Borogi is a Kisti-Uruki language spoken by Borokanians, and is the official language of Borokanis. There are two main dialects, Kekria Borogi spoken within the caldera, and Terus Borogi spoken in the Neno Archipelago. It is Subject-Verb-Object in syntax.
History
According to legend, the matriarch of Borokanis, Rogini (미히켐헤) had a son named Hesuro with one of the early Ebrian explorers. When Hesuro grew older, he went back to Ebria and taught some people there his mother's language, while using Ebri words as placeholders for words that did not exist in that language. These people came back to the Boro Archipelago and became the first modern Borokanians, bringing this new Ebrized language with them.
As the above is myth, it is still unknown how the language came to be.
By the time of Amiro, Borogi had become the lingua franca of the islands. As time went on and more settlers came in, the language also evolved. It is also around this time that the dialect split between Kekria Borogi and Terus Borogi started to become more prominent.
Today, Borogi enjoys its status as the sole official language of Borokanis.
Two street signs from different eras in the old town of Fort Pelbos.
Bilingual motorway sign over the SK-1 in Metriga.
Phonology
Vowels
Kekria Borogi has five monophthongs, while Terus Borogi has four. The vowel chart below shows the vowels of two dialects, Kekria Borogi in red and Terus Borogi in blue, and a red dot with a blue border indicates both. The arrows show the vowel shift between the two dialects.
Consonants
Borogi has thirteen consonants.
Grammar
Nouns
There are three genders in Borogi: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
The only nouns that have gender distinctions are people (including titles and professions) and animals. All places and objects are neuter.
Masculine nouns end with “-o”
마노 Mano = Man
게로 Gero = Boy
기세노 Giseno = Whale (male)
아디노 Adino = Sage (male)
Feminine nouns end with “-i”
마니 Mani = Woman
게리 Geri = Girl
기세니 Giseni = Whale (female)
아디니 Adini = Sage (female)
To make a gendered noun neuter, take the “-o” or “-i” suffix and replace it with the correct neuter noun suffix: “-a”, “-ia”, “-os”, “-us”, "-as", "-es", or “-is”.
게로 Gero = Boy
게리 Geri = Girl
게롯 Geros = Child
To make a noun plural, add the suffix “-im”. This will replace the noun suffix.
호노 마노, 두호 마님.
Hono Mano, duho Manim.
One man, two men.
호노 도롯, 두호 도림.
Hono Doros, duho Dorim.
One tree, two trees.
엑 게보 온 케탑. 에라힌티 페룻 케타빔 켄 다막타바.
Ek gebo on ketab. Erahinti perus ketabim ken daMaktaba.
I have a book. There are many books in the library.
Definite articles (the) are attached to the noun in Borogi. To add a definite article, the prefix “da-” is added if the noun begins with a consonant, and “d’-“ if it begins with a vowel.
다힌가 DaHinga = The fire
두데라 D’Udera = The water
To denote the possessive, the suffix “-i” is added to the end of the noun. However, this only applies if the noun ends with a consonant. If it ends with a vowel, then passive voice is used, i.e., “ket” (“of”), or “keda-”/“ked’-” (“of the”).
다키타 세딛 에피 다도로시 두이곳.
DaKita sedit epi daDorosi Duigos.
The cat sits on the tree’s branch.
헤노 테닏 다켁롯 케다샤라.
Heno tenit daKekros kedaSiara.
He is holding the wheel of the car.
Verbs
All Borogi verbs end with the suffix “–in”.
There are two forms of conjugation: present, and imperative.
Present tense will replace the "-in" suffix with the following verb endings, as demonstrated by the verb 락신 raksin (to dance).
엑 락소 Ek rakso = I dance
투 락싯 Tu raksis = You (singular/informal) dance
헨/헤(노/니) 락싣 Hen(o/i) raksit = It/he/she dances
에킴 락시모 Ekim raksimo = We dance
툼 락시테 Tum raksite = You (plural/formal) dance
헤님 락신티 Henim raksinti = They dance
Imperative simply removes the "n" from the "-in" suffix.
게힌 Gehin = To go (infinitive)
게히 Gehi = Go! (imperative)
To change tense, Borogi uses auxiliary verbs 게빈 gebin (to have) for past tense, and 케민 kemin (to become) for future tense. Only the auxiliary verb is conjugated. There is no distinction between simple, continuous, and perfect tenses. The only exception to this is the verb 힌 hin (to be), which uses a preterite conjugation for past tense.
Present:
헤님 게힌티 단 다마디나.
Henim gehinti dan daMadina.
They go/are going to the city.
Past:
헤님 게빈티 게힌 단 다마디나.
Henim gebinti gehin dan daMadina.
They went/have gone to the city.
Future:
헤님 케민티 게힌 단 다마디나.
Henim keminti gehin dan daMadina.
They will go to the city.
Preterite conjugation with 힌 hin (to be):
엑 훔 Ek hum = I was
투 훗 Tu hus = You (singular/informal) were
헨/헤(노/니) 훋 Hen(o/i) hut = It/he/she was
에킴 후메 Ekim hume = We were
툼 후테 Tum hute = You (plural/formal) were
헤님 훈 Henim hun = They were
To negate a verb, add the prefix “ne-“ to the verb if it begins with a consonant, and “n’-“ if it begins with a vowel. The word “ne” means “no” and “not”.
For tense changes, the “ne-/n-“ prefix goes on the auxillary verb.
헤니 게힏 단 다메게숙.
Heni gehit dan daMegesuk.
She is going to the supermarket.
헤니 네게힏 단 다메게숙.
Heni negehit dan daMegesuk.
She is not going to the supermarket.
네게히 단 다메게숙!
Negehi dan daMegesuk!
Don’t go to the supermarket!
헤니 네게빋 게힌 단 다메게숙.
Heni negebit gehin dan daMegesuk.
She did not go to the supermarket.
헤니 네케믿 게힌 단 다메게숙.
Heni nekemit gehin dan daMegesuk.
She will not go to the supermarket.
Adjectives
All adjectives are placed after the noun, except for colors which are placed before. Articles would be placed before the color.
헤노 게빋 온 케탑 메가.
Heno gebit on Ketab mega.
He has a big book.
헤노 게빋 온 레히 케탑 메가.
Heno gebit on rehi Ketab mega.
He has a big red book.
헤노 게빋 온 다레히 케탑 메가.
Heno gebit darehi Ketab mega.
He has the big red book.
Adverbs
To turn an adjective into an adverb, replace any vowels at the end with "-u". To turn a noun into and adverb, replace the noun suffix with "-u".
앋놋 Atnos = Year
앋누 Atnu = Yearly
투루타 Turuta = Fast/Quick
투루투 Turutu = Quickly
헷카 Heska = Happy
헷쿠 Hesku = Happily
Sample Text
Sekria Sakra, Amiro 7:3
Borogi:
엔 로기니 (미히켐헤) 게빋 세킨 단 엑, '네게비 아가릿,
데오 헤힏 루콧 켄 다레팀 페룻 렏라.'
베루, 헤노 델킫 하약, 쿠닏 하약, 엔 나닏 하약.
Pronunciation:
En Rogini (MiHiKemHe) gebit sekin dan ek, 'negebi Agaris,
Deo hehit Rukos ken daRetim perus retra.'
Beru, Heno delkit haiak, kunit haiak, en nanit haiak.
Translation:
And Rogini (Pbwh) said to me, "be not afraid,
Deo shines light in the darkest of places."
Verily, He sees all, hears all, and knows all.