Endanlegu

Endanlegu is a constructed language developed for a multimedia fictional universe. It is presented as the native tongue of the coastal Endan, a trading culture featured in novels, comics, and a video game. The language was designed to convey cultural distinctions through its morphology, lexicon, and idioms, with particular attention to maritime terminology and social relationships. The project originated from a collaboration between linguists and writers in the early 2010s and has become a core element of the worldbuilding in the series.

Phonology and grammar: Endanlegu has a compact phoneme inventory with five vowels and around eighteen consonants. Syllables are typically CV or CVC, with occasional CCV clusters. The language follows a basic subject–verb–object order in neutral clauses, and relies on postpositional case markers and verb suffixes to indicate grammatical relations and temporality. Verbs encode tense, aspect, mood, and evidentiality through suffixation, while pronouns distinguish inclusive and exclusive first-person plural. There is a system of demonstratives and kinship terms that affects noun phrasing.

Writing and usage: Endanlegu is written in a native syllabary for in-universe inscriptions and a Latin transliteration for readers outside the setting. The lexicon includes marine, trade, and social terminology, reflecting Endan culture. In-world practice encourages language-learning scenes for worldbuilding, and non-canon dictionaries and guides exist in fan and official materials. Endanlegu functions as a narrative device to deepen character depth and cultural context within the series.