Antarbhumi RamrajyaThe Patrienish (or Castorian) language was created by Patria's de facto Head of Government, Mike Brooker, as a 9th and 10th grade student in 1974 and early 1975. At that time, he had not yet studied linguistics and had no knowledge of Sanskrit (and no interest in it; at that age he thought yoga was a fermented dairy concoction and Shiva was somethng you did after a Jewish funeral!). But he had been studying French since 6th grade, was attending a high school where Latin was taught, and had even studied Hebrew as a child. The language created to serve the micronation of Patria - also known at that time as the Republic of Castoria - was a highly Latinized de facto member of the Romance family, although the verbs displayed some distinctly non-Romance features such as a Germanic-like-án suffix as an infinitive marker and agglutinating infixes as tense markers. The government of Castoria/Patria from 1974-1978, the 40th Congressus Patriaë, made serious efforts to implement this language and replace English as the official language. By the late 1970's however, it was clear that Patrienish had failed to catch on, and development of the language virtually stagnated. Following the 1989-90 Dharmic Revolution that transformed Patria into a Hindu theocracy, it became apparent that if there was to be a Patrienish language it would have to be based on Sanskrit - if not classical Sanskrit itself, which has become Patria's spiritual lingua franca. Antarbhumi Ramrajya is Sanskrit for "Inner Realm of Patria"; the Patrienish translation of the Micronation's official name would be Antíraterraí Patría. A handful of words of the Patrienish language as constructed in the mid-1970s are commonly used in the everyday English speech of the Inner Realm: Patríen, a citizen of Patria, and Congressus Patriaë, the elected legislature of Patria, are the best known, while "Patrienish" is an anglicized rendition of the adjective patríenic. The following outlines of the Patrienish language provide a linguistic sketch of a "pre-Hindu" Patrienish that all but died out despite sporadic efforts between 1979 and 1999 to revive it, mainly by the National Union and other non-Hindu parties of the secular, nominally Judeo-Christian right wing. In June 1999, the 46th Congressus Patriaë promised that the federal government stridít remontán magnítor linguë patríenice vígní-prímedím centiänním (would work to revive the Patrienish language in the 21st century). As the 21st century begins, it would appear that efforts to teach and revive a neo-classical Sanskritized version of Patrienish are making significant progress, especially as Patrienish is one of the languages of instruction (along with English and Sanskrit) in the traditional Hindu-based gurukulam schools.
The following was based on the work of a 14/15 year old kid, so cut me some slack! :-)
Phonology: Vowels:
Generally a simple five-vowel system, a, e, i, o, and u as in Spanish, plus one very commonly-occurring palatalized vowel "í", a long i pronounced somewhat like "eee-yyy". In addition to these six vowels, there is one diphthong "æ", pronounced "eye". Where clusters of two vowels (other than í) occur, diacritic marks are placed on the second vowel - ä, ë, ï, ö, ü - to indicate that the vowel is not to be diphthongized with the preceding vowel. Example: puëlla (girl, nominative), puëllaë (of a girl, genitive), puëllæ (girls, plural). Unlike French, there are no nasal vowels.
Phonology: Consonants:
Consonants generally have the same phonetic values as in English, with a few differences: the letter x is a velar fricative, as in Scottish "loch", and the letter c is always hard [k], except at the end of a word, where it is always [sh]. Note that g is always hard (i.e. never pronounced as "j") and j is pronounced [zh], except at the beginning of a word, where it is a voiced affricate as in English.
Stress:
Generally on the penultimate (next to last) syllable. The palatalized í is always stressed, regardless of where it occurs, while i can never take stress. In words containing more than one í, stress is on the final í. Where stress falls on a syllable other than the penultimate or í (usually the final syllable), this is indicated by á, é, ó, ú. Non-penultimate, non-final stress, other than í, is very rare.
Patrienish distinguishes between singular, dual, and plural; the plural form only applies to three or more. Sanskrit also has a dual number, though I didn't know that fact as a high school kid.
Articles:
Syntax: Declensions
Patrienish nouns, pronouns and adjectives decline in the following cases: Nominative (subject), Genitive (possessive), Dative (indirect object; to or for someone/something), Accusative (direct object of transitive verb), Locative (in some place), Instrumental (means, instruments, object of many prepositions, generally a "catch-all" case)
The following paradigm of a feminine noun, puëlla, girl, is the standard for most Patrienish nouns and adjectives. Standard case/number marker endings are indicated in square brackets. For neuter nouns, the accusative singular and plural forms are identical to the nominatives.
