Naikuno Glossary

"Naikuno Pronunciation Guide" 

"Kirya and Nero" 
Two children from different planets fight to preserve their friendship. (novel; WIP)
"What's "Help!" in Naikuno?" 
A human takes an assistant teaching job to help alien students learn about human culture. (novel; WIP)
"Ai'firu'li ("Unseen")" 
A poem translated into Naikuno.

Naikuno Glossary

Parts of Speech:
adj.- adjective; adv.- adverb; int.- interjection; n.- noun; pref.- prefix; prep.- preposition; pron.- pronoun; suf.- suffix; vi.- non-object verb; vt.- object verb

Particles:
   Particles are words that modify the word preceding them. A particle can change a word into the subject of the sentence, or into an object affected by the sentence's verb. Some particles also serve to change the tone or emphasis of an entire sentence.
   With few exceptions, a particle must be preceded by another word, and may not stand alone.

a- Location Modifier: Indicates the specific location or destination of an action. (Note: not to be confused with modifier ro, which indicates a general direction.)

ai- Descriptive Modifier: Causes the preceding word to affect the following word.
e.g. vé ai oïksu = I/me/my + ai + book = my book; yuma ai anzir = human + ai + name = a human name
         While ai always requires an affecting word, it doesn't need an object if the context makes it clear.
e.g. "Jui ai oïksu oru zi?" Whose book is this?
         "Kirya ai." It's Kirya's (book).

aiki- Explanatory Modifier: Indicates the preceding phrase as the cause or reason of an action.
e.g. "Kinyilo païnifa ti riaïga aiki, vé jin uïzir a erzinyajai." Because there is no class today, I will stay home.
e.g. "Juli lihu jin yinksikki zi?" Why were you absent?
         "Vaiari unirikki aiki." Because I was sick.

aru- Confirmation Modifier: Indicates a request for confirmation or agreement; "Isn't that right?" (May either appear at the end of a sentence, or else by itself as a single phrase.)

gi- Enumerative Modifier: Used to list two or more nouns.
e.g. sifu gi epir gi kírn = Fish, rice, and tea

i- Object Modifier: Indicates the direct object of a sentence.
e.g. epir i kiaru = rice + i + to eat = to eat rice

jin- Subject Modifier: Indicates the subject or topic of the sentence. (jin is occasionally omitted in sentences that only contain a single subject-and-verb phrase. For example, when saying you will go, it is more common to use "Vé ziréjai" than it is to use "Vé jin ziréjai." The meaning is the same.)

kir- Method Modifier: Indicates the method, duration, or location by which an action is performed.
e.g. géna kir genirai kiu = train + kir + to travel = travel by train

liyo- Emphasis Modifier: Used to place further emphasis on the entire sentence; "I'll have you know..." (May only appear at the end of a sentence.)

ro- Direction Modifier: Indicates the general direction or area of an action. (Note: not to be confused with modifier a, which indicates a focused location.)

zi- Interrogative Modifier: Changes a statement into a question. (May only appear at the end of a sentence.)


Names:
Aëjik - North Wood
Atujak - Night Wind
Avawin - The Shadow Sword
Ayina1 - Of the Sword
Eraknivan - Erakniv's Land
Jugir-Eviré - The Rushing River
Kirya - Divinity
Mirohya - Cat-like
Nikyín - Studious
Onikija - From the Intrepid Clan
Ziréga - From the Traveler's Town


