/æ/: a low front vowel, the vowel sound of bat.
//: a mid central vowel, the vowel sound of but.
/a/: a low back vowel, the vowel sound of the first syllable of father.
/o/: a mid back lax vowel, the vowel sound of caught, /ow/ represents a tenser vowel, with a backward and upward glide, the vowel sound of coat.
/u/: a high back lax vowel, the vowel sound of soot, /uw/ represents a tenser vowel, with a backward and upward glide, the vowel sound of suit.
All consonant symbols have their usual alphabetic values except the following:
//: a voiceless interdental; the first sound of thigh.
/ð/: a voiced interdental; the first sound of thy.
/š/: a voiceless alveolopalatal; the first sound of shirt.
/ž/: a voiced alveolopalatal; the first consonant sound of azure.
/č/: a voiceless palatal; the first and last sounds of church.
//: a voiced palatal; the first and last sounds of judge.
/ŋ/: a velar nasal; the final sound of sing.
In addition the following symbols should be noted: /h/ after any vowel indicates a longer version of that vowel; "Vd" represents any voiced sound; "#" indicates a word boundary; "_" indicates the position of the sound in question in a word. Thus, for example, the formula "/f/ → /p/ (not #_)" is to be reads as: /f/ becomes /p/ if it is not at the beginning of the word, or "/p/ o /b/ (Vd_Vd)" reads as: /p/ becomes /b/ then it is between voiced sounds.
I. Old Galach (7000 B.G. to 4000 B.G.)
A. Sound changes, in order
1. // → /f/, /ð/ → /v/
2. Final vowels are lost, with compensatory lengthening in single closed syllables
3. /a/ → /ah/
4. The Second Vowel Cycle: changes in long vowels and diphthongs
B. Morphological Changes
1. In gerunds and participles,
/Ciŋ, Viŋ, Niŋ, {rl} iŋ/ → /Cin, Vin, Nin, {rl} ŋ
2. Possessives "of C," "of V" become /V/
3. Third person present tense endings of singular verbs are lost
II. Early Middle Galach (4000 B.G. to 1000 B.G.)
A. Sound Changes
/č/ → /š/ , // → /ž/
B. Morphological Changes
1. Indefinite articles are lost
2. Pleonastic pronouns assimilate to nouns, forming a more complex case system:
III. Middle Galach (1000 B.G. to 3000)
A. Sound Changes
These ordered sets of consonant changes were each separated by about a century:
* above represents an intrusive vowel, partially assimilated to the vowel of the preceding syllable; if that vowel is front, the intrusive vowel is /i/; if that vowel is back, the intrusive vowel is /u/; if that vowel is /a/, the intrusive vowel is /a/; All instances of /a/ partially assimilate to the vowels of the preceding syllable in the same manner; where there is no preceding syllable, /a/ lowers to /a/.
IV. Late Middle Galach (3000 B.G. to 7000 B.G,)
Morphological Changes
1. Prepositions adhere to following nouns to form a more extensive case system:
CLASS 1: BWIHAI, PRAISTAI, EEKTIRAI
Nominative bwihai praistai eektirai
Genitive ibwihiz apraistiz weektiriz
Accusative ibwihim apraistim weektirim
Dative tibwihim tapraistim teektirim
Agentive bibwihim bapraistim beektirim
Benefactive fibwihim fapraistim feekdrim
Pergressive tribwihim trapraistim treektirim
Accompanitive gwibwihim gwapraistim gweektirim
Abcessive fribwihim frapraistim freektirim
Locative nibwibim napraistim neektirim
CLASS 2: KNEEZHISHAI, GIRLAI, EENAI
Nominative kneezhishai girlai eenai
Genitive ekneezhiher igirler weener
Accusative ekneezhiher igirler weener
Dative tekneezhiher tigifler teener
Agentive bekaeezhiher bigirler beener
Benefactive fekneezhiher frigirier feener
Pergressive trekoeezhiher trigirler treener
Accompanitive gwekneezhiher gwigirler gweener
Abcessive frekneezhihcr ftigjrler freener
Locative nekneezhiber nigirler neener
CLASS 3: SNUUHIT, DEKIT, ENWELUUPIT
Nominative snuuhit dekit enweluupit
Genitive usnuuhits edekits wenweluupits