Singular:
Dual:
Plural:
Syntax: Verbs
The infinitive form of all Patrienish verbs ends in -án. To obtain the verb stem, drop this ending; e.g.: amarán to love; stem amar-
Conjugation of present tense (along with personal pronouns, in nominative case):
The above suffixes in square brackets are added to all tenses and moods. Tenses, other than the present, are designated with the following infixes:
Subjunctive mood is designated with infix -[a]qu-, following the tense infix:
The passive voice is designated with the suffix –r, or –ir (where ending is a consonant):
Word order is generally SVO (subject-verb-object); although SOV (subject-object-verb) is also seen, particularly in colloquial, non-literary use.
Although there are some slight spelling variations and other minor irregularities in many Patrienish verbs, there are very few truly irregular verbs that must be carefully memorized. The two main irregular verbs, which are also highly irregular in numerous other languages, are imán to be and vián to go.
Present conjugation of imán:
Present conjugation of vián:
1: uní, 2: duä, 3: trí, 4: quätrí, 5: quíntí, 6: síj, 7: septí, 8: octí, 9: novemí, 10: decí, 11: hendecí, 12: dedecí, 13: trídecí, 14: quätrídecí, 15: quíndecí, 16: síjdecí, 17: septdecí, 18: octdecí, 19: novemdecí, 20: vígní, 21...29: vígní-uní...vígni-novemí, 30: tridesí, 40: quädesí, 50: quíndesí, 60: síjdesí, 70: septdesí, 80: quätvígní, 90: nodesí, 100: centí, 200: ducentí, 300: trícentí, 400: quädrícentí, 500 quíncentí, 600: secentí, 700: septcentí, 800: octcentí, 900: nocentí, 1000: míllí, 2000...9000: dumíllí...nomíllí
Ordinals: 1st: prímedí, 2nd: duödí, 3rd: tertilí, 4th: quätrílí, 5th: quintílí, 6th: síjilí, 7th: septilí, 8th: octilí, 9th: novilí, 10th: decíen, 11th: hendecílí, 12th: dedecílí, 13th: trídecílí, 14th: quätridecílí, 15th: quíndecílí, 16th: síjdecílí, 17th: septdecílí, 18th: octdecílí, 19th: novemdecílí, 20th: vígníen, 30th: tridesíen, 40th: quädesíen, 50th: quíndesíen, 60th: síjdesíen, 70th: septdesíen, 80th: quätvígníen, 90th: nodesíen, 100th: centíen, 200th: ducentíen, 300th: trícentíen, 400th: quädrícentíen, 500th: quíncentíen, 600th: secentíen, 700th: septcentíen, 800th: octcentíen, 900th: nocentíen, 1000th: míllíen, 2000th...9000th: dumíllíen...nomíllíen
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IV, Sloka 8, original Sanskrit:
ave, saluí hello, greetings (Since the Dharmic Revolution, the usual Patrienish greeting is Sanskrit "namasté" or "namaskar".)
Not the Queen’s Patrienish:
Micronational languages:
Constructed Languages:
Esperanto is a language constructed in the 19th century to serve as a universal international language. It is still widely studied and spoken.
Ido is an attempt to improve and simpify Esperanto.
Volapük is not what what happens when you get seasick and you've eaten too much "vola"! Like Esperanto, it was intended to become an international language.
The Constructed Language Page provides links to virtually all known constructed languages, whether created for micronations, for other worlds in sci-fi films and literature, or just for the fun of it.
Basque is not only one of the few non-Indo-European languages spoken in Europe, it is unrelated to any other language on Earth. A linguistic sketch of Basque could provide some inspiration for constructing a truly unique language.
© 1998-2005; Ministry of Culture and Heritage of Patria/Ramrajya
The material on this page has been condensed from A Reference Grammar of the Patrienish Language (Grammatíc-referítu linguë patríenice), available on request as a Word 7.0 document attachment by e-mailing the address above.
The letters k and w are found only in foreign borrowings and Sanskrit loanwords.
Syntax: Articles and gender:
There are three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter (or common). In Patrienish, a noun is considered to be neuter unless the gender is obvious, i.e. the noun designates a male or a female version of a homo sapiens or other sentient creature: puëra boy, puëlla girl, víra man, femí woman, matí mother, patír father, vaxa cow, lupí she-wolf, etc. However, there are a few inanimate feminine nouns, mostly in the area of politics, diplomacy and statecraft: Patría (Patria; native land, fatherland), terraí (land, realm), prefítíra (prefecture; precinct), estatí (state), ambassadí (embassy), and the names of most countries: Ameríca, Italía, Hispanía (Spain), Teütonía (Germany), etc.