aäo int. (sound of hesitation)
ai pref. not; un-; anti-; (used to indicate a lack of something)
aikiroga int. (used in response to "kiroga"); It was nothing
aitu n. night
aiguat n. nothing
aja adv. now
Amé'eksu n. English language (specifically American-English)2
anzir n. name
aü int. no; yes; (used to refute a statement, whether positive or negative)
aü liyo int. Of course not
avara n. shadow; darkness
Avawin n. Eraknian elite military3
aya int. (exclaimation to get attention); Hey!
EaS pref. "Eraknivan ai sinésainari"; prefix designating an interstellar spacecraft
efiksilo adj. dangerous; unsafe
eksu n. language / suf. language of
epir n. Eraknian rice
Eraknivan n. Eraknian home-country
Erakni'vna n. Eraknian person
eryinksu'li n. meditation; relaxation
erzinyau vi. stay; remain; (erzinyajai: future form)
eviré n. river
eya int. In that case...; then; well
fikuré n. sister; (also a term of endearment between close friends)
firjai int. casual farewell; See you later
firu vt. see; perceive; (firjai: future form)
fiya adv. so; like that; in that way
fuiziro n. moment; instant
fyijo adj. slow-moving
géna n. train; rail transportation
genirai kiu vi. travel; commute
gineksu vi. speak; talk
gio adv. excessively
giraiu vt. say; tell
giraiu'li n. speech; oration
girnuré n. teacher; instructor
guat n. object; thing
guehi prep. through; via
giyatu n. evening; twilight
giyatu jin int. Good evening; (only used during or after sundown)
haïregi n. university
hakréu vi./vt. understand; comprehend
Hedoren n. Minister of Diplomacy
hiyuman n. human
in suf. (used to undicate plural nouns)
ipura n. evil; wickedness
irik'ato n. nuisance
iriku vt. annoy; irritate; (irikaigisé: imperative-negative form)
irrei adj. opposite; reversed
jak n. wind; breeze
jakiza n. wisdom
Jaksei n. Wind Form; (one of five Eraknian spiritual practices)
jieyik n. world
jihaiku vt. request
jihaiku'li n. request / adv. please
jiiku n. forest
Jiisei n. Wood Form; (one of five Eraknian spiritual practices)
jou adj. unbelievable; implausible / int. (expression of surprise); Wow!
jingiré n. water; (often abbreviated to "jin")
Jinsei n. Water Form; (one of five Eraknian spiritual practices)
jirai adv. agreeably; satisfactorily
jirai kerin int. Good night; (lit. Dream well.)
jirai sinié kiu int. Glad to meet you; (lit. You do a good favor.)
jirai zirriku int. Glad to meet you; (lit. Properly met.)
jiu vi. wish; desire
jugir adj. white-colored
jui n. who; whom
juli n. why; for what reason
jûn n. what; which
kayikua n. dolphin
kerin n. dream
keriniu vi. dream
kesigu vi. drift; float
kiaru vi./vt. eat; (kiarise: imperative form)
kiëg n. ground; earth
Kiësei n. Earth/Stone Form; (one of five Eraknian spiritual practices)
kiimi adv. please; (less formal than "jihaiku'li")
kiizi int. Thank you; (less formal than "kiroga")
kinapa n. dance
kinapa kiu vi. dance
kinyilo adv. today
kinyo n. today
Kirhédo n. governing body of Eraknivan
kírn n. Eraknian tea
kiroga n. moral debt / int. Thank you.
kiru vi. die; (kirjaiga: future negative form)
kiu vt. do; perform; (kise: imperative form)
ksié n. this; it (used for something closer to the speaker than the listener)
ksié irrei int. (used to reciprocate); (lit. It is reversed.)
lihu pron. you; (only used for a single listener; otherwise "lihu'in")
liru int. yes; no; (used to confirm a statement, whether positive or negative)
naiari adj. alone; solitary
Naikuno n. Eraknian language
neïru'li n. arrival; advent
noëguré n. mediator / Eraknian law-enforcement officer
noyiru vi. be able; be capable
ohiro adj. blue-colored
oïksu n. book (esp. Eraknian-style binding)
olir int. generic casual farewell
on n. man; adult male
onzaii n. a woody, evergreen plant similar to bamboo
oraki prep. outside; beyond
orineka n. seagull
oru copula be [am/is/are]
païnifa n. school; class
pihaku n. cloud (weather-related)
ragiru vi. enter
rakato'ari n. patience
Rhenivan n. the largest continent on Ringu
Ringu n. Eraknian home-world
rio n. eye
riré adv. always; forever
riu vi. be; exist; (used for non-living organisms and abstract concepts); (riaiga: negative form)
sei n. form; variety / suf. -style; -like
senau vi. lie; deceive
ser'aiyilo adv. last night; yesterday evening
seziru'li n. promise, vow
siaikir adj. polite; courteous
siar adj. fine; in good health
siétiru vt. forgive; (siétirisé: imperative form)
sifu n. fish
siiyo n. fool; idiot
siiyofu adj. silly; foolish
siko n. a fox-like animal native to Eraknivan
sinékira int. pardon me; I'm sorry
sinéko n. pathway
sinésainari n. spaceship, specifically one with an equipped Tunnel projector4
singuré n. father (si-si: diminutive form)
sinié n. favor; kindness
sinolu vt. pass (by)
sinzail n. family
sirha n. person; (sirha'in: people)
tiku adj. good; beneficial
tirigau'li kiu vt. welcome
uizir n. house; home
uniru vt. have; possess; (unirikki: past form)
urilo int. generic casual greeting
vaiari n. illness
vakari prep. within; inside
vé n. me; I; (vé'in: we; us)
viu vi. be; exist; (only used for living organisms)
wé int. (exclamation to get attention; very casual); Hey!
wihzna n. the Eraknian species
wio n. job; occupation
yiko n. child; (also a term of endearment, directed at younger individuals)
yin n. Eraknian sword
yinksu vi. stay away; be absent: (yinksikki: past form)
yirai adj. beautiful
yirhya n. lesson
yirnis n. leaf (of a tree)
yuma n. human (abbrev.)
zaijou vi. know; have knowledge
zaijou'li n. knowledge; information
zer pref. casual male title5
zera pref. respectful female title
zia pref. many; to a large degree
ziato n. morning; pre-noon
ziato jin int. Good morning; (only used before mid-day)
zinfu n. mash; paste
zinkuyer n. a broad-leafed, deciduous tree known for its red five-pointed leaves
zir pref. respectful male title
ziréu vi. go; leave
ziriku vi. meet
ziya n. moon
ziyapaku n. self-saboteur6
zora pref. casual female title

