Tek Lexicon

Tek is a gutter language spoken by wicks, criminals, and certain humans. Tek is not a true language, but rather a pidgin - a collection of jargon, ancient Tek words and phrases mixed with both new and defunct Estuan. Tekaa (speakers of Tek) often employ colorful metaphors as well as these words below. The sentence structure of Tek is extremely simple - unless absolutely necessary, most sentences lack any sort of conjugation, and no complex tenses or grammatical structures are used; most adjectives can be used as nouns, and vice versa. No additional letters are necessary to make a noun plural, as plurality is mostly implied through context.

Non-native speakers of Tek might make the mistake of using Tek words like everyday slang words, pluralizing nouns and using made-up verb tenses. This is very common in lower-class humans and wicks who grew up in a city. While this is looked down on by proper spokes, it is perfectly acceptable and encouraged in roleplay to add authenticity to your character.

Pronunciation guide

• J is pronounced like "ch", but slightly harder, when beginning a word; in other places, such as in the word "caoja," it is pronounced /ʒ/ (sounds like the g in "beige").
• Ts is a digraph, like the one on the end of the word "its."
• Vr is a digraph pronounced like the "fr" in "from," but with more of a v sound.
• Gk is a digraph pronounced like a very hard "k".

Tek Word or Phrase	Meaning
hesta	(HES-tə) - "Hello"
fotamos	(foh-TAH-mohs) - "Goodbye"
junta!	(CHUN-ta) - "It's good to meet you!" or "Well met!" - can be used both for meeting someone for the first time and seeing someone again after a long time
far'ye?	(FAR-yə) - "how are you?"
oes, ne	(oh-ESS, neh) - "yes", "no"
ye chen?	(yeh CHEN) - "please" (more accurately "if you please"); also used to indicate "do you understand?"
mujo ma	(MOO-ʒo mah) - "thank you", can be intensified by saying mujo mujo ma
epaemo	(eh-PAY-mo) - "I'm sorry"
wo chet!	(woh CHET) - an expression of surprise or disbelief, such as "whoa!"
boemo	(boh-EH-moh) - "Ah, I see" or "as you wish"
dze	(d'zə) - sound used to indicate indecisiveness or apathy - similar to "meh"
Durg	n. - the leader of a wick tribe
spoke	n. - a nomadic wick
tsat	n. - a stationary, or non-nomadic, wick
tekaa	n. (teh-KA) - a speaker of Tek, used to indicate "one of us"
jent	n. - an outsider, a galdor, a foreigner, anyone who isn't "one of us"
natt	n. - human man
nattle	n. - human woman
brigk	n. - a Seventen or guard
vroo	n. - a magic user, wick or galdor
kov	n. - man, guy, dude
chip	n. - a woman
netche	(NET-cha) n. - a merchant or salesperson
sapper	n. - a jack-of-all-trades, someone who has many talents
agger	n. - a religious person; a member of the Everine
tumble	n. - a loose woman, a prostitute; a brothel is called a "tumble hut"
toft	n. - tricky person
vreska	n. (VRES-kah) - someone who has been shunned and exiled by the tribe; a traitor worthy of nothing but contempt - a very strong word
balach	n. - an upstanding citizen; a trustworthy guy
rosh	n. - a good woman
maw	n. - sing. or pl. - year/years: "How many maw since you married your rosh?"
boch	n. (boh'ch) - child; pl. bochi (BOH-chee)
nanabo	n. or adj. (na-NA-bo) - term of endearment. Also adjective for cute, endearing
hama	n. - lit. (HA-ma) - "heart", refers to a loving relationship, either the love one has for a person or the object of affection
hamaye	(hə-MAH-yə) - "I love you"
daoa	n. (DOW-ah) - mother
da	n. (dah) - father
beata	n. (bey-AH-tə) - sister, close friend
brunno	n. - brother, close friend
gitgka	n. (GIT-ka) - grandmother
dagka	n. (DAH-ka) - grandfather
dabeata/daobeata	n. - aunt on father's/mother's side
dabrunno/daobrunno	n. - uncle on father's/mother's side
fami	n. - family
kint	n. - mobile home, caravan; also used to refer to one's specific tribe
urbo	n. - the city
yats	n. - food in general; used like "eats"
spitch	n. - worthless junk
spur	n. - a cigar or other rolled tobacco product
riff	n. - a knife or other small cutting implement, usually concealed
gkacha	n. (KAH-cha) - a ritual or folk song, usually with a lively tune
caoja	n. (COW-ʒa) - a celebration
ubo	n. (OOH-bo) - a boat, especially a boat used in river-based trade routes
vraun	n. (vrawn) - a delicious spicy curry cooked with apples, a wick specialty
vodundun	n. or adj. - trickery, or any kind of false magic used for show; also means "nonsense"
ging	n. (jing) - money
manna	n. (MAHN-nə) - "amount of" (aka "just a pina manna ging")
fair	adj. - very
close	adj. - familiar
mant	adj. (mahnt) - big
pina	adj. (PEE-nə) - small
keja	adj. (KAY-dje) - favorable, as in favorable circumstances
tsuter	adj. (TSOO-ter) - cruel or bastardly
mung	adj. - slow, dull, stupid
laoso	adj. (LAO-soh) - lowlife, petty; also means dirty, filthy
benny	adj. - really good
macha	adj. (MAH-chah) - beautiful (used to describe man or woman)
olio	adj. (OH-l'yo) - smooth, sexy
foe	adj. (foh) - dyed, altered or changed, used to refer to dyed hair
dob	v. - to inform, to tattle
denk	v. - to travel, wander or meander aimlessly
cott	v. - to kill or murder
dust	v. - to run very fast; to leave the area
yach	v. (yah'ch) - to court, especially a wick courting a witch
drift	v. - to leave one's tribe
ent	v. - spelling of ain't
qalqa	n. and v. depending on context - manual labor, hard work, work in general
Havakda!	exc. (hah-VAHK-dah) - Lit. Away with you! but much ruder
Vrunta!	exc. (VROON-tah) - "Vrunta! Your clocking kenser stepped on my foot!"

Here's an example paragraph:

"Was headed down to the tumble hut with a couple of me kovs. Run into this chip. She dob on the place, say it full of natt. I talk her up, and we dust. I manage to sell some vodundun to a couple of nattle, get some benny ging and get guttered. Be two maw since I met such a rosh. Hope she ent poxy!"

Of course, you might not want to include all of the terms in one paragraph like that. But you get the picture.