Paxhtai
Overview
Last edit: 22nd Dec 2025
Paxhtai is a constructed artlang, designed to be the mother tongue of the peoples of Paxhta, an arid, very mountainous landscape with extreme temperature variation and vivid history. It reflects the culture and environment of these peoples, the nomads of the steppe and the peoples of the sax (rock-cut cities carved inside the mountains). Paxhtai is rich with references to the land's mountain-centered and animistic spirituality, its artistry and its nomadic heritage.
Key Points
- Agglutinative
- SOV structure
- CVC(C) syllable structure
- initial stress for words under 2 syllables, penultimate stress over
- Abugida writing system similar to Phags-pa
- Written left to right, top to bottom
Examples
IPA
Azhura: kaɸtɛn sɛs
Bophtan: kaɸtɛn
Azhura: duriːsam mariː sɛh?
Bophtan: duriːxɛm boɸtan sɛs. duriːsam sɛh?
Azhura: aʒura sɛs. Xhɛ iːtaɸ dɛiːtɛt.
Bophtan: Xɛ iːtaɸ gal dɛiːtet. ɑːʒtaɪ ton sɛh?
Azhura: iːde, ɑːʒtaɪ xiːton
Translation
Azhura: Good morning
Bophtan: Morning
Azhura: What is your name?
Bophtan: My name is Bophtan. Your name?
Azhura: Azhura. Nice to meet you (lit. May Xhe love you)
Bophtan: Nice to meet you (too). Do you speak Raanseng?
Azhura: No, I don't
Phrasebook
| English | Paxhtai | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | na | /na/ |
| No | yde | /iːdɛ/ |
| Maybe | mehty | /mɛhtiː/ |
| Good morning | kaphten (ses) | /kaɸtɛn (sɛs)/ |
| Good afternoon | xytanpahda (ses) | /xiːtanpahda (sɛs)/ |
| Good evening | ysayanpahda (ses) | /iːsajanpahda (sɛs)/ |
| Good night | ??? | /???/ |
| What is your name? | durysam mary seh? | /duriːsam mariː sɛh?/ |
| My name is [...] | duryxem [...] ses | /duriːxɛm [...] sɛs/ |
| Nice to meet you (too) | Xhe ytaph (gal) deytet | /xɛ iːtaɸ gal dɛiːtɛt/ |
| Do you speak [Paxhtai]? | [paxhtai] ton seh? | /paxtaɪ ton sɛh?/ |
| Yes, I speak [Paxhtai] | na, paxhtai ton | /na, paxtaɪ ton/ |
| No, I don't speak [Paxhtai] | yde, paxhtai xyton | /iːdɛ, paxtaɪ xiːton/ |
Consonants
| Labial | Dental /Alveolar | Post alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | p b | t d | k g | ||||
| Nasal | m | n | |||||
| Sibilant affricate | ts dz | ||||||
| Trill | r | ||||||
| Tap or Flap | |||||||
| Fricative | ɸ | s z | ʃ ʒ | x | h | ||
| Lateral fricative | |||||||
| Approximant | j | ||||||
| Lateral approximant | l |
Vowels
| Front | Near-Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | iː | u | ||
| Near-close | ɪ | |||
| Close-mid | o | |||
| Mid | ə | |||
| Open-mid | ɛ | |||
| Near-open | ||||
| Open | a | ɑː | ||
