FrathWiki - User contributions [en]

Shukushin

2013-03-28T22:06:07Z

Kuroda:

{{Language|
| English =
| native =
| dialect English =
| dialect native =
| country =
| nativecountry =
| universe =
| speakers =
| family =
| branch =
| subbranch =
| word-order =
| morphological-type =
| morphosyntactic-alignment =
| author =
| date =
| background-color = white
| heading-background = coral
| width =
}}

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Labiod. ||colspan=2| Dental ||colspan=2| Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || || || || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || || || || || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|f}} || {{IPA|v}} || || || {{IPA|s}} || {{IPA|z}} || {{IPA|ʃ}} || {{IPA|ʒ}} || || || {{IPA|x}} || {{IPA|ɣ}} || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || || {{IPA|ts}} || {{IPA|dz}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || || || || || || || || || {{IPA|j}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Trill || || || || || || || || {{IPA|r}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Lateral Approximant || || || || || || || || {{IPA|l}}
|}

</div>
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Front ||colspan=2| Near-front ||colspan=2| Central ||colspan=2| Near-back ||colspan=2| Back
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|y}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|ɯ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-high || || || || || || || || {{IPA|ʊ}} || ||
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High-mid || || || {{IPA|e}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|o}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mid || || || || || {{IPA|ə}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low-mid || || || {{IPA|ɛ}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|ɔ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-low || || || {{IPA|æ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low || || || || || {{IPA|a}}
|}

</div>

Shukushin

2013-03-28T22:04:45Z

Kuroda:

{{Language|
| English =
| native =
| dialect English =
| dialect native =
| country =
| nativecountry =
| universe =
| speakers =
| family =
| branch =
| subbranch =
| word-order =
| morphological-type =
| morphosyntactic-alignment =
| author =
| date =
| background-color = white
| heading-background = coral
| width =
}}

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Labiod. ||colspan=2| Dental ||colspan=2| Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || || || || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || || || || || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|f}} || {{IPA|v}} || {{IPA|θ}} || {{IPA|ð}} || {{IPA|s}} || {{IPA|z}} || {{IPA|ʃ}} || {{IPA|ʒ}} || || || {{IPA|x}} || {{IPA|ɣ}} || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || || {{IPA|ts}} || {{IPA|dz}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || || || || || || || || || {{IPA|j}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Trill || || || || || || || || {{IPA|r}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Lateral Approximant || || || || || || || || {{IPA|l}}
|}

</div>
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Front ||colspan=2| Near-front ||colspan=2| Central ||colspan=2| Near-back ||colspan=2| Back
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|y}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|ɯ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-high || || || || || || || || {{IPA|ʊ}} || ||
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| High-mid || || || {{IPA|e}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|o}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mid || || || || || {{IPA|ə}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low-mid || || || {{IPA|ɛ}} || || || || || || || {{IPA|ɔ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near-low || || || {{IPA|æ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Low || || || || || {{IPA|a}}
|}

</div>

Shukushin

2013-03-28T22:03:45Z

Kuroda:

Shukushin

2013-03-28T22:01:44Z

Kuroda: Created page with "{{Infobox|name=|pronounce=|tu=|species=|in=|no=|script=|tree=|morph=|ms=|wo=|creator=|date=}}"

{{Infobox|name=|pronounce=|tu=|species=|in=|no=|script=|tree=|morph=|ms=|wo=|creator=|date=}}

User:Kuroda

2013-03-28T21:55:23Z

Kuroda:

Not really a user page so much as a useless page.

[[Neo-Khitanese]] [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]] [[Kilda Kelen]]
[[Shukushin]]

User:Kuroda

2013-03-28T21:55:10Z

Kuroda: Deleted 'Fusangese' and 'Channel Island Siouxan' links (langs are discarded)

Not really a user page so much as a useless page.

[[Neo-Khitanese]] [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]] [[Kilda Kelen]]
[[Shukushin]

Vilani language

2013-03-28T21:52:17Z

Kuroda: More extrafictional history/credits, forgot to include in previous edit

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=50% class="bordertable" style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; font-size: 95%; float: right;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFEE" align="center" |'''Vilani'''<br>'''''Bilanidin'''''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||The Imperium (Vilani settlements)
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Traveller RPG (non-canon)
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
|| Dirmani
: Kalaan
:: '''Vilani'''
|-
|valign="top"|[[Basic word order]]:
|| VSO
|-
|valign="top"|[[Morphological type]]:
|| agglutinating
|-
|valign="top"|[[Morphosyntactic alignment]]:
|| ergative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFEE" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||John Harshman and others || c.1980-
|}

The '''Vilani language''' is the language of the Vilani, one of the major spacefaring civilizations of the [[Traveller RPG]] universe. The Vilani are humans; they descend from human beings who were transported to another planet by aliens in prehistoric times.

The ''Traveller'' RPG handbooks contain some material on the language: initially a random word/name generator using dice, later a small amount of vocabulary. The phonology of Vilani was created by RPG author John Harshman in the early 1980s, drawing on his interest in ancient Mesopotamian languages. Between c. 1998-2001, participants on the "TravLang" mailing list built the language described here. Following the demise of TravLang, Robert Eaglestone has preserved those materials and further developed the (intrafictional) linguistic history of the Vilani language(s).

Vilani is the only surviving language of the Dirmani language family, but contains loanwords from other, extinct languages of that group.

In the following text, many things remain unclear, as the wording in the [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Grammar.html source] is often ambiguous, and the examples given are in many cases unhelpful as they show forms that are different from those described in the grammar. I hereby apologize for any lack of understanding.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

The Vilani consonant inventory is quite small with only 13 phonemes; its most unusual trait is certainly the lack of the otherwise very common phoneme /t/.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|  
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Retroflex
! Velar
|-
!rowspan="2"| Stops
! Voiceless
| p
|  
|  
| k
|-
! Voiced
| b
| d
|  
| g
|-
!rowspan="2"| Fricatives
! Voiceless
|  
| s
| ʂ <sh>
| x <kh>
|-
! Voiced
|  
| z
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Nasals
| m
| n
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Flap
|  
| ɾ <r>
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Lateral
|  
| l
|  
|  
|-
|}

===Vowels===

Vilani has four short vowels and three long vowels (spelled with double letters).

