niette

Niette is a constructed language (conlang) developed for use in speculative fiction and world-building. It is presented as a fully formed linguistic system rather than a stylized cipher, with its own phonology, grammar, and vocabulary. As with many conlangs, there is no single canonical version; different authors have published varying descriptions of its features, and fan communities often create dialects and extended lexicons.

Niette employs a relatively small, phonemic inventory designed for ease of learning. Its core vowels are a, e, i, o, u; consonants include p, t, k, s, m, n, l, r, and h. Syllables are typically CV or CVC, with no consonant clusters. The language is normally written in the Latin alphabet, with optional diacritics to indicate stress or tone in some dialects. Stress generally falls on the penultimate syllable.

It uses a subject–verb–object word order and relies on lightweight inflection, with optional plural suffix -en and a handful of case particles for pronouns and proper nouns. Niette has no grammatical gender and employs postposed modifiers in noun phrases. In-fiction use spans diplomacy, education, and everyday conversation among its speakers, who are depicted as diverse humanoid communities.

Because it is a constructed language, most references to its history, dialects, and lexicon exist only within fictional worlds or fan-created materials. It serves as a tool to convey culture, setting, and character backgrounds more vividly than dialogue alone. See also: conlang, constructed languages, world-building.