Yarlish languages

The Yarlish languages are the largest and most widespread language family in Oksandanderi.

= Classification =

The Yarlish languages as a whole can be classified into two main groups. The Highland Yarlish languages and the Lowland Yarlish languages. The approximate date when these two groups split is unknown and is generally estimated to be sometime between 3500 BGS and 2000 BGS. The former group is highly diverse, while the Lowland Yarlish languages form a more uniform group. The factors contributing to this are geographical and historical. The Highland languages are generally small and isolated from each other. Dialects are often restricted to individual valleys even. The Lowland languages however are all more or less in contact with each other.

The Highland languages themselves consist of an Western and an Eastern branch, which are each made up of several smaller languages or dialects. The Lowland languages can be partitioned into two groups, which are Central Yarlish and Ermean-Kuperian. These two branches are themselves large dialect clusters and have several transitional varieties. In fact Ermean itself is a transitional variety between the Kamag-Sardo and Pikhanderidurn varieties.




 * Yarlish
 * Highland Yarlish
 * Western Vándurn
 * Kupsa Erete Tula
 * Eastern Vándurn
 * Van-enne Tula
 * Lowland Yarlish
 * Central Yarlish
 * Upper Midlands
 * Numeran Highlands
 * Kamaldurn
 * Kupaldurn
 * Central Midlands
 * Plains (Mothart) Yarlish
 * Surmindin
 * Lower Midlands
 * Kathurn
 * Makhatdurn
 * Kamag-Sardo
 * Pikhanderidurn
 * Yarladušun
 * Ermean-Kuperian (Eastern Yarlish)
 * Kuperian
 * Ermean
 * Upper Ermean
 * Ésseridurn

= History =

Proto-Yarlish
It is unknown when Proto-Yarlish was spoken. Estimates for the protolanguage range from 3000 BGS to 4000 BGS or even earlier. Contrary to this it is far easier to date the Lowland languages, as they make up a more cohesive genitic unit. Proto-Lowland Yarlish is reconstructed to have been spoken around 1500 BGS. For the sake of brevity, forms which are given as Proto-Yarlish are to be taken as Proto-Lowland Yarlish in particular.

Ancient Yarlish
Main article: Ancient Yarlish

Ancient Yarlish is the name of the earliest attested Yarlish language. It was spoken in the Lowlands during the 2nd millennium BGS within a timeframe of roughly 1500 BGS till 1000 BGS.

(As a linguistic note: Yes Proto-Lowland Yarlish and Ancient Yarlish were spoken around the same time, however there is a conceptual difference. Proto-Lowland Yarlish is a theoretical reconstructed languages, it surmises the attested Yarlish languages. Ancient Yarlish however was a spoken language like any other and may have had idiosyncracies, which might not have been inherited in any later Yarlish language).

Preclassical
The preclassical stage of Yarlish languages begins with the invention of writing during the Formative-Literary Period. The majority of writing during the earlier stages of this period were mainly non-glottographic and consisted of tax and trade records. During the 5th century BGS writing in the form of royal inscriptions appears for the first time.

Classical
The Classical Period is characterised by the rise of the Kathurn, the literary prestige language of the Yarlish Lowlands. It begins roughly in the 3rd century BGS and ends arounds the 4th or 5th century. It continues to be used as literary language until much later. The name Kathurn itself means "clear speech" and refers to a prestige language, not necessarily a single dialect. Sometimes the name Kathurn alone does not refer to Classical Kathurn itself, but to just any literary Yarlish language. Classical Kathurn is mostly based off the Lower Midlands variety of the 2nd century AGS and thus also the language of the Astmergian Empire. This literary standard was spread by the Empire itself too.

Early Postclassical
After the dissolution of the Astmergian Empire, the local varieties began to change in their own direction, but kept the Classical language as literary standard. It is not clear when the postclassical stage begins exactly. Most people place it to the beginning of the Four Empire Period. With the rise of these four hegemonial states, the linguistic landscape changes as well. The Kingdom of Erme and Vukhun was conquered by the Walken Empire and thus politically isolated from the other Lowland Yarlish languages. The transitional varieties disappeared and the contrast between Ermean and the Pikhanderidurn grew larger. While Ermean itself remained somewhat conservative, Kuperian took in a large amount of Walkenian loanwords. In the Highlands, the language of the Astmergian colonists encountered the many small Vándurn varieties and incorporated several elements of these languages. The language Makhatdurn showcases the mixed origins of its speakers, the Makhat people. During the early stages of Makhatdurn it was still overshadowed by the prestige language itself. The Lowlands however continued both the classical tradition, as well as their own vernacular dialects. Here the term Kathurn is most malleable. Every state had its own Kathurn essentially, wich were all additionally influenced by the Astmergian literary language.

Later Postclassical
The later postclassical period begins in the 10th century and becomes apparent in the 11th century. Again political changes herald in linguistic changes. Most importantly the Empire of Kalotgane. The Makhatganda grew very powerful until it was conquered by the Empire of Kalotgane. In the Empire itself a language called Yarladušun was introduced as the official administrative language, pushing the old Classical Kathurn into a backseat. Yarladušun is based on the vernacular varieties of the 11th century and was chosen with the intention of appealing to the general populace. It acts as unifying factors for the Yarlish people of the Lowlands.

= Comparative Lexicon =

(Kth: Kathurn, MD: Makhatdurn, EMD: Early Makhatdurn, AYa: Ancient Yarlish, PYa: Proto-Yarlish, ErKu: Ermean-Kuperian (Classical), Kup: Kuperian (Postclassical), Erm: Ermean (Postclassical) YD: Yarladušun (Postclassical))

If a word has been replaced in its original meaning by another, if the inherited cognate still exists, it is given in parenthesis. Loanwords are in italics.