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cygna_himeSo, I was thinking. And then I thought, "Does any language have a structure where you *add* a prefix/suffix/whatever to the *plural* to get the *singular*?" And I couldn't think of one. (If you know of one, please, tell me all about it!) And then I thought, "What could cause a people to have a language like that?" And then I started wondering why people default to singular. Answer: there is only one of me. So then I got to thinking...
Singleton (working title) takes place in a world in which the vast majority of people are born in sets of twins (both fraternal and identical; it's not scientifically evolved enough to distinguish). Twins share a lot of critical identification information even in our world: family, date of birth, much of their early life, that pseudo-mystical "twin sense" of which so much is made. So, I reasoned, what if, as a result of having almost all twins, the plural was the default for the language? How does this culture work? What are its base assumption?
The singular suffix is best translated as "one of the". We would say, "the horse"; they would say, "one of the horses". There are some words for specific singulars, in the same way that we have specific plurals ("a litter of puppies"). And then there are some words like "husband" and "wife" that (because this is a monogamous culture) exist chiefly in the singular forms or may have an irregular singular.
Culturally, as I mentioned, twins are the norm. Twins are raised by their parents and are separated very seldom before adolescence. Generally, twins separate only when they "pair off" (start dating). The jobs chosen for twins are based on their combined skills and aptitudes. The end result tends to be twins like every media cliche: a mix of twins who seem to be exactly alike and twins who seem to be entirely different. Almost all twins, however, have a common interest or two, and a point of contention or two.
When twins marry, it is not common to double-marry with another twins except among the very upper class. Marriage may result in a twins splitting up, since one spouse (of either sex) typically goes to live with the other spouse's family. However, a twins will continue to work together except in special circumstances.
A typical household includes an extended family, particularly in classes and professions which tend to stay in one place. Part of the family moves out every time it gets too crowded. As one does.
Sexual equality tends to be the norm; opposite-sex twins, like same-sex twins, share the same work. The inheritance of family names is negotiated on an individual basis, as is dowry/bride-price and which spouse will leave their family. Childrearing is done in various ways.
The child mortality rate is quite high, due to a magical blight endemic to the region. It is not always fatal, but both twins succumb or neither does. Further, the culture is young enough that there is still more than enough room for increased population.
The most advanced and effective magic is in the area of pregnancy and childbirth. The same magical effect that causes the blight makes women unusually able to survive multiple childbirth, and much deliberate magic is used by midwives, who are highly respected individuals, to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Therefore, usually everyone survives labor. In the rare occasions when one and only one twin dies, the survivor is treated as a singleton (see below).
A twins does not always marry at the same time, although, since they are the same age, in arranged situations the parents are of course looking to marry both of them at once and so they typically marry quite close together. Frequently an unmarried twin will live with a married one.
People only rarely choose not to marry. In the case of gay people, while most remain unmarried, they often form lasting relationships which are treated as close to marriage, including one moving to live with the other's family. A gay twin often takes on part of the parental role for the other twin's children. (Gay rights and such are still a work in progress.)
The traditional period of mourning for a dead spouse is eight years; for a dead twin, sixteen. A widow or widower generally returns or remains with his or her own family to raise the children (if any). Someone who has lost a twin is known, poetically, as "soul-sundered", particularly if this occurs before marriage and the creation of a different partnership. One such who becomes antisocial is pitied more than is common for such people (see below).
Unusual Groups
Singletons, or single births, are rare. They are considered magical; most if not all singletons are sent to mage academies. (They are not the only ones there, by any means, since they are so rare.) A singleton is considered "oversouled" or "ambicordate", when I feel like making up Latin, because it is believed that souls come into the world in pairs. Therefore, a singleton has two souls in one body.
Triplets are even more rare than singletons. The belief about the inherent duality of the soul works against them; it is believed variously that one of a set of triplets has no soul, or that two (in the case of mixed-sex triplets) or all three (in the case of same-sex triplets) have diminished souls. This belief sometimes leads parents or midwives to kill one of the triplets, believing that the soul just after birth is sufficiently fluid that this will ensure the remaining two infants have complete souls. People are inclined to suspect triplets of any maleficent magic worked in the area, and depending on the case, triplets can have a bad time of it.
Quadruplets and greater numbers are still rarer, and beyond quadruplets mortality in childbirth becomes high. Quadruplets are considered lucky. There has been in recorded history one successful birth of octuplets; they were great magic users and have become semi-legendary figures. In high-order multiple births, it is frequently arranged that an even number survive.
Eighth twins (the eighth pair born to a family) are considered lucky and somewhat magical, as seventh children in our world. This may or may not be borne out in fact, but it is a belief.
An antisocial is a person who lives alone. This is considered unnatural and deeply suspicious.
If I start thinking about the magic, I have a feeling I'll be here all night. But this? This is *awesome*. I can't wait to find the plot. I already have some characters.
Singleton (working title) takes place in a world in which the vast majority of people are born in sets of twins (both fraternal and identical; it's not scientifically evolved enough to distinguish). Twins share a lot of critical identification information even in our world: family, date of birth, much of their early life, that pseudo-mystical "twin sense" of which so much is made. So, I reasoned, what if, as a result of having almost all twins, the plural was the default for the language? How does this culture work? What are its base assumption?
