Terahnyan Sjol

Terahnyan Sjol

Terahnyan Sjol was first documented on Earth in multi-species urban communities in the mid-23rd century. It is clearly related to the official language of the Klingon Empire, but it is more characteristic of an indigenous Earth language, such as French, Navajo, or Antarctican. It is believed to have emerged in Klingon-speaking communities who became more pluralistic after local Klingon authorities had established administrative and cultural centers.

Phonology

The sounds of Terahnyan Sjol are as follows:

Vowels

• a - like "a" in "father"
• e - like "ai" in "aircraft"
• i - like "ee" in "feet"
• o - like "oa" in "boat"
• u - like "oo" in "school"

Diphthongs

• ay - like "i" in "pipe"
• aw - like "ou" in "output"
• ew - no English equivalent, like German "ö" or French "eu"
• ey - like "ay" in "ray"
• iw - no English equivalent, like German "ü" or French "u"
• oy - like "oy" in "boy"
• uy - like "ouy" in "bouy"

Consonants

• b - as in English
• d - as in English
• h - as in English. Unlike in English, this occurs at the end of syllables, though in many dialects it is dropped in such a position.
• k - as in English
• l - as in English
• m - as in English
• n - as in English
• ng - as in English
• p - as in English
• r - as in Spanish or Italian (trilled)
• s - as in English
• sj - like "sh" in "ship"
• t - as in English
• th - like "th" in "think"
• t - as in English
• v - as in English
• w - as in English
• y - as in English
• z - as in English
• zj - like "si" in "provision"

Consonant Clusters

• dzj - like "j" in "jump"
• ny - like "ny" in "canyon"
• tsj - like "ch" in "chair"

Assimilation

When either of the sounds s or z occurs adjacent to either of the sounds sj or zj within a word, the second sound's articulation point changes to match that of the first.

• s+sj becomes ss
• z+zj becomes zz
• sj+s becomes sjsj
• zj+z becomes zjzj
• s+zj becomes sz
• z+sj becomes zs
• sj+z becomes sjzj
• zj+s becomes zjsj