Old Tytannian English
| Old Tytannian English | |
|---|---|
| Spoken in | North Adammia |
| Total speakers | ~15 |
| Family | Indo-European
|
| Type | Dialect |
Old Tytannian English is a variation of the Yorkshire dialect of English which is spoken in the Empire of Adammia, specifically in the region of North Adammia. It is essentially a fusion of the local dialects of the city of Wakefield and the town of Featherstone. The dialect derives its name from Greater Tytannia, the Adammic province where it is most prominent.
Features
Pronounciation
Like most variations of the Yorkshire dialect, Old Tytannian uses the short [a] in words such as bath; the [ʊ] in words such as cut; H-dropping; the pronounciation of words such as absolute as apsolute; the reduction of [ŋ] to [n] such that words such as hearing become hearin; and the reduction of words such as with to wi and was to wa.
The use of elongated vowels such as [e:] in late, [o:] in goat, and [a:] in mouth is common amongst some, particularly older speakers of the dialect, whilst some switch between this and a more standard pronounciation seemingly at random; this can depend on who the speaker is talking to, and even on the speaker's level of alcohol inebriation. It has been noted that Emperor Adam I's accent becomes more "broad" in this regard when he is drunk, for example.
Th-fronting is common amongst younger speakers of the dialect. For some, this is even common at the start of words, such as pronouncing that as vat. In particular, Emperor Adam I almost always approximates a th to a f or a v, and there is speculation as to whether he is even capable of pronouncing the th sound.
Vocabulary and grammar
Old Tytannian uses many of the Yorkshire dialect's grammatical features such as heavy definite article reduction; heavy negative contraction (such as didn't becoming dint); words such as owt and nowt; the elimination of plural markers for units of measurement (such as five pounds becoming five pound); and the use of us in the place of me and our. The word alright (usually pronounced as arreyt by older speakers and as arright by younger speakers) is often used as a greeting.
The use of double-negatives is frowned upon and is rarely heard. Older speakers often use the word sen to mean self. The use of while to mean until has been known to cause confusion with Southern English speakers, such as on one occasion when the Emperor was talking to former Prime Minister Alex Helliker.
The use of the pronouns thee and tha is virtually non-existent even amongst older speakers, despite it once being common in the areas near to Adammia. The only known Adammian to have used thee and tha is Lord General Crossland, and even he uses the words very sparingly.
Notable speakers
Old Tytannian is spoken almost exclusively by members of the House of Hall, which is arguably Adammia's most powerful family. Its blend of the Wakefield and Featherstone dialects is believed to stem from the fact that the House is descended from Sir Reginald Hall, who is from Featherstone, and Winifred Hall, who was from Lupset in Wakefield. Perhaps the most well-known speaker is Emperor Adam I. In his speeches, even those delivered in Tytannia itself, he tends to speak in a more neutral voice, but his accent is reportedly stronger in informal settings.
