Alarnish

Alarnish is a term used in fantasy and speculative fiction to denote a cultural-linguistic complex associated with the name Alarn. Because there is no single canonical definition, the term is applied to different entities across works, including a language, a people, or a geographic region.

Etymology and scope: The name Alarnish is typically derived from the ethnonym Alarn or related place-names within a setting, functioning as both an ethnonym and adjectival form.

Usage in fiction: In worldbuilding, Alarnish often appears as the language spoken by the Alarni, the inhabitants of a coastal archipelago or inland realm, and sometimes as the name of a historical era, political faction, or cultural tradition. Different authors describe the language and culture with varying emphasis, scope, and level of detail.

Linguistic and cultural depiction: Because the term spans multiple fictional works, there is no universal grammar, vocabulary, or writing system. Descriptions range from minimal glosses in guidebooks to full narrative encodings in novels and games. Some creators treat Alarnish as a tonal or agglutinative language, while others focus on lore, ritual practices, and social structure of the Alarni people.

See also: Constructed language, worldbuilding, fictional culture, fantasy settings.