Language and glyphs
This page refers to the Yevat and Velilyevat language and the "old writing" (still in use.) It does not includes the Varveleil or the Oyevat's communication (or simply includes details.)
It's in a constant work in progress; understand that new words and new glyphs can pop at any time. You currently should have enough to create simple to semi-complex sentences, tell what your character loves or hate, tell what they did today or plan to do tomorrow, to express yourself in idioms, or to negociate and to count. Glyphs are rarer, but more are to come.
You can use these resources for your YVVOs, for example if you want your YVVO to have a tattoo or roleplay name. Please understand that it'll surely miss a lot of words, and certainly includes mistakes and english typos. If you don't understand something or if you want Yoka to add a specific word/glyph, please contact Yoka!
It's in a constant work in progress; understand that new words and new glyphs can pop at any time. You currently should have enough to create simple to semi-complex sentences, tell what your character loves or hate, tell what they did today or plan to do tomorrow, to express yourself in idioms, or to negociate and to count. Glyphs are rarer, but more are to come.
You can use these resources for your YVVOs, for example if you want your YVVO to have a tattoo or roleplay name. Please understand that it'll surely miss a lot of words, and certainly includes mistakes and english typos. If you don't understand something or if you want Yoka to add a specific word/glyph, please contact Yoka!
Glyphs
Yevatem used to have no alphabet. Instead, they widely use glyphs: a single symbol for every word and every meaning. It's a complex system that only the most educated can master to perfection.
They can engrave glyphs in stones or tree barks, but they will use animal skins to write the knowledge they want to keep inside the biggest cities. Although that can change according to the region of Bothea, glyphs are generally written in a spiral direction, from the center to the exterior clock-wise (most common on large surfaces like rocks) - or in a vertical direction (from top to bottom) and from right to left (most common on thin surfaces like trees.) In general, only the most important information is written, such as the direction to a town, a potential danger, or a town's name. |
Basic glyphs. More to come. Click for full-size.
Language
The Yevat language is spoken widely on Bothea, but varies according to regions. In the lexicon is shown the most spoken version of their language.
Yevatem rarely use metaphors and go straight to what they want to say. It's simple: the clearer, the better. They have several known idioms used as life lessons, and it's the closest they could have to metaphors. > LEXICON on a spreadsheet <
(Everything at the same place, easy ctrl+F search) > LEXICON on ConWorkShop < (Easier to browse and read, especially if you have disabilities. Click on "search dictionnary.") Pronunciation
Simple letters V is pronounced like something in between the V and the B, and we often can hear "Yebat." (Listen to the second sample on this page.) The secret to pronounce it is that your lips never touch each other, neither your teeth. |
S is pronunced "sss", like in "sorry" or "silver."
They roll their R's, like in spanish. A is pronunced like in french, or like in the english words "bat" or "batch." I is pronunced like in the english "ee", as in the words "eel" or "see," but it never varies (it will never be like in "supply", for example.) I and Y have the same pronunciation, except that the accent is often on a "I" but not on a "Y". It's however not always true. U is pronounced like the english "oo" like in "book" or "school," or like the japanese pronunciation. H is always pronounced, and is pronounced with a breathe, like in english. G is always pronunced like in the english words "goal" or "gain," but never like the J. Complex letters The E E is pronunced in general like in the english words "stead," "tenderness," or "bet." Listen to it here! E at the end of a word is pronounced like the french "é"; somewhere between “e” in “bet” and “ee” in “see.” Listen to it here! If a Yevat word is a mix between two or more words, the E will keep its original pronunciation. For example, "Yevat" is a mix between "Ye" (one) and "Vat" (same). In "Ye", the E is at the end of the word, and thus is pronunced "é". So the word "Yevat" must be pronunced "ieʋat" (ipa). Another example: since "Yevispir" (the first) starts with the word "Ye" (one), the E is pronunced "é" as well. The J In the middle of a word, it's pronounced only "jjj", without the "d" before, unlike we're used to hear in english. Listen to it here! At the beginning of a word, it's pronounced "dj", like in the english words "journalism" or "general." At the end of a word, and it occurs frequently since their adjectives all end with "-lej", it's pronounced "sh" or "ch", like in the english word "she" or "shy." Sometimes, the "j" in the middle of a word will be heard "sh", depending on one's accent. SH and CH don't exist in the Yevat dialect, except for the sound "J" at the end of a word. Two identical letters will still be pronounced. For example, the Yevat word "Rhuun" (fear) will be pronounced: "Rolled R - breathe - oo - oon". The rest of the letters will be pronunced like in English. |
IPA letters (Join this website to hear the sounds!) a: a e (middle letter): ɛ e (end letter): e i: i (the word's accent will be on this letter) y: i h: h o: o u: u ': ʡ b: b d: d f: f g: g j (first letter): "dj" (like in English) j (middle letter): ʐ j (end letter): ç k: k l: ɭ m: m n: n p: p r: r s: s t: t v: ʋ z: z th: θ |
How to speak; some language rules
Pronouns have no gender. All Yevatem are Yevatem, no matter their gender. Valisem (betrayers), may be called the the pronouns "sinke" (this) or "sin" (it) as a mark of disrespect, since they are not considered as Yevat anymore. The plural is symbolised by "-em" at the end of a word: One Yevat, two Yevatem. Verbs and adjectives don't agree with the noun. Adjectives will either end by "-lej", as in: "voitlej" (brave) or "yakenlej" (curious) or they will be mixed with the name to create a new word, as in: "makayevat" (maka = artist + yevat) or "mukarok", wild animal (muka - animal + rok - wild, rude.) "A" (the I) is optional. For example, to say "I am a person" we can say "A zem yevat" or simply "Zem yevat." Their language is a clumping tongue. Yevatem will create new words by mixing two, three, or more together. There's no specific rule about how many words can b mixed together, but as long as it's comprehensible, it's spoken. A pretty (mila) yet feral (rok) girl named Nisa can be named Milaroknisa, for example. Some words may only be used with other words, such as "I-" (small) or "O-" (big), for example "isuna" (small horn) or "ovelil" (big wing) and we'll never see them alone. Past and future forms are used only when necessary. Otherwise, Yevatem think that the present time is the most important of all. |
"Yevat" means many things. In general, it means "person" (but only for Yevatem and Velilyevatem), "someone." It's our equivalent of "Human." It's also the name of the Primordial Yevat, the divinity they are when they are all together, the FATHER, the creator of their soul. They believe they are a true god when they are all together, and so, they are The Yevat. The word itself is the contraction of "ye" (one) and "vat" (the same): together, we are the same.
Yevatem see possessions in a very different way than us. A Yevat can own another one without it being slavery. People are goods as much as persons. To own a Yevat or to own something grants you the same obligations towards them/it: to protect them/it. A Yevat can say "I own my loved one" without it being a forced relation. A Yevat have to accept the protection of the other in order to be "owned." Two Yevatem can own each other. Thus a Yevat who owns another shows a strong relationship, such as couples. To badly take care of something or someone you own and you're supposed to protect is badly seen, and towns and cities may confiscate the object or drive someone away from you if they think it's necessary.
Yevatem see possessions in a very different way than us. A Yevat can own another one without it being slavery. People are goods as much as persons. To own a Yevat or to own something grants you the same obligations towards them/it: to protect them/it. A Yevat can say "I own my loved one" without it being a forced relation. A Yevat have to accept the protection of the other in order to be "owned." Two Yevatem can own each other. Thus a Yevat who owns another shows a strong relationship, such as couples. To badly take care of something or someone you own and you're supposed to protect is badly seen, and towns and cities may confiscate the object or drive someone away from you if they think it's necessary.
