View source for StarCitizen:Xi'an language

[[File:Xiinthle a letters.PNG|thumb|right|The word ''Xi'an'' in Xi'an letters]] 
The '''Xi'an language'''{{SClang|lang=xian|srx=uo'aXy'an|kyexiin=uoa29xyan2}} is the language spoken by the [[StarCitizen:Xi'an]] across the [[StarCitizen:Xi'an Empire]]. It is the first [[StarCitizen:Alien Languages|Alien language]] of the [[StarCitizen:Star Citizen]] Universe released to the public. It will be fully integrated in the game - though the implications on the gameplay side are uncertain for the moment. Developed by conlang artist [[StarCitizen:Britton Watkins]] and the [[StarCitizen:CIG]] writing team for Star Citizen and [[StarCitizen:Squadron 42]], it is intended to be further expanded together with the community via special Xi'an language sites on the RSI website.

==Introduction==
The Xi'an and their culture are initially based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty Han dynasty China] (around 206 BCE – 220 CE), so their language is influenced by various Asian languages - both in writing and pronunciation.<ref>{{SC/Cite RSI|url=/spectrum/community/SC/forum/88013/thread/xi-an-language-discussion-1/563777|text = Britton Watkins on linguistic influences}}</ref> They live for hundreds of years and plan for decades rather than years, and often they come across rather reserved. This restrained and diplomatic demeanor also carries over into their language and speech. Getting the correct tone of politeness can be difficult for non-native speakers.


'''Important features'''

*'Verticality', meaning that writing is usually from top to bottom and right to left (but can theoretically be written in any direction)
*Tonal: 
**Long and short vowel distinction
**Pitch is important - syllables may have a higher, neutral or lower tone - usually indicated by   '''''''   and   '''.'''
**Various dialects, but most important are the so-called ''Proper Xi'an'' (uo'a e thle'a) and ''Service Dialect'' (uo'a se Hyath)
*200 different letters or "glyphs", written in blocks to form words
*Only 9 verbs, but depending on 'politeness' or 'flavour' they are written differently

As stated above, the distinction into various levels of politeness is very important in the Xi'an language and is difficult to see or hear for non-native speakers. Being overly polite can be as bad as it is to be excessively casual. The right balance is important and not always easy.

==Dialects==

Because of the large size of the Xi'an Empire, there are numerous dialects and languages spoken across their empire.<ref name="xianlangpdf">{{SC/Cite RSI|url=media/unzs4pdgg5wtir/source/Xian-Language-Overview-31-10-2947_corrected_x5.pdf|text=An Overview of the Xi'an Language for Diplomats}}</ref>

===Proper Xi'an===
{{SC/Main|Proper Xi'an}}
Proper Xi'an or Proper language{{SClang|lang=xian|srx=uo'a e thle'a|srx-meaning=proper speech|kyexiin=uoa2 e thlea2}} is the standard dialect of the Xi'an language.<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

===Service dialect===
{{SC/Main|Service dialect}}
Service dialect or Military dialect{{SClang|lang=xian|srx=uo'a se Hyath|srx-meaning=military speech|kyexiin=uoa2 se 9hyath}} is a common dialect of the Xi'an language. It is common among those who are in or served in the [[StarCitizen:Xi'an Defense Force]]s. It is a multi-millennia-old remnant of the military-centric unification of their empire by the [[StarCitizen:House Ru'a|Ru'a]] Dynasty in the dawn of the [[StarCitizen:First Imperial Age]].<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

===Provincial dialects===
There are provincial dialects that varies across regions from regions.

==Writing==
===Alphabets===
{{SC/Main|Xi'an alphabet}}
[[File:Xi'an letters blocks.PNG|thumb|The word Xi'an written in kyexiin]] 

The Xi'an alphabet {{SClang|lang=xian|kyexiin=kyexiin|srx=kyexiin|srx-meaning=script / alphabetic letter}} is based on around 200 glyphs that developed out of the Xi'an way to write in very specific blocks. Depending on whether the glyph is written in the whole block, half of the block or only one corner (usually upper right or lower right), three groups of glyphs can be distinguished:

*basic
*block
*corner

This is a very efficient way to get as much phonetic information in one block as possible, but can also lead to more difficult to read glyphs, especially for corner diphthongs. Additionally, there exist various pitch diacritics to mark pitches on specific syllables -  from low or high to falling or rising pitch.

