Sheboan language

The Sheboan language is a nearly extinct indigenous Cronan language that was once spoken within Sheboa Valley, Bavogia, 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.

Sheboan
ᒍᔪᔦᓂ (Choyoyeni)
Region	Sheboa Valley, Caldera
Ethnicity	Indigeno-Calderan
Native speakers	L1: 1 L2: 3
Language family	Iroquoian Cusinautic Iroquoian Volin Sheboan
Writing system	Sheboan syllabary Volin syllabary
Official status
Regulated by	Fluto Town Office of Archaeology Library and Museum
Language codes
ISO 639-3	None (mis)
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.

Vowel Cons.	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

Szabolcs list word	Sheboan form	Transliteration	Notes
I	ᐊ	a-
you (sing.)	ᒋ	chi-
he	ᐱ	pi-
we	ᐅ	-o
you (pl.)	ᐃᒐᐱᓴ	ichapisa	"All of you." "You all."
they	ᒍ	cho-
this	ᑕ	ta-
that	ᑭ	ki-
here	ᐳ	po-
there	ᐳ	-po
who	ᑭᐳ	kipo
what	ᓇ	na-	"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