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Kalovanian dialects

 The Kalo Islands dialect: This is where the standard form of the language derives from and there are specific slang words and terms only used in the Kalo Islands that aren’t used in other Kalovanian speaking countries:

Lemo (Tongue) can also be used to replace the -vā (language) suffix. So the word Kalovā (Kalovanian language) can also be referred to as Kalolemo.

Emājefī replaces Mepīveāmi/Meveā (House, apartment, residence, indoor space).

The letter "K" in the middle of a word is often replaced with a "G" sound (Ex: Osakumo (Eyelash) becomes Osagumo).

Kusebluketerrapal (Strawberry) becomes Lārrē.

Osatibetulkoto (Glasses) becomes Osadugo.

Keianāmi (Man, boyfriend, male lover, husband) becomes Kužekeppiāmi.

Kulanāmi (Woman, girlfriend, female lover, wife) becomes Kužeanāmi.

Ilanāmi- Spouse, partner (married or non-married romantic partner where gender is not specified or is non-binary) becomes Novivamāmi.

Riže (Rice) becomes Kome.


Kusamūtarelian dialect:

The Kalovanian speakers from Kusamūtarel refer to themselves as Kusamūtarelāmi but still refer to Kalovanian as Kalovā.

The /r/ sound becomes /ʁ/

The /h/ sound becomes /x/ and gets completely removed when it appears in the middle of the word and the previous vowel is extended (Ex: Raha (Money) becomes Rā).

Älä replaces Bu (No, not, negative prefix added to verbs).

Äläkanōketoāmi (Disabled person) replaces Bukanōketoāmi.

The /d͡ʒ/ sound becomes /ʒ/ (ex: Džini (Jeans) becomes Žini)

The /u/ and /ʉ/ sound is replaced by /y/ or /øi/ and /øy/

Ly replaces Lu (Tooth).

Göyni replaces Guni (Brain).

Köizeplöige replaces Kusebluke (Garden).

Myy replaces Mū (First person pronoun singular: I, me, my mine), Syy replaces Sū (Second person pronoun singular: You, your yours), Gyy replaces Gū (Third person pronoun singular), Myyadži replaces Mūači (First person pronoun plural: We, us, our, ours), Syyadži replaces Sūači (second personal plural: you all, yours,), Gyyadži replaces Gūači (Third person plural: He/She/They).

The /t͡ʃ/ becomes /d͡ʒ/ (Ex: Čumigōva (Souvenir) becomes Džumikōva).

When the /t/ sound appears in the middle of a word, it becomes a /d/ sound. (Ex: Koto (Thing) becomes (Kodo).


Terravabekuian dialect: Kalovanians from Terravabeku refer to themselves as Terravabekuāmi whilst still referring to Kalovanian as Kalovā


The /l/ sound becomes a double /r/ sound when it appears in the middle or end of a word.


Parr replaces Pal (Fruit).

Barrena replaces Balena (Whale).

The /y/ sound is written as Ü instead of Y. (Ex: Ydinvoima (Nuclear energy) becomes Üdinvoima).

Vünadö replaces Wūmato (Sugar).

Wūkerru replaces Sal (Salt).

The ō (long o) /o:/ becomes ö /ø/ (Ex: Māwō (Tomorrow) becomes Māwö).

The /g/ sound in the middle of a word gets replaced by a double k /k:/ (Ex: Jage (To hunt) becomes Jakke)

The ng /ŋ/ sound is replaced with an /n/ or /m/ sound (Ex: Anžing (Dog) becomes Anžin and Kuong (Four) becomes Kuom).

The /d͡ʒ/ becomes /t͡ʃ/ (Ex: Džini (Jeans) becomes Čini).

All consonants are palatalized before /i/.


Tūlisunakivi Dialect:

Tūlisunakiviāmi is what Kalovanian speakers from Tūlisunakivi call themselves.

The /m/ is removed when it appears at the end of a word. (Ex: Demam (Fever) becomes Dema).

Mö replaces Mū (First person pronoun singular: I, me, my, mine), Sö replaces Sū (Second person pronoun singular: you, your, yours), Gö replaces Gū (Third person person singular), Mötasi replaces Mūači (First person pronoun plural: We, us, our, ours), Sötasi replaces Sūači (second personal plural: you all, yours), Götasi replaces Gūači (Third person plural: He/She/They).

The ö /ø/ replaces the long ū /u:/ sound. (Ex: Mūtarel (Green) becomes Mötarel).

