View source for Belter Creole

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Belter Creole {{C|TV|55}}}}
{{for|the language from the {{ExpanseBooks|book series}}|Belter Creole (Books)}}
[[File:Belter_Creole-simple_title.png|200px|right]]
[[File:RPG_belter_creole.jpg|thumb|310x310px|right]]
'''Belter Creole''', often referred to simply as "Belter", is the cultural language spoken by many [[Belter]]s.<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|693824361002725376|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref><br>
The Belter name for the language itself is '''''Lang Belta'''''.<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|836793343577186304|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>

== History ==

As its English name suggests, Belter Creole is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_language creole language]. During humanity's expansion into the solar system, people from many different parts of [[Earth]] or [[Mars]] often lived and worked together, and they developed a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin pidgin language] to communicate with one another. Over time this developed into a full-fledged creole language, lang Belta, which became the ''lingua franca'', a common tongue, of the Belt and the outer planets.

== Vocabulary ==

{{for|a full list of words and phrases|:Category:Belter words|:Category:Belter phrases}}

As a creole language, ''Lang Belta'' is primarily derived from English, with influences and contributions from languages of many different families, such as Germanic, Chinese, Romance, Indic, Slavic, and Niger-Congo.<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|697283495257731072|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref> Many of its words were derived from words or phrases in one or more of these languages.

=== Example words ===

* ''[[Belta]]'' – a [[Belter]], an inhabitant of the [[Belt]].
* ''[[beltalowda]]'' – Belters as a whole, or "us Belters"
* ''[[inyalowda]]'' - Inners, or people of inner planets
* ''[[tumang]]'' – an [[Earther]]
* ''[[pomang]]'' – a [[Martian]], or "Duster"
*''[[beratna]]'' (or baratna) – brother
* ''[[sésata]]'' - sister
* ''[[seteshang]] [[Erosh]]'' – [[Eros]] station

=== Example phrases ===

<!-- {{main|Belter phrasebook}} -->
* ''Oye'' – "Hello" / "Hey"
* ''Oyedeng'' – "Goodbye"
* ''Taki'' – "Thanks"
* ''Im ta nating'' – "You're welcome." (lit. "It was nothing")
* ''To pochuye ke?'' – "Do you understand me?" (lit. "You hear?")
* ''Sabaka!'' – a general-purpose curse; "Dammit!" or "You bastard!" (lit. "Dog" in Russian)
* ''Kewe to pensa ere X?'' – "What do you think about ''X''?"
* ''Mi pensa'' - "I think"

== Grammar ==

{{main|Belter Creole grammar}}

Like English and many other languages, Belter's basic word order is SVO (subject-verb-object):

:''da Mila lit da buk''
:Miller reads the book.

Adjectives follow the word they modify, as do nouns when showing possession:

* ''setara'' "star" + ''mali'' "small" &rarr; ''setara mali'' "little star"
* ''kopeng'' "friend" + ''mi'' "I, me" &rarr; ''kopeng mi'' "my friend"

== Orthography ==

The Belter language is typically written in the Latin alphabet. Most letters have similar phonetic values as in English, but there are some differences.

Within the setting of {{ExpanseTV}} there is no single standard Belter orthography,<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|844253710419079168|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref> and variant spellings or even custom letters<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|842439096140156928|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref> are sometimes used by Belters. The system described here is the one used by [[Nick Farmer]] when discussing the language in the real world, and the one used on this wiki.

