The Kai’Siri are a species of extraterrestrial humans whose ancestry comes from Terra, about 100,000 years ago or so, whose language defines the naming conventions of the Gods of Terra setting.
A proud and warlike people, whose dominant culture resembles a mix of the ancient Dravidian peoples, Rus Viking, and pre-Spaniard Filipino, they are not a civilization to mess with, as they are the premier political power of the Local Galaxy, in a near-constant state of military readiness.
Kai’Siri have several surviving cultures, and at least as many languages, but this page deals with only one: the dominant meta-culture and lingua franca of their empire, the interstellar Exarchate of Sirug.
Here and there on this blog, I’ve peppered my posts with bits and snippets of their language. On this page, the secrets and mysteries of that language, will be laid bare, and terms made clear in their (closest) English translations.
I also provide a guide to the sounds of the language, including phonetic characters where necessary.
First, I start with the vowels, then the consonants, and the possible syllables combining these. In future updates, I’ll include the actual letters of their alpha-syllabary script and the numerals and number names they use in mathematics.
Kai’Siri call their primary language Soruggon and it has a number of features in common with several Terran languages in that it’s tonal; the meaning of a word depends partly on the inflection of its syllables. A common way of asking a question is to raise the inflection of the last syllable at the end of a sentence, and this is in addition to the normal inflection for that word’s meaning.
Ā: Ah, as in English yard or Bengali আ
Ĭh: As in English it with the i heavily aspirated.
Ī: Ee, as in the Tamil ஈ or ee English “seen”
Ǣ: E, or Ey, as in French café or Tamil எ, ஏ, or Bengali এ
u: U, a short U, almost as in English two, but nasalized if followed by a consonant like m, n, or ŋ.
Ū: UU, a long U sound as in the Bengali ঊ, or Tamil ஊ, and also transliterated OO, as in “Broogh.”
E: Pronounced as e in English bend, or veteran.
O: a short O, pronounced as in English “hot” or “mock”
Yhi: The modern form of Y, used in the colloquial speech, similar to Elizabethan English “Ye” but much more aspirated and used for non-ceremonial/informal contexts. Do not use this vowel when speaking to superiors. ‘Nuff said.
Y: actually a glide sound used just before the vowels in words beginning in Ī, Ǣ, and U. Also used to separate repeated long or short vowels by functioning as a vowel. This is ancient, and less commonly used except for formalized public speaking occasions and ceremonies. This is largely eliminated from the colloquial speech.
Consonants: (this will be added to as the language develops)
t: a dental or retroflex t sound, like Tamil ட், with about as much aspiration as the t in English it.
th: as in Tamil த or the sound in English math in the middle of a word after another consonant.
m: a nasal consonant, as in Mars or immanent.
n: a nasal consonant, as in never, or not.
ŋ: consonant NG as in king or strong
gh: a hard g sound, with an audible puff of breath at the end. Only appears at the end of a word.
l: a retroflex l sound as in English list.
kh: a guttural k sound, with a stronger aspiration when spoken than gh, as in English king or character.
b: a weakly-aspirated sound, the letter representing both b and p sounds in English.
bh: a more strongly aspirated b or p, the letter being used for भ and फ sounds in Hindi.
k: a softer k sound without aspiration.
h: a soft aspirated sound at the beginning of a word, but pronounced as the ch in Scottish loch between vowels and at the end of a word.
f: a sort of f or lightly aspirated v sound, as in English vote, fool, or photon.
d: either a dental d sound or harder retroflex d, sounds a little like English end or druid.
z: a long consonant, as in English fuzz, or buzz.
r: a lightly rolled r sound, as in ridiculous or royale.
s: as in synchronise, or snake, often pronounced sh in some dialects, and using the same script letter.
vh: pronounced as in English very at the beginning of a word, or a w as in English weak elsewhere. Much more aspirated than f.
sz: pronounced as in Tamil ச், or English ch.
Common Soruggon phrases and words:
Ikktighar Furiit – ‘Greetings.’ A common greeting, to some Kai’Siri moderns overly formal, but in typical use considered casual but not rude. This greeting may be used with superiors or elders without being considered rude or overly familiar.
Talotaa frang. Talotaa kas. Talotaa tranga suulaat. – “Be well. Be safe. Be brilliant as the stars.” A common expression when used in the context of offering temporary farewell. The word for safe also translates as strong, as the Kai’Siri consider safety to lie in one’s strength or readiness.
Bruuk! – an expletive, refers to an unpleasant bodily function associated metaphorically with unfavorable circumstances or ill fortune. Translates to Terran English “crap!” and less sanitized versions of same.
Ta’Makluuta! – Exclamation. Similar to English “fantastic!,” “wonderful!,” or “I’m happy!”
Vhakklatuul! – “I challenge you!” (to either a duel or debate).
Tabakk to Enes Usroogh – Phrase using the Kai’Siri name for a species of sentient fungi with mind-controlling spores. From an old legend of a world shrouded by eternal darkness where the ancient Gods forbade the Kai’Siri to land because of the danger there. It translates roughly to “going where one ought not to.”
Tekruul ten Mokthraga – “Luck of the giants” A rival hominid genus native to the planet Tokmolos, longtime foes and sometimes allies of the Kai’Siri. The Mokthraga are the only major power in their region of the Local Galaxy to have defeated or stalemated the Kai’Siri in war.
Tasas Thruulat – “Enforcer Prime.” This is the Exarchate’s title for their weapon of terror, and there are three of these, also three out of the four Gods of Terra; the Fractus, the Mirus, and the Magna, the fourth being the herald of It Who Scratches at the Gates, the Tempest.
Beron ketruuta akya estagaan! – “I’m free at last!”
Se_____ – “I am (insert name and/or title of self)”
Mak sase, suul zada silar! – “Right now, I’m the happiest man alive!”
Talotaa frang, Elruune tagg muutan – “Be well. I greet you, newborn one and you are my creation.” Opening of the ritual address for an android made of synthetic biologicals or biomimetic parts. Talotaa frang here is used in the sense of greeting or welcoming rather than the context of departure.
Okka sa _____. – “I name you (insert name of they who are named).”
Fe tuula saz jadya. – “You shall serve as my emissary and friend.”
Hudai asza sallan – “As you wish, I obey.”