View source for Sheboan language

The '''Sheboan language''' is a nearly extinct indigenous Cronan language that was once spoken within [[Sheboa Valley]], [[Bavogia]], [[Calderan Republic|Caldera]]. The language is unique in that it's derived from the Volin language, but is so mutually unintelligible that many linguists fail to see connections besides basic grammar structure and some common words. There are only 4 surviving written works of the Sheboan language, all written using the Sheboan syllabary.  There is only 1 native speaker of Sheboan, although there are 3 non-native speakers, all based around Fluto Town, Sheboa Valley.

{{Infobox language
| name             = Sheboan
| familycolor      = American
| nativename       = ᒍᔪᔦᓂ (Choyoyeni)
| region           = [[Sheboa Valley]], [[Calderan Republic|Caldera]]
| ethnicity        = [[Indigeno-Calderan]]
| speakers         = L1: 1<br>
L2: 3
| fam1             = Iroquoian
| fam2             = Cusinautic Iroquoian
| fam3             = Volin
| script           = Sheboan syllabary<br>
Volin syllabary
| agency           = Fluto Town Office of Archaeology Library and Museum
| iso3             = none
| isoexception     = historical
| map              = Lang_Status_20-CR.svg
| mapcaption       = Classified as critically endangered - The youngest speakers are grandparents and older, and they speak the language partially and infrequently.
}}

== Classification ==
Some linguists debate whether the Sheboan Language is derived from Volin specifically, or if both Volin and Sheboan descended from the same Cusinautic Iroquian language. Linguists pointing to the language being descended from Volin cite evidence such as many Volin specific shared words and grammar, although these may be explained through general proximity and contact. 

Radical linguist Frejya Seaberg (1925-1986) argued that Sheboan wasn't even its own language, but rather an extreme dialect of Volin, despite the mutual unintelligibility.

== History ==

=== Separation from Volin ===
The exact date of the start of the Sheboan language's descent from Volin is not known, but is assumed to have occurred over a thousand years, as the first settlers of Sheboa Valley began settling in the 4th century, and the first town to be formally established through documents written in Sheboan was Fluto Town in 1336. 

=== Decline in Usage ===
The slow decline of the Sheboan language began in the early 1800s, with about half of Sheboa Valley generally using Volin for trade and most general speaking. The difference in syllabaries between Volin and Sheboan prompted many to begin to write using Volin script, a practice which resulted in children not properly learning Sheboan, and this further contributed to its decline. 

In the year 1945, it was estimated that only about 100 people spoke Sheboan, being the population of Fluto Town and some residents of Calu City.

=== Ryan-Ad Dwarf ===
Beginning in 1990, Ryan-Ad Dwarf, who was an [[Indigeno-Calderan]] who moved to Fluto Town in 1986, organized various political movements and protests in both [[Little Caldera]] and Movingwater to promote the adoption of Sheboan as an official language, even if regionally. Ryan-Ad also sometimes advocated for the creation of a fourth province, Sheboa Valley, to better cater to isolated Sheboans, but Bavogia disputed Ryan-Ad's claim that Sheboa Valley is culturally distinct enough to separate it from other Volins. In 1997, Ryan-Ad suddenly halted his campaigns to push for the official adoption of Sheboan, claiming that the language simply needs to be protected, perhaps not in official capacity. Some international journalists claim that Ryan-Ad was paid to discontinue his efforts by the [[Volkspartei]], while others argue that it was actually the Province of Bavogia which threatened Ryan-Ad due to the fear that promoting Sheboan nationalism would ultimately fracture Volin efforts to create an independent nation. In 2006, Ryan-Ad died from a sudden heart attack at the age of 38. 

== Syllabary ==
The Sheboa syllabary contains 36 characters, coinciding with the beginning sound of a consonant and ending on a vowel. Note that the Sheboan language contains no words that end in consonants, and any borrowed words that do would be substituted or otherwise modified.
{| class="wikitable"
!{{diagonal split header|{{abbr|Cons.|Consonant}}|Vowel}}
!a
!e
!i
!o
|-
!-
|ᐊ
|ᐁ
|ᐃ
|ᐅ
|-
!p
|ᐸ
|ᐯ
|ᐱ
|ᐳ
|-
!t
|ᑕ
|ᑌ
|ᑎ
|ᑐ
|-
!k
|ᑲ
|ᑫ
|ᑭ
|ᑯ
|-
!ch
|ᒐ
|ᒉ
|ᒋ
|ᒍ
|-
!m
|ᒪ
|ᒣ
|ᒥ
|ᒧ
|-
!n
|ᓇ
|ᓀ
|ᓂ
|ᓄ
|-
!s
|ᓴ
|ᓭ
|ᓯ
|ᓱ
|-
!y
|ᔭ
|ᔦ
|ᔨ
|ᔪ
|}

