Comla
Overview
Comla, the Common Language, is the shared tongue spoken as a second language in almost all worlds. Local languages remain as markers of identity yet most communities are bilingual, speaking both their native dialect and Comla for communication across regions and planets.
Historical Depth
The near universal presence of Comla suggests common roots rather than independent development.
Scholars note the anthropological similarity among humans of different worlds and the existence of ancient documents, often preserved in Comla, as traces of a seeded past by an unknown force or earlier civilization.
Cultural Dimension
Comla supports trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange while allowing each nation to preserve its identity in art, religion and custom. Children usually grow up bilingual learning both the local dialect and Comla from an early age.
Narrative Use
Within stories Comla serves as a bridge between cultures and as a tool for those who question the official historical accounts. Its universality fuels discussions about hidden origins and the earliest movements of peoples.
Historical Note
There is no agreement on when Comla first appeared. The oldest surviving texts on many worlds are written in it, a uniformity that few consider accidental.
Phonotactics and Word Formation
- Syllables follow the consonant vowel pattern CV.
- Words may end in a final consonant from the set {x, n, s, ps}.
- Most words end in a vowel, a, e, i, o, u.
- There are no monosyllabic words except for articles.
Song in Comla
Lomarena tivaro kalenesi dure
Seravona mirato valeneri thola
Toraveli sunaro menekasi shure
Faruneti dorame kaliveri mola
Translation
The great light rises bringing the dawn
A voice from the depths awakens the cities of humankind
The stream of memory becomes a rushing river
The hour approaches for humans to stand upright