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'''Tal''', better known as the '''Medieval language''' or the '''Old Tongue''', was the language spoken by sapients during the [[History of the Mazes|medieval era]] of the Mazes.
= Alphabet =
The Tal alphabet uses 22 letters; 5 vowels and 17 consonants. Although Tal used a proprietary script, it is easily rendered in Latin characters; all but one letter have a Latin equivalent, and the one exception is rendered using doubled letters (RR/rr).
=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt" width="1200"
|-
! Letters !! [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet IPA] value !! Approx. pronunciation !! Notes
|-
| A a || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_front_unrounded_vowel /a/]''' || h'''a'''t ||
|-
| E e || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close-mid_front_unrounded_vowel /e/]''' || pl'''ay''' ||
|-
| I i || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_palatal_approximant /j/]'''<br/>'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_front_unrounded_vowel /i/]''' || '''y'''ou<br/>fr'''ee''' || When used before another vowel, or as the first letter of a word<br/>All other uses
|-
| O o || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_back_rounded_vowel /o̞/]''' || g'''o''' ||
|-
| U u || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_back_rounded_vowel /u/]''' || b'''oo'''k ||
|}
=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt" width="1200"
|-
! Letters !! [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet IPA] value !! Approx. pronunciation !! Notes
|-
| B b || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_bilabial_stop /b/]''' || '''b'''all ||
|-
| D d || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_alveolar_stop /d/]''' || '''d'''art ||
|-
| F f || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_labiodental_fricative /f/]''' || '''f'''ight ||
|-
| G g || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_velar_stop /g/]''' || '''g'''un ||
|-
| H h || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_glottal_fricative /h/]''' || '''h'''oney ||
|-
| K k || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_velar_stop /k/]''' || '''k'''ey ||
|-
| L l || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_alveolar_lateral_approximant /l/]''' || '''l'''et ||
|-
| M m || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_bilabial_nasal /m/]''' || '''m'''ap ||
|-
| N n || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_alveolar_nasal /n/]''' || '''n'''ice ||
|-
| P p || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_bilabial_stop /p/]''' || '''p'''ack ||
|-
| R r || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_velar_fricative /x/]'''<br/>'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_uvular_fricative /ʁ/] || Russian '''kh'''orosho<br/>French '''r'''avie || When used as the first letter of a word. It is rendered in [[Languages|Common]] as ''Kh'' (e.g. Khazrun).<br/>All other uses
|-
| RR rr || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_uvular_trill /ʀ/]''' || German '''R'''ot ||
|-
| S s || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_alveolar_sibilant /s/]''' || '''s'''and ||
|-
| T t || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_alveolar_stop /t/]''' || '''t'''able ||
|-
| V v || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_labiodental_fricative /v/]''' || '''v'''alve ||
|-
| X x || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_postalveolar_affricate /tʃ/]''' || '''ch'''ip ||
|-
| Z z || '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_alveolar_sibilant /z/]''' || '''z'''ero ||
|}
= Tal words =
Below is a non-exhaustive list of Tal words alongside their Common/English meanings.
=== Nouns ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt" width="1200"
|-
! Tal word !! Translation !! Notes
|-
| Arris || Village ||
|-
| Azril || Light || No relation to other words in ''il'' (metal).
|-
| Awu || [[Wolf|Wolf, dog]] || Possibly derived from the howling of a wolf.
|-
| Desi || Ten (10) ||
|-
| Dupli<br/>Peni || Two (2) || Synonymous words. ''Dupli'' is more commonly used than ''Peni'', due to the latter's resemblance with ''Penti''.
|-
| Din || Town ||
|-
| Draken<br/>Kalken || [[Draken]] || Draken: From the adjective ''drai'' and the noun ''ken'', transliterates to "cold dragon".<br/>Kalken: From the nouns ''kal'' and ''ken'', transliterates to "ice dragon".
|-
| Ezri || East ||
|-
| Gim || Guild (of traders) || Specifically implies a confraternity or a brotherhood of tradesmen, with a secretive and/or cartel-like implication.
|-
| Gus || Red ||
|-
| Gusil || Copper || From the nouns ''gus'' and ''il'', transliterates to ''red metal''.
