eignalega

Eignalega is a constructed language created for a speculative fiction setting to explore how language structures influence social organization. In the fiction, it is spoken across the Eigna Archipelago, where communities rely on signal-based communication for navigation, trade, and ritual. The name derives from eign- "signal" and lega "speech."

Linguistic features: Eignalega is largely agglutinative with a subject–object–verb base. Nouns inflect for case (nominative, ergative, accusative, genitive) and number; verbs encode tense, aspect, mood, and evidentiality. The language distinguishes inclusive and exclusive first-person pronouns. A robust evidential system marks the source and reliability of information, influencing discourse and politeness strategies.

Phonology and writing: It has five vowels and about twenty consonants, with limited consonant clusters and a syllable structure of CV, CVC, or CVV. Stress is phonemic. The primary script is an alphabetic system used for everyday text, supplemented by a ceremonial syllabary in ritual inscriptions; diacritics indicate tone and evidential nuance.

History and usage: Developed by a fictional scholarly guild in the setting’s medieval period, Eignalega was later standardized and taught in schools within the archipelago. In the narrative, it underpins administrative law, trade records, and ceremonial oratory, serving as a marker of identity for communities. While primarily used in fiction and worldbuilding materials, it has also been studied by fans as an example of typological linguistics.