== Vocabulary ==
Dashes to the transliteration indicate which part of a verb the word is meant to attach to. No dashes indicate being an independent word 
{| class="wikitable"
!Szabolcs list word
!Sheboan form
!Transliteration
!Notes
|-
| I
| ᐊ
|a<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| you (sing.)
| ᒋ
|chi<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| he
| ᐱ
|pi<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| we
| ᐅ
| <nowiki>-</nowiki>o
|
|-
| you (pl.)
| ᐃᒐᐱᓴ
|ichapisa
|"All of you." "You all."
|-
| they
| ᒍ
|cho<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| this
| ᑕ
|ta<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| that
| ᑭ
|ki<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| here
| ᐳ
|po<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|
|-
| there
| ᐳ
| <nowiki>-</nowiki>po
|
|-
| who
| ᑭᐳ
| kipo
|
|-
| what
| ᓇ
| na<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|"What about _?"
|-
| where
| ᒐᑭᓇ
|chakina
|
|-
| when
| ᐁᐸᑎ
|epati
|
|-
| how
| ᒋᐸ
|chipa
|
|-
| not
| ᐊᐸᒐ
|apicha
|
|-
| all
| ᔪ
|yo-
|
|-
| many
| ᐱᒋ
|pichi
|
|-
| some
| ᐃᑲᐸ
|ikapa
|
|-
| few
| ᑲᔪᐱ
|kayopi
|
|-
| other
| ᐊᓂᓱ
|aniso
|
|-
| one
| ᓴᑯ
|sako
|
|-
| two
| ᐃᑯᐱ
|ikopi
|
|-
| three
| ᑯᐃ
|koi
|
|-
| four
| ᓀᑭ
|neki
|
|-
| five
| ᑭᓯᑭ
|kisiki
|
|-
| big
| ᐅᑕᓇ
|otana
|
|-
| long
| ᐯ
|pe-
|
|-
| thick
| ᐊᐸ
|apa
|
|-
| heavy
| ᑲᑫᐸ
|kakepa
|
|-
| small
| ᑲᔪᐱ
|kayopi
|Also means "other" if used as a noun
|-
| short
| ᐊᓴᑲᐸᐱ
|asakapapi
|
|-
| narrow
| ᐃᐸᑕᐳᐱ
|ipatapopi
|
|-
| thin
| ᐅᐯᓱᐸ
|opesopa
|
|-
| woman
| ᐊᑫᐸ
|akepa
|
|-
| man (adult male)
| ᐊᐸᒉᐱ
|apachepi
|
|-
| man (human being)
| ᐊᐱ
|api
|
|-
| child
| ᐊᔪᐱ
|ayopi
|
|-
| wife
| ᐅᐸᐱ
|opapi
|
|-
| husband
| ᐊᐸᔦᐱ
|apayepi
|
|-
| mother
| ᐅᓂᓯ
|onisi
|Sometimes shortened to "ᐅᓯ" (osi) which may also mean mother's sister
|-
| father
| ᐊᐸᐳᐸ
|apapopa
|Sometimes shortened to "ᐅᐳᐸ" (opopa) which may also mean father's brother
|-
| animal
| ᐊᒋᔭ
|achiya
|Male animal. Female animal is "ᐊᑭᓯ" (akisi) and an unborn animal is "ᐊᑭᓇ" (akina). A young animal is "ᐊᐸ" (apa). 
|-
| fish
| ᐊᒐᐱ
|achapi
|
|-
| bird
| ᒋᓯᑲ
|chisika
