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Naram woman displaying her luxuriant hair.

The Naram values of co-operation and compassion are deeply ingrained in their language.

The conglomerate of dialects and sociolects that is (rather generalizingly) lumped together under the term "Naram language" is the official language of the Naram Republic, and is also spoken in different versions in many Diaspora enclaves. Since many of the words and phrases of the "Naram language" are deeply steeped in cultural and mythological context, and because it is near impossible to extricate the language from the quasi-religious teachings of the K'ekasalavo, the TOG puppet government in the occupied Dalvik District strongly discourages its use. In TOG-controlled areas, it is banned from public advertising, offices, schools and universities. Many Dalvik-born children are now less than fluent in their supposed mother tongue.

Grammar, Phonetics and Semantics[]

Misc Carlson, Agrippa
Naram dressed in white

Naram are a very practical but also deeply spiritual people.

Naram phonemes tend to have a soft lilt to them. Grammar is fairly simple, but the rich Naram cultural heritage means that many words have several layers of deeper meanings that can confuse outsiders or lead to involuntary double entendres or slights.

Many verbs are comitative, i.e. they include the recipient. Where a Galanglic speaker would say "I visited a friend", the equivalent phrase in Naram would read "I, together with a friend, visited". There is no imperative, meaning it is near impossible to issue orders in Naram. An order rather sounds like a suggestion. Socio-linguists speculate that the Naram values of co-operation and work toward the common good have formed these aspects of their language.

Word meanings are subdued, and forceful words are often absent. Tikal simply means "a single (undemocratic) ruler", and only through context the word comes to mean "tyrant". There is no real word for "war"; the closest word originally means "intense struggle". The Naram word for "hatred" is actually more akin to "dislike". Truly abhorrent concepts like genocide or rape are often transcribed with phrases like "a great suffering visited upon X". Interestingly enough, the Naram language also has no word for "enemy" (although the younger generation has borrowed such terms from Galatin and Ro'thad).

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Needless to say, the Naram have had difficulties to cope linguistically with the horrors that a totalitarian regime like TOG can inflict on its subjects and neighbours. Even the mythological descriptions of their genocidal internecine wars in the dim past have no words that could contain the suffering of the Naram today.

The younger generation of Naram in the Diaspora and the occupied Districts are unlearning the gentle Naram language. Not all of this phenomenon can be explained by the TOG´s active policy of cultural oppression - many Naram elders fear that their descendants are learning the language of hate from their oppressors because it depicts more accurately the frustration, terror and loathing that those youths feel under the iron heel of TOG.

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Naram Words and Phrases[]

B[]

  • Bantha : a savage animal native to several worlds of the Naram Republic, known for its relentless, dogged persistence when hunting. The name of a class of frigates.
  • Bata Revo : a mythological wolf-like animal of great endurance. In the K'ekasalavo, it defends its young with great ferocity and is an allegory for protecting loved ones and family.
  • B'ekkal : a military organization similar to a Legion in size, with a light assault designation.
  • Bit'nak Val : a huge siege catapult used in ancient times, able to hurl several large rocks. The name of a support grav tank.
  • By'Tor-La : "night flame", "fire in the dark". The name of a Naram company producing missile systems.

C[]

  • Copan : meaning unknown. The name of a Naram city.

D[]

F

  • Frotik : meaning unknown. The name of a city on the continent Malthus on the planet Caralis.

K[]

  • K'ekasa : a "religion" (rather a set of philosophical and mythological beliefs) that is very common in Naram communities and near impossible to separate from Naram main culture.
  • K'ekasalavo : the "Naram Book of Tales", a collection of teachings, histories and fables that are the closest the Naram have to a holy book.

L[]

  • Lavo : an archaic word meaning "book", "scripture".

M[]

  • Mayan : possessive form of the name Maya. The name of a radical movement that sought new worlds to settle, and founded at least one colony on Terra. In modern times, the name of a quasi-religious movement of mystics (Mayaquetz) stressing cooperation and pacifism. Mayan mystics are often found as the Naram equivalent of chaplains in the armed forces.
  • Mayaquetz : "Mayan People", "People of Maya", a quasi-religious order of pacifist mystics.

N[]

O[]

  • Onrom : "awake", "watchful", "restless", "apprehensive".

Q[]

  • Quezt : "to sleep"
  • -quetz : "person from (location)". A common suffix for surnames. "Copanquetz" would signify "someone from Copan".

S[]

T[]

  • Tarella : meaning unknown. The name of a Maya-class frigate.
  • Tikal : "single master", "autocratic ruler", "tyrant", "oppressor". In former times, the title given to a leader, such as Maya Tikal.
  • Tikal tuv quezt onrom : "Tyrants must sleep with one eye open", an admonishment from the K'ekasalavo. The motto of the 369th Naram Fighter Wing.
  • Triora : "homeland", "place of origin". The name of an island chain on Sparta XIII where many Naram artifacts and ruins are found.
  • Tutl Xuis : a narrow inlet between the continents Alsatia and Malthus on the planet Caralis.
  • Tuv : a syntactic modifier meaning "it is necessary".

U[]

  • Ux : a not-so mild (for Naram standards) expletive.
  • Uxmallt : meaning unknown. The name of an ocean on Caralis.

V[]

X[]

Z[]

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Naram Names[]

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Naram Company Names[]