Snrlayan

Snrlayan refers to both a distinct ethnolinguistic community and its language, rooted in the highland plateaus of the fictional Valryn Basin. The Snrlayans live in kin-based settlements with a subsistence economy centered on terraced farming, pastoralism, and craft production. The autonym is often recorded as Snrla or related forms, while the term Snrlayan is used by outsiders to describe the language and its speakers. The language is regarded as endangered, with limited intergenerational transmission.

Geographically, the homeland comprises rugged uplands at 1,200–2,400 meters, with narrow valleys, conifer forests, and seasonal streams. Villages are dispersed along terraced slopes and connected by footpaths. Social life follows a cycle of planting, harvest, and seasonal ceremonies tied to the agricultural calendar.

Snrlayan is commonly treated as a language isolate with features ranging from analytic to agglutinative. It is argued to have subject–object–verb order, extensive case-like markers, and evidential mood. The phonology includes a rich set of consonants, including ejectives, and a three-tone or pitch-accent system. A locally developed syllabary is used alongside neighboring scripts for literacy.

History records Snrlayan presence in the region from at least the early medieval period. Contacts with neighboring groups shaped trade and religion, while migration and assimilation pressures intensified in the modern era. A revival movement emerged in the late 20th century, emphasizing language learning and traditional crafts.

Estimates place the community in the tens of thousands, with several thousand fluent Snrlayan speakers. The language is classified as endangered, though revitalization programs—community schooling, documentation projects, and cultural events—seek to strengthen transmission and cultural continuity.