Vilani Word

[robject]

True Vilani is written in ruuraak -- which is an abugida, not an alphabet. At least I'm pretty sure it is (it might be a more standard-issue syllabary); unfortunately, the only information I can find about it is a brief sample buried in a corner over on Robject's language site. It might be possible to reconstruct a complete symbol collection based just on the sample provided; but it would be much easier if I could just find someplace where all the symbols and diacritics are assembled in one collection.

Okay then... I've uploaded a few post-2003 Vilani fonts.

http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/fonts/

VilaniBold, VilaniSerif, and VilaniStd are alphabetic.

The VilaniRuuraak font is really a jamo alphabet. For all I know the "real" Ruuraak or Ruuraakh truly is an abugida. I started out with a syllabary, and Marc gave some suggestions, and I did my best to create the font.

The first trick that takes some learning is that consonants in front of a vowel are typed in UPPERCASE, and consonants following a vowel are typed in lowercase. This creates a (more or less) layered effect, as the syllable is created.

The second trick is that the "extra" keys are as follows: AA is on the 'O' key, UU is on the 'W' key, and II is on the 'J' key. SH uses the 'X' key, and KH uses the 'H' key. The 'V' key is the Vilani 'eclipse' sign. There's an additional character on '=', and the backtick character (`) is the Vilani syllable /gim/ (handy for marking the subject of a sentence, perhaps).



Here's an example of how to write "kugganzir" with the font.

A nice effect is that the parallel centerlines occasionally run through more than one syllable.

The style is ugly and blocky; I copied the original DGP Bilanidin Bold style. I think it needs to look lighter.



I also have a page of Vilani ideograms on paper, not installed as a font. Marc's understandably not involved in that kind of thing.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

wow...

This stuff is awesome! Thanks again for all the geek flavor.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Hey Great Sages...

What's a really good exclamation of Joy and Happiness in Bilanidin?

Yours in Study,
the Gurukarpu.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

Here's one from my growing collection of Vilani neologisms:

Kishariin! Ki.sha.riin! (excl)

Wonderful! Excellent! (from ki [distal nonhuman prefix] + shar "to be abundant" + iin [exclamatory postclitic] lit. "the thing is abundant!") It's use is also paralleled in the ancient Terran cry of "Eureka!"
​

Geshiren! Ge.shi.ren!

A variant of kishariin (see above). Also a place name (see below).
​

I came up with this one last fall, over on the GURPS Traveller boards. Someone was fleshing out his idea of a Vilani legend about a destination world full of enchantment, wealth, and civility somewhere out in Trojan Reach sector (or perhaps beyond). Sort of like an outer space version of El Dorado or Shangri-la.

He named this place Geshiren. And on a whim (and because all of a sudden one of my hobbies is now constructing etymologies of Vilani terminologies), I tweaked it until I came up with kishariin, and submitted it as a possible root to the concept.

Ultimately, the GURPS'ers didn't really give a damn about my goofy obsession; and I can't really say I blame them for it. But I still liked the word (and the concept), and so I've kept it in my personal collection.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Kishariin! Thanks, this will do nicely.

Rock on! This helps a lot, as I am trying still to use the Langauge.

And sorry, I haven't had a chance yet to print out all the various docs for real study and been busy all over these days....ah the life of an Adventurer/Traveller, though no Starship yet...*keeps hoping*

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Return of the King....

king of the gurukarpu maybe....

And back in effect with another annoying question or six...

1) What would be the proper Bilanidin for: Thornwood Holdings Group? Although it's obviously is not that easy...so here's the additional information...

This is the overall Famili Holding Company established, well back in the Rule of Man. It covers all the famili investments and such. For instance Thornwood Enterprises Unlimited, LIC is mostly Magnus' Personal Company and they specialize in Exotic Biologicals and Custom Memory Systems, but do invest in other Enterprises, thus the Unlimited part.

The Daarnulud Holdings Group or what ever would be the proper Vilani terms for the Group that has it tentacles in all the Famili Biz.

Also, as I am now a Starship's Master are there any other rituals besides dimming the lights pre-jump that I should be aware of. Serimadadaga Ibuukibi is up and running and I need to know the Proper Vilani Spacer Traditions and Rituals. Please.

Thank you again.

