---
title: Miwāfu
---

<p>
    This novel has characters who come from the Mifuno Desert where the native
    language is Miwāfu. Names in this language are significantly different from
    English, so here is a short guide on pronunciation and usage.
</p>

<p>
    The biggest difference is that every name is gendered, which is identified
    by the accent on the penultimate syllable. There are three types of accents:
</p>

<ul>
    <li>
        <em>Grave</em> (as in hèru for stallion) is a tiny tick that goes down
        to the right. The grave accent indicates a masculine aspect, either in
        physical gender, size, or power. Names with grave accents either end in
        a lower pitch or the entire word is spoken in a lower tone.
    </li>

    <li>
        <em>Macron</em> (for example, hēru for colt) is a bar over the vowel.
        This is a neuter term, used for many gender-free words or expressions
        within the language. It is also used for mechanical devices, abstract
        concepts, and children—both human and beast. Macrons are spoken as a
        long vowel or drawing out the word just a beat longer than normal.
    </li>

    <li>
        <em>Acute</em> (héru for mare) is a tiny tick that goes to the upper
        right. The acute indicates feminine aspects of the word. It can
        represent control without power or precision. These words end on a high
        note or the entire word is spoken in a higher pitch.
    </li>
</ul>

<p>
    The only instances where accents aren’t used is adjectives or indication of
    ownership. So, if a valley is owned by the clan Shimusògo, it is known as
    Shimusogo Valley.
</p>

<p>
    The names themselves are phonetic. A syllable is always from a consonant
    cluster to the vowel. For examples: Mi.wā.fu (IPA
    <span class="ipa">/mi.waː.ɸɯ̥/</span>), Shi.mu.sò.go (<span class="ipa"
        >/ɕi.mɯ.ꜜso.ɡo/</span
    >), and De.sò.chu (<span class="ipa">/de.ꜜso.tɕɯ̥/</span>). The only
    exception is the letter “n” which is considered part of the syllable before
    it when not followed by a vowel. For example, ga.n.ré.ko (<span class="ipa"
        >/ɡa.ŋꜛɾe.ko/</span
    >) and ka.né.ko (<span class="ipa">/ka.ꜛne.ko/</span>).
</p>

<p>
    Miwāfu has no capital letters, they are added to satisfy English
    conventions.
</p>