Accusative usnuuhit edekit wenweluupit
Dative tusnuuhit tedekit tenweluupit
Agentive busnuuhit bedekit benweluupit
Benefactive fusnuuhit fedekit fenweluupit
Pergressive trusnuuhit tredekit trenweluupit
Accompanitive gwusnuuhit gwedekit gwenweluupit
Abcessive fhisnuuhit fredekit frenweluupit
Locative nusnuahit nedekit nenweluupit
PLURAL, ALL FORMS: BWIDII, GIRLII, ENWELUUPII
Nominative bwidii girlii enweluupii
Genitive fewidiirz igirliirz wenweluupiirz
Accusative ibwidem igirlem wenweluupem
Dative tibwidem tigirlem tenweluupem
Agentive bibwidem bigirlem benweluupem
Benefactive fibwidera figirlem fenweloupem
Pergressive tribwidem trigirlem trenweluupem
Accompanitive gwibwidem gwigirlem gwenweluupem
Abcessive fribwidem frigirlem frenweluupem
Locative nibwidem nigirlem nenweluupem
For words beginning with vowels, the prefixes are w, t, b, f, tr, gw, fr, and n. For words beginning with a consonant, a vowel in partial harmony is added to the prefix (the corresponding short vowel or the first part of the diphthong in the root).
2. Definite articles are lost
V. Atreidean Galach (7000 B.G. to 11000 B.G.)
A. Sound Changes
1. The Third Vowel Cycle changes long vowels and diphthongs:
2. Unstressed short vowels become /a/
B. Morphological Changes
Simplification of Endings:
Standard Orthographies
I. Old Galach
/iy/ = ee /ay/ = ay /uw/ = oo
/i/ = i /aw/ = aw /u/ = u
/ey/ = ey // = uh, u /ow/ = oa
/e/ = e /o/ = o
II. Early Middle Galach
/iy/ = ee /ay/ = ay /uw/ = uw
/i/ = i /aw/ = aw /u/ = u
/ey/ = ei // = uh, u /ow/ = oa
/e/ = e /o/ = o
III. Middle Galach
/iy/ = I /ay/ = ai /uw/ = U
/i/ = i /aw/ = au /u/ = u
/ey/ = E /a/ = a /ow/ = O
/e/ = e /o/ = o
IV. Late Middle and Atreidean Galach
/iy/ = ii /ay/ = ai /uw/ = uu
/i/ = i /aw/ = au /u/ = u
/ey/ = ee /a/ = a /ow/ = oo
/e/ = e /o/ = o
Many variations from expected sounds or spellings of course appear in texts and therefore in the Encyclopedia entries. Such variations are chiefly caused by scribal or printer's errors, or dialectal differences.
W.E.M.
GAMONT
Third planet of Niushe, noted in the Imperium for its hedonistic culture and exotic sexual practices. [Discoveries from the Rakis Finds about the planet Gamont have been so widely publicized in the popular press that any details given here would be repetitious. Instead, we present not a different picture of Gamont, but the same picture seen from a different viewpoint. What follow are the relevant parts of portions of a diary discovered in the House Corrino records, transferred to Arrakis during the Atreides Imperium. — Ed.]
Sabhaasdii, nAudrim 28: Cold and windy again today, but the laundry-room is always warm. Lots of sisters complain about Wallach's weather, but not me. My job is a blessing.
Shannisdil, nAudrim 29: Entertainment tonight. A very special dinner in honor of His Grace, Duke Philippos from Gallatin and his wife — a great lady, you could tell. After supper in the Great Hall, his musicians played and our choir sang. And that was very nice, but then I alm
ost died! His Grace introduced his mentat — a fine-looking man, but tunic not well pressed — and asked him to very kindly favor us with a demonstration. Well, the mentat looked right at me and asked me what I did, so I told him I was the head laundress. Then he wrote something down on a piece of paper, and asked me to ask him any question that I wanted. Well, I don't know why, but the first thing popped into my head, and I said, "How many stars are in the Lyre Nebula?" Then he passed the note to Reverend Mother and asked her to read it out, and she did — it said "The number of stars in the Lyre Nebula is" — and then some big number. Well, that didn't go over too well. I mean, there was some polite applause, but mentats, after all!