 

[Darkhstarr]

I haven't used much of the software out there other than Tribblescape Vilani by Lonnie. Use that a lot to create vilani words based on english, japanese, or similar Solomani languages.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

king of the gurukarpu maybe....

Karungi gurukarpu -- although most Vilani would find the term too inherently ridiculous to even make sense as a joke. But I guess you have to be there, as the Solomani say ...

And back in effect with another annoying question or six...

1) What would be the proper Bilanidin for: Thornwood Holdings Group? Although it's obviously is not that easy...so here's the additional information...

This is the overall Famili Holding Company established, well back in the Rule of Man. It covers all the famili investments and such. For instance Thornwood Enterprises Unlimited, LIC is mostly Magnus' Personal Company and they specialize in Exotic Biologicals and Custom Memory Systems, but do invest in other Enterprises, thus the Unlimited part.

The Daarnulud Holdings Group or what ever would be the proper Vilani terms for the Group that has it tentacles in all the Famili Biz.

Adirdika Gimudaarnaludak is the best approximation I can come up with (from a "possessed" preclitic + dirdika "business federation/financi al holdings" [dir “to group, bind together” + dika “conglomerate; combine”] + gimudaarnaludak [from gimu "financial" + Daarnalud + possessive postclitic ak], lit. "Business Federation owned by the Thornwood Family Financial Branch"), although you could also go with Adirdika Daarnaludak Gimaka (if you want to emphasize the whole family name over its financial aspects, as well as imply a firmer separation between the two). Adirdika Daarnaludak ("Thornwood's Financial Holdings") is also quite acceptible.

Also, as I am now a Starship's Master are there any other rituals besides dimming the lights pre-jump that I should be aware of. Serimadadaga Ibuukibi is up and running and I need to know the Proper Vilani Spacer Traditions and Rituals. Please.

You know ... other than an emphasis on procedure and rapid fire (i.e. efficient) ritual, I don't think anyone's ever gone into what kinds of "space rituals" or superstitions the Vilani ever developed besides jump dimming. There probably are a lot from back in the Ziru Sirka days, though, considering their adherence to rote-learning in even their highest-skilled professions and their almost obsessive-compulsive reliance on problem-solving through flow charts and expert AI algorithms.

I suppose that might make Vilani overreliant on computers even to this day. No matter what problem a crew of Vilani might face, then, it's a given that at least one of them will be assigned to "check the computer" about it. That'd certainly come off as quirky behavior to most Solomani:

"Cap'n, the head's backing up."

"Again? Isshuggi, go get the plunger and report to 'C' deck. Open a channel when you get there and wait for our response. Eneri, go check the computer ..."

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Kishariin!

And I didn't even have to look it up...hoping I did spell it right.

Karungi gurukarpu -- although most Vilani would find the term too inherently ridiculous to even make sense as a joke. But I guess you have to be there, as the Solomani say ...

Well, I suppose this counts then, as we are here. Now I can parse it sorta, on second thought maybe not...I think I see Karun is a emperor, and a post-clitic gi meaning that the noun following it is what the Karun ruler of?

It seems to me culturally the actual title of the Karungi Zira Sika would run something like "the (Vetted) Shadowed (Overseer/Ombudsman) Emperor of the (Council of Bureaux) Grand Imperium of the Stars". The words in parenthesis are the Bilanidin and the non-parenthetical words are what the Solomani heard.

Adirdika Gimudaarnaludak is the best approximation I can come up with (from a "possessed" preclitic + dirdika "business federation/financial holdings" dir “to group, bind together” + dika “conglomerate; combine”] + gimudaarnaludak [from gimu "financial" + Daarnalud + possessive postclitic ak], lit. "Business Federation owned by the Thornwood Family Financial Branch"), although you could also go with Adirdika Daarnaludak Gimaka (if you want to emphasize the whole family name over its financial aspects, as well as imply a firmer separation between the two). Adirdika Daarnaludak ("Thornwood's Financial Holdings") is also quite acceptible.

Probably the first or second one as this is everything the Famili owns or has it's fingers/tentacles in lots of stuff, we do some business in the Federation and shhhh...we certain business in the Consulate as well, so I am thinking the first. And thank you again.