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Front
! Central
! Back
|-
! Close
| i, i:
|  
| u, u:
|-
! Mid
| e
|  
|  
|-
! Open
|  
| a, a:
|  
|-
|}

==Morphology==

<div class="boilerplate metadata" id="inuse" style="background: #cfc; border: 1px solid #aaa; margin: 0 2.5%; padding: 0 10px">
<font size="3">'''This article is currently undergoing a major edit or series of edits.'''</font><br />
'''The contents are incomplete and in need of elaboration and/or change!'''<br/>
As a courtesy, please do not make edits to this article while this message is displayed, in order to avoid [[Wikipedia:Edit conflict|edit conflicts]]. If you need to know who is working on the article and when the edit session began, please check the [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=history}} edit history][[Template:Inuse|.]]
</div>

===Nouns===

Vilani nouns take various prefixes and suffixes and can be quite complex. The template of the noun is:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefixes
! colspan="3"| Stem
! colspan="2"| Suffixes
|-
| (applicational case) & {(possessive pronoun); (number)}
| (bound adjective)
| ROOT
| (affective)
| {(unpossessed marker); (possessed number)}
| primary case & (genitive case)
|-
|}

====Possession====

There are three classes of nouns with regard to possession:

* ''Inherently possessed'': These must carry either a possessive prefix or the "unpossessed" marker. They include body parts, kinship terms, emotions and a few other concepts such as "home town" which are defined in relation to a particular person.

* ''Unpossessable'': These never carry a possessive prefix. Examples are large natural features such as stars, planets, landscape features and concepts such as "truth" or "justice".

* ''Freely possessable'': These may occur with or without a possessive prefix. This is the largest class.

The ''possessive prefixes'' are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Proximal/definite
! Distal/indefinite
|-
! Discourse center
| colspan="2" | se-
|-
! Discourse periphery
| colspan="2" | me-
|-
! Human/sophont
| a-
| le-
|-
! Human (honorific)
| di-
| zi-
|-
! Human (obviative)
| maa+
| maa+
|-
! Non-human
| e-
| ki-
|-
|}

"Discourse center" refers to 2nd person in upwards/downwards register, and 1st person in intimate register.
"Discourse periphery" refers to 1st person in upwards/downwards register, and 2nd person in intimate register.

The unpossessed marker is '''-en'''.

====Number====

Number marking is optional in Vilani. Possessed nouns take suffixes, unpossessed nouns take prefixes.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" |  
! colspan="2" | Independent
! rowspan="2" | Possessed
|-
! Intimate/Equal
! Upwards/Downwards
|-
! Specific
| sa(k)-
| sak(u)-
| -ku
|-
! Countable
| e(d)-
| ed(u)-
| -du
|-
! Distributed
| na-
| (redupl.)
| -VV(C)
|-
|}

Reduplication is CV > CVCV or VC > VCVC, e.g. '''argu''' > '''arargu''', '''deshi''' > '''dedeshi'''.
-VV(C) refers to tensing (lengthening) the last stem vowel.

===Verbs===

Vilani verbs are very complex and can be very long. The template of the verb is:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Prefixes
!colspan="3"| Stem
!colspan="2"| Suffixes
|-
| [Modal proclitic] & Object/Subject
| (Agent)
| [Negative]
| (Phase; Trajectory)
| (Aspect)
| ROOT
| Tense/Voice
| (Applicatives)
| (Subordinator) & [Pluralizer] & [Modal enclitic]
|-
|}

Example:

* '''Sheshmanenemnuriini kakarik kameliliish.''' 'I hope I’m going to stop keeping on finding you in the garden by [listening to] your screaming.'

====Modal proclitics====

There are many ''moods'' in Vilani, which are expressed by proclitics. The indicative mood is unmarked.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Desiderative
| kha
|-
! Precative
| khe
|-
! Counterfactual
| zu
|-
! Potential
| em
|-
! Conditional
| ga
|-
! Interrogative
| aab
|-
! Mirative
| mu
|-
! Improbable
| lad
|-
! Discourse boundary
| arrik
|-
|}

There are also modal enclitics which are attached to the end of the verbs.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"| Subordinate
| a
|-
!colspan="2"| Deontic
| asi
|-
!colspan="2"| Exclamatory
| iin
|-
!rowspan="3"| Imperative
! polite
| guke
|-
! neutral
| ki
|-
! rude
| 0
|}

The subordinator is no longer productive in Modern Vilani. The rude imperative consists of the bare stem without modal affixes but irrealis subject/object pronoun, and used only towards inferiors and imbeciles.

====Negative====

The negative is expressed by the proclitic '''du''' which follows the mood proclitic.

====Subject/Object prefixes====

The subject/object prefixes mark the subject in an intransitive clause and the object in a transitive clause.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|  
! Definite-Proximal
! Indefinite-Distal
|-
!colspan="2"|Discourse participant
| se-
| me-
|-
!rowspan="3"|Sophont
! Neutral
| a-
| le-
|-
! Honorific
| di-
| zi-
|-
! Obviative
|  
| maa-
|-
!colspan="2"|Nonsophont animate
| 0-,e-
| ki-
|-
!colspan="2"|Inanimate
| i-
| ni-
|-
!colspan="2"|Reflexive
| nii-
|  
|-
!colspan="2"|Abstract
| re-
|  
|-
|}

====Agent prefixes====

The agent prefix marks the transitive subject. This prefix distinguishes human agents from non-human agents, and have a ''direct'' and an ''inverse'' form. The inverse forms are used when a lower-ranked human acts on a higher-ranked human, or a non-human agent on a human.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Direct
! Inverse
|-
! Human
| -k-
| -s-
|-
! Non-human
| -b-
| -n-
|-
! Equal animacy
|colspan="2"| -z- (archaic)
|-
|}

====Phase and Trajectory prefixes====

A verb may have a ''phase'' prefix or a ''trajectory'' prefix, but not both. There are two phase prefixes, inchoative '''ga-''' and terminative '''ma-'''.

* '''lash''' 'it flies'; '''ga-lash''' 'it starts flying'; '''ma-lash''' 'it stops flying'

Only one trajectory prefix is in common use in Modern Vilani: the ''cooperative/reciprocal'' prefix '''ne-''', which expresses that two or more agents are performing the action jointly or upon each other.

====Aspect====

Verbs in Vilani are either imperfective or perfective. There are no simple rules how aspect stems are formed; the situation is thus as in [[Proto-Indo-European]], and aspect stems are listed in dictionaries for each verb.

====Tense/Voice suffixes====

There are two tenses in Vilani: future and non-future. The tenses are expressed together with the voices: active, antipassive and impersonal. The ''antipassive voice'' is an ergative mirror image of the passive: it demotes the patient and promotes the agent to an (intransitive) subject. The suffixes are tabulated below.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Active
! Antipassive
! Impersonal
|-
! Nonfuture
| -0
| -u
| -i
|-
! Future
| -r/-zu
| -ri/-zi
| -ur
|-
|}

If two forms are listed, the first is used after a vowel, the second after a consonant.

====Applicatives====

Applicative suffixes promote oblique arguments to direct objects (absolutive case). The following applicatives occur in Modern Vilani:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Dative
| -ka
|-
! Locative
| -kan
|-
! Terminative
| -kash
|-
! Benefactive
| -kak
|-
! Instrumental
| -kii
|-
|}

==Syntax==

Vilani is a head-initial language. The unmarked word order in the clause is Verb-Subject-Object; however, noun phrases can be fronted for topicalization. Examples:

* '''Leskhugash liraamgim Eneri.''' 'An air raft hit Eneri.'