M: adí/ís fratrí (a/the brother) adís/ísa fratru (two/the two brothers) íon/ísí fratriæ (brothers/the brothers)
F: ado/uní puëlla (a/the girl) udæ/unæ puëllu (two/the two girls) íon/ísí puëllæ (girls/the girls)
N: eí/íun agrícul (a/the farm) erí/iüní agrículu (two/the two farms) íon/ísí agrículæ (farms/the farms)
The articles are frequently omitted in colloquial speech, and even in many formal contexts. The latest attempt to revive Patrienish in daily life and teach it in Patria's schools in the 21st century omits the use of articles in almost all cases.
Nom.: puëlla
Gen.: puëllaë [-e]
Dat.: puëllæ [-æ]
Acc.: puëllam [-m]
Loc.: puëllím [-ím]
Ins.: puëllíx [-íx]
Nom., Dat., Acc.: puëllu [-u]
Gen.: puëlluë [-uë]
Loc.: puëllíu [-íu]
Ins.: puëllíxu [-íxu]
Nom.: puëllæ [-æ]
Gen.: puëllarí [-arí]
Dat.: puëllaræ [-aræ]
Acc.: puëllán [-án]
Loc.: puëllís [-ís]
Ins.: puëllíxæ [-íxæ]
Singular:
ímí amarí [-í] I love, I am loving
tí (or ímís) amarís [-ís] you [singular] love**
eü/el/tu amarít [-ít] he/she/it loves
Dual:
nosu amarímu [-ímu] we two love
vosu amarísu [-ísu] you two love**
íeu/íel/ímu amarítu [-ítu] they both love
Plural:
nosí amarámi [-ámi] we (3 or more) love
vosí amaráti [-áti] you (3 or more) love**
íllí/ellí/tuí amarínt [-ínt] they (3 or more) love
**These forms may be used in any second person context. Patrienish does not distinguish between an "intimate" and a "polite" or "honorary" form of address, as in French tu/vous or German du/Sie.
Past (perfect) -ax-, past (imperfect)-av-, future -ba-:
amaraxí (I loved, have loved), amaraxís, amaraxít, etc.
amaraví (I was loving, used to love), amarbaí (I shall love)
Present: amaraquí (that I may love), Perfect: amaraxquí, Imperfect: amaravquí, Future: amarbaquí (however, subjunctive tenses other than the present are extremely rare)
amarír (I am loved), amarísir (you are loved), etc.
amaraxír (I have been loved)
amaravír (I was being loved)
amarbaír (I shall be loved)
Singular:
ímí I am
ímís (or tí) you are; thou art
eü/el/tu estí he/she/it is
Dual:
nosu ímít we both are
vosu ímitís you both are
íeu/íel/ímu ímaní they both are
Plural:
nosí estæ we are
vosí estu you are
íllí/ellí/tuí sínt they are
The first and second person singular forms are totally lacking, i.e. ímí Canadíen "I [am] Canadian", ímís Patríen or tí Patríen "you are a Patrien" (never tí ímís).
Singular:
ví I go, I am going
vís you go
eü/el/tu ví he/she/it goes
Dual:
vít we both go
vítís you both go
íeu/íel/ímu viáni they both go
Plural:
nosí ví we go
vosí vís you go
íllí/ellí/tuí víantí (or vínt) they go
The first and second person singular and dual pronouns are not generally used with this verb, i.e. ví esculím "[I] go/am going to school"; "ímí ví" would be considered extremely archaic. Note also that there are two forms of the third person plural.
Numerals:
Sample texts:
Paritranaya sadhunam
English:
vinashaya cha dushkritam
dharma samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge. To deliver the holy men,
Patrienish:
to destroy the evil-doers
and to restore righteousness (dharma),
I take birth in every age.
Períful delivrán ísí santanán,
John 3:16, English:
fecamortán ísí malefítorán,
remontán rítambarulítor,
ín omnís epoquís ímí nasquïtí.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only
son, so that whoever believed in him would not perish but
have eternal life.
Patrienish:
Quí Díu sítam amaraxít mundím, quím daxít uníquim fílum, afít químquím an ím escredít non mortaquít, síd vítam æternam haberaquít.
The Castorian's Creed (a quasi-pledge of allegiance, written in 1974, before Patria all but replaced "Castoria" in common use), English:
Hail Castoria! I pledge allegiance to my country. I believe in Castoria as a free country under God, deriving its powers from the consent of the governed. Castoria is one nation composed of thirteen precincts, a perfect union, one and inseparable, established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which our forefathers sacrificed their lives, fortunes and honor. I believe it is my duty to support her Constitution, to obey her laws, to respect her flag and to defend her against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, so help me God.