Jehansdii, nAudrim 30: I think I figured it out, what the mentat did. When I went to work this morning, I picked up the soap box and right on the back there's this big ad for a contest "Name the Stars." And it said, how many stars in the Lyre Nebula, and if you fill it out, you win a prize if you're right. And then I remembered that the mentat asked me what I did first, before anything, I still have his paper for a souvenir. I ought to send it in. Serve him right.
Phyllisdii, neSheusttm 15: I won!!! I can't believe it!!! The mentat was right and I won a Two-Week, All-Expense Paid Trip to Gamont, Planet of Pleasure, wherever that is.
Mothersdii, neSheustim 16: Well I went to 'see Mother Caius today and it was very strange — very strange indeed. Said no. Said Sister Matilda, the trip would be too strenuous for a woman of your years. My years! I said I'm only fifty-seven add I've been doing laundry for forty years, and the chief laundress for the last eight and you can't be all that weak if you can do that. Then I told her just how much wash there was to be toted around. I promised to take Sister Bertha with me, so Mother said we could keep an eye on one another. Then she said something about innocence being the best protection and sent me off.
Glensdii, neSheustim 25: I've been so busy I've really neglected my diary. A lot to catch up on. First, I'm writing this from Gamont, which is a very odd place. When we got off the ship, there was a wire fence between us and a line marked "Departures," and over on the other side were some Sardaukars of Salvation playing music and handing out pamphlets and passing the tambour. I was going to give them a donation and get some religious reading for the quiet times, but apparently the law allows them only to talk to a person going home, not one coming in.
Then we went outside, and people were singing and natives were putting strings of beads around everyone's neck. These beads are to pay for things on Gamont, you just pop one off and use it like money. A very pretty little boy came running over to me and Bertha and said are you from Wallach, Sisters Matilda and Bertha? We said yes and he winked and handed us two brown envelopes. We looked inside and, goodness, the necklaces must have had two hundred beads on them. Later a man said, "Hey, you're Bene Gesserit." And we said that's right, how did you know? He said the B.G.'s always get their beads in plain envelopes. I don't think I'll ever spend all my beads — I mean, how much can one person eat and drink? Maybe souvenirs for the sisters in the laundry.
Tuesday, neSheustim 26: I'm exhausted. I woke up when it was still dark because I could hear someone breathing in bed with me, and I thought "Poor Bertha, she must be homesick," and I said "Now, now, Bertha," and I turned the light on. But no, it wasn't Bertha but a very handsome young man with a mustache. And I said "Young man, get out of my bed immediately!" and I thought, some hotel to make a mistake like that! Well, I guess I woke up Bertha, too, and she screamed because there was a man in her bed, and my young man said, "But I am your guide to the pleasures of Gamont," and I said it was too dark to see anything on Gamont. Then I called the manager and things got straightened out. He said Ahmed and Pol (the boys) would be available in the morning to take us sightseeing. I think this vacation is going to be more of a strain than the spring cleaning wash.
I certainly learned things about Gamont when it got light. I thought it was for vacations, like the seaside on Kestrel where my parents used to take me, and people would build sandcastles and swim and eat ices in the evening.
Gamont is not like that.
The whole place is divided into what they call little worlds. You go inside one and you can pretend you are someone in the past or future and they do all sorts of unusual things. We got in a carriage drawn by a thorse and Ahmed and Pol started to show us the sights.
First we went to Eden. There was a woman dressed up like a snake at the entrance who wanted us to check our clothing and pick a costume from the rack. On the rack marked "Adams" were all these leaves of all different sizes (but fake ones — cotton), but they were all marked "Extra-Large." There were different brands, too, fig, Conan, Stud, though what kind of a tree a stud is I can't say. Well, I certainly wasn't going to get undressed, so we didn't go in Eden.
I asked Ahmed if there wasn't a seashore we could go to, and he said sure, and we drove off again. We came to a world called Nantucket, and decided to have lunch before going to the beach. There was a restaurant called The Flipping Frog. Food all right. There was entertainment, too — a man and a woman sang a very funny (but sometimes puzzling) song. Here's what I remember about the beginning:
First the girl sang,
"Who's that knocking on my door?"
"Who's that knocking on my door?"
"Who's that knocking on my door?"