Topicalizations:

* '''Liraamgim leskhugash Eneri.''' ' ''An air raft'' hit Eneri.'
* '''Eneri leskhugash liraamgim.''' ' An air raft hit ''Eneri''.'

In the noun phrase, adjectives follow the noun, then come possessors and relative clauses.

Vilani has an absolutive pivot. Unlike in English, where a sentence like ''The boy kissed the girl and laughed'' would mean ''The boy kissed the girl and '''the boy''' laughed'', in Vilani such a sentence would mean ''The boy kissed the girl and '''the girl''' laughed''. The sentence

* '''Akag Eneri in akgirma.'''

means 'Eneri arrived and s/he (other than Eneri) saw him (Eneri)'.

Vilani has four copulas. The ''equational copula'' is used in the sense 'X is a Y'; the ''existential copula'' is used in the sense 'X exists'. Both copula have positive and negative ('X is not a Y', 'X does not exist') forms:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Positive
! Negative
|-
! Equational
| iru
| men
|-
! Existential
| khii
| gig
|-
|}

==External links==

* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/The_Vilani_Handbook.html The Vilani Handbook]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_phonics.doc Vilani Phonology (.doc)]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Grammar.html Vilani Grammatical Sketch]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Dictionary.html Vilani Dictionary]

[[Category: Conlangs]]
[[Category: Fictional languages]]

Vilani language

2013-03-28T21:50:22Z

Kuroda: Expanded information on extrafictional history of Vilani as a conlang

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=50% class="bordertable" style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; font-size: 95%; float: right;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFEE" align="center" |'''Vilani'''<br>'''''Bilanidin'''''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||The Imperium (Vilani settlements)
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Traveller RPG (non-canon)
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
|| Dirmani
: Kalaan
:: '''Vilani'''
|-
|valign="top"|[[Basic word order]]:
|| VSO
|-
|valign="top"|[[Morphological type]]:
|| agglutinating
|-
|valign="top"|[[Morphosyntactic alignment]]:
|| ergative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFEE" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||Kenji Schwarz ||1998
|}

The '''Vilani language''' is the language of the Vilani, one of the major spacefaring civilizations of the [[Traveller RPG]] universe. The Vilani are humans; they descend from human beings who were transported to another planet by aliens in prehistoric times.

The ''Traveller'' RPG handbooks contain some material on the language: initially a random word/name generator using dice, later a small amount of vocabulary. Between c. 1998-2001, participants on the "TravLang" mailing list built the language described here. Following the demise of TravLang, Robert Eaglestone has preserved those materials and further developed the (intrafictional) linguistic history of the Vilani language(s).

Vilani is the only surviving language of the Dirmani language family, but contains loanwords from other, extinct languages of that group.

In the following text, many things remain unclear, as the wording in the [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Grammar.html source] is often ambiguous, and the examples given are in many cases unhelpful as they show forms that are different from those described in the grammar. I hereby apologize for any lack of understanding.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

The Vilani consonant inventory is quite small with only 13 phonemes; its most unusual trait is certainly the lack of the otherwise very common phoneme /t/.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|  
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Retroflex
! Velar
|-
!rowspan="2"| Stops
! Voiceless
| p
|  
|  
| k
|-
! Voiced
| b
| d
|  
| g
|-
!rowspan="2"| Fricatives
! Voiceless
|  
| s
| ʂ <sh>
| x <kh>
|-
! Voiced
|  
| z
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Nasals
| m
| n
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Flap
|  
| ɾ <r>
|  
|  
|-
!colspan="2"| Lateral
|  
| l
|  
|  
|-
|}

===Vowels===

Vilani has four short vowels and three long vowels (spelled with double letters).

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Front
! Central
! Back
|-
! Close
| i, i:
|  
| u, u:
|-
! Mid
| e
|  
|  
|-
! Open
|  
| a, a:
|  
|-
|}

==Morphology==

<div class="boilerplate metadata" id="inuse" style="background: #cfc; border: 1px solid #aaa; margin: 0 2.5%; padding: 0 10px">
<font size="3">'''This article is currently undergoing a major edit or series of edits.'''</font><br />
'''The contents are incomplete and in need of elaboration and/or change!'''<br/>
As a courtesy, please do not make edits to this article while this message is displayed, in order to avoid [[Wikipedia:Edit conflict|edit conflicts]]. If you need to know who is working on the article and when the edit session began, please check the [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=history}} edit history][[Template:Inuse|.]]
</div>

===Nouns===

Vilani nouns take various prefixes and suffixes and can be quite complex. The template of the noun is:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefixes
! colspan="3"| Stem
! colspan="2"| Suffixes
|-
| (applicational case) & {(possessive pronoun); (number)}
| (bound adjective)
| ROOT
| (affective)
| {(unpossessed marker); (possessed number)}
| primary case & (genitive case)
|-
|}

====Possession====

There are three classes of nouns with regard to possession:

* ''Inherently possessed'': These must carry either a possessive prefix or the "unpossessed" marker. They include body parts, kinship terms, emotions and a few other concepts such as "home town" which are defined in relation to a particular person.

* ''Unpossessable'': These never carry a possessive prefix. Examples are large natural features such as stars, planets, landscape features and concepts such as "truth" or "justice".

* ''Freely possessable'': These may occur with or without a possessive prefix. This is the largest class.

The ''possessive prefixes'' are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Proximal/definite
! Distal/indefinite
|-
! Discourse center
| colspan="2" | se-
|-
! Discourse periphery
| colspan="2" | me-
|-
! Human/sophont
| a-
| le-
|-
! Human (honorific)
| di-
| zi-
|-
! Human (obviative)
| maa+
| maa+
|-
! Non-human
| e-
| ki-
|-
|}

"Discourse center" refers to 2nd person in upwards/downwards register, and 1st person in intimate register.
"Discourse periphery" refers to 1st person in upwards/downwards register, and 2nd person in intimate register.

The unpossessed marker is '''-en'''.

====Number====

Number marking is optional in Vilani. Possessed nouns take suffixes, unpossessed nouns take prefixes.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" |  
! colspan="2" | Independent
! rowspan="2" | Possessed
|-
! Intimate/Equal
! Upwards/Downwards
|-
! Specific
| sa(k)-
| sak(u)-
| -ku
|-
! Countable
| e(d)-
| ed(u)-
| -du
|-
! Distributed
| na-
| (redupl.)
| -VV(C)
|-
|}

Reduplication is CV > CVCV or VC > VCVC, e.g. '''argu''' > '''arargu''', '''deshi''' > '''dedeshi'''.
-VV(C) refers to tensing (lengthening) the last stem vowel.

