Language

Pronunciation & the Written Word

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Pronunciation Guide

Ħ ħ, a breathy H sound (IPA /ħaːʔ/), harder and further back in the throat than an English "h."

, a "kh" sound (IPA /xaːʔ/), like the "ch" in the Scottish "loch."

Ɛ, an "AH-in" sound (IPA /ʕeɪn/), a throat-based vowel with no true English equivalent.

Ġ ġ, a soft "gh" sound.

, the sharp stop in the throat between an "uh" and an "oh."

ã, pronounced "aa" (a held, open A).

ë, pronounced "ee."

Writing System

Names and terms on this site are romanized for readers rather than shown in the original Mehirean script, the special characters above (Ħ, ₭, Ɛ, Ġ) preserve sounds that don't exist in the Latin alphabet.

Naming Conventions

Ben, "son of" (e.g. Nomair Ben Irfan).

Bent, "daughter of."

Bany, "sons of," used of a tribe or clan (e.g. Bany Basir).

Ubba / Umma, Father / Mother. Ubba Mehir, "Father of Men," an epithet of Mehir the Unifier.

Gedo (also Grand Ubba in the Descent), Grandfather.

Titles typically precede the name and Dar (e.g. Ħafez Samasar, Wally of the Descent; Nomair Ben Irfan, Champion of Mansoureya).

Titles

See the full Titles & Ranks glossary in the Dictionary.

Common Expressions, Blessings & Death Rites

Ħabiby / Ħabibty, "my love, my dear," said to a male / female.

Aywa, yes, affirmative; can also answer a calling.

Mubarak, congratulations.

Dar Mansour's death phrase: "May the sands remember his name", said only by Rameleans, Dar Mansour, and their Bloodbounds.

Mehirean/Samasar death phrase: "From Ehad and to Ehad", said without reply.

Bay-cities saying (Rozaik): "Mehireen Merrimal. Mehireen Larrimal.", "All men are from the Sands. All men are to the Sands."

Proverb, Shama/Dar Samasar: "What is written in the sands cannot be outrun."

Proverb, Mansoureya/Dar Mansour: "A man forces the sands to remember his name."

Proverb, Mikusha/Illiabos: "The sands whisper to those who listen."

Counting

The numbers one through ten, as found in Ħamy's chapters.

I1
Г2
Ѱ3
4
5
Ж6
V7
8
/9
Ø10

Dictionary

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