Aether Pidgin

Written by Pookas Kreations

This language is an evolving trade tongue used by Sky Gnome, Sky Dancers*, and other species that live in the Skylands.
This pidgin was created specifically for use in trade, negotiation, and contact with other races. It prioritizes simplicity and directness.
Sky Dancers view family like a flock, while many Sky Gnomes view family like a crew. The pidgin blends these into "Vessel-Kin." Of course, this all depends on the tribe. Some tribes believe that the entire tribe is worth more than its individual members. The religion of the sky is centered on the "great Breath" and the "Light."

Geographical Distribution

These people are mostly found in the Skylands, but after they found a way to break the "seal" between the surface and the Skyland floor, they could be found anywhere on Aquatica or the Solar System.

Phonology

Focuses on clear, simple sounds common to all languages of the Skylands. There are no complex clicks or tones.

• Vowels: a (father), e (get), i (see), o (go), and U (put)
• Consonants: p, t, k, f, s, sh, m, n, l, r, v, z, g.

Word Order: subject-verb-object (SVO).

• ex: sky-dancer see cloud. --Syl-Kael seh glim.

Plurals: Indicated by adding the particle -an after the noun.

• glim (cloud--glim-an (clouds)

Vocabulary

The vocabulary is a combination of the various languages that loan their words to this pidgin language. Words are chosen for their concise nature, brevity, and simplicity.
Sky Gnome (tech/trade):

• technology, machinery, metals, commerce,
• precise naming for parts/tools, simple numbers

Auran (sky/wind):

• movement, travel, weather, flight, sentient sky beings
• words for velocity, speed, wind direction, air spirits

Sylvan (nature/fae)

• trading, direction, greeting
• easy-to-pronounce, single-syllable terms
• nature, animals, faewild

Dictionary

47 Words.

Root Languages

• Auran Language
• Gnomin
• Sylvan Language

Spoken by

• Sky Dancers*

Common Phrases

Basic Structure Possession:

• my rivet--mi das fas-bind
• the pilot's gear--nef-kael da krak-met

Negation:

• the engine is not broken--mev-giv no krev

Common Trade Phrases

Pidgin	Translation	Meaning
Lumi Syl!	safe air!	greeting/farewell (good luck, good journey)
Shu da Rikt-Helf?	how much the trade-good?	what is the price of this cargo?
Giv Lumi, no Krev.	gibve safe, not bad	make a fair deal. (a demand for honesty)
nef-kael seh zu-vex!	fly-bird see storm!	the pilot sees turbulence ahead! (warning)
krak-met krev. giv mev.	gear broken. Give power.	the engine is failing. use auxilary power.

Common Female Names

sky dancer names

• sylara: breath of air, melodic and airy; a classic name
• neffi: little flier, energetic, restless, and always looking at the horizon.
• kaelis: wing-soul, someone with a deep connection to the sky or birds.
• veyla: the path/way, a guide or scout; someone who knows the syl-vey.
• glimia: cloud-child, dreamy, soft-spoken, or born during a storm.

Sky Gnome

• metta: metal-one, strong, reliable, and unyielding.
• krakis: little gear, someone who keeps the family/crew moving together.
• riktia: the right/true, often given to girls born to navigators or judges.
• shinna: shiny, a name for a merchant's daughter, implies prosperity.
• fasia: the fastener, a peacemaker who holds the "vessel-kin" together.

Spiritual and Trade-Hybrid names

• lumisuf: safe/bright soul, a highly spiritual name; implies a "Lumi-Aura."
• mevra: power/energy, intense and hardworking; a "mover" of people.
• heva: value/weight, a daughter expected to bring great honor or wealth.
• auri: spirit, a short, reverent name honoring the Aura0Ma.
• locka: the agreement, born during a major treaty or "Lock-Word" negotiation.

• The Trade-Title: in formal negotiations, a woman adds her role to her name. Metta nef-kael (Metta the Pilot).
• The Honorific: when addressing an elder female (Alt-Cap), you add the suffix -Ma. Sylar-Ma (Respected Mother Sylara).
• The "Current" Name: nomads often give a child a temporary name at birth, but she chooses her "current name" once she masters her first "sky-vey" (trade route).

Common Male Names

Male names often carry a heavier, more resonant sound than female names, frequently ending in consonants like -on, -ar, -ok, or the vowel -o. 
Gnomish-Technical

• meton: metal-man: sturdy, reliable, and perhaps a bit stubborn.
• krako: the gear, someone essential to the "mechanics" of the family or crew.
• riktok: true-direction, a name for a natural leader or a master navigator.
• fas-tor: fasten-tower, a protector; someone who anchors the ship or the family.
• mev-o: the power, energetic, loud, or physically strong.

Sky Dancer and Nomadic

• sylar: wind-born, a very traditional name; implies a deep bond with the air.
• nef-tor: high-flier; ambitious, brave, and often found at the highest point of the mast.
• kaelon: great-wing; implies grace and mastery of flight or gliding.
• zu-vey: storm-way; born during a gale; implies a wild or unpredictable nature.
• glim-ok: cloud-eye; a sharp-eyed scout who can see through the thickest fog.

Spiritual and Negotiation-Hybrid

• hev-ar: weight-man, a serious person whose words carry great value.
• vappo: the trader, charismatic and quick-witted; a master of the "lock-word."
• suf-an: soul-breath, deeply thoughtful or empathetic; often a healer or priest.
• aurok: spirit-king, a name for a first-born son; honoring the aura-ma.
• lumi-met: safe-metal, a "hold" standard of a person; trustworthy and honest.

• The "Vessel-Name": when a male joins a crew or starts a business, he may append the name of his airship to his own. Krako da sky-glider.
• The Honorific: for respected males or leaders (alt-cap), the suffix -Pa is used. sylar-Pa is used.
• The Apprentice Name: young boys are often called by their father's name with the prefix Li- (little). Li-Meeton (little meton) until he completes his first solo trade.

Common Family Names

Gnome Vessel-Lines

• met-bind: metal-binders, renowned blacksmiths, and hull-menders.
• krak-mev: gear-power, a lineage of elite engine-tinkers and mechanics.
• shin-vap: shiny-traders, a wealthy dynasty of money-changers and gold-merchants.
• rikt-vey: true-way, famous navigators who claim to have mapped the high aether.
• fas-hold: fasten-hold, known for high-quality storage and cargo security.

Sky Dancer and Auran Flock-Names

• syl-kael: air-wing, a massive, ancient clan of scouts and messengers.
• glim-step: cloud-steppers, nomads who specialize in "cloud-Diving" for rare resources.
• zu-storm: mad-storm, a clan known for being fierce warriors or daring pilots.
• aura-lumi: spirit-light, a lineage of priests and healers of the Aura-Ma.
• very-fef: way-fliers, long-distance travelers who rarely land at ports. 

Hybrid Trade-Dynasty Surnames

• hev-giv: value-givers, fair but firm negotiators; they run the biggest sky-markets.
• lumi-sky: safe-sky, peacekeepers, and sky-police who protect trade routes.
• void-vex: empty-turbulence, survivors of a great shipwreck; known for being tough and lucky.
• mev-suf: power-soul, families known for producing great leaders and charismatic captains.