===Verbs===

Vilani verbs are very complex and can be very long. The template of the verb is:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Prefixes
!colspan="3"| Stem
!colspan="2"| Suffixes
|-
| [Modal proclitic] & Object/Subject
| (Agent)
| [Negative]
| (Phase; Trajectory)
| (Aspect)
| ROOT
| Tense/Voice
| (Applicatives)
| (Subordinator) & [Pluralizer] & [Modal enclitic]
|-
|}

Example:

* '''Sheshmanenemnuriini kakarik kameliliish.''' 'I hope I’m going to stop keeping on finding you in the garden by [listening to] your screaming.'

====Modal proclitics====

There are many ''moods'' in Vilani, which are expressed by proclitics. The indicative mood is unmarked.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Desiderative
| kha
|-
! Precative
| khe
|-
! Counterfactual
| zu
|-
! Potential
| em
|-
! Conditional
| ga
|-
! Interrogative
| aab
|-
! Mirative
| mu
|-
! Improbable
| lad
|-
! Discourse boundary
| arrik
|-
|}

There are also modal enclitics which are attached to the end of the verbs.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"| Subordinate
| a
|-
!colspan="2"| Deontic
| asi
|-
!colspan="2"| Exclamatory
| iin
|-
!rowspan="3"| Imperative
! polite
| guke
|-
! neutral
| ki
|-
! rude
| 0
|}

The subordinator is no longer productive in Modern Vilani. The rude imperative consists of the bare stem without modal affixes but irrealis subject/object pronoun, and used only towards inferiors and imbeciles.

====Negative====

The negative is expressed by the proclitic '''du''' which follows the mood proclitic.

====Subject/Object prefixes====

The subject/object prefixes mark the subject in an intransitive clause and the object in a transitive clause.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|  
! Definite-Proximal
! Indefinite-Distal
|-
!colspan="2"|Discourse participant
| se-
| me-
|-
!rowspan="3"|Sophont
! Neutral
| a-
| le-
|-
! Honorific
| di-
| zi-
|-
! Obviative
|  
| maa-
|-
!colspan="2"|Nonsophont animate
| 0-,e-
| ki-
|-
!colspan="2"|Inanimate
| i-
| ni-
|-
!colspan="2"|Reflexive
| nii-
|  
|-
!colspan="2"|Abstract
| re-
|  
|-
|}

====Agent prefixes====

The agent prefix marks the transitive subject. This prefix distinguishes human agents from non-human agents, and have a ''direct'' and an ''inverse'' form. The inverse forms are used when a lower-ranked human acts on a higher-ranked human, or a non-human agent on a human.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Direct
! Inverse
|-
! Human
| -k-
| -s-
|-
! Non-human
| -b-
| -n-
|-
! Equal animacy
|colspan="2"| -z- (archaic)
|-
|}

====Phase and Trajectory prefixes====

A verb may have a ''phase'' prefix or a ''trajectory'' prefix, but not both. There are two phase prefixes, inchoative '''ga-''' and terminative '''ma-'''.

* '''lash''' 'it flies'; '''ga-lash''' 'it starts flying'; '''ma-lash''' 'it stops flying'

Only one trajectory prefix is in common use in Modern Vilani: the ''cooperative/reciprocal'' prefix '''ne-''', which expresses that two or more agents are performing the action jointly or upon each other.

====Aspect====

Verbs in Vilani are either imperfective or perfective. There are no simple rules how aspect stems are formed; the situation is thus as in [[Proto-Indo-European]], and aspect stems are listed in dictionaries for each verb.

====Tense/Voice suffixes====

There are two tenses in Vilani: future and non-future. The tenses are expressed together with the voices: active, antipassive and impersonal. The ''antipassive voice'' is an ergative mirror image of the passive: it demotes the patient and promotes the agent to an (intransitive) subject. The suffixes are tabulated below.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Active
! Antipassive
! Impersonal
|-
! Nonfuture
| -0
| -u
| -i
|-
! Future
| -r/-zu
| -ri/-zi
| -ur
|-
|}

If two forms are listed, the first is used after a vowel, the second after a consonant.

====Applicatives====

Applicative suffixes promote oblique arguments to direct objects (absolutive case). The following applicatives occur in Modern Vilani:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Dative
| -ka
|-
! Locative
| -kan
|-
! Terminative
| -kash
|-
! Benefactive
| -kak
|-
! Instrumental
| -kii
|-
|}

==Syntax==

Vilani is a head-initial language. The unmarked word order in the clause is Verb-Subject-Object; however, noun phrases can be fronted for topicalization. Examples:

* '''Leskhugash liraamgim Eneri.''' 'An air raft hit Eneri.'

Topicalizations:

* '''Liraamgim leskhugash Eneri.''' ' ''An air raft'' hit Eneri.'
* '''Eneri leskhugash liraamgim.''' ' An air raft hit ''Eneri''.'

In the noun phrase, adjectives follow the noun, then come possessors and relative clauses.

Vilani has an absolutive pivot. Unlike in English, where a sentence like ''The boy kissed the girl and laughed'' would mean ''The boy kissed the girl and '''the boy''' laughed'', in Vilani such a sentence would mean ''The boy kissed the girl and '''the girl''' laughed''. The sentence

* '''Akag Eneri in akgirma.'''

means 'Eneri arrived and s/he (other than Eneri) saw him (Eneri)'.

Vilani has four copulas. The ''equational copula'' is used in the sense 'X is a Y'; the ''existential copula'' is used in the sense 'X exists'. Both copula have positive and negative ('X is not a Y', 'X does not exist') forms:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  
! Positive
! Negative
|-
! Equational
| iru
| men
|-
! Existential
| khii
| gig
|-
|}

==External links==

* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/The_Vilani_Handbook.html The Vilani Handbook]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_phonics.doc Vilani Phonology (.doc)]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Grammar.html Vilani Grammatical Sketch]
* [http://eaglestone.pocketempires.com/lang/vilani/Vilani_Dictionary.html Vilani Dictionary]

[[Category: Conlangs]]
[[Category: Fictional languages]]

League of Lost Languages

2013-03-07T18:49:46Z

Kuroda: Delete "Fusangese" and "Channel Island Siouxan" (by creator) as substandard, abandoned, and never-vetted as LLL members.

Welcome to the home page of the '''League of Lost Languages'''!

The League of Lost Languages ('''LLL''') is a kind of collaborative fiction-writing project in which the participants describe [[fictional language]]s that could exist or could once have existed in a world otherwise the same as the real world we all live in. The idea is that in the LLL world, some languages survived that died out in our world, without changing the world more than necessary to accomodate the languages in question. The LLL world is essentially our world with the same history and geography, just with a few extra languages.

