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The Roman Alphabet

Basically, the people were exposed to the roman alphabet and quickly adopted it and changed it ever so slightly to fit their needs. They still use some of their old (and favored amongst the higher class) writing system because of its ability to explain things that they don't really have words for.

a ā d e f g h i k # l m n & ō p r s ^ t u ū

Pronounciation key

a = father [IPA symbol = ɑ]
ā = day [IPA symbol = eɪ]
d = dad [IPA symbol = d]
e = bet [IPA symbol = ε]
f = food [IPA symbol = f]
g = gross [IPA symbol = g]
h = hello [IPA symbol = h]
i = machine [IPA symbol = i]
k = kid [IPA symbol = k]
# = see explanation below
l = lunch [IPA symbol = l]
m = mom [IPA symbol = m]
n = nice [IPA symbol = n]
& = sting [IPA symbol = ŋ]
ō = no [IPA symbol = o]
p = push [IPA symbol = p]
r = rush [IPA symbol = r]
s = stuck [IPA symbol = s]
^ = shook [IPA symbol = ʃ]
t = trunk [IPA symbol = t]
u = tuck [IPA symbol = ʌ]
ū = food [IPA symbol = u]

If my IPA symbols are incorrect, please inform me of the correct symbol.

There are no exceptions. There will likely be additional sounds, but they will have a non-roman symbol anyway. [edit] See? There's one now! &!

^ also added

# is difficult to explain. It sounds similar to 'k', only it rolls into 'ō'... like a person imitating thunder or someone going from a 'k' to purring with their mouth open and in the 'ō' position, even if it is usually forced out sweatdrop
Therefore # is always followed by a consonant, since the 'ō' is already present within the symbol

The Pictographs

This is the actual writing system that the culture used before being influenced by other cultures. It was never very popular, basically used for signs and other places necessary for a written language. Books and such weren't even thought of at the time because the writing system just wasn't useful in that manner. It's slowly morphing with the roman alphabet though (due to convenience - it's easier to draw a circle than write 'human' for example. It's like short-hand writing for the entire populace), and I wouldn't doubt that the two soon will be so entwined that they can't be separated and I'll end up with only one writing system. However, I don't like my paint versions, so I'll eventually steal the house computer and get it done on the better program.

Tōmātō Kūf:The highlight of this annual two-day festival is when they make dummies out of straw and clothes (like a scarecrow) and throw tomatoes at them. This is actually a celebration where they mock the other cultures they have come across.

Whenever a foreigner finds their way to the people (or any time the people come across a new culture), they immediately start picking things that would be good to use for the festival. This may be the clothes they wear, the food they eat, the language, ANYTHING. They will then feign interest and get the person to teach them what they have chosen (how to cook the food, make the clothes, etc.). They are courteous the entire time, leaving the person completely unaware of what they plan to do.

When the days begin to near the festival, everyone starts making/preparing the things they've learned. On the first day of the festival, they dress up as the various cultures, repeating words they remember, eating what the culture would eat, etc. That night they all tell stories of different encounters with strangers, be them funny, scary, or what have you.

The second day they return to their regular dress, eat their normal foods, and generally go about their day as usual - with conversations tending to be about how wonderful their culture is. At sundown, they gather the culturally different things they had made and throw it all into a large fire while singing, drinking, and generally being merry. This is also when the tomato throwing occurs. The scarecrows' clothes are the last to be thrown into the fire.

Possession :XP:

e = my
a = hers
ā = his
ū = your
ō = none
u = all

Always added to the beginning of whatever you're talking about. XP

Only time a vowel appears at the beginning of a word. (exception - i is a vowel but not used for this purpose)

ō is also used to change words to their opposite meaning (example: sna = good, ōsna = bad/not good)

Example sentence:

His blue eyed, white haired, deaf cat is five years old.

ā/sni-kō, plit-fapō, nōg-ōtūg mā/ gek ni tan

"His /blue-eye, white-hair, ear-'not'work cat/ age five year"

More about #

I wrote this before, but I guess I failed to press that oh so useful submit button.

# begins all rude words. So if you hear it, watch out.

#^ni (hate)
#ti&kō ('idiot')
etc.

How you pronounce it allows people to know how serious you are. A light # basically means you're flustered. A medium # means you are indeed angry. A harsh # means... well... just hope they aren't holding any sharp stabby objects when they pronounce it harshly. sweatdrop

If I had a microphone or some other way so that you could hear this sound this would be much easier to explain.

But as is I think I've explained it well enough for people to get the idea.

Who, what, where, when, why?

At the beginning of a sentence. However, it comes after dative (so if you were asking 'who ate the apple?' it would be past tense/who/sentence).

Who: ^ō
What: Ni^
Where: Mik
When: Sansi
Why: Nōnt

The comma is used in place of a question mark.

Sisi ^ō tisten ik tak, (who ate the apple?)

Ni^ ūgek, (what is your age?)

Sisi mik emā, (where was my cat?)

Hapik sansi ūtitū, (when will you leave?)

Nōnt tisten ik ō-ik, (why isn't the apple red?)

ōsna!!! stare scream

I want to go to bed. gonk

fatō