[[File:Xi'an diphthong corner simplification.PNG|thumb|600px|Transition of diphthongs into corner glyphs]]

There exist many different styles of writing Xi'an, but the most important ones are xiinthle'a and Standard Romanized Xi'an ('''SRX'''), which was developed to transscribe Xi'an into easier readable Roman letters.<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

{{Editorial Note|For a full list of the alphabet in the Xi'an script, see pdf on the {{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88012/thread/xi-an-alphabet|text=RSI site}}}} 

====Proper writing====
{{SC/Main|Proper writing}}

Proper writing {{SClang|lang=xian|kyexiin=xiinthlea2|srx=xiinthle'a|srx-meaning=proper writing}} is a Xi'an language typeset of [[StarCitizen:Xi'an alphabet]]. It is considered quite proper by the [[StarCitizen:Xi'an]] and it is common in [[StarCitizen:Xi'an Empire]]. It is almost always written vertically from the upper right flowing to the lower left. It does occur horizontally in special circumstances.<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

===Standard Romanized Xi'an===
{{SC/Main|Standard Romanized Xi'an}}
A standardized system of writing Xi'an in Roman letters was developed in the so-called SRX. It introduces '''.''' and ''''''' as equivalents to the pitch markers in kyexiin and rules for translating Xi'an writings.
Long vowels are marked by macrons (ā, ē, ō, ū) and a double i (ii) are another disctinct feature of  Xi'an as is the pronounciation of the diphthongs created with u (ua, ue, ui, uo). These are spoken like a ''W'' as ''wah, weh, woh, wuh'' and ''wee''.<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

{{Editorial Note|For an introduction to [[StarCitizen:Standard Romanized Xi'an]] (SRX), the translation of Xi'an into the Human writing system, see the {{Link RSI|url=comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16214-A-Quick-Guide-To-SRX|text=Quick Guide}} on the RSI site}}

==Sounds==
Anatomically the Xi'an are still similar enough to humans that they have no difficult or even impossible sounds in their language. The most important thing to be aware here is the pitch, meaning the tone of certain syllables in words. For example a falling pitch in the word ''lo'a'' gives us the word ''nine (9)'', while a neutral tone ''loa'' leads to the word for ''eat'' or ''drink''.

'''Example - pitch in numbers 0 to 10''':

[[File:Xi'an numbers and pitch.webm|400px]]


==Verbs & sentences==
[[File:Xian verb forms.PNG|500px|right|Table with all Xi'an verb forms]]

There exist only 6 verbs in Xi'an. These do not conjugate (meaning their ending does not change form), but they have different forms depending on politeness levels.

Usual word order in sentences is VSO - verb subject object.<ref name="xianlangpdf" />

==Influences==
´{{Quote|It's not based specifically on a any single human language. There are many ideas (...) especially the phonology that comes from asia, that are inspired directly or indirectly by a kind of mashup of what happens with the pitch and tone in Japanese and Thai and Chinese. There are some grammatical structures...I mean even the way some verbs works where there's a verb and then you put a content word after it in order to make it mean a broader meaning. There are several human languages that do that.| Britton Watkins - Happy Hour Interview: The Xi'an Language and YOU}}

==Useful links==
'''Resources'''
*{{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88012/thread/xi-an-language-learning-resources|text=Useful learning resources}}
*{{Link RSI|url=comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16214-A-Quick-Guide-To-SRX|text=Quick Guide}}
*{{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88012/thread/xi-an-alphabet|text=Xi'an Alphabet}}
*{{Link RSI|url=comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16202-Xian-Dictionary|text=Dictionary}}
*{{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88008/thread/gameplay-terms-added-to-dictionary|text=Gameplay terms}}
*{{Link RSI|url=comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16272-Adapting-Human-Names-To-Xi-an-Language|text=Human names in Xi'an}}
*{{Link RSI|url=comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16282-Results-Of-The-Animal-Naming-Contest|text=Naming Xi'an animals}}

'''Video lessons'''
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSOETxLuUHo uo'aXy'an Lesson One: Introduction and Greetings]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tznbxuUbEwI uo'aXy'an Lesson Two: Pronunciation and Writing]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0KmHVzSIxo uo'aXy'an Lesson Three: Useful Phrases and Aural Distinction]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFxbvc6sqJg uo'aXy'an Lesson Four: Verbs and Word Order]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg6KB2nbM3E uo'aXy'an Lesson Five: Politeness, Verbs, and Pronouns]

'''Spectrum threads'''
*{{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88013|text=Xi'an Language Forum}}
*{{Link RSI|url=spectrum/community/SC/forum/88013/thread/xi-an-language-discussion-1|text=Discussion thread}}

'''Additional links'''
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efq71DNVKzg Happy Hour Interview (video): The Xi'an Language and YOU]
*[https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/16246-Naming-Animals-From-The-Xian-Empire Community Contest (closed): Naming Animals from the Xi'an Empire]

'''Community tools'''
* [http://xian-dictionary.ueexi.com/ Xi'an Dictionary App from UEEXI]
* [https://xian-sentence-check.ueexi.com/ Xi'an SRX Sentence Check from UEEXI]

==See also==

*[[StarCitizen:Xi'an]]
*[[StarCitizen:Alien Languages]]

==References==
<references/>

{{SC/Short description|Language spoken by the Xi'an in Xi'an Empire}}
[[Category:Languages]]