珠話 (Zyu/Zhū Language)
Meaning 'pearl' and named after the Kingdom of Zyu, this language has been transliterated according to Cantonese Jyutping principles and is the most common language as of I'm not the Saviour! but had become a secondary language as of At the Water's Edge, Eitsu's Nine Lives, and Ginseng and Yew. I have chosen not to provide the tones for Zyu words within the text, as these are indicated through numbers, there are six of them, and they would disrupt the flow of the story.
The tones are:
1 - Can actually indicate two different tones - High and flat, or starting high and falling
2 - Starting middle and rising
3 - Middle and flat
4 - Can actually indicate two different tones – Very low and flat, or starting low and going lower
5 - Starting low and rising
6 - Low and flat
Words from the Zyu tongue do not have accents above the words, and the following pronunciations apply:
* C is pronounced as 'ts'. For example, Ceng Baak-hap is pronounced Tseng Baak-hap. It might help to know that many Chinese names with this sound were originally transliterated as 'ch', such as Cheng, Chan, or Chiu.
* I can pronounced 'ee'. For example, Si Hing is See Hing.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
* J is pronounced as a Y. For example, Jan Wai-Wai is pronounced Yan Wai-Wai.
* OE is pronounced 'err.'
* U is pronounced 'oo'.
* If a Y and a U are together, this makes a 'yoo' sound. For example, Jyun Sou Jyut is pronounced Yoon Sou Yoot.
* Z is pronounced 'dz'. For example, Gou Zing is Gou Dzing.
An example with multiple rules:
* Tim Zoeng-baak pronounced as Teem Dzerrng-baak
----------------------------------------
#想話 (Xiǎng Language)
Meaning 'to think/wish/dream', this language was the most commonly used across the eastern countries of the Jade Road, by the time of At the Water's Edge, Eitsu's Nine Lives and Ginseng and Yew. It has been transliterated according to the rules of Mandarin Pinyin, with tones indicated by the use of accents.
* First tone, denoted by a macron e.g. ā, indicates a high and flat tone
* Second tone, denoted by the acute accent e.g. á indicates a rising tone
* Third tone, denoted by a caron e.g. ǎ , indicates a falling then rising tone
* Fourth tone, denoted by the grave accent, e.g. à indicates a abrupt falling tone
The following pronunciations apply:
* A is generally pronounced 'arrr' rather than 'ah'. For example, Yáng Jìn is Y-arr-ng Jin.
* C is pronounced as 'ts'.
* E is generally pronounced as 'uh'. For example, Miss Fén is pronounced Miss F-uh-n.
* Q is pronounced as CH but with the tip of the tongue touching the teeth.
* R is pronounced with a slight roll of the tongue, almost on the edge of sounding like an L.
* U is pronounced as oo. For example, Yùhǎi is Yoohai.
* Ü is pronounced as yuh-oo (although try to compress the sound as much as possible. It's a tough one!). For example, Nüwa is pronounced Nyuh-oo wa.
* X is pronounced as a lisping S, with the tip of the tongue touching the teeth.
* Z is pronounced as 'dz', as with the Zyu tongue.
* ZH is pronounced as J but with the tongue at the top of the mouth. For example, Zhàng is pronounced similar to Jang.