{| class="article-table"
! Glyph(s)
! Phonetic value
! Notes
|-
|'''a'''
|/æ/
|as in "c'''<u>a</u>'''t" in General American English<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|692766228889227265|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>
|-
|'''b'''
|/b/
|as in "'''<u>b</u>'''oy" in General American English<ref>{{Wplink|Voiced bilabial stop|icon=}} on Wikipedia</ref>
|-
|'''ch'''
|/t͡ʃ/
|as in "'''<u>ch</u>'''ew"
|-
|'''d'''
|/d/
|as in "'''<u>d</u>'''ash" in General American English.
|-
|'''dzh'''
|/d͡ʒ/
|as in "'''<u>j</u>'''uice"<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|827203735797403648|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>
|-
|'''e'''
|/e/
|like French '''é''' or "m'''<u>ay</u>'''"in General American English.<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|691696905345052672|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>
|-
|'''f'''
|/f/
|as in "'''<u>f</u>'''ill"
|-
|'''g'''
|/g/
|as in "'''<u>g</u>'''o"
|-
|'''i'''
|/i/
|as in "mach'''i'''ne", not as in "b'''i'''t"
|-
|'''k'''
|/k/
|as in "'''k'''ey"
|-
|'''l'''
|/l/
|as in "'''l'''oop"
|-
|'''m'''
|/m/
|as in "'''m'''other"
|-
|'''n'''
|/n/
|as in "'''n'''o"
|-
|'''ng'''
|/ŋ/
|as in "ki'''ng'''"; how final /n/ is realized
|-
|'''ny'''
|/ɲ/
|as in "ca'''ny'''on"; how medial /n/ is realized<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|705258967572750336|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>
|-
|'''o'''
|/o/
|as in "h'''o'''me"
|-
|'''ow'''
|/ɒ/
|as in "l'''aw'''" or "th'''ough'''t"<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|692023285274378241|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>
|-
|'''p'''
|/p/
|as in "'''p'''eople"
|-
|'''r'''
|/ɾ/
|a tap or flap, like "wa'''<u>t</u>'''er" in General American English
|-
|'''s'''
|/s/
|as in "'''s'''ight"
|-
|'''sh'''
|/ʃ/
|as in "'''sh'''ip"; how final /s/ is realized
|-
|'''t'''
|/t/
|as in "'''t'''ick"
|-
|'''u'''
|/u/
|as in "b'''oo'''t"
|-
|'''v'''
|/v/
|as in "'''v'''ery"
|-
|'''w'''
|/w/
|as in "'''w'''eep"
|-
|'''x'''
|/x/
|like Spanish "'''j'''ota"<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|679852809454358528|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>, or Scottish "lo'''ch'''"
|-
|'''y'''
|/j/
|as in "'''y'''es"
|-
|'''z'''
|/z/
|as in "'''z'''oo"
|}

== Phonology ==

=== Phonotactics ===

==== Consonants ====

Consonant clusters appear to be uncommon, and only occur at syllable boundaries; there are no initial or final clusters. Some have only been seen at morpheme boundaries, and it is possible that these only occur in compounds. So far, only the following have been attested:

{| class="article-table"
!Cluster
!Examples
!Notes
|-
|'''kp'''
|bekpélesh
|only seen at a morpheme boundary
|-
|'''kw'''
|owkwa
|
|-
|'''lt'''
|Belta
|
|-
|'''lw'''
|welwala
|only seen at a morpheme boundary
|-
|'''mb'''
|imbobo, rémbera
|
|-
|'''mp'''
|pampa
|
|-
|'''mw'''
|rowmwala
|only seen at a morpheme boundary
|-
|'''nd'''
|ando, Sundiye
|
|-
|'''nsh'''
|tensha
|
|-
|'''ns'''
|pensa
|
|-
|'''nt'''
|unte, manting
|
|-
|'''ngw'''
|pashangwala
|only seen at a morpheme boundary
|-
|'''sm'''
|bosmang
|only seen at a morpheme boundary
|-
|'''st'''
|teristi
|
|-
|'''tn'''
|beratna
|
|}

==== Epenthesis and elision ====

When forming compounds, epenthetic vowels are sometimes added to break up what would otherwise be forbidden consonant clusters. ''e'' seems to be the most common, but ''a'' is also seen:

* ''im'' + ''lowda'' &rarr; ''im<u>a</u>lowda''
* ''bek'' + ''da'' + ''bush'' &rarr; ''bek<u>e</u>dabúsh''
* ''na'' + ''kang'' + ''pensa'' &rarr; ''nakang<u>e</u>pensa''
* ''tung'' + ''ting'' &rarr; ''túng<u>e</u>ting''

In other cases, consonants at the morpheme boundary are elided instead:

* ''kowl'' + ''mang'' &rarr; ''kowmang''
* ''zakong'' + ''mang'' &rarr; ''zákomang''

==== Syllables ====

The basic syllable structure appears to be CVC, where either consonant may be omitted (subject to constraints on vowel and consonant combinations).

{| class="article-table"
!Type
!Example
!Notes
|-
| '''V'''
|<u>o</u>, <u>a</u>dewu, <u>e</u>reluf, <u>ow</u>lesi
|only initally
|-
| '''VC'''
|<u>ong</u>, <u>un</u>te
|only initally
|-
| '''CV'''
|<u>du</u>, <u>bi</u>kang, xal<u>te</u>
|
|-
| '''CVC'''
|<u>bek</u>, <u>Bel</u>ta, ere<u>luf</u>
|
|}

==== Vowels ====

Belter does not appear to allow diphthongs or vowels in hiatus. So far, there are no attested examples of vowel sounds being directly adjacent without an intervening consonant.

