katsaylarn

Katsaylarn is a fictional language featured in science fiction works set in the Katsaylarn universe. It is described as the principal language of the Katsaylarn people and the de facto lingua franca across their interstellar colonies and trade networks. In the fiction, Katsaylarn reflects the culture, history, and technology of the Katsaylarn Union.

Phonology and script: The language is described as having a five-vowel system and a moderate consonant inventory that includes stops, fricatives, nasals, and approximants. Syllables are typically CV or CVC, with limited clusters. Stress patterns vary by dialect but often fall on the root syllable. Writing in the works includes a distinctive syllabary called the Katsaylarn script, with a Latin transliteration used by scholars and translators.

Grammar: Katsaylarn is portrayed as predominantly agglutinative, with a basic SOV (subject–object–verb) word order. It uses postpositions rather than prepositions and marks tense, aspect, mood, number, and evidentiality through affixes and periphrastic forms. Nouns distinguish animate and inanimate categories, and pronouns encode honorifics tied to social status.

Dialects and usage: Across different colonies, regional varieties reflect contact with neighboring languages and commerce. A standard form is taught in official contexts, while younger speakers blend Katsaylarn with languages of trade partners. Linguists within the fictional universe study historic stages to trace migration and settlement patterns.

Notes: As a fictional language, details of Katsaylarn vary by author and work, and there is no single canonical grammar outside the in-universe descriptions.