|-
| Hepti || Seven (7) ||
|-
| Hexi || Six (6) ||
|-
| Il || Metal ||
|-
| Karti || Four (4) ||
|-
| Kal || Ice ||
|-
| Kalawu || [[Kallwolf]] || From the nouns ''kal'' and ''awu'', transliterates to ''ice wolf''.
|-
| Ken || [[Dragon]] ||
|-
| Khazrun || Capital city || From the adjective ''khaz'' and the noun ''run''.
|-
| Lanlaken || [[Basilisk]] || From the nouns ''lanlan'' and ''ken'', transliterates to ''chicken dragon''.
|-
| Lanlan || [[Chicken]] ||
|-
| Lim || Gold, golden (color) ||
|-
| Limil || Gold (metal) ||
|-
| Maka || Son, descendant ||
|-
| Mia || [[Lynx|Lynx, cat]] || Possibly derived from the meowing of a lynx.
|-
| Narvi || North ||
|-
| Narvezri || Northeast || From the nouns ''narvi'' and ''ezri''.
|-
| Narvuzri || Northwest || From the nouns ''narvi'' and ''uzri''.
|-
| Noni || Nine (9) ||
|-
| Octi || Eight (8) ||
|-
| Param || Value (monetary worth) ||
|-
| Paramil || Coin, currency, money || From the nouns ''param'' and ''il'', approximately transliterates to ''valuable metal''.
|-
| Penti || Five (5) ||
|-
| Pri || One (1) ||
|-
| Run || City ||
|-
| Sil || Silver (color) ||
|-
| Silil || Silver (metal) ||
|-
| Sirvi || South ||
|-
| Sirvezri || Southeast || From the nouns ''sirvi'' and ''ezri''.
|-
| Sirvuzri || Southwest || From the nouns ''sirvi'' and ''uzri''.
|-
| Tal || Language, tongue || Has given the name of this language.
|-
| Tri || Three (3) ||
|-
| Ulti || End ||
|-
| Uzri || West ||
|-
| Warg || [[Warg]] ||
|-
| Zaro || Fire ||
|-
| Zer || White ||
|-
| Zeril || Platinum || From the nouns ''zer'' and ''il'', transliterates to ''white metal''.
|}
=== Adjectives ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt" width="1200"
|-
! Tal word !! Translation !! Notes
|-
| Drai || Cold ||
|-
| Khaz || Capital, most important ||
|-
| Khari || Distant, faraway ||
|-
| Prima || First || From the noun ''pri'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]].
|-
| Desima || Tenth || From the noun ''desi'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Decima'' in Common.
|-
| Duplima<br/>Penima || Second || Duplima: From the noun ''dupli'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]].<br/>Penima: From the noun ''peni'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Rare synonym, fell into disuse due to the close resemblance with ''pentima''.
|-
| Heptima || Seventh || From the noun ''hepti'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]].
|-
| Hexima || Sixth || From the noun ''hexi'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Hexema'' in Common.
|-
| Hui || Hot ||
|-
| Kartima || Fourth || From the noun ''karti'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Quartema'' in Common.
|-
| Nonima || Ninth || From the noun ''noni'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Nonama'' in Common.
|-
| Octima || Eighth || From the noun ''octi'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Octama'' in Common.
|-
| Pentima || First || From the noun ''penti'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Pentema'' in Common.
|-
| Trima || Third || From the noun ''tri'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]], and was corrupted to ''Triema'' in Common.
|-
| Penultima || Second last || Compound word, from the prefix ''pen-'' and the adjective ''ultima''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]].
|-
| Ultima || Last || From the noun ''ulti'' and the ordinal suffix ''-ma''. Became a [[Calendar|month name]].
|}
=== Affixes ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:10pt" width="1200"
|-
! Tal word !! Type !! Translation !! Notes
|-
| Ezr- || Prefix || Eastern || From the noun ''ezri''.
|-
| Narv- || Prefix || Northern || From the noun ''narvi''.
|-
| Pen- || Prefix || Two, twice, double, second || From the noun ''peni''.
|-
| Silf- || Prefix || Silver (things), of silver || From the noun ''sil''.
|-
| Sirv- || Prefix || Southern || From the noun ''sirvi''.
|-
| Uzr- || Prefix || Western || From the noun ''uzri''.
|-
| -ma || Suffix || ''see notes'' || Ordinal suffix for numbers and counting.
|}
[[Category:Lore]]