English terms:
Eraknian adj. originating from the planet Ringu / n. a person from Ringu7
Rake n. slang term for "Eraknian" (originally pejorative, eventually loses negative connotations)
witz n. neutral slang for "Eraknian" (considered impolite and overly-casual)

Footnotes
1  Ayina's nickname, "Aya", is a pun. The word aya is used to catch someone's attention, like "Hey!" in English. Ayina herself enjoys being the center of attention, making "Aya" more than a mere abbreviation of her name.
2  The most widespread dialect of English at the time of contact with Eraknians is General American "Newscaster" English. Hence, the Eraknian word for the English language -- Amé'eksu -- translates literally as "America-speak."
3  The Avawin are an executive branch of the Eraknian military. Originally serving as the Emperor's chosen guard, Avawin were well-versed in the ways of strategy, espionage, hand-combat, and assassination. Though they no longer operate behind a veil of secrecy and darkness, their reputation lives on in their moniker, derived from the term avara-yin, or "shadow sword".
4  A Kihaari device (aka "Tunnel projector") is a device that opens and maintains hyperspace wormholes. The size of the projector limits its deployment to larger cruisers.
5  Titles: There are two main kinds of titles in Eraknivan. The first refers to an individual's rank or occupation, and is called a wio'na title. For example, a teacher with the name Tom Smith may be referred to as Smith-girnuré ("teacher Smith").
   The second variety, anzir'na titles, are further broken down into respectful and casual forms. The casual titles (zer, zora) may only be used with a person's given name. Respectful titles (zir, zera) are used either with the full name, or else just the surname. So again, Tom Smith may be known as zir-Tom Smith, zir-Smith, or zer-Tom. Between close acquaintances, the titles are sometimes dropped entirely.
   Sometimes, both the wio'na and the anzir'na may be used together, with the occupation title replacing the person's name (e.g. zir-girnuré). It is considered more polite to use a person's name when addressing them.
6  The word"ziyapaku" directly translates as "moon-cloud", and refers to a person who continuously sabotages themselves in any aspect of life. In the spiritual Five-Form system, the Water Form draws its energy from the moon, and clouds are considered one of the many natural aspects of the Water Form. Therefore, a cloud that obscures the moon is metaphorically hindering its power source, and ultimately crippling itself. A "moon-cloud" person is somehow weakening himself, consciously or subconsciously.
7  The English term "Eraknian" is used in place of two similar Naikuno terms:
  - "Erakni'vna" n. a person from the planet Ringu, esp. from the country/territory of Eraknivan
  - "Erakni'na" adj. describing a person, place, or object within Eraknivan