Sedunnic language (Pacifica)
| Sedunnic | |
|---|---|
| Sedunnejj | |
| Pronunciation | ['seːd̪ɵ̞n̪ej] |
| Native to | Sedunn |
| Ethnicity | Sedunners |
Native speakers | 16 million native speakers (2020) |
Language family | Beilltemmic
|
Early forms | Duric
|
Writing system | Sedunnic alphabet |
| Signed Sedunnic | |
| Official status | |
Official language in |  Sedunn  CPSC World Forum |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Regulated by | Sedunnic Language Council |
| Language codes | |
| Language code | sed |
Sedunnic (Sedunnejj ['seːd̪ɵ̞n̪ej]) is a Teggic language of the Beilltemmic language family and is spoken natively by about 16 million people, predominantly in the country of origin, Sedunn, where it is the sole official language. It is also an official minority language in Ikoania and in Nesvem Bay in Huawan. It is the most widely spoken of the Teggic languages. There is no mutually intelligibility between Sedunnic and the other Teggic languages. Sedunnic is taught as a second or third language in several nations around the South Pacific Ocean due to the historic presence of Sedunnic merchants.
Modern standard Sedunnic evolved from prestige dialects spoken along the river Setru, which themselves where a mix of several other Sedunnic dialects. While generally considered a conservative language, favouring existing vocabulary instead of loaning words, the spelling is highly phonologically oriented, meaning the spelling rules are frequently updated to reflect spoken standard Sedunnic. Modern Sedunnic is classified as an agglutinative language, but more recent development has for example introduced prepositions, more conjunctions and some auxiliary verbs, which has reduced the complexity of the inflection system somewhat. Still, there are 18 different noun cases and 19 different verb tenses, aspects, voices and moods. The standard word order is similar to that of Austral, but is generally freer. The total lack of diphthongs in Standard Sedunnic is a notable feature.
Classification
Sedunnic is a Beilltemmic language that belongs to the Teggic branch together with the extinct Leifish language. Much of Leifish is however preserved in the Hazelbrustian creole, with which there is no mutual intelligibility. Compared to other Beilltemmic languages, for the Teggic languages there never was a fusional shift. The definite article suffix -d, the partitive and causative cases, many grammatical moods such as jussive, as well as the exclusive form of the personal pronoun have been preserved from the old Beilltemmic ancestor. Sedunnic and Leifish separated mainly by several consonant and vowels shifts, as well as the partial collapse of the case system in Leifish predating its creolisation.
Geographic distribution
Sedunnic has about 16 million speakers, mainly in Sedunn where it originates from. Sedunnic is the only official in Sedunn, and has status as a regional minority language in Ikoania and in Nesvem Bay in Huawan. There are a few smaller Sedunnic-speaking minorities in several nations around the South Pacific Ocean, who mainly are descendants of Sedunnic merchants. Sedunnic is taught as a second or third language in many of these nations, as well is in nations allied to Sedunn. Sedunnic is also an official working language in the CPSC along with Austral (Austral has a more wide use), and in the World Forum but not as a working language.