Dialects
Bothea is a huge planet, filled with many different regions, and with different populations (tribes - towns - cities.) The Yevat language as shown above is the most common and easy to learn, but multiple dialects exist. Differences can be heard from a town to another, for example: - Variation in words, examples: "Home": Tuhe / Tuhei "Piece": Baha / Bafa "Protector": Delertaim / Delerteim - Variation in pronunciations, examples: Some regions will pronounce the J "jjj", others will pronounce it "sh" Some regions will pronounce the Z "th", others will pronounce it "z" Some regions will pronounce the H as a silent breath, others will pronounce it like Arabic (a kind of "rrr") |
- Accents:
Regions will have various accents. For example, North Jungle folks can sound like they're nobles, and Equator Desert folks can sound a bit like Texans, or arabic, depending on the region. The underground regions can sometims soung mor slavic, etc. Accents can vary even from a tribe to another, or between neighbour towns.
- Slangs and names:
Some tribes, towns or cities invent their own words: they will give names to their cities, creating a new Yevat word. Names are also unique words, hard to dissociate from other words when we're not used to it. As in any language, Yevatem will invent words to define specific things - especially when they're close in pronounciation or meaning, sometimes even to create a joke. For example, the word "astriavalkya" isn't a Yevat word, but it still could mean something: astriav = underground + valkya = different: the different underground.
Regions will have various accents. For example, North Jungle folks can sound like they're nobles, and Equator Desert folks can sound a bit like Texans, or arabic, depending on the region. The underground regions can sometims soung mor slavic, etc. Accents can vary even from a tribe to another, or between neighbour towns.
- Slangs and names:
Some tribes, towns or cities invent their own words: they will give names to their cities, creating a new Yevat word. Names are also unique words, hard to dissociate from other words when we're not used to it. As in any language, Yevatem will invent words to define specific things - especially when they're close in pronounciation or meaning, sometimes even to create a joke. For example, the word "astriavalkya" isn't a Yevat word, but it still could mean something: astriav = underground + valkya = different: the different underground.
Common Yevat names
Yevatem are named by their parents at first, but their name can change a lot during their life. Parents can think of a name when they see their egg, when the baby hatches, or when the baby starts to grow up. A nameless baby will be named "deyevat" (child) until they have a name. When becoming an adult, a Yevat can choose to change his/her/their name if they wants to. Sometimes, a title or a nickname will become stronger than a name and the Yevat will have to stick with it.
Yevat names have female, male and agendered "sounds." However, a male can have a "female sounding" name, for example, and that won't be a problem.
Some good inspirations for Yevat names are Japanse and Hebrew names.
A Yevat name will have 1 to 3 syllabes, rarely more (without the title.)
You can read more names here!
Yevat names have female, male and agendered "sounds." However, a male can have a "female sounding" name, for example, and that won't be a problem.
Some good inspirations for Yevat names are Japanse and Hebrew names.
A Yevat name will have 1 to 3 syllabes, rarely more (without the title.)
You can read more names here!
Examples of female-sounding names (occurence of the "s", "i", "aa", or twice the "a" in the name.)
Aadel Amasei Dalisto Kasisi Misaal (pretty soul) Nisa Pasiaan Sesaan Serena Vilama Yaakan Yaanis (honest) |
Examples of male-sounding names (occurence of the "o", "k", "u" in the name.)
Arkou Gelbor Hoko Kakoba Kanator ("hunter" variation) Kamun Katheru Keuako Paluj Rakest Uuka Velekiam Yuun |
Agender names (If the name is composed with only one syllabe, it will always be an agender name.)
Ab Daheru Dvaras (from, by) Eyebaj Hazeit Hinun Ipe Jeza Kravi Logai (you can't stop time) Navel Nyo (flower) Samakie (different desert) Skeivanat (quick hunter) |
Titles
Titles are an important part of a Yevat's life. It's a word defining who you are and which is stuck before your name. Most of time, people choose it for you. Different persons can have a different name for you; for example a Yevat will call you teacher, another will call you brave, and a third one will call you noisy.