This is a kind of "what-if" [[conworld]], i.e. a ''fictional'' version of our world in which the change from reality is limited to the existence of a few extra languages. Examples of such "lost" languages include European languages of pre-Indo-European origin, modern East Germanic languages, fictional branches of Indo-European, sister groups of real-world families and isolates, etc. Of course, this is not limited to Europe. An LLL language could be yet another of the many diverse languages of the North American Pacific coast, a modern-day descendant of Sumerian or a pre-Bantu language in the Congo basin. It is also not ultimately necessary that the languages are spoken today; they might be extinct but having left written records.

The participants would contribute their [[conlang]]s, say where and when they are spoken, and write fake scholarly papers and similar stuff about them.

''This is '''not''' a research project about actually existing languages! The languages described by our members are '''entirely fictional'''.'' We all do this ''just for fun''; we just love messing around with fictional languages.

A language contributed to the LLL must fulfill the following criteria:

# It is ''naturalistic'', i.e. it is plausible as a human language. (Or it represents a constructed language, e.g. an auxlang, ''within'' the fictional setting.)
# It is ''spoken by humans''; non-human races (even Neanderthal survivals etc.) are out of bounds. (The [[Elves]] and [[Dwarves]] speaking [[Albic]] and [[Coric]] are no exception to this: they are humans, not the usual fantasy races.)
# Its ''history is consistent'' with the known history of the real world. This means that all the major events are the same as in our world. This rule puts limits on conculturing, but it also helps avoiding awkward political and religious debates, and concentrating on the languages.
# It is either ''extinct'' (having left behind written records) or spoken by a community ''small'' enough not to make a difference. (This is pretty much an implication of the criterion above.)

The LLL conducts its business on the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs lostlangs mailing list].

==The languages of the LLL==

{| class="wikitable"
!Language
!Family
!Location
!Author
|-
| [[Albic]] family
|style="background-color:#CCFF00"| [[Hesperic]]<br> Albic
| British Isles
| [[User:WeepingElf|Jörg Rhiemeier]]
|-
| [[Alpianic]] family
|style="background-color:#CCFF00"| [[Hesperic]]
| Switzerland
| The group
|-
| [[Alpic]]
|style="background-color:#B5EAAA"| [[Danubian]]
| Switzerland
| [[User:TaylorS|Taylor Selseth]]
|-
| [[Attidian]]
|style="background-color:#CCFF00"| [[Hesperic]]
| Italy
| [[User:WeepingElf|Jörg Rhiemeier]]
|-
| [[Continental English]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Germanic
| Unknown (Europe)
| [[:User:Jashan|Jashan A'al]]
|-
| [[Coric]]
|style="background-color:#DEDEDE"| isolate
| Scotland
| [[User:WeepingElf|Jörg Rhiemeier]]
|-
| [[Çomyopregi]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European
| Europe
| [[User:Damatir ando|Damátir Ando]]
|-
| [[Eteonoric]] family
|style="background-color:#DEFFDE"| Eteonoric
| Austria
| The group
|-
| [[Føtisk]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Germanic
| Denmark
| Tristan McLeay
|-
| [[Hairo]]
|style="background-color:#DEDEDE"| isolate
| Rügen, Germany
| Christian Thalmann
|-
| [[Hattic]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European
| Russia
| [[User:IJzeren Jan|Jan van Steenbergen]]
|-
| [[Hifahoshaj]]
|style="background-color:#DEDEDE"| isolate
| Texas
| Bob Thornton
|-
| [[Kilda Kelen]]
|style="background-color:#9ADC32"| Tungusic
| Kamchatka Peninsula
| [[Kuroda]]
|-
| [[Kuman Tyli]]
|style="background-color:#9ADC32"| Turkic
| Russia/Ukraine
| Isaac Penzev
|-
| [[li~Rumaninu]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Romance
| Congo
| Patrick Dunn
|-
| [[Lu]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European
| Southern France and Northern Italy
| [[User:Humancadaver101|Schwhatever]]
|-
| [[Mærik]]
|style="background-color:#DEDEDE"| isolate
| Sweden
| [[User:Melroch|Benct Philip Jonsson]]
|-
| [[Orinoco English]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Germanic
| Venezuela
| Rodlox R
|-
| [[Outidic]]
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF"| auxlang
|  
| Raymond A. Brown
|-
| [[Roman Germanech]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Romance
| Odenwald, Germany
| [[User:WeepingElf|Jörg Rhiemeier]]
|-
| [[Rugian]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European<br> Slavic
| Rügen, Germany
| Piotr Gepfert
|-
| [[Tallarmen]]
|style="background-color:#9ADC32"| Turkic
| Siberia
| Kiwipedia
|-
| [[Thagojian]]
|style="background-color:#7CFC00"| Indo-European
| Egypt/Palestine/Israel
| Paul Bennett
|-
| [http://wycoval.googlepages.com Tseeyo]
|style="background-color:#FFA500"| Niger-Congo
| Guinea
| Wycoval
|}

==Selected articles from the lostlangs list==

{|class="wikitable"
! Date
! Author
! Title
|-
| 2004/07/03
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/9 Some thoughts about the linguistic landscape of Europe]
|-
| 2004/07/03
| Christian Thalmann
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/12 Hairo Script Brainstorming]
|-
| 2004/07/05
| Patrick Dunn
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/22 li~Rumaninu]
|-
| 2004/07/10
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/39 pre-Homo sapiens languages; Vinca script]
|-
| 2004/07/10
| Bob Thornton
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/44 Hifahos^aj]
|-
| 2004/07/19
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/72 The British Isles Linguistic Area]
|-
| 2004/07/22
| Isaac Penzev
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/75 First info about Kuman Tyli]
|-
| 2004/07/22
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/77 Some facts about Caucasian languages]
|-
| 2004/07/23
| Christian Thalmann
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/78 Hairo Grammar Brainstorm]
|-
| 2004/09/04
| Bob Thornton
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/139 Possessives within Hifahoshach]
|-
| 2004/09/12
| Bob Thornton
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/178 Hifahoshach Verb Conjugation]
|-
| 2004/10/03
| panchakahq
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/197 Turkish Loans in Neo-Khitanese]
|-
| 2004/10/05
| Christian Thalmann
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/205 Hairo Page in Progress]
|-
| 2004/11/29
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/260 Degrees of volition in Old Albic]
|-
| 2004/12/29
| Bob Thornton
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/263 Revised Hifahoshach phonology]
|-
| 2005/02/20
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/289 Some Old Albic calendar and mythology stuff]
|-
| 2005/03/27
| Angel
| [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/295 Ynglesh Lawngwedg (Preview)]
|-
| 2005/05/22
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/361 Alpine languages]
|-
| 2005/05/25
| Benct Philip Jonsson
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/411 Transcription of Proto-Noric]
|-
| 2005/06/03
| Roger Mills
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/537 Proto-Noric: A few proposals]
|-
| 2007/02/27
| Paul Bennett
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/854 Terzemian]
|-
| 2009/01/09
| Kim Kuroda
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/901 Ringe on European prehistoric linguistic diversity]
|-
| 2009/06/20
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/911 Some speculations on prehistoric European languages]
|-
| 2010/05/11
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/921 Let's make the Alps a second Caucasus!]
|-
| 2010/05/12
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/928 Reconstructing Eteonoric, and suggestions about Paleo-Alpine typology]
|-
| 2010/05/18
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/940 Some suggestions on Paleo-Alpine typology]
|-
| 2012/09/07
| Jörg Rhiemeier
| [http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lostlangs/message/1004 The Second Caucasus Project revived]
|-
|}

