#clanmew dialect

[bonefall]

i live in louisiana and ive been rolling around an idea for bayou and adjacent ecosystem based fanclans. might be fun to make some clanmew bayou vocab (clanbaymew if you will). ill keep u updated 👍

Absolutely keep me updated, if you make your own dialect based on a Bayou, let me know so I can add you to the dialect collection on the masterpost

But in the meanwhile, let me give you two words I know YOU in particular are going to need, so you don't have to wait forever for the water-bug expansion pack;

Skebak = Prawn

Esskew = Shrimp

This is based on Signal Crayfish and Amphipods! "Shrimp" could be translated as any of the various amphipod species in this area-- sand hoppers, river shrimp, scuds, so on. Clan cats only have the one word for all of them.

I'm unfamiliar with the exact ecology of the region, but I think there's a few different species of crustacean in those waters! So feel free to change up these words to your liking, and add more for the various types your Clans encounter.

[pickerelstripe]

[CM] Genders & Pronouns

Pronouns in Claymew are based off of relation! They’re fully separated from gender. In fact, this system means that a cat’s pronouns change between contexts - you wouldn’t ask a ClayClan cat for their pronouns because it’s determined by your relation to them!

Below the cut: Pronoun explanations and gender

Pronouns are listed in the format of you, them

Prr, prrs For close family (parents, siblings, mates, and children).

Mya, myas For indirect family (grandparents, in-laws, cousins, niblings, etc).

Rrup, rrups For close Clanmates; friends so close that it’s like they’re your kin. Mentors and apprentices are supposed to have this sort of relationship. This is also the pronoun used for ClayClan’s two camps.

Mao, maos Generic pronoun for all Clanmates! Friends, rivals, acquaintances, anybody. Using this pronoun shows your allegiance to that cat as a fellow member of ClayClan. This is also the default pronoun for generalizations and hypotheticals.

Shaf, shafs For gods, folk heroes, and legendary figures - using this to refer to a living cat is small blasphemy. This is also used for religious sculptures.

Mwao, mwaos For trusted non-Clan cats - someone who lives beyond the Clan but who you know or trust. Most often used for donors and cats who left ClayClan to live elsewhere.

Mwrr*, mwrrs* For unknown cats living beyond the Clan. The pronoun for complete and total strangers - using this on a Clanmate is incredibly rude, akin to trying to exile them.

Yin, yins For inanimate objects, plants, and animals. Closer pronouns may be given to items that the speaker feels strongly about (for example, Lake and Upland camp being referred to with rrup/rrups).

A note on gender: ClayClan recognizes three genders - molly, tom, and jack. Gender is little more than a marker of identity, as gender roles aren’t a feature of ClayClan culture.

[pickerelstripe]

Claymew Masterpost

Link to Official Lexicon

Maomeer, welcome to Claymew! Claymew is a dialect of Clanmew (created by @bonefall) that’s spoken by ClayClan. Much of my focus goes into creating new words, but it also features a pronoun system unique from base Clanmew and may diverge further in the future. I’m fine with people borrowing words from Claymew, but I’d appreciate being notified first!

Claymew is made with ClayClan’s world-building in mind. They value community and worship a pantheon of gods. They also have a rich arts culture; they sculpt clay, tell stories, and act in plays! 

Below the cut: Individual posts discussing Claymew

Grammar

Pronouns and gender

Pronoun expansion - inclusive and exclusive we

Does Claymew grammar differ from base Clanmew? Will you expand on grammar, or just the lexicon? Are family structures different?

Sign language (not technically Claymew, but language!)

Waffling about plurality and number systems

Expansions

Clan words

Words for the arts

Religion & mythology

Trees

Bird classification

Mini mushroom pack

Mammals - “the big scaries”

Mammals - non-prey

Mammals - prey

Birds - yassga

Birds - fafya

Birds - eyawoon

Birds - biyaw 1

Birds - biyaw 2

Reptiles

Amphibians

Fish

Bugs 1

Flowering plants 1

Other

More on “mw”

Latest update: 08/02/23