The singular suffix is best translated as "one of the". We would say, "the horse"; they would say, "one of the horses". There are some words for specific singulars, in the same way that we have specific plurals ("a litter of puppies"). And then there are some words like "husband" and "wife" that (because this is a monogamous culture) exist chiefly in the singular forms or may have an irregular singular.
Culturally, as I mentioned, twins are the norm. Twins are raised by their parents and are separated very seldom before adolescence. Generally, twins separate only when they "pair off" (start dating). The jobs chosen for twins are based on their combined skills and aptitudes. The end result tends to be twins like every media cliche: a mix of twins who seem to be exactly alike and twins who seem to be entirely different. Almost all twins, however, have a common interest or two, and a point of contention or two.
When twins marry, it is not common to double-marry with another twins except among the very upper class. Marriage may result in a twins splitting up, since one spouse (of either sex) typically goes to live with the other spouse's family. However, a twins will continue to work together except in special circumstances.
A typical household includes an extended family, particularly in classes and professions which tend to stay in one place. Part of the family moves out every time it gets too crowded. As one does.
Sexual equality tends to be the norm; opposite-sex twins, like same-sex twins, share the same work. The inheritance of family names is negotiated on an individual basis, as is dowry/bride-price and which spouse will leave their family. Childrearing is done in various ways.
The child mortality rate is quite high, due to a magical blight endemic to the region. It is not always fatal, but both twins succumb or neither does. Further, the culture is young enough that there is still more than enough room for increased population.
The most advanced and effective magic is in the area of pregnancy and childbirth. The same magical effect that causes the blight makes women unusually able to survive multiple childbirth, and much deliberate magic is used by midwives, who are highly respected individuals, to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Therefore, usually everyone survives labor. In the rare occasions when one and only one twin dies, the survivor is treated as a singleton (see below).
A twins does not always marry at the same time, although, since they are the same age, in arranged situations the parents are of course looking to marry both of them at once and so they typically marry quite close together. Frequently an unmarried twin will live with a married one.
People only rarely choose not to marry. In the case of gay people, while most remain unmarried, they often form lasting relationships which are treated as close to marriage, including one moving to live with the other's family. A gay twin often takes on part of the parental role for the other twin's children. (Gay rights and such are still a work in progress.)
The traditional period of mourning for a dead spouse is eight years; for a dead twin, sixteen. A widow or widower generally returns or remains with his or her own family to raise the children (if any). Someone who has lost a twin is known, poetically, as "soul-sundered", particularly if this occurs before marriage and the creation of a different partnership. One such who becomes antisocial is pitied more than is common for such people (see below).
Unusual Groups
Singletons, or single births, are rare. They are considered magical; most if not all singletons are sent to mage academies. (They are not the only ones there, by any means, since they are so rare.) A singleton is considered "oversouled" or "ambicordate", when I feel like making up Latin, because it is believed that souls come into the world in pairs. Therefore, a singleton has two souls in one body.
Triplets are even more rare than singletons. The belief about the inherent duality of the soul works against them; it is believed variously that one of a set of triplets has no soul, or that two (in the case of mixed-sex triplets) or all three (in the case of same-sex triplets) have diminished souls. This belief sometimes leads parents or midwives to kill one of the triplets, believing that the soul just after birth is sufficiently fluid that this will ensure the remaining two infants have complete souls. People are inclined to suspect triplets of any maleficent magic worked in the area, and depending on the case, triplets can have a bad time of it.
Quadruplets and greater numbers are still rarer, and beyond quadruplets mortality in childbirth becomes high. Quadruplets are considered lucky. There has been in recorded history one successful birth of octuplets; they were great magic users and have become semi-legendary figures. In high-order multiple births, it is frequently arranged that an even number survive.
Eighth twins (the eighth pair born to a family) are considered lucky and somewhat magical, as seventh children in our world. This may or may not be borne out in fact, but it is a belief.
An antisocial is a person who lives alone. This is considered unnatural and deeply suspicious.
If I start thinking about the magic, I have a feeling I'll be here all night. But this? This is *awesome*. I can't wait to find the plot. I already have some characters.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-27 04:00 am (UTC)I also don't understand why they have the same institution of marriage as we do. It's interesting that the mourning period for a lost twin is twice as long as that for a lost spouse, but if the twin is so much more important, why do twins still split up when they get married?
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-27 04:29 pm (UTC)As far as marriage goes, from the outside I don't want to make this society completely different. (Dismember only one fundamental element of culture at a time.) From the inside, marriage is between two people because...pairs are better. The term used for a perfect marriage is "as close as twins"; romantic love is less prioritized. It's not that the twins are more important, per se, but that the twinship bond is supposed to be easier and closer (see also: semi-mystical twin sense) than the relationship with a spouse. But, people being people, it's a good idea for two people to have some connection outside of each other. Your twin is a part of you, and it does you good to get out once in a while. Twins split when they marry sometimes (some twins are closer than others) because...well, because otherwise I'm not sure if I could make it work--almost everyone is a twin, and everyone in the world can't live together.
*blathers helplessly*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-27 02:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-27 04:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-28 04:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-28 01:31 pm (UTC)Sounds like Bengali society!
But seriously, this is a strikingly unique and interesting idea and I'm really, really gleeful about seeing this being worked out in the end. I loved the results of your last NANO month and I can't wait to see this come into flower either, if you choose to go with it.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-03 10:04 pm (UTC)