Prosian Language
The Prosian Language (native name: Prosat Nenua) is the primary language of the Prosian people of Prose and a cornerstone of cultural identity throughout the *Scavenger Universe*. It is an **agglutinative, harmonic, and highly contextual language**, reflecting the Prosian philosophy of balance and resonance within the **Flow (*Nilita’fen*)**. Prosian communication is seen not merely as transmission of meaning, but as **vibrational alignment** between speaker, listener, and environment.
Linguistic Description
Phonology
Prosian speech is **tonal and melodic**, characterized by smooth vowel resonance and avoidance of harsh consonant clusters. Syllables are typically open (CV or CVV), giving the language a flowing cadence often described by humans as “sung logic.”
- **Vowels:** A, E, Ē, I, O, U
* **Ē** (E with macron) represents the long-E vowel unique to Prosian phonetics.
- **Consonants:** K, L, M, N, R, S, T, V, Z
- **Stress:** usually on the **second syllable**, sometimes the third—never on suffixes.
Example: > *Akeika* – run > *Akeikawa* – running (*-wa* = continuous action)
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Morphology
Prosian is **agglutinative**, forming meaning through consistent affixation.
- **Suffixes**
* *-wa* → continuous/ongoing action (like English “-ing”) * *-ak* → past tense * *-nat* → future tense * *-na* → adjectival (“-ive”) * *-kok* → abstract noun (“-ity”) * Example: *Yavnakok* = creativity (from *Yav* = create)
- **Prefixes**
* *ko-* → repetition or renewal (“re-”) * Example: *Ko’agren* = renewed * *na-* → first-person subject marker (“I” / “me”)
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Syntax
Modern **Prosat Nenua** primarily follows **Subject–Verb–Object (SVO)** order, though emphasis and poetic form often use flexible rearrangement. Tonal inflection can shift meaning without changing order—what humans might call “grammatical melody.”
Example: > *Na akeika lita.* → “I run the river.” > *Na akeikawa Nilita’fen.* → “I am flowing with the Flow.”
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Script
The Prosian script, called the **Prosian Glyphic Alphabet**, merges phonetic and symbolic writing. Each glyph encodes both sound and harmonic concept, representing intention as vibration. Formal writing uses geometric uppercase glyphs; casual or artistic writing employs curved variants resembling brush strokes. Glyph order (A–Z) mirrors harmonic frequency progression rather than phonetic sorting.
The alphabet was standardized by the **First Council of Prose** under **Councilwoman Zaroneth** during the **Unification (Annuli 0000)**. Before unification, seven major dialects—each with distinct scripts—coexisted, fragmenting communication across the planet.
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Sample Vocabulary
| Prosian Word | English Meaning | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Na | I / Me | Subject prefix | Aikal | Light | Lita | River | Root of *Nilita’fen* (“Flow of Light”) | Nilita | Flow / Current | K’hanan | Change / Transform | Lensu | Stone | M’azen | Land / Ground | Zun | Hand | Nomli | Patience / Endurance | Desken | Shield / Defense | Yavna | Creative | From *Yav* = create | Yavnakok | Creativity | Ko’agren | Renewed | “Ko-” prefix for “re-” | Akeikawa | Running | Continuous action form | Motna | Active | Motnakok | Activity | Ni-por-fun | Adolescent | Ages 10–15 Prosian years | Kek! | Exclamation (unwelcome event) | Culturally mild, context-based |
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Grammar and Example Sentences
Prosian sentence rhythm emphasizes **resonant harmony**—each suffix and prefix “echoes” tonal frequency with its root. Poets and engineers alike treat language as a harmonic field.
Examples:
- *Na Yavnakok Nilita’fen.* → “My creativity flows with the Flow.”
- *Ko’agren Nilita Lita.* → “The river flows again.”
- *Na Motak.* → “I acted.”
- *Na Motnat.* → “I will act.”
- *Na K’hanan M’azen.* → “I change the land.”
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Historical Development
The Prosian language evolved from **seven tribal dialects**, each associated with one of the Seven Tribes of Prose:
1. **Markasisi** – eastern industrial; clipped consonants. 2. **Leraskin** – northern maritime; tonal elongation. 3. **Makupuk** – western coastal; rounded vowels. 4. **Benatir** – southern poetic; melodic inflection. 5. **Landa** – central trade dialect; syntactic clarity. 6. **Ranetor** – polar; reduced vowels. 7. **Kazenti** – highland; emphatic stress patterns.
During the **Age of Division**, language served as a tribal identifier. After the transformation of **Zaroneth** during the Jenek Ezeel, she declared that unity required **a single shared voice**. Her **First Council (Annuli 0000)** merged the seven dialects into **Standard Prosat Nenua**, blending Landa syntax with Markasisi phonetic base and Benatir harmonic intonation.
Her decree: > “Peace cannot speak seven tongues.”
The result was both a linguistic and philosophical unification—language as resonance, not dominance.
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Modern Usage
Today, Prosat Nenua is the **official language of Prose**, used across academia, science, and starship operations. Alliance integration led to bilingual systems aboard ships like the SS Scavenger DX-1017, where bridge AI Sariel processes both Prosian and Terran Standard. Human officers fluent in Prosian often describe it as *“feeling the sentence before finishing it.”*
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Cultural and Philosophical Role
Words are considered **living harmonics** within the Flow. Speaking Prosian is believed to influence emotional resonance—why meditative recitation and song form part of every major ceremony, from the Jenek Ezeel to the **Covenant of Flow** oath.
Examples of idiomatic thought:
- *“To lose the Flow”* – to be emotionally unsettled.
- *“To hear the Flow sing”* – to experience revelation or sudden clarity.
- *“To speak in light”* – to communicate truthfully.
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In the Scavenger Universe
- *The Phoenix from the Scrapyard* – first depiction of Prosian speech aboard the Scavenger.
- *Making of an Admiral* – features Prosian ritual phrasing in Fleet oaths.
- *Citizen Sariel* – explores linguistic empathy between AI and organic minds.
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Quotes
> “Every word is a chord struck upon the Flow.” — Councilwoman Zaroneth > “To speak Prosat Nenua is to listen as you breathe.” — Kessa Rin > “Harmony is grammar made visible.” — Vek Tollin
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