The /f/ sound is written as V instead of F and the /v/ sound is written as W instead of V. (Ex: Fugo (Fire) becomes Vugo and Vama (Good) becomes Wama). The letter "F" is not used in this dialect.

The /w/ sound becomes a /v/ sound.

The //t͡ʃ/ sound becomes a /s/ sound. (Ex: Čoga- [Temple (On side of head)] becomes Soga]

The /j/ sound becomes a /ʒ/ sound (Ex: Jezero (Lake) becomes Žezero)

Words with double consonants are replaced with a glottal stop and spelled with and apostrophe (Ex: Smokki (Tuxedo) becomes Smo'i, Luvaskakeppi (Toothbrush) becomes Luvaskake'i, Törketrommel (Dryer) becomes Törketro'el, Terra (Earth) becomes Te'a, Katto (Roof) becomes Ka'o).

Dava replaces Sadu(Two).

Rusak replaces Kasur (Mattress).

Ou (Egg) can also mean testicles (Kužekeppikoto) in this dialect,

Kuneike replaces Ki (Tree).


Lumipēnaukian Dialect:

v/ becomes an /f/ sound at the beginning of a word. (Ex: Vama (Good) becomes Fama)

/d/ becomes a /t/ sound in the middle or end of a word. (Ex: Kado (Who) becomes Kato)

Fota replaces Voda (Water)

The /t͡ʃ/ sound becomes a /ʃ/ sound. (Ex: Čoga (Temple [on the side of head] becomes Šoga).

Meki replaces Mū (First person pronoun singular: I, me, my, mine), Šeki replaces Sū (Second person pronoun singular: you, your, yours), Geki replaces Gū (Third person person singular), Mekiaši replaces Mūači (First person pronoun plural: We, us, our, ours), Šekiaši replaces Sūači (second personal plural: you all, yours), Gekiaši replaces Gūači (Third person plural: He/She/They).

/s/ becomes /ʃ/ when it appears at the beginning of a word. (Ex: Saku (Pocket) becomes Šaku).

/h/ becomes /g/ or /k/ when it appears in the middle of a word. (Ex: Mahi (Paralysis) becomes Magi and Manoho (Much, many) becomes Manoko).

The last vowel or consonant of a word can be removed (ex: Manoko becomes Manok and Gril (Grill/Broiler) becomes Gri)


Note: Lubenavian speakers in majority Kalovanian speaking cities like Teribufa (Vakuchupa), Terrānauga (Nēbērunamilubekufa) and Sepukikeppi (Namūkovatasa) will change the spelling of Sx to Š, X to Č, Zx to Ž and Dx to Dž. Vice-versa is true for Kalovanian speakers in Lubenavian majority cities like Fuzudete fanauo (Lunavama), Namūkorūlūna (Kikeppiuvoko), Runekulaitos ruanōitos (Kusebluketerrapal kōen), Mūnoapo obapa (Lebar mūna) and Kukofa poneasūlū (Isovoda utaukoto). In places where both are spoken equally then there are no changes to spelling that isn’t specific to the dialect spoken in the area.


Vasatulok Dialect: Many words can be made into slang words by switching the order in which the words are pronounced and sometimes dropping the final consonant or vowel after being inverted. (Ex; Vama (Good) becomes Amav or Ama).

Moddo replaces Manoho (much/many).

Daro replaces Mepīveāmi/Meveā (House, apartment, residence, indoor space).

Vann replaces Voda (Water).

Veri replaces Tali (Blood)

Aribo replaces Ovi (Door)

Jator replaces Jagekesabemotor (Search Engine)

Bil replaces Guluna (Car)

Kaho replaces Vama (Good)

Muli replaces Iso (Big)

Poro replaces Pieni (Small)

Kumomeri replaces Taivas (Sky)

Hebi (Snake) can also refer to a thief, scammer or any criminal instead of using Bukomoābudoāmi.

Etana (Snail, Slug)can be used instead of Noronoro (To be slow, slowly).

/b/ becomes /p/ when it appears in the middle or end of a word. (Ex: Hefubo (Glove, mitten) becomes Hefupo).

/r/ becomes /l/ when it appears in the middle or end of a word (Ex: Terra (Earth) becomes Tella).

/t/ becomes /d/ when it appears in the middle or end of a word (Ex: Katto (Roof) becomes Kaddo).

/w/ is removed and the proceeding vowel is lengthened. (Ex: Kawa (River) becomes Kā)


Many Vasatulokian loanwords can be found in this dialect of Kalovanian such as “Kaho”, “Poro”,  “Muli” and “Daro”.

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