NationStates Jolt Archive

This is to be a minor dictionary and translator's guide to Cantanori and Terpsich as used in official and unofficial communication by and from C-T officials and citizens.
The only differences between the two languages stem from a few cultural divergences, and are limited to vocabulary. Therefore, the two are represented by 'Canterpsi' throughout this guide.

Phonetics

Five vowels:

A - ah (as in art)
E - ehh (as in set)
I - ee (as in ir-)
O - oh (as in cold)
U - ooh (as in fluke)

Eleven Consonants:
B
F is aspirated
H is also aspirated - also, does not change the sound of other consonants around it
J serves as 's' mid-word and at beginnings (jet, tijkhun) and as 'j' at end (vahaj, otaj)
K
Kh is as hebrew ch, rough and from back of throat
M
N
Nv is pronounced 'nav'
R is lengthenable - doubled in writing to show elongated pronunciation
T

A Few Common Conjunctions
tenu - and
kho - or
ehaj - of
ath - with

Articles
khis - the
khi - a / an

Adjectives
-ataj - my
-envo - your
-eno - his / hers / its
-khist : special
-ik : multiple.
-ha : social
-khot : between
-ajul - north
-ojul - south
-ejul - west
-ujul - east
-ajkhor - red
-hajkhor - orange
-kakhor - yellow
-bhokor - green
-jatkhor - blue
-mofkhor - purple
-afunakor - black
-urakor - white
(Note that all adjectives are suffixes. When affixing an adjective to a noun ending in r, double the r. Likewise, when affixing an adjective to a verb ending in j, change the j to k)

Pronouns
no - he / she / it
mura - this
nvura - that
otaj - me / I
nvo - you

Verbs
vataj - to thank
raj - to move
jet - to be

Nouns
urrik - forest
ur - tree
kufit - name
tijkhun - soup
bur - action
bawol - unit
afun - mountain
lekhor - color
lejat - number

Numbers(Lejatik)
Always use the suffix -ik along with these numbers when speaking of multiple objects. Numbers are placed before nouns.
bokot(0)
nva(1)
ka(2)
ekha(3)
tokh(4)
itoj(5)
jolk(6)
aju(7)
khibo(8)
kol(9)
ajat(10)
kokot(20)
ekhokot(30)
tokot(40)
itokot(50)
jolkot(60)
ajukot(70)
khibokot(80)
kolkot(90)
akot(100)
ajatakot(1000)
akotakot(10,000)
tekhajatakot(100,000)
metakh(1,000,000)
A few examples of use: 21 - kokot-nva 148 - akot-tokot-khibo
Scientists use English numbering, as do most people of younger generations when speaking of numbers over 100.

Social Interaction (Burrhakhot)
jebon - hello
berrj - welcome
kurba - please
vahakataj - Thank you
abon - goodbye

(Space saved for Grammar)

bump - added significantly to vocabulary.