Author Archives: meamer

Lexember 10: Obsidian

Nitherian word: chithocho “obsidian” From Old Maritime dʒydúkʂot, literally “shard of night”, from dʒydúk “shard, fragment” + ʂot, genitive of ʂo “night”. Example: Molimeyawasono yo tleslochithocho. [mo.li.me.ja.waˈso.nomo-lime-yawa-son-oPFV-slice-here.and.there-meat-3s joy-owith-3s tɬe.ɬo.tɕiˈðo.tɕo]tle-slo-chithochoblade-POSS-obsidian He… Read more »

Lexember 9: Mast

Nitherian word: pin “mast” From: Old Maritime bin, literally “tree”. Example: Lo pin. [lol-ostoop-3s pin]pinmast The mast is broken.

Lexember 8: Silver Coin

Nitherian word: lechen “lecha, a silver coin” From: Old Maritime ɭetʃøn, accusative of ɭetʃa “silver”. Cowry shells were inconvenient for larger purchases, so the Maritime nations also minted metal coins…. Read more »

Lexember 7: Cowry String

Nitherian word: lai “string of 36 cowry shells” From: Old Maritime laɥ, accusative plural of la “string”. Strings of cowry shells were the most common everyday currency for Maritimers, and… Read more »

Lexember 6: Galley

Nitherian word: tyalathyon “galley” From: Old Maritime tjaladjon, literally “centipede”, from tjal “thirty-six” + dja “leg”. Both sailing ships and galleys (oar-propelled ships) were used on the Poslo Sea. Sailing… Read more »

Lexember 5: Elected Leader

Nitherian word: cho “the Chuk, the elected leader of a Maritime State” From: Old Maritime tʃuk “elected leader”, originally a participle form of a root meaning “choose”. The Maritimers traditionally… Read more »

Lexember 4: Cinnabar

Nitherian word: komale “cinnabar” From: Old Maritime komál, genitive of Komól, the name of the island where the first deposit was discovered. The Maritimers introduced the Nitherians to a variety… Read more »

Lexember 3: Contract

Nitherian word: wewalin “written contract” From: Old Maritime wehwáɭøɥn, dative plural of wehwáɭø “witness”, itself a fossilized compound meaning “truth-hearer”. The Maritimers referred to the process of signing a contract… Read more »

Lexember 2: Squid

Nitherian word: lozhwe “squid meat” From: Old Maritime ɭudʒwø, plural of ɭudʒu “squid”. For the animal itself, Nitherian uses a native compound esenopyasla, literally “water-darkener”, referring to its ink-squirting. Example:… Read more »

Lexember 1: Bow

Nitherian word: nole “bow of a ship” From: Old Maritime ŋule “at the bow”, locative case of ŋu “bow”, literally “nose”. Example: Moyenpyanolesochi asho. [mo.jen.pja.no.leˈso.tɕimo-yenpya-nole-so-chiPFV-paint-bow-3s–3p.A ˈa.ɕo]ashoship They painted the ship’s… Read more »