Hverland Indigenous Languages

Hverlandic Indigenous Languages
Native to	Hverland
Ethnicity	Hverfolk
Native speakers	About 3,000
Language family	Uralic Finno-Permic Hverlandic Indigenous Languages
Early form	Proto-Samic language
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–

Hverlandic Indigenous Languages (HILs) are a group of languages spoken by the Hverfolk people in Hverland. These languages, while sharing some common features, exhibit significant regional variation, reflecting the geographical distribution and historical interactions of different Hverfolk communities.

Characteristics

The Hverlandic Indigenous Languages are agglutinative in nature, a feature common to many Uralic languages, whereby words are formed by the combination of morphemes that maintain their original structure and meaning. These languages also exhibit complex systems of consonant gradation, a phonological characteristic in which consonants change according to grammatical context.

In addition, the HILs incorporate a rich array of nonverbal communication elements, including specific hand gestures and facial expressions, into their linguistic systems. This multimodal communication is particularly prominent in storytelling, a key aspect of Hverfolk cultural tradition.

Classification

The Hverfolk communities, scattered across the diverse landscapes of Hverland, developed distinct variations of the Hverlandic Indigenous Languages. These variations differ in terms of phonology, vocabulary, and grammatical structures, and can be mutually unintelligible. HILs are divided into northern or eastern origins.

Northern

Gealdor

The northern region of Hverland is home to Gealdor, a vibrant Indigenous language that has sustained its presence over centuries.

The name "Gealdor" is a reflection of the language's heritage; it signifies 'charm' or 'spell', symbolizing the magic and mystique associated with the northern lands of Hverland. The term for Hverland in Gealdor is "Geađgeguolleland," which translates to 'Hot Spring Land', emphasizing the deep-seated connection between the Hverfolk people and their geothermal homeland.

In contrast to some other Hverlandic Indigenous Languages, Gealdor remains relatively vibrant and is currently the most widely spoken HIL, with about 1,300 active speakers as of 2022. While most speakers are older, there has been a resurgence of interest among younger generations, driven by cultural preservation initiatives and increased recognition of the value of linguistic diversity.

Efforts to sustain and promote Gealdor include the incorporation of the language in local schools, the creation of digital language resources, and the hosting of cultural festivals that celebrate and encourage the use of Gealdor.

Tundralandic

This Hverlandic Indigenous Language was spoken primarily in the northernmost districts of Hverland, known for its harsh and tundra-like conditions. Tundralandic, with its rich phonetic variation and unique syntactical structures, ceased to have living speakers in the mid-20th century.

Heiturbrunnarlandi (Vanakeldu) Varmkildejord (Brenna)

Eastern

Ægisjallr

The language of the Eastern Hverfolk communities, Ægisjallr, shares many similarities with Faroese. As of 2022, there are believed to be between 100 and 300 speakers.

Skogmál

Literally translating to 'Forest Language,' Skogmál was spoken by the Hverfolk residing in the densely forested areas of the country. With a unique lexicon rich in terms related to forestry and nature, Skogmál lost its last speaker in the early 21st century.

Bergþáttr

Named after the mountainous ('berg') regions of Hverland, Bergþáttr was a language known for its complex grammatical rules and tonal features. The last recorded speaker of Bergþáttr passed away in the late 1990s.

Fljótamál

Originating from the river ('fljót') valleys of Hverland, Fljótamál was known for its melodic rhythm and fluid sentence structure, mirroring the flowing rivers of its origin. The last known speaker of Fljótamál died in the early 1980s.

Vocabulary

Language	Speakers	Hverland translation	Sentence translation
Gealdor	1,300	Gáktiguojalearra	Lei dat čadni, rássi beassážat beaivvi june loppus
Danish	5,600,000	Denmark, Template:FRO, Template:EU, Nordic Council
Norwegian	5,000,000	Template:NOR, Nordic Council
Icelandic	358,000	Template:ISL
Faroese	90,000	Template:FRO
Gutnish	5,000
Elfdalian	3,500
Total	20,251,500

Post-Occupation and Modern Day Status

The Nazi occupation and the subsequent policies of the Department of Racial Policy had a catastrophic impact on the Hverlandic Indigenous Languages. These languages, already under pressure from the spread of the Hverlandic national language and the Christianization process, were further suppressed during this period. Many Hverfolk were forbidden from speaking their native languages and forced to use the national language, leading to a rapid decline in the use of HILs.

In the present day, the Hverlandic Indigenous Languages are considered severely endangered. Few fluent speakers remain, and most of these are elderly. However, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in these languages, both within the Hverfolk communities and in wider Hverlandic society. Efforts are underway to document, preserve, and revitalize these languages, including the development of language courses, the creation of written materials, and the recording of oral histories and narratives from remaining fluent speakers. While the future of the Hverlandic Indigenous Languages remains uncertain, these efforts represent a hopeful step towards the preservation of this important aspect of Hverfolk cultural heritage.