[[Category:LLL]]
[[Category:Collaborations]]
[[Category:Conworlds]]
[[Category:Colworlds]]

Talk:Vilani language

2013-03-07T18:39:07Z

Kuroda: Created page with "Hi, WeepingElf! I apologize; the materials you are working from are a TERRIBLE mess and were always working notes rather than something intended for presentation. Robert Eaglesto..."

Hi, WeepingElf! I apologize; the materials you are working from are a TERRIBLE mess and were always working notes rather than something intended for presentation. Robert Eaglestone, whose website you link to, deserves credit for preserving and editing them -- I frankly walked away from the project and would really prefer my name not attached to it, at this point!

Kilda Kelen

2009-06-23T21:22:50Z

Kuroda: Additional sound change example

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Kilda Kelen'''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||Kamchatka Peninsula, Northeast Siberia
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Possibly the [[League of Lost Languages]]
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||At least 50,000.
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
||''disputed''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Tungusic<br>
  North Tungusic<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
''or''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Mongolic<br>
  Kitan<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
|-
|valign="top"|Basic word order:
|| SOV<br>AdjN<br>GenN<br>RelHead
|-
|valign="top"|Morphological type:
|| Agglutinative
|-
|valign="top"|Morphosyntactic alignment:
|| Accusative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||Kuroda ||1996-
|}

The language of the '''Kïldamnï''' (gentile noun; individually, '''Kïldaï''') is likely a member of the League of Lost Languages that is spoken today on the [[Wikipedia:Kamchatka_Peninsula|Kamchatka Peninsula]] in northeastern Siberia. Foreign scholars universally consider '''Kïlda''' to be an [[Wikipedia:Altaic_languages|Altaic language]] -- the family consisting of the [[Wikipedia:Turkic_languages|Turkic]], [[Wikipedia:Mongolic_languages|Mongolian]], and [[Wikipedia:Tungusic_languages|Tungusic]] language groups, and according to some, [[Wikipedia:Korean_language|Korean]] or [[Wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]]. However, contemporary native Kïldamnï scholarship rejects the "Altaic Hypothesis" and considers these three (or five) groups to be related only through prolonged contact and mixing. In any event, it would be safe to say that the Kïlda language is closely related to both Tungusic and Mongolic languages, whether by descent or affiliation. Today, arguments on the genetic roots of Kïlda fall into one of two camps: Tungusic with heavy adstratum influence from Para-Mongolic or Pre-Classical Mongolian, vs. Para-Mongolic with heavy substratum influence and later borrowing from North Tungusic languages, specifically [[Wikipedia:Evenki_language|Evenki (or "Tungus")]] and [[Wikipedia:Even_language|Even (or "Lamut")]]. The position that Kïlda is a separate branch of Altaic was popular earlier in the 20th century but is now held only by a small, crackpot fringe.

==Phonology==
Kïlda has a regular system of so-called front/back vowel harmony, in which lexical stems determine the vowel quality of their affixes. "Front" vowels are /'''ə i u o'''/ (in standard Latin orthography {'''e i ü ö'''}) while "back" vowels are /'''a ɪ ʊ ɔ'''/ (Latin orthography: {'''a ï u o'''}). The latter series is described, by different researchers, as "tense", "pharyngialized", or "retracted tongue root (RTR, -ATR)". There is also limited "rounding harmony" where the vowels /'''a ə'''/ appear as /'''ɔ o'''/ (respectively) in suffixes when attached to stems containing only /'''ɔ o'''/. Vowel length is additionally distinguished (though not in many orthographies), which also affects vowel quality (e.g., /ə əː/ = [ə ɛ], /ʊ ʊː/ = [ʊ ɯ]) and stress allocation. Two additional phonemes are recognized by the Kïldamnï as diphthongs, in Latin orthography {'''ei''', '''ê'''} (/'''eʲ''', '''ɛj'''/) and {'''ai'''} (/'''aj''', '''æʲ'''/).

Consonantal phonology is fairly unexceptional. The two series of obstruents are distinguished primarily by voicing: /'''b d ʤ g'''/ {'''b d j g'''} are voiced, while /'''p t ʧ k'''/ {'''p t c k'''} are voiceless and strongly aspirated in most positions. While /'''k'''/ has velar and uvular allophones, conditioned by front vs. back vowel harmony (respectively), these are not phonemic and are ignored in native orthographies (though not in most foreign transcriptions). /'''p'''/ is ['''ɸ'''] (orthographically {'''f'''}) before back vowels (and in some cases /'''ɪ'''/), though this is irregular due to many loanwords and ideophones - so some analyses present /'''ɸ'''/ as a separate phoneme.

Like most genetically and areally related languages, there is a phonemic palatal nasal /'''ɲ'''/ {'''ñ'''} or {'''ni-'''}. Unlike other Tungusic languages and neighbors (but like Manchu and Mongolic and Turkic languages), the velar nasal /'''ŋ'''/ {'''ng'''} cannot occur before a vowel. The hissing sibilant /'''s'''/ {'''s'''} is always pronounced "palatalized" (actually, retracted and grooved) before high front vowels (/'''i'''/ and /'''ı'''/) and thus merges with /'''ʃ'''/ {'''sh'''} or {'''š'''}. The phoneme /'''r'''/ {'''r'''} does not occur word-initially in native words or in loanwords from before the mid-19th century: /'''ɔrɔm'''/ "rum" (1820s) but /'''rɔkınrɔl'''/ "rock and roll" (1970s). Foreign descriptions cast /'''l'''/ {'''l'''} as a lateral fricative, voiceless in most but not all positions (['''ɬ'''] and ['''ɮ''']), but native accounts persist in calling it a lateral approximant. Likewise, according to Kilda sources /'''w'''/ {'''w''', '''v'''} is not a labiovelar, but a bilabial approximant or fricative (realized as ['''β̞''', '''β''']), while many foreign scholars describe it as a velar approximant pronounced with lip compression, ['''ɰ''']. The phoneme given here as /'''h'''/ has allophones ranging from voiceless velar and uvular fricatives ['''x, χ'''] to voiceless pharyngeal or epiglottal fricatives ['''ħ, ʜ'''] (identification is disputed) to voiceless and voiced glottal fricatives ['''h, ɦ'''] - depending on vowel harmony, syllable position, and dialect or idolect.