You know ... other than an emphasis on procedure and rapid fire (i.e. efficient) ritual, I don't think anyone's ever gone into what kinds of "space rituals" or superstitions the Vilani ever developed besides jump dimming. There probably are a lot from back in the Ziru Sirka days, though, considering their adherence to rote-learning in even their highest-skilled professions and their almost obsessive-compulsive reliance on problem-solving through flow charts and expert AI algorithms.

I suppose that might make Vilani overreliant on computers even to this day. No matter what problem a crew of Vilani might face, then, it's a given that at least one of them will be assigned to "check the computer" about it. That'd certainly come off as quirky behavior to most Solomani:

"Cap'n, the head's backing up."

"Again? Isshuggi, go get the plunger and report to 'C' deck. Open a channel when you get there and wait for our response. Eneri, go check the computer ..."

Hmmmm, food for thought here. I will have to think about this. They might be heavy with the Protocols as the protocols would be developed over time and your right most are filed in the computer for ease of retrieval, format/standards and use.

Or how I see it so far, but again Karungi Gurukarpu is pulling some of this from the AEther. So...who knows, I mean besides M. Shugilii?

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

And I didn't even have to look it up...hoping I did spell it right.

Well, I suppose this counts then, as we are here. Now I can parse it sorta, on second thought maybe not...I think I see Karun is a emperor, and a post-clitic gi meaning that the noun following it is what the Karun ruler of?

Karun is usually interpreted as "emperor;" but that is rather misleading. The term in its most generic sense simply means "leader," and as such has also been used as an approximation of the Anglic titles of "king," "lord," and even "president." I doubt that its use without an attached adjective or descriptor (Ishimkarun, Makhidkarun, etc.) would mean anything other than the highest authority in any given group.

It's probably etymologically related to the word kaaren (kaar "to make right, correct" + en "lord, master"), which I take to mean "supervisor" or "mentor." Note that this compound word does not show up in the Vilani dictionary; but since it's "built" through perfectly acceptible grammatical practices, it does exist.

It seems to me culturally the actual title of the Karungi Zira Sika would run something like "the (Vetted) Shadowed (Overseer/Ombudsman) Emperor of the (Council of Bureaux) Grand Imperium of the Stars". The words in parenthesis are the Bilanidin and the non-parenthetical words are what the Solomani heard.

Well, to be really technical ("grammar police, ho!"), it's Ishimkarungi Zirusirka ("Vetted/Hidden Leader of the Stars that are Controlled/Managed"). "Proper" Vilani grammar dictates that when the descriptor is placed in front of the noun (implying permanence and/or legitimacy to the described state) it is treated as one word. In practice, this is not the case for Ziru Sirka, at least as it's rendered in good ol' Anglic. The grammatically "correct" way to render this phrase as two separate words would be Sirka Ziruka; although to use it in this way during the First Imperium Era would have been considered seditious at the very least, and even today would come off as rather insulting to Vilani ears.

It is a pretty snappy comeback for any Vilani who's been driving you around the bend with his constant "Ramshackle Empire" references, on the other hand.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Ditch, it's the Heat!

LOL, Return of the Grammar Cops. Ahh, good times.

Thanks again for the information and the quick 'oh yeah' to those who talk down about the Glori Days of the Rule of Man...of course it's is kind of confusing if you are into the big picture. I mean technically Vilani still count as "Man" being a Branch of Humaniti and you know *grins* plucked from the Green Hills of Earth all those Eons ago. Of course by that logic we'd have to include the Zhodane....and maybe even Vargr.

Anyway thanks again. I am pretty sure I'll be back sooner or later, probably sooner, with yet more annoying questions, but till then....

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Hey Coppers, you'll never syntax me alive!

So I was going though the Safari PbP Post and found this phrase I tried to put together to express feeling particularly clever and happy about it too (that seems to be sure fire way to be wrong some times.):

"Kishariin shiig!"

Did I get it right or wrong wishes to know the gurukarpu.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

Well, assuming you're using kishariin as the inflected verb, and not as the general exclamation ("eureka!") -- and also assuming that you mean shiig ("knowledge, information") as opposed to shiig ("unit of measurement roughly equivalent to an inch"), then I think you mean something like:

(literally): "this distant or otherwise removed information is abundant/of limitless value!"

(less literally): "Here's some great new information!" "We've uncovered something neat!" "Well, this is (pleasantly) unexpected!"