|
|-
| dog
| ᑭᐱ
|kipi
|
|-
| louse
| ᑎᓇ
|tina
|
|-
| snake
| ᐃᓇᐸ
|inapa
|
|-
| worm
| ᐅᒋᔭ
|ochiya
|
|-
| tree
| ᐃᒋᐱ
|ichipi
|
|-
| forest
| ᐃᓇᑫᐃ
|inakei
|"Wilderness"
|-
| stick
| ᑲᓇ
|kana
|
|-
| fruit
| ᐅᐸᑕᓄ
|opatano
|When referring to edible fruit, i.e. apples, the additional word "ᐊᑭᓴᐱ" (akisapi, Ænglish: "food item") is always used alongside ᐅᐸᑕᓄ.
|-
| seed
| ᐅᑲᑕ
|okata
|
|-
| leaf
| ᐅᑲᐳᑲ
|okapoka
|
|-
| root
| ᐊᓇᓴᐸ
|anasapa
|
|-
| bark (of a tree)
| ᐅᔭᐳᑲ
|oyapoka
| Some evidence suggests that ᐅᔭᐳᑲ means "bark of a tree", while the word bark is simply "ᐅᔭᐳ" (oyapo), but this conflicts with traditional grammar and doesn't match the commonly accepted word for a tree. 
|-
| flower
| ᐊᒋᐱᑭ
|achipiki
|
|-
| grass
| ᑲᓄᐱ
|kanopi
|also means "weeds"
|-
| rope
| ᐯᔦᐸ
|peyepa
|
|-
| skin
| ᑲᓀᑲ
|kaneka
|
|-
| meat
| ᒐᑭᔭ
|chakiya
|
|-
| blood
| ᑭᑲ
|kika
|
|-
| bone
| ᑯᐸ
|kopa
|
|-
| fat (noun)
| ᐅᐱᒍᒋᐸ
|opichochipa
|
|-
| egg
| ᐅᔦᒋ
|oyechi
|
|-
| horn
| ᐊᔪᓇ
|ayona
|
|-
| tail
| ᑲᑐᑲ
|katoka
|
|-
| feather
| ᐅᑭᐸᔨ
|okipayi
|
|-
| hair
| ᐅᓯᔦᑯ
|osiyeko
|
|-
| head
| ᐊᓱᐱ
|asopi
|
|-
| ear
| ᒋᐯᓂ
|chipeni
|This word was temporarily entirely lost to time, until 2012, when a pamphlet was discovered which labeled a variety of body parts, including the ears, in Sheboan. 
|-
| eye
| ᒋᑲᑐᐱ
|chikatopi
|
|-
| nose
| ᑫᔨᓱᐱ
|keyisopi
|
|-
| mouth
| ᐊᒍᐱ
|achopi
|
|-
| tooth
| ᑲᓄᐸ
|kanopa
|
|-
| tongue
| ᑲᓂᑯᐃ
|kanikoi
|
|-
| fingernail
| ᒍᐸᓱᔦᑲ
|chopasoyeka
|
|-
| foot
| ᐃᐸᓯᐱ
|ipasipi
|
|-
| leg
| ᑲᓂᓭ
|kanise
|
|-
| knee
| ᑲᓂᑫᓂ
|kanikeni
|
|-
| hand
| ᐱᑯᔨ
|pikoyi
|
|-
| wing
| ᐊᑭᓄᑫᓂ
|akinokeni
|
|-
| belly
| ᐅᓯᑯᐱ
|osikopi
|
|-
| guts
| ᐅᐱᑲᓯ
|opikasi
|
|-
| neck
| ᐊᔨᒉᐃ
|ayicheni
|
|-
| back
| ᑲᓱᒋ
|kasochi
|
|-
| breast
| ᑲᓂᐱ
|kanipi
|
|-
| heart
| ᐊᐸᓂᐳ
|apanipo
|
|-
| liver
| ᐅᐯᐸ
|opepa
|
|-
| to drink
| ᐊᐱᑕᓴ
|apitasa
|
|-
| to eat
| ᐊᑭᐊ
|akia
|
|-
| to bite
| ᐊᓴᒋᑲ
|asachika
|
|-
| to suck
| ᐊᓴᓄᒐ
|asanocha
|
|-
| to spit
| ᐊᒋᑭᑲ
|achikika
|
|-
| to vomit
| ᐳᑭᓱᐱᒐ
|pokisopicha
|
|-
| to blow
| ᐊᒍᑕᓴ
|achotasa
|
|-
| to breathe
| ᑲᒍᐸᐯᐱ
|kachopapepi
|
|-
| to laugh
| ᐅᔦᒐ
|oyecha
|
|-
| to see
| ᔨᒋᑯᑕ
|yichikota
|
|-
| to hear
| ᐊᑎᑭᐊ
