Brrla nrr Lah (The Language of Everything) is a minimalist conlang (constructed language) designed for use in the grand fictional setting of Infinity Horizon.
The language is noted for its extremely limited vocabulary, putting the focus on essential communication. The concept of creating new words by combining existing ones is a strong feature, allowing the language to evolve and expand without adding too much complexity.
Grammer-wise, it follows the OSV word order. This along with a lack of verb conjugation for tense, person, or number, and straightforward modifiers make the language easy to learn and use.
Lore
Often considered to be the lingua franca of the Tweedum, Brrla nrr Lah is actually a pidgin incorporating elements of several languages. Although dominant, existing languages were pushed on the factory floors of TRAPPIST-1, these workshops quickly became stellar melting pots of different cultures, and the simple language allowed the diverse workers to communicate more efficiently and effectively. From its meager beginnings, Brrla nrr Lah spread to become the working class argot of the Tweedum.
With its roots in industry, the limited vocabulary of Brrla nrr Lah describes mostly objects, their functions, and interpersonal relationships. Little else is necessary to do a day’s labor and have a drink with coworkers; however, the abridged dictionary of the pidgin language has gaps that need to be filled when more complex situations arise. The Tweedum have three solutions: loanwords, compound words, and idioms.
The loanwords often incorporated into Brrla nrr Lah are mostly sourced from the Tweedum languages which shaped its beginnings. As Brrla nrr Lah was almost always a second language to its speakers, words from its parent languages would often sneak into the hurried speech of workers. Loanwords from various Human and Bea’viskar languages which agreed with Tweedum biology would also find their ways into Tweedum homes. For example, a variation on “okay” is a common affirmative within the orbits of TRAPPIST-1.
Compound words are another common means of adding necessary complexity to Brrla nrr Lah. This could be as literal as combining “bal” and “pitkar” into “balpitkar,” meaning “long reptile,” (i.e. “snake”), or it could be more metaphorical, such as “atma” (essence, spirit, soul) and “ghun” (noise, sound) combining into “atmaghun,” which can refer to anything from crying to music.
The last core method of adding complexity to Brrla nrr Lah would be idioms. These are often highly localized and context-based, and they are almost always constructed entirely of compound words to give them the specificity needed to convey meaning. Although many of these idioms are ephemeral slang lasting at most a decade before fading into obscurity, several still in use refer to long-dead workers who were among the first to make catastrophic mistakes in the early days of the pidgin. Centuries later, Tweedum can only describe “sleeping on the job” in Brrla nrr Lah by invoking the name of a foreman and the factory which burnt down on their watch.
The complete guidebook can be downloaded either on the official Patreon or Discord. A collab between Artsy, CrisPing, Moe Neus, and Zain.Â
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