... or maybe even just: "Good news, everybody!"
​

Well, that's what I get from it. Is it what you expected?

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Why yes in fact but now....

Well, assuming you're using kishariin as the inflected verb, and not as the general exclamation ("eureka!") -- and also assuming that you mean shiig ("knowledge, information") as opposed to shiig ("unit of measurement roughly equivalent to an inch"), then I think you mean something like:

(literally): "this distant or otherwise removed information is abundant/of limitless value!"

(less literally): "Here's some great new information!" "We've uncovered something neat!" "Well, this is (pleasantly) unexpected!"

... or maybe even just: "Good news, everybody!"
​

Well, that's what I get from it. Is it what you expected?

It was the latter two actually and the middle entry mostly, funny though that the word "Shiig" has two definitions. How many other words are like that, I have to wait to find out till I get printer in and can print out the lexicon.

Heading into the dangerous territory of assumption, I take it that the definition is derived from the context, yes?

And of course "inflected verb" means what pray tell?

Last but by no means least, thank you again for the help.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

Heading into the dangerous territory of assumption, I take it that the definition is derived from the context, yes?

Sure. Plenty of English words are exactly the same way; that's why we have puns and double entendres. On the other hand, Vilani is a tonal language, so the two versions of shiig might not be strictly the same if they're intoned differently. We don't know that, however, since intonation isn't included in any of the Vilani dictionaries out there.

And of course "inflected verb" means what pray tell?

That's just the junk you slap on to a verb (or any word, really) that modifies it to the situation at hand (tense, number, etc.), or just allows it to "fit" in with the rest of the sentence grammatically. An inflection can take the form of a prefix, affix/suffix, or even an infix -- although neither English nor Vilani has any examples of infixing, as far as I know.

Attaching the English past tense suffix -ed to a verb (e.g. "walk, walked") is a good, basic example of verb inflection.

Last but by no means least, thank you again for the help.

Gadas in ruuza!

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Ummm...

Knowing that I am of course the Gurukarpu, and thus not up to snuff yet in my studies of Bilanidin, could you remind me what the translation of the following is:

Gadas in ruuza!

I have the feeling that I have been told this one or it was mentioned before, but as I have been out of the loop for about a month I have forgotten....

One the good things about on CotI alot and being back to my studies is that eventually these things will hopefully become second nature, but till then, lots of hard work and mistakes are my future.

Thanks for putting up with my annoying questions and such, I do really appreciate the assistance. And I thought that Latin and French were a PITA to learn, or at least study...only got a semester in each back in the ancient days of high school, so once I get ink and print out the various docs that Robject put up I suspect it will be easier....I suffer from old schooler syndrome in that hard copy is my preferred method of study.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

It's just a phrase meaning "you're welcome." Actually, it's a pretty formal way of saying it; conversationally, you can just get by with a quick ruuza.

The most common Vilani phrase for "thank you" is shalena in bagaan (formally), or simply bagaan (informally).

Going off the rails a bit, these phrases are only used IMTU between people who know each other, or who at least have a well-established relationship of some kind. There are other forms of "thank you/you're welcome" phrases that can be found around Vilani space (again, IMTU) -- some of whom actually come off as quite rude-sounding to an Anglic speaker -- but which are entirely appropriate, from a situational point of view.

 

[robject]

Going off the rails a bit, these phrases are only used IMTU between people who know each other, or who at least have a well-established relationship of some kind. There are other forms of "thank you/you're welcome" phrases that can be found around Vilani space (again, IMTU) -- some of whom actually come off as quite rude-sounding to an Anglic speaker -- but which are entirely appropriate, from a situational point of view.

That's very likely to be the OTU case as well.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Xenolinguists - the people even gearheads think need to get out more

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Is that some sorta wise @ss comment?

Xenolinguists - the people even gearheads think need to get out more

Hey, we resemble that remark....

I just moved out to my own place to have more time to myself to work on projects, like xenolinguistics. Really, getting out is overrated, unless I can bring my computer...which I love only second to my kitty. Yes, it's true, I am sad.

It looks like Friday is the day of ink, so hopefully by next week, I will get to read, Rob's tiny print Vilani Grammar pages (I did get about half the even pages printed before I lost all printing capacity.)

Ruuza! (Thought I was having problems with the Vilani, and I realize I have to teach my computer the language too.)