Patrienish (an early, archaic form):
Ave Castoría! Imí estulí míræ patríæ. Escredí in Castoría ad ado patría librí sub Díu dírívar nostrí potentíæ ad guberant dí guberaí. Castoría estí uní patría compositór dí trídecí precinctæ, ado unuón perfectí, uní et insepírablí, sisí idæ preceptæ dí libertí, equälití, justíen et humanitórí quandsí nostrí ancestræ sacrifaxínt tulitór vivæ, fortunæ et honorí. Escredí tu estí mití deviratí ad patríam amirán el, supportán elí Constituxíon, parítán elí lexæ, respectán elí vexíllí, et defendán el contrí omní hostirí, et alíen et domístící, quand míní regnumál Díu.
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Useful phrases and expressions:
valí goodbye, farewell
Díu tæ imaquít. May God be with you.
Quí rebæ bunæ sínt? How are you? How are things?
Ímí buní. Etí? I'm well. And you? Míræ caputæ dolorít. I have a headache.
Ímí linguí patríenic loquïtán possí. I can speak Patrienish.
Ímí linguí angreíc comprendán nin possí. I do not understand English.
Tí cantís shlokæ (versæ) linguë sanscríte magní buna. You chant Sanskrit shlokas (verses) very well.
Nosí estudaxámi linguí sanscrít, yoga et hínduïcæ escrítoræ eí ashramím Indíaë. We have studied Sanskrit, yoga and Hindu scriptures at an ashram in India.
Quí taë nominí estí? Ímí Míxæl nominíx. What is your name? My name is Michael. (Note use of instrumental case. cf: Eü estí advocatír profexioníx He is a lawyer by trade.)
Volí uní servezí Shakti, plítí. I would like a Shakti beer, please.
Grací magní. Thank you very much.
Servitór, íun comptixión plítí. Waiter, the cheque please.
Equí eü Castoropolis ví? Así. Is he going to Castoropolis? Yes.
Equí illím librí literís? Ní. Are you reading this book? No. (equí introduces a yes/no question.)
Quítí tíran Arboriam ví? Which train goes to Arboria? Íun tíran fíravaím quíndecí. The train on track 15.
Illí program televisíre putredít magnímí. This television program stinks big-time!
Fecámi nondí yoga, idam nosí ví servezí. Let's do some yoga, then go for a beer.
Olí! Míræ ravisí estí! Cool! Sounds good to me!
Quisí feärtaxít? Eü quím olfaxít, daxít. Who farted? He who smelt it dealt it.
"Baloxu!" dixít rexína. "Nísmí íem posedaquí, imaquí regí!" "Balls!" said the queen. "If I had them, I would be king!" (This is a well-known Patrienish proverb, sometimes used as an expression of anger or disgust when asked to do an impossible task.)
Imí vitrí edán possí; mæ nín nocitít. I can eat glass; it doesn't hurt me. (Visit the I Can Eat Glass Project, to view the translation of this phrase in hundreds of languages!)
Quí hurí estí? What time is it? síj huræ matinaë estí It's 6:00 AM; duä huru pomidadíe estí It's 2:00 PM; octí huræ demí noxíe estí It's 8:30 PM; mídanoxí estí It's 12:00 midnight; midadí estí It's 12:00 noon
Days of the week: Monday primadín, Tuesday duödín, Wednesday tertidín, Thurdsay quätrídín, Friday quintídín, Saturday sabadín, Sunday soladín
Months of the year: janarí, fevarí, martiní, aprilí, maí, juní, julí, agustí, septimbrí, octobrí, novimbrí, desabrí
The Patrienish f-word is fixán, (verb), fixí! (interjection, "f***!"), fixíc (adjective, "f***ing"), fixítor ("f***er"), fix tæ! ("f*** you!")
The s-word is guvní (borrowed from the Russian or Polish guvno); or escít, escítán (verb, to take a s***), escítíc (adjective, "s***ty").
Common slang terms for penis and vagina are canulí (literally "pipe") and píx ("trap") respectively.
A common slang term for homosexual is pedí, short for pedírastor
Note the use of the dual form in the following slang expressions:
baloxu testicles (dual of balox, ball)
amfíru or globílu breasts (dual of amfíra, jug, globíl globe)
labíu vagina (dual of labí lip)
genu buttocks (dual of gení cheek)
Links:
Arkian
Alphistian
Talossan
Triparian
Reunian
Pacarian
Xliponian
Constructing your own language is not something that any high school kid can do. It's not an easy task. But the Language Construction Kit provides some basic instructions for creating a language that won't come off looking like a clone of English or a quasi-Romance smorgasbord.
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