De- (child), example: Denavel
I- (small, short), example: Inyo
Ju- ("from the past", old one), example: Juviskanya
Maka- (artist), example: Makayemiko
Melyster- (clever one, owner of knowledge and power, teacher), example: Melystergelbor
Mila- (pretty), example: Milanisa
O- (tall, big), example: Okravi
Rok- (rude, cold, antisocial), example: Rokamasu
Skaz- (problem, troubleseeker), example: Skazipe
Tei- (happy), example: Teiab
Vanat- (hunter), example: Vanatrakest
Velil- (leader, winged, for Velilyevatem), example: Velilradja
Voit- (brave), example: Voitkamun
Yaken- (curious, lucky), example: Yakenserena
Yoa- (lover), example: Yoayaakan
... (And much more. basically, any word or sentence can become a title.)
Titles are an important part of a Yevat's life. It's a word defining who you are and which is stuck before your name. Most of time, people choose it for you. Different persons can have a different name for you; for example a Yevat will call you teacher, another will call you brave, and a third one will call you noisy.
De- (child), example: Denavel
I- (small, short), example: Inyo
Ju- ("from the past", old one), example: Juviskanya
Maka- (artist), example: Makayemiko
Melyster- (clever one, owner of knowledge and power, teacher), example: Melystergelbor
Mila- (pretty), example: Milanisa
O- (tall, big), example: Okravi
Rok- (rude, cold, antisocial), example: Rokamasu
Skaz- (problem, troubleseeker), example: Skazipe
Tei- (happy), example: Teiab
Vanat- (hunter), example: Vanatrakest
Velil- (leader, winged, for Velilyevatem), example: Velilradja
Voit- (brave), example: Voitkamun
Yaken- (curious, lucky), example: Yakenserena
Yoa- (lover), example: Yoayaakan
... (And much more. basically, any word or sentence can become a title.)
Language and glyph's origins
In the lore is specified that the first Yevatem's eggs were left alone with an AI. This AI, which had a visible appearance and looked like a Yevat as well, taught the first babies how to speak the Oyevatem's language. It's then safe to believe that the first Yevatem used to speak like their ancestors.
But thousands of cycles passed, and between-time, the language evolved a lot. It evolved so much that nowadays, the Yevat language is completely different from the Oyevat language and one could not understand the other. The difference between these two languages (modern Yevat / Oyevat) can be compared to what latin is to French, for example. Some roots are the same, but most words have changed with time.
The Yevat glyphs are mostly inspired from what they are supposed to represent. For example, the feather glyph is literaly a feather, and the child's glyph looks like an adult leaning over a child. Glyphs used to me more complex in the past, and have been simplified with time. That way, it's easy to date when a glyph have been engraved somewhere.
But thousands of cycles passed, and between-time, the language evolved a lot. It evolved so much that nowadays, the Yevat language is completely different from the Oyevat language and one could not understand the other. The difference between these two languages (modern Yevat / Oyevat) can be compared to what latin is to French, for example. Some roots are the same, but most words have changed with time.
The Yevat glyphs are mostly inspired from what they are supposed to represent. For example, the feather glyph is literaly a feather, and the child's glyph looks like an adult leaning over a child. Glyphs used to me more complex in the past, and have been simplified with time. That way, it's easy to date when a glyph have been engraved somewhere.
Varveleil and Oyevat's language, and extra-bothean YV
Varveleilem and Oyevatem's languages have their own page, check it here!
Yevatem and Velilyevatem who are not born on Bothea couldn't learn their language and glyphs. They will eventually learn the language(s) used by the people around them, if they find life or if they are found by talking creatures. Eventually, a extra-bothean could see or hear Yevat glyphs or words through dreams or visions, but rarely the whole language.
Yevatem and Velilyevatem who are not born on Bothea couldn't learn their language and glyphs. They will eventually learn the language(s) used by the people around them, if they find life or if they are found by talking creatures. Eventually, a extra-bothean could see or hear Yevat glyphs or words through dreams or visions, but rarely the whole language.