Elnyel

Elnyel is a constructed language (conlang) created as part of a world-building project by linguist Mara Kestler. It aims to be phonotactically regular while exploring how analytic tendencies, affixal morphology, and typological variety interact in a single language.

Phonology: Elnyel has five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and a moderate consonant inventory including p, t, k, m, n, s, l, r, w, j, and f. Syllables typically follow a (C)(C)V(C) pattern, and stress is commonly on the penultimate syllable. The system allows limited vowel harmony across adjacent syllables.

Morphology and syntax: Elnyel is largely agglutinative, with nouns marked for number and case and verbs marked for aspect and mood. The default word order is SOV, but case marking makes the order relatively flexible. Adjectives usually precede nouns, and pronouns attach to verbs as clitics to indicate subject or object.

Writing and usage: The language uses a Latin-based alphabet with diacritics to mark vowel quality. Resources include a published grammar, a dictionary, and an online corpus of texts such as short stories and dialogues. A small online community supports learning and discussion of phonology, morphology, and world-building implications.

Status: Elnyel is primarily a hobbyist/conlang project and a feature of a fictional or speculative setting. It has a modest following among conlang enthusiasts and is cited in discussions of language design, but it remains outside mainstream natural-language use.