Syllable structure is generally simple and of (C)V(C) form, and the language permits no internal clusters of more than two consonant phonemes. Word-initial or word-final consonant clusters are very rare even in loanwords. (E.g., /'''smiki'''/ "wandering tattler (a bird)", /'''tɔsk'''/ "riverbed sand".) By default, primary stress falls on the first syllable, but is attracted to syllables with long vowels.

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Dental-Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|s}} || || {{IPA|ʃ}} || || || || || || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || ||{{IPA|tʃ}} || {{IPA|dʒ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || {{IPA|l}} || {{IPA|r}} || || || {{IPA|j}}
|}

</div>
<br/>

<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| +FRONT ||colspan=2| -FRONT
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| || +ATR || -ATR || +ATR || -ATR
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| +HIGH || {{IPA|ɪ}} || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|ʊ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| -HIGH || {{IPA|a}} || {{IPA|ə}} || {{IPA|ɔ}} || {{IPA|o}}
|}

</div>

==Morphology and Syntax==
Grammatically, Kïlda is highly agglutinative and almost exclusively suffixing. It has basic SOV word order, accusative syntax, and a wealth of non-finite verb forms, many tense and aspect distinctions, and a fairly elaborate system of local cases. In all these respects it is a quite typical North Tungusic language. Though it has a slightly reduced and simplified inflectional morphology compared to its closest relatives, most morphological and syntactic constructions can be directly matched to corresponding forms in Even and/or Evenki.

Inflectional morphology for verbal elements recognizes categories of finiteness, mood or modality, aspect, tense, evidentiality, person and number (of subject only), and switch-reference (in non-finite verbs only). There is a rich variety of verbal nouns (or "participles") which can serve as finite and non-finite verbs, attributive modifiers, and nominals. In addition there are a number of important periphrastic constructions to express certain TAM combinations (e.g., contact causation, pluperfect and future perfect) and in polite and honorific language.

Finite endings can loosely be defined as those verbal inflections which occur only in the heads of verb phrases serving predicative roles in the sentence, and which do not permit subordination to another verb phrase. However, not all such VP heads take finite endings; participial and converbal forms can and often do occur in that role. In fact, in Kilda finite verbs proper are largely limited to imperatives and a number of modal-epistemic forms. The finite endings are followed by pronominal suffixes (except as noted below).

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Finite Verb Endings'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Future || '''-jai-''' || Near or immediate future tense
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Inferential Future || '''-mna-''' || More distant future tense, with less certainty about the action or state actually happening; also used to state probabilities or likelihoods in general or abstract times, or in customary behavior
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Subjunctive || '''-mca-''' || Consequence of counterfactual conditionals
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Probabilative || '''-na-''' || Possible event or action at a time close to the present
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Distant Probabilative || '''-rka-''' || As above, but for events or actions in the more remote past
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mirative || '''-jug-''' || Actions or states which turn out to be the case, counter to expectation or in a narrative twist; usually with a pluperfect tense-aspect meaning.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Admonitive || '''-jik''' || Warning or reminding about the verbal action: "look out for..., be sure to..., beware of...". Only with second person reference.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperative || '''-kar''' (sg.), '''-karsu''' (pl.), '''-hun''' (polite) || Orders and commands to direct addressees.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prescriptive || '''-tugin''' (sg.), '''-tuktin''' (pl.) || Instructions and remote commands to non-present third persons; in some cases, to direct addressees but concerning actions to take in the future or in a distant location.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Voluntative || '''-su''' (sg.), '''-ya''' (pl. incl.), '''-gat''' (pl. excl.) || Instructions, exhortations, and expressions of volition about the speaker or the speaker's group.
|}
</div>

Nonfinite verb forms function as attributes, subordinated predicates, and finite or independent predicates. Nonfinite verbs never take modal markers, and rarely occur with certain categories of voice. They fall into three general categories: participles, or verbal nouns; inflecting converbs; and non-inflecting converbs.

As attributives, participles always agree in number with the head of their NP, but not in person or case. As predicates, they require the periphrastic verb '''bi-''' ("be"), except third person nonfuture participial predicates.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Participles (Verbal Nouns/Nominalized Verbs)'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nonfuture || '''-ra-, -da-, -sa-, -na-''' (pred.), '''-ri-, -ri-, -si-, -di-''' (attrib./dependent) || Complicated range of meanings and functions; very widely used -- possibly the most frequent verb form in the language. Can refer to the recent past (of single perfective events or actions), simultaneity or present tense (of prolonged actions), imperfective past (of a small number of activity verbs); regardless, if it refers to any situation in the past, it must be one that was directly observed or experienced by the speaker. It thus has an evidential force as well. It also functions as the coreferential equivalent of the Purposive converb '''-da-''' (see below), and is sometimes referred to as "the infinitive form". (It is also the traditional citation form of verbs in Kilda dictionaries.) The forms with the low front vowels occur when used in predicative roles; those with high front vowels when the participle serves as a modifier or nominal. Verb stems fall into four classes, distinguished by the form of their nonfuture participle; they are not phonologically or semantically predictable. The '''-ra-/-ri-''' form is by far the most common.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfect || '''-ca-, -ka-''' || Describes events of longer duration or further in the past than the Nonfuture participle; also those events or states which the speaker did not directly witness or experience -- i.e., with inferential or quotative evidential force. Despite the name "perfect", it does not always imply completed action. The alternation of '''-ca-''' and '''-ka-''' is again lexically determined; the former is more frequent.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Hypothetical || '''-jiŋga-''' || Possible or future indefinite events; to the degree it implies uncertainty, it conveys categorical probability or likelihood and not the speaker's subjective opinion.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Past Iterative || '''-jaŋki-''' || Actions that occurred many times in the past or states that frequently or on many occasions were true. (But not habitual or natural conditions.)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Contact Posterior || '''-ltak-''' || Events that are just about to happen, on the cusp of transpiring. Rather rare, but does occur in both predicative and attributive roles.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Optative || '''-(ŋ)gati-''' || Describes circumstances which the speaker would like to happen or would consider favorably. Usually only as a predicate.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Necessitative || '''-nna-''' || Actions or events that are necessary or required from an impersonal or universal perspective, or that are logically necessary.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Debitive || '''-mcin-''' || Like the Necessitative, but those situations that are personally or subjectively obligatory
|}
</div>