|atikia
|
|-
| to know
| ᐊᑲᒐ
|akacha
|
|-
| to think
| ᐊᐸᓂᒋᑌᒐ
|apanichitecha
|
|- 
| to smell
| ᐊᒐᐱᒐ
|achapicha
|
|-
| to fear
| ᐊᓴᐱᒐ
|asapicha
|
|-
| to sleep
| ᑲᐱᒐ
|kapicha
|
|-
| to live
| ᐁᒐ
|echa
|
|-
| to die
| ᐊᔪᒍᓴ
|ayochosa
|Only used for humans, "ᑲᐱᒍᑲ" (kapichoka) is used for animals or plants.
|-
| to kill
| ᐊᒋᒐ
|achicha
|
|-
| to fight
| ᐊᒋᐸ
|achipa
|
|-
| to hunt
| ᑲᓄᒐᐱᐳ
|kanochapipo
|
|-
| to hit
| ᑭᒋᓂᒐ
|kichinicha
|
|-
| to cut
| ᐊᑭᒐᐱᒐ
|akichapicha
|
|-
| to split
| ᐸᓴᒍᓴ
|pasachosa
|
|-
| to stab
| ᑲᑎᒐ
|katicha
|
|-
| to scratch
| ᐊᐸᑯᓯᑲ
|apakosika
|
|-
| to dig
| ᐊᓯᑯᓯᑲ
|asikosika
|
|-
| to swim
| ᐊᐸᒍᐊ
|apachoa
|Also means "to bathe"
|-
| to fly
| ᐊᒐᒋᐱᒐ
|achachipicha
|
|-
| to walk
| ᐊᐃ
|ai
|
|-
| to come
| ᑲᐳᒋ
|kapochi
|
|-
| to lie
| ᑫᒍᑭ
|kechoki
|
|-
| to sit
| ᐊᓯᑲ
|asika
|
|-
| to stand
| ᑲᐳᑲ
|kapoka
|
|-
| to turn
| ᐊᑭᑕᐸ
|akitapa
|
|-
| to fall
| ᑲᐳᐅᒐ
|kapoocha
|
|-
| to give
| ᐊᒋ
|achi
|
|-
| to hold
| ᑲᔦᒐ
|kayecha
|
|-
| to squeeze
| ᐊᐸᓱᐊᓯᐳᐱ
|apasoasipopi
|Sometimes also "ᑲᒋᐸᓯᐱ" (kachipasipi)
|-
| to rub
| ᐊᓱᑭᔦᐊ
|asokiyea
|
|-
| to wash
| ᑯᒋᐳᐊ
|kochipoa
|Sheboan has specific words for "washing hands", "washing hair", "washing dishes" and "washing a flexible object".
|-
| to wipe
| ᑲᓂᑲᐳᐱ
|kanikapopi
|
|-
| to pull
| ᑲᓂᓴᓀᐊ
|kanisanea
|
|-
| to push
| ᑲᓴᐳᓴ
|kasaposa
|
|-
| to throw
| ᐅᐯᑲ
|opeka
|
|-
| to tie
| ᑲᒋᒐ
|kachicha
|
|-
| to sew
| ᑲᔦᓯᑲ
|kayesika
|
|-
| to count
| ᑲᓭᒋᒐ
|kasechicha
|
|-
| to say
| ᐊᐱᒐᔦ
|apichaye
|
|-
| to sing
| ᐊᐱᒐᔦ ᐅᐳᐳᒋᔪ
|apichaye opopochiyo
|literally means "to say beautifully"
|-
| to play
| ᐸᓀᒍᒍᓯᑲ
|panechochosika
|
|-
| to float
| ᑲᓄᒋ
|kanochi
|
|-
| to flow
| ᐊᑫᔭ
|akeya
|
|-
| to freeze
| ᒐᐯᒋᓱᐸ
|chapechisopa
|
|-
| to swell
| ᑯᑎᓯᑲ
|kotisika
|
|-
| sun
| ᓂᐸ
|nipa
|
|-
| moon
| ᓂᐸ
|nipa
|Differentiation between sun and moon is made either during the current time, i.e. if you say ᓂᐸ during the day you mean the sun, or if you say it during the night you mean the moon, or differentiation is made by saying "The sun/moon during the day" or "Sun/moon during the night".
|-
| star
| ᐊᓂᓄᐳᐃᓯ
|aninopoisi
|Collectively refers to all stars. No word for a single one. 
