(e) | working |
| naia(e) | nocturnal |
| nara(e) | homin (as an adjective) |
| naeta(e) | pleasant, pleasing, amiable, amusing, agreeable |
| nata(e) | new |
| necata(e) | final, ending, ended |
| nerhta(e) | killed, murdered, assassinated |
| nitya(e) | small |
| ora(e) | due (as an adjective), owed |
| palta(e) | stricken, affected |
| pola(e) | possible |
| sama(e) | helped, saved |
| sana(e) | thoughtful |
| sarda(e) | hard, rough, rigid |
| satia(e) | strong, brave |
| silama(e) | joyous, happy |
| sula(e) | drunken |
| tana(e) | made, ripe |
| tula(e) | destination |
| ulca(e) | evil, bad |
| uma(e) | great, tall |
| vaina(e) | surrounded, besieged, enveloped, entwined |
| vanima(e) | ugly, unsightly, ill-favoured |
| valya(e) | protected, guarded |
| vela(e) | understood, seen, watched |
Nouns
| Matis | Basic Meaning |
|---|---|
| aire | copper (colour) |
| aiye | blessing |
| altae | manufacturing |
| altaena | manufacturer, maker |
| ande | distance, length |
| are | ownership |
| arena | owner, possessor |
| arye | left(side), clumsiness |
| avale | pleasantness |
| cadeleule | bronze (colour) |
| cadere | fall, dusk |
| cirhie | traitor |
| cherae | luck, chance |
| dare | proximity |
| dave | sweetness |
| decat! | pain, suffering |
| deles | time |
| ende | heart |
| envine | cure, treatment |
| envinena | healer |
| ere | being, creature |
| ferye | right(side), address |
| feria | house, chamber |
| file | pride |
| filar | noble |
| firhe | death |
| herena | guide |
| firhena | dead |
| ilmae | light, sun |
| ilmaule | gold (colour) |
| kainae | goddess |
| kterhos | a Fyros, barbarian, heathen |
| lele | Continuation |
| loide | body |
| lum! | life |
| lutaena(e) | enchanter |
| maie | well, good (both nouns) |
| mane | food |
| manena | eater |
| morhda | black, dark |
| morhdasane | inquietude, disquiet, dark thoughts |
| matala | the beaten, loser |
| matale | fight, battle |
| matalena | warrior, fighter |
| mata | history (that is spoken) |
| mate | speech, language |
| matena | orator, speaker, narrator |
| mearule | red, blood |
| mene | a round |
| mere | will |
| meriae | beauty |
| meriaena(e)* | a beatiful homin |
| mindala(e) | beloved, darling, sweetie |
| mindale | love |
| mindalena(e) | lover |
| mote | work, labour |
| motena | worker, labourer |
| naete | pleasure |
| naia | night |
| nar(ae) | a homin |
| nate | novelty |
| necat! | end |
| nasse | poison |
| nertha | the killed, victim |
| nerhte | assassination, murder |
| nerthena | assassin, murderer, killer |
| ninwe | sky, heaven |
| ninweule | blue |
| nirila | reflection |
| nirile | mirror |
| nityae | smallness |
| nityaena | a small or short homin, a Tryker |
| ora | due (as a noun) |
| ore | duty |
| palte | touch, sensation |
| pole | power |
| sama | those who are helped, the saved |
| same | rescue, aid |
| samena | that which helps, savior |
| sane | thought |
| sanena | thinker |
| sarde | hardness, rigidity |
| satie | strength |
| silam! | joy, happiness |
| sule | drink |
| sulena | drinker |
| tane | fact |
| tule | advent, arrival |
| tuline | red-gold (colour) |
| ulcae | disease, evil |
| ulcaena | patient |
| ulye | colour |
| umae | great, greatness |
| umaena | a great or tall homin, a Zoraï |
| vaine | envelope, entourage |
| valya | protege |
| valye | protection, custody |
| valyena | protector, guardian |
| vanime | ugliness |
| vela | view |
| vele | look, expression |
| velena | observer |
! These nouns are irregular
* This can also be replaced by the phrase "almeria(e) nar(ae)"
Verbs
| Infinitive | Past Tense | Future Tense | Imperative | Basic Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aiyeis | aiyeiti | aiyias | aiyates | to bless |
| altaeis | altaeiti | altaias | altaates | to make, to produce, to manufacture |
| andeis | andeiti | andias | andates | to be far |
| areis | areiti | arias | arates | have/has (auxiliary verb), to have |
| aryeis | aryeiti | aryias | aryates | to be clumsy |
| avaleis | avaleiti | avalias | avalates | to be nice, to be agreeable |
| cadereis | cadereiti | caderias | caderates | to fall, to descend |
| cheraeis | cheraeiti | cheraias | cheraates | to be lucky |
| daveis | daveiti | davias | davates | to be gentle |
| decateis | decateiti | decatias | decatates | to be in pain (intransitive), to hurt (transitive) |
| envineis | envineiti | envinias | envinates | to cure, to treat |
| ereis | ereiti | erias | erates | to be |
| feryeis | feryeiti | feryias | feryates | to be right, to be clever |
| fileis | fileiti | filias | filates | to be proud |
| firheis | firheiti | firhias | firhates | to die, to be dying |
| hareis | hareiti | harias | harates | to approach |
| leleis | leleiti | lelias | lelates | to carry on, to continue, to proceed |
| lumeis | lumeiti | lumias | lumates | to live, to be alive |
| lutaeis | lutaeiti | lutaias | lutaates | to enchant |
| maieis | maieiti | maiias | maiates | to be well, to feel comfortable |
| maneis | maneiti | manias | manates | to eat, to feed |
| mataleis | mataleiti | matalias | matalates | to battle, to fight |
| mateis | mateiti | matias | matates | to speak |
| meneis | meneiti | menias | menates | to go, to travel |
| mereis | mereiti | merias | merates | to want, to desire |
| meriaeis | meriaeiti | meriaias | meriaates | to be beautiful |
| mindaleis | mindaleiti | mindalias | mindalates | to love |
| moteis | moteiti | motias | motates | to work |
| naeteis | naeteiti | naetias | naetates | to be pleasant, to be agreeable, to please |
| nateis | nateiti | natias | natates | to renew |
| necateis | necateiti | necatias | necatates | to end, to finish |
| nerhteis | nerhteiti | nerhtias | nerhtates | to kill, to murder, to butcher, to slay |
| nityaeis | nityaeiti | nityaias | nityaates | to be small |
| oreis | oreiti | orias | orates | ought to, must |
| palteis | palteiti | paltias | paltates | to hit, to touch, to feel |
| poleis | poleiti | polias | polates | to be able, can |
| sameis | sameiti | samias | samates | to help, to save |
| saneis | saneiti | sanias | sanates | to think |
| sardeis | sareiti | sardias | sardates | to roughen |
| satieis | satieiti | satiias | satiates | to be strong, to be brave |
| silameis | silameiti | silamias | silamates | to tickle, to be happy |
| suleis | suleiti | sulias | sulates | to drink |
| taneis | taneiti | tanias | tanates | to do |
| tuleis | tuleiti | tulias | tulates | to come |
| ulcaeis | ulcaeiti | ulcaias | ulcaates | to be ill |
| umaeis | umaeiti | umaias | umaates | to grow up, to be great |
| vaineis | vaineiti | vainias | vainates | to surround, to envelop, to hug |
| valyeis | valyeiti | valyias | valyates | to protect, to keep, to guard |
| vanimeis | vanimeiti | vanimias | vanimates | to be ugly |
| veleis | veleiti | velias | velates | to see, to watch |
See also
