jagava

Jagava is a constructed language created for speculative fiction and world-building. It is described as the native tongue of the Jagav people in a fictional region, appearing in novels, games, and ancillary materials. As a work of fiction, Jagava has no real-world speakers, but its grammar and vocabulary are detailed in in-world sources.

Origins and varieties: The term Jagava covers the language and several regional varieties. In-universe histories describe its emergence from an older proto-language, with dialects such as Northern Jagava, Central Jagava, and Southern Jagava reflecting geography and social groups.

Phonology: Jagava features a small vowel inventory and a moderate consonant set. Vowels are five-way; certain dialects show vowel harmony. Stress tends to fall on the first syllable; syllable structure favors open vowels and simple codas.

Grammar: Jagava is described as an agglutinative, postpositional language with SOV or flexible word order in discourse. Nouns mark number and case; verbs encode aspect, mood, and evidentiality through affixes and clitics. Alignment is generally nominative-accusative.

Writing system: The Jagav script is a stylized alphabet used in in-world texts. It marks consonants with base signs and vowels with diacritics or diacritic marks, and is commonly depicted in manuscripts and inscriptions.

Usage and influence: Jagava serves as a tool for world-building depth and realism in fiction, with dictionaries, sample dialogues, and cultural notes supporting storytelling and fan engagement.