sértené

Sértené is a fictional language created for a world-building project and used by the imagined Sértené people in a coastal archipelago. The name Sértené serves as both the language’s label and a cultural identifier, with glosses and traditional storytelling attributing meanings related to voice and wind.

Linguistic overview: Sértené is described as predominantly analytic, with affixal markers for tense and aspect and some plural and evidential marking. The core word order is subject–verb–object (SVO), though word order can shift for emphasis. Pronouns are often omitted when the verb morphology or context makes the subject clear. Noun phrases typically place adjectives after the noun, and determiners are optional. Plurality and definiteness are indicated through particles and post-nominal markers rather than extensive noun inflection. Verbs carry suffixal person agreement and employ enclitic particles to mark tense, aspect, mood, and evidential stance.

Phonology and writing: Sértené comprises around 18 consonants and 5 vowels, with a preference for CV syllables and limited consonant clusters. Stress is typically on the penultimate syllable. The writing system uses a Latin-based alphabet in everyday use, supplemented by a ceremonial syllabary for ritual texts and folklore manuscripts.

Lexicon and usage: The vocabulary reflects coastal and trade-oriented themes, with terms for navigation, weather, kinship, and exchange. In the fictional setting, Sértené enjoys use in literature, theater, and community education, serving as a marker of cultural identity and continuity. Linguists within the world-building project document its grammar, compile dictionaries, and explore historical change through imagined contact with neighboring languages.