Converbs have only a predicative function; they never serve in attributive or substantive roles. As the heads of VPs, they are limited to non-finite clauses. They come in two varieties: inflecting (switch-reference, SR) and non-inflecting (coreferential, CR). The former are used where the subject of the converb is different from the subject of the main VP; the latter, where the subject is the same in both the subordinate and main VPs.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Converbs'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Conditional || '''-mi''' (CR), '''-raki-, -daki-, -saki-, -naki-''' (SR) || Covers both temporal and causal conditions: "if she Xes, (then she Ys)" and "when she Xes, (then she Ys)".
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperfective || '''-mnak''' (CR), '''-ŋsi-''' (SR) || Past events that were simultaneous with the action or state described by the main verb. "While she was Xing (she was Ying)."
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfective || '''-psa''' (CR), '''-cala-''' (SR) || Events or states that were completed or achieved before the main verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative-Resultative || '''-(ŋ)kan''' (CR only) || Actions or states up until which the main verb continues, or at the point of which the main verb begins.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Negated || '''-r''' (CR only) || Serves as the periphrastic complement of the auxiliary negative verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Purposive || '''-ri, -ri, -si, -di''' (CR), '''-da-''' (SR) || The reason, goal, or purported outcome of the main verb.
|}
</div>

Inflectional morphology for nominals is less complicated, but includes categories of number (singular vs. plural, with a fair number of suppletive forms to indicate plurality; also collectives and an obsolete/nonproductive dual form), possessor, inalienable possession, and case (around ten in number, depending on whether one categorizes certain local case forms as proper cases or as clitics).
<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Noun Case System'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nominative || '''-0''' || Subject; nonreferential/indefinite objects; citation form
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Accusative || '''-wa''' || Specific direct object; distances of travel; durations of time; reference of communication
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Designative || '''-ga''' +[personal possessive suffix] || Direct object with beneficiary function assigned to possessor; can function as subject with some intransitive verbs with benefactive function; designation of direct object in double-accusative verb phrases
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Instrumental || '''-ji'''/'''-ic''' || Tool or means of action, function of use, mode of transport, material or source of creation, source of emotional reaction. ('''-ji''' with stems ending in vowels or nasal consonants; '''-ic''' with stems ending in non-nasal consonants)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Sociative || '''-g(a)li''' || Along with, together with, in the company of, bringing along (usu. with non-animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Comitative || '''-nan''' / '''-ñun''' || Together with, along with (usu. with animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Ablative || '''-dok''' || Motion from source; time after which; general source; object of comparison; source of taking; (raw) material of creation or making; location of action of certain verbs; partitives of numbers
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Allative/Directional || '''-t(a)ki''' || Motion to point/location at which action is completed, but does not begin; motion in direction of which but not up to; in many possession constructions; object of some verbs; addressee of communication; dative of giving; object of active perception verbs; source of emotional reactions when not controlled or intentional
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Essive/Dative || '''-du''' || Location at rest; location of action/event/topic with animate subjects; end point of motion with emphasis on final position (rather than motion); causee of some derived causatives/adversatives; dative of purpose or benefactive; ending usually applied to spatial postpositions; time of completed/general/discrete action; subject and object complements
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prolative || '''-li''' || Motion through, within, or across; route of process or event; punctual future times, time past or through which event will occur; prices or values of exchange; reference of communication verbs
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Illative || '''-la''' || Motion to point with emphasis on course of motion; location within which action takes place (atelic verbs only); time up to which; used to create possession predicates
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative || '''-gla''' || Motion past or along edge of feature; benefactive of destination or work; time up to which; substitution ("in place of...", "instead of...")
|}
</div>

There is a large residual class of word forms including "adverbs" and/or "adverbials", "clitics", "conjunctions", "particles", etc. - and about as many different schemes of classification as there are scholars of the language.

==Lexicon==
See [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]]

==Genetic Affiliations and History==
Despite its morphosyntactic affinity with the North Tungusic languages, the Tungusic lexicon of Kïlda shows signs of being more archaic than either Evenki or Even. Most noticeable is its preservation of initial '''*p-''' as '''p-''' or '''f-''', which has gone > '''h-''' > '''0-''' in the other North Tungusic languages. E.g., PTg '''*pesin''' "handle" > Evenki, Even, Negidal, Oroch '''hesin''', Udihe '''hehi''' vs. Ulcha, Orok, Nanai '''pesi(n)''', Manchu '''fesin''', but Kilda '''pesi(n)'''; or before back vowels, PTg '''*po:si-''' "glowing ember" > Evenki '''ho:sin''', Negidal '''xosinca''' "hot coal" vs. Ulcha and Orok '''posi''', Nanai '''posi(n)''' "spark, burning coal", Manchu '''foson''' "sunlight, sun ray, glow of fire", but Kilda '''fo:sïn''' "ember, glowing coal". Likewise, PTg '''*ü''' in the first syllable of a word typically becomes '''i''' in North Tungusic but '''u''' in South Tungusic and also in Kïlda: PTg '''*tügde''' "rain" > Evenki/Negidal/Oroch/Udighe '''tigde''', Solon '''tiki-''' "to rain", Even '''tīd''' vs. Ulcha/Nanai/Kilda '''tugde''', Orok '''tugde/tugje''', Manchu '''tuhe-''' id. Moreover, Kilda has many lexemes that are found only in the southern Tungusic languages and absent entirely from the northern ones.

These two factors give Kilda the superficial appearance of being more closely related to South (or "Amuric") Tungusic languages than the North Tungusic languages. All Tungusic etymologies of Kilda lexemes are, moreover, complicated by a sizable number of relatively loanwords from Even and Evenki into Kilda, in some cases supplanting an earlier or inherited lexeme.

Additionally, there is a large quantity of what are either inherited Para-Mongolic terms or early borrowings from Preclassical or Middle Mongolian, depending on individual scholars' interpretations. These, combined with quantities of "high culture" vocabulary items borrowed from Old Turkic, are nowadays generally accepted as evidence in support of the traditional Kïldamnï belief that they are descendants of the [[Wikipedia:Khitan|Khitans]] who ruled northern China, Manchuria, and parts of modern Mongolia under the [[Wikipedia:Liao_Dynasty|Liao dynasty]] (907-1125 CE). While of restricted use, there even exists a sizable body of [[Indo-Iranian_Loans_in_Kilda|Indian and Iranian loanwords]].

The Kïlda language has furthermore absorbed very large numbers of lexical items from languages indigenous to Kamchatka (Kurile [[Wikipedia:Ainu_Language|Ainu]], Southern and Eastern "dialects" of [[Wikipedia:Itelmen_language|Itelmen]]) and from languages neighboring Kamchatka: the [[Wikipedia:Koryak_language|Koryak]] and [[Wikipedia:Alutor_language|Alutor]] languages, and later from [[Wikipedia:Aleut_language|Aleut]] and even Pacific Yupik -- confusingly now called [[Wikipedia:Alutiiq|Alutiiq]]. (Kïlda thus has been influenced by "Alutor", "Aleut", and "Alutiiq", actually three different languages belonging to three different language families or branches thereof.) There are also a smaller number of foreign loans from the early modern period (primarily Portuguese