WOSP 1: culture
Some random bits about the culture of the people who speak this language:
Technically, they live somewhere on the wetland planet, though I'm still not sure where. But I might move them around.
They believe (or believed) that the universe has 7 "layers", which are reflected in their noun classes. These layers each have their own set of spirit with their own hierarchies of power:
1) bwadiru: dangerous things (includes: women/females (especially mothers), fire, weapons)
2) fila: two legged things / vertical things / things that move "well" (generally animals, especially tree-dwelling ones and/or primates, though rarely humans; includes: dancers, orangutans, squirrels, trees)
3) siena ha: four legged things / horizontal things (includes: most four legged animals, tables, raised platforms, a human on their hands an knees, fallen logs)
4) rouvoósati: things that "swim" (includes: most fish, underwater plants, swimming humans)
5) cioka: things that "fly" (includes: most birds, air transported seeds, clouds)
6) wewa: round / cyclical things (includes: time words, the seasons, the moon, the sun, years, circles, rocks, the planet)
7) anuhe: humans / misc things; the world we live in directly
There is also a hierarchy of "sentience": deities/supernatural creatures => humans => animals => living things => physical objects => concepts. This hierarchy is accepted to the extent that "the dog likes the human" sounds only slightly less odd than "the food likes the dog". (Both of these can be said, sort of, but differently, which I'll go into later.) People generally believe that this is the inherent order of the universe, which makes things interesting when they meet people who with a language/culture that doesn't have that hierarchy (eg, the "emotional" language, which believes that a grain of sand has the same awareness as a human being).
They are in general relatively respectful/considerate of other people (particularly those they're speaking to), and are always on some level aware that they are speaking *to* someone. Being self-centered or self-absorbed is considered incredibly rude. People talk to each other (and the things around them) constantly. It's rude to make decisions for other people, and questions about preferences are often directed back at the person asking (eg, "what do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do you want for dinner?" and *then* someone can express a preference). Questions like "what do you think?" or "what about you?" are common and polite.
Slavery is considered perfectly acceptable (though the abuse of a slave is not; slaves are generally very well treated), and being owned has no inherent negative connotations. Personal freedom is not very highly valued; rather, the happiness and freedom of those around you is given highest importance. Loyalty to others is important. Everyone is "owned" by *someone*, and being "owned" by another person gives a sense of belonging and helps people know where they fit in life.
Nouns are often used in the place of pronouns (or as pronouns), even for the first and second person. The second person can also be "reinforced" by including both the pronoun and the person's name.
Technically, they live somewhere on the wetland planet, though I'm still not sure where. But I might move them around.
They believe (or believed) that the universe has 7 "layers", which are reflected in their noun classes. These layers each have their own set of spirit with their own hierarchies of power:
1) bwadiru: dangerous things (includes: women/females (especially mothers), fire, weapons)
2) fila: two legged things / vertical things / things that move "well" (generally animals, especially tree-dwelling ones and/or primates, though rarely humans; includes: dancers, orangutans, squirrels, trees)
3) siena ha: four legged things / horizontal things (includes: most four legged animals, tables, raised platforms, a human on their hands an knees, fallen logs)
4) rouvoósati: things that "swim" (includes: most fish, underwater plants, swimming humans)
5) cioka: things that "fly" (includes: most birds, air transported seeds, clouds)
6) wewa: round / cyclical things (includes: time words, the seasons, the moon, the sun, years, circles, rocks, the planet)
7) anuhe: humans / misc things; the world we live in directly
There is also a hierarchy of "sentience": deities/supernatural creatures => humans => animals => living things => physical objects => concepts. This hierarchy is accepted to the extent that "the dog likes the human" sounds only slightly less odd than "the food likes the dog". (Both of these can be said, sort of, but differently, which I'll go into later.) People generally believe that this is the inherent order of the universe, which makes things interesting when they meet people who with a language/culture that doesn't have that hierarchy (eg, the "emotional" language, which believes that a grain of sand has the same awareness as a human being).
They are in general relatively respectful/considerate of other people (particularly those they're speaking to), and are always on some level aware that they are speaking *to* someone. Being self-centered or self-absorbed is considered incredibly rude. People talk to each other (and the things around them) constantly. It's rude to make decisions for other people, and questions about preferences are often directed back at the person asking (eg, "what do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do you want for dinner?" and *then* someone can express a preference). Questions like "what do you think?" or "what about you?" are common and polite.
Slavery is considered perfectly acceptable (though the abuse of a slave is not; slaves are generally very well treated), and being owned has no inherent negative connotations. Personal freedom is not very highly valued; rather, the happiness and freedom of those around you is given highest importance. Loyalty to others is important. Everyone is "owned" by *someone*, and being "owned" by another person gives a sense of belonging and helps people know where they fit in life.
Nouns are often used in the place of pronouns (or as pronouns), even for the first and second person. The second person can also be "reinforced" by including both the pronoun and the person's name.