=== Stress ===

By default, the primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable of a word:

* ''<u>show</u>xa'' – /'ʃɒ.xæ/
* ''se<u>te</u>shang'' – /se'te.ʃæŋ/
* ''gufo<u>ve</u>di'' – /gu.fo've.di/

If the stress for a particular word is on a different syllable, this is indicated with an accent mark:<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|692790102389428224|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>

* ''be<u>lówt</u>'' – /be'lɒt/
* ''<u>á</u>molof'' – /'æ.mo.lof/
* ''idzhifo<u>bék</u>'' – /i.d͡ʒi.fo'bek/

When forming compound words, the stress often remains on the head of the compound, which sometimes requires the addition of an accent mark:

* ''[[gut]]'' – /gut/
* ''[[gútegow]]'' – /'gut.te.gɒ/

* ''[[tung]]'' – /tuŋ/
* ''[[túngeting]]'' – /'tuŋ.e.tiŋ/

* ''[[zakong]]'' – /'za.koŋ/
* ''[[zákomang]]'' – /'za.ko.mæŋ/

== Dialects ==

Like any language, lang Belta has regional variations between speakers, depending on where they come from in the solar system and what their linguistic background is. What is spoken on the TV show is primarily the [[Ceres]] dialect of the language.<ref>{{Twitter link|Nfarmerlinguist|835154615674888193|Nick Farmer, The Expanse Linguist}}</ref>

== Gestures ==

<!-- {{main|Belter gestures}} -->

Though not part of the language ''per se'', spoken Belter language is accompanied by several physical idioms, which originally developed due to the need to be able to communicate while wearing space suits. Some examples:

* Lifting the hand: Asking a question
* Lifting a fist: Greeting; nodding, affirmative
* Shrugging is done with one or both hands, palm-up
* Two fingers (index and middle) double touch the opposite side of the chest: thank you
* Nail of index finger touching the thumb's inner side between the 2 digits, forming a circle, while the other 3 fingers are straight: derogatory gesture, similar to giving the middle finger
*Crossing arms overhead: danger

== Numerals ==
{| class="article-table"
|+
!Number
!Belter
|-
|0. Zero
|[[Nada]]
|-
|1. One
|[[Wang]]
|-
|2. Two
|[[Tu]]
|-
|3. Three
|[[Serí]]
|-
|4. Four
|[[Fu]]
|-
|5. Five
|[[Faf]]
|-
|6. Six
|[[Sikesh]]
|-
|7. Seven
|[[Seng]]
|-
|8. Eight
|[[Et]]
|-
|9. Nine
|[[Nang]]
|-
|10. Ten
|[[Teng]]
|-
|20. Twenty 
|[[Tuteng]]
|-
|30. Thirty 
|[[Seriteng]]
|-
|40. Forty
|[[Futeng]]
|-
|50. Fifty 
|[[Fáveteng]]
|-
|60. Sixty
|[[Síkeseteng]]
|-
|70. Seventy
|[[Séngeteng]]
|-
|80. Eighty 
|[[Éteteng]]
|-
|90. Ninety
|[[Nángeteng]]
|-
|100. One hundred
|[[Xanya]]
|-
|1000. One thousand
|[[Towseng]]
|}

== Trivia ==
* Lang Belta was created for {{ExpanseTV}} by [[Nick Farmer]], a linguist, after he met [[Ty Franck]].<ref>{{External link|Ars technica icon|u=https://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/02/nick-farmer-knows-dozens-of-languages-so-he-invented-one-for-the-expanse/|lt=Nick Farmer knows dozens of languages, so he invented one for ''The Expanse''}}</ref>
* After the TV show began airing, [[Daniel Abraham]] recommended that aspiring students of Belter focus on the version portrayed in the show, as opposed to what he and Franck had written about in the [[Belter Creole (Books)|books]].<ref>{{Reddit link||r/TheExpanse/comments/5tlhx2/sasa_ke_belter_creole/ddnlq7e||Reddit: Sasa ke Belter Creole?}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Belter Creole (Books)]]
* [[Belter Creole grammar]]
* [[List of Belter Creole individual articles]]
* [[Belter dialogue]]
* [[Sino-Japanese Linguistic Influence]]

{{References}}
== External links ==
* {{Twitter link|h=LangBelta}}
* {{External link|Homepage icon|u=https://nickfarmerlinguist.com/|ot=Homepage of Nick Farmer, Linguist}}
* {{External link|Syfy icon|u=https://syfy.com/theexpanse/blog/belter-creole-101|lt=Belter Creole 101}}
* {{External link|Ars technica icon|u=https://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/02/nick-farmer-knows-dozens-of-languages-so-he-invented-one-for-the-expanse/|lt=Nick Farmer knows dozens of languages, so he invented one for ''The Expanse''}}
* {{External link|Ars technica icon|u=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/decrypted-the-expanse-the-truth-is-never-what-you-expect-it-to-be/|lt=Decrypted: The Expanse: “The truth is never what you expect it to be” with Nick Farmer}}
{{-}}
[[Category:Belt]]
[[Category:Belter language]]
[[Category:Culture]]