Inpuga

Inpuga is a language spoken by the Inpugan people of the highland region of Valara. It serves as the primary means of everyday communication as well as of traditional storytelling and ceremonial speech. Inpuga is deeply tied to Inpugan identity, with language sharing and transmission typically occurring within families and community gatherings. Geographically, speakers are concentrated in the central highlands, with smaller communities spread along river valleys.

Classification and relationships: Most linguists treat Inpuga as a language isolate within the Valaran area, though a few propose distant relations to nearby Liric languages. The lack of a broad comparative base means consensus is limited.

Phonology: Inpuga has a relatively small consonant inventory, including p, t, k, m, n, s, l, r, and a glottal stop, and five vowels: a, e, i, o, u. Syllables typically conform to a CV or CVC shape. The language is largely non-tonal, though some dialects show pitch variation for emphasis. Writing uses the Inpug script, a locally developed syllabary revived in the 20th century; in modern contexts, the Latin alphabet is also used in education and media.

Grammar: Inpuga is predominantly SOV (subject–object–verb). Nouns take postpositional marking and may carry demonstrative or numeral classifiers. Verbs show aspect or tense through affixes and auxiliaries, and agreement is primarily with the subject. Word order is relatively free in discourse due to case marking on nominal phrases.

Status and revitalization: Inpuga is considered endangered in some dialect areas, with intergenerational transmission uneven in urban settings. Documentation projects, dictionaries, and community-run language classes have been established to support revitalization, along with radio programs and digital resources to reach younger speakers.