|-
| water
| ᐊᒪ
|ama
|
|-
| rain
| ᐊᑲᓯᑲ
|akasika
|
|-
| river
| ᐊᒪᔨ
|amayi
|
|-
| lake
| ᐃᐸᐱ
|ipapi
|
|-
| sea
| ᐁᑯᓂ
|ekoni
|
|-
| salt
| ᐊᒪ
|ama
|Identical to water. Saltwater is "ᐊᒪᒋ ᐊᒪ" (amachi ama).
|-
| stone
| ᓂᔭ
|niya
|
|-
| sand
| ᓄᔭ
|noya
|Sometimes ᓄᔨ (noyi)
|-
| dust
| ᑯᓯᐳ
|kosipo
|
|-
| ixnay
| ᐁᐳᒋ
|epochi
|
|-
| cloud
| ᐅᐳᑭᒥ
|opokimi
|
|-
| fog
| ᐅᑲᒐᐱ
|okachapi
|
|-
| sky
| ᑲᒥᒧᐃ
|kamimoi
|
|-
| wind
| ᑲᓄᒧᓯᑭ
|kanomosiki
|
|-
| snow
| ᐅᓂᒋᒋ
|onichichi
|
|-
| ice
| ᐅᓀᓯᐸᒪ
|onesipama
|
|-
| smoke
| ᒍᑭᓯᓱᐱ
|chokisisopi
|
|-
| fire
| ᐊᒋᒪ
|achima
|
|-
| ash
| ᑯᓯᐳ
|kosipo
|
|-
| to burn
| ᐊᐸᒣᒪᑭᐊ
|apamemakia
|
|-
| road
| ᓂᓄᒋ
|ninochi
|
|-
| mountain
| ᐅᐸᒥ
|opami
|
|-
| red
| ᐊᑭᑲᑫ
|akikake
|
|-
| green
| ᐃᑌᓭᔪᓯᐱ
|iteseyosipi
|
|-
| yellow
| ᐸᒧᓂᑫ
|pamonike
|
|-
| white
| ᐅᓀᑲ
|oneka
|
|-
| black
| ᐊᑭᓂᑫ
|akinike
|
|-
| night
| ᐅᓯᒋ
|osichi
|
|-
| day
| ᐃᑲ
|ika
|
|-
| year
| ᓱᐯᑎᔦᒪ
|sopetiyema
|ᓱᐯᑎᔦᒪ is used for the period of 1 year. For more than one year, the word "ᐃᒍᐯᑎᔪᐸ" (ichopetiyopa) is used.
|-
| warm
| ᐅᑲᓇᒪ
|okanama
|
|-
| cold
| ᐊᔨᒪ
|ayima
|
|-
| full
| ᑲᒥ
|kami
|
|-
| new
| ᐊᑎᓭ
|atise
|
|-
| old
| ᐊᑫᒥ
|akemi
|The word ᐊᑫᒥ is only used for inanimate objects. "ᐊᑭᔨᒥᑫ" (akiyimike) is used for living creatures, including plants.
|-
| good
| ᐅᓯᐸ
|osipa
|
|-
| bad
| ᐅᔪ
|oyo
|
|-
| rotten
| ᐅᑯᓯᐸ
|okosipa
|
|-
| dirty
| ᑲᐸᒐᐃ
|kapachai
|
|-
| straight
| ᑲᒋᓄᓯᐸ
|kachinosipa
|
|-
| round
| ᐊᓴᑲᒣᓯᑲ
|asakamesika
|
|-
| sharp
| ᑯᓯᐸᔨ
|kosipayi
|
|-
| dull
| ᑯᓯᐱᔪᒋ
|kosipiyochi
|
|-
| smooth
| ᐅᒪᓇᐯᓯᑭ
|omanapesiki
|
|-
| wet
| ᑲᐳᒥᐸ
|kapomipa
|
|-
| dry
| ᐅᑲᒋᔪᐸ
|okachiyopa
|
|-
| correct
| ᑯᔪᑭᑕ
|koyokita
|
|-
| near
| ᓇᒥ
|nami
|
|-
| far
| ᐃᓇ
|ina
|
|-
| right
| ᐳᔪᑯᐳ
|poyokopo
|
|-
| left
| ᐊᑭᓯᑲᓂ
|akisikani
|
|-
| at
| -
| -
|This word appears to not exist in Sheboan. Sentences that would traditionally contain the word "at" like "meet me at this place", simply don't contain the word.
|-
| in
| ᐱ
| -pi
|
|-
| with
| ᑫᑎ
|keti
|
|-
| and
| ᐃᓂ
| -ino
|
|-
| if
| ᑲᐱ
|kapi
|
|-
| because
| ᒉᒋᓄ
| -chechino
|

|-
| name
| ᐳᐳᒥ
|popomi
|

|}






[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Caldera]]