Said the fair young maiden.
The boy answered,
"D' ye ken me still, I'm Barnacle Bill,
O' the 'Rakis Royal Navy.
And here I stand, come from 'neath the sand,
With the 'Rakis Royal Navy."
So the girl told him to wipe his feet upon the mat, but there must have been a hundred verses, and our food came, and I don't remember the rest.
Afterwards we went to the beach. Bertha and I had a good time wading and enjoying the sun. Ahmed and Pol played cards.
Oh, I almost forgot: Gamont has seven days in its week. They're called Funday, Manday, Twosday, Womanday, Threesday, Tryitday, and Satyrday. When the couple was singing, Bertha almost choked, she was laughing so hard and her face got so red. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "When in Gamont, do as the Gamontians do." So I'm dating my diary differently while we're here. It'll be a nice memento.
Womanday, neSheustim 27: I had a scare today. Went to Harem World and lost Bertha. We put costumes on — pretty things, but sheer, my goodness, you can see right through them. Little sheer pink top. Full, gathered pantaloon thing. Pretty gold belt. Hand wash, I guess, in cold water. But anyway, I think Bertha's getting upset by the excitement or something. I kept my underwear on when I put the costume on, but Bertha didn't. And I started to scold her, but she just gave me that "When on Gamont" business again.
Well, we went into the palace, and it was beautiful, I must say that for it, but a little gaudy — soft music and water splashing in fountains and men and women lolling around in little dark alcoves. Two huge men in turbans took us to reclining harem-chairs, and I guess I went to sleep. When I woke up Bertha was gone. I yelled for Ahmed and Pol and they came running from somewhere pulling their clothes on. I guess they were napping too. So we looked for Bertha through long dark hallways with men in turbans in front of the doors. They wouldn't let me in, so I just called out at each door we came to. Then we came to a door that said "Sultan's Chamber," and it was open, and inside there was Bertha, stark naked, sitting on a big red velvet pouffy cushion thing. I told the boys to shut their eyes and went in. Bertha just kept grinning, and saying, "The Sultan chose me, the Sultan chose me." I got her dressed and the boys helped me take her back to the hotel. I told Pol to stay in the room with her all day tomorrow and make sure she stayed quiet and rested.
Threesday, Jehannesdii, neSheustim 28: After yesterday's scare and today's shock, I know I'll live forever, because if they didn't kill me, nothing will. There is a Bene Gesserit House on Gamont! Why didn't Mother Caius tell me? I think I know. Ahmed was driving me in the carriage through the streets, and I was looking at the places �
� Ol' Plantation, Gay Paree — when I saw a little shop called "Ve Haf Vays" and I told Ahmed to stop. I'd been wanting to get some souvenirs for the sisters at home, and this was a leather-goods store with beautiful belts and boots in the window. Not much of a selection though — everything was black, besides there were too many buckles and straps and things. They even had whips, though why anyone would want to whip a sweet gentle creature like a thorse I don't know. Anyway, there I was in front of the store when I saw the B.G. emblem on the house on the corner. I couldn't believe my eyes. But I was so happy. I went right up to the door and knocked. A little old sister opened the door, but she seemed surprised to see me — she said "They usually send younger ones." Then she shook her head and said "No accounting for taste" and led me into the parlor. And all over the walls of the parlor were these pictures of women. Well, I won't try to describe them, but let me tell you I recognized some. There was that nice young (and smart) Helen Mohiam, and it's beyond me why she would let them take a picture of her sun-bathing. The head of the house (I will not call her Mother) came in, her face all painted and her eyelashes all long and black with some stuff on them.
She says, "You're not one of my girls. Who are you?"
"No," I said, "I'm Sister Matilda, the head laundress from Wallach come to see your house. Who are you?”
And she said, "I'm the Procuratrix. Are you a lay sister?"
"Certainly not. I am a regularly professed sister and have been for forty years. And what, I'd like to know, is a lay sister?"
She said, "Oh, think of it as a little joke." And then she began the most garbled and incredible story I've ever heard. It seems there are three kinds of sisters — the regular ones that live in the chapter houses, and some that go into the world and marry and have families — well, I knew that — but then there are others, the lay sisters (some joke!), whose job is to infiltrate the Great Houses and let the sisterhood know what's going on.
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