At first, the dragons were never tamed. Not even by the four world-empires that attempted to colonize the Falithifel. So, for a while, the dragons were held with awe and terror. However, that time spent also involved observing the dragons\’ behaviors and mannerisms–from a far-off distance, of course. To quote K. David Harrison, a linguist who studied the indigenous Siberian reindeer-herders,
\”Folk taxonomies encapsulate generations of subtle and sophisticated observations about how the pieces of the animal and the plant kingdoms fit together, and how they relate to each other and to humans.\”
Harrison 55
So, because the Falithifel would need to rely on folk taxonomies in order to develop a beneficial connection with the dragons, therefore the lexicon is packed with words that describe the migrational patterns of the dragons:
- zozanrali: the time when mating dragons migrate to peaks so high they block the sun [sun-seeing]
Which dragons live in mountains and which do not,
- bełalfel: mountain dragon
- agananfalinos: geyser dragon [geyser-drinker]
- bełamfel: island dragon
At what stage of development dragons can start breathing fire,
- filithubi: a young drake that reached the age of fire-breathing [burning youngling]
Which dragons have feathers and which do not,
- ko\’inspulithi: feathered dragon [bird-skin]
- ko\’inkorithi: scaley dragon [coal-skin]
And–most importantly–which dragons can be domesticated and which cannot.
- bełallałi: dragon used for cargo transportation [friend-dragon]
- basulabangithibełal: dragon used for warfare [fire-powder-arrow dragon]
- bełal ra-then: wild dragon [dragon of the land]
This ultimately becomes the turning point for the Falithifel nation, who have been militarily humiliated by the Nesi, the four world-empires, and their own future war-engines. During the first centuries of dragon domestication, they were originally used to expand trade to allied nations and expand habitation to the highest peaks of the mountains. Upon the ascension of Eb\’ifal son of Laɬiker, they expanded territory to their rivaling powers; and thus the Laɬiker World-Empire began.
Sources
- De Boinod, Adam Jacot. “The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from Around the World.” Penguin Press. 2006.
- Harrison, K. David. \”The Last Speakers: The Quest To Save The World\’s Most Endangered Languages.\” National Geographic. 2010.