Nauiric

Nauiric is a constructed language developed for a fictional world, used in speculative fiction and worldbuilding to give voice to a seafaring culture. It belongs to an archipelago setting, spoken by the people known as the Nauiri. The name is derived from its own roots, roughly meaning “sea speech.”

Phonology and morphology: Nauiric features about 20 consonants and five vowels (p, t, k, m, n, s, l, r, f, h; a, e, i, o, u). Syllables are typically CV or CVC, with stress on the penultimate syllable. The language allows vowel harmony in suffixes and uses limited affixal morphology to indicate tense, aspect, and number while keeping the core syntax analytic.

Syntax and grammar: The basic word order is subject–verb–object. Nouns are largely uninflected; plurality is shown by suffixes or context. Verbs use auxiliary particles for tense and aspect, and pronouns are often enclitic for emphasis or clarity.

Writing system: Nauiric uses an alphabetic script called Liria, comprising 26 letters with diacritics to mark vowel length and stress. In-world inscriptions include navigational charts, ceremonial tablets, and poetry.

Culture and history: In the fictional setting, the Nauiri are maritime traders who rely on oral literature and navigational lore. Their culture emphasizes kinship, seafaring skill, and exchange networks among islands. The language’s development reflects contact with neighboring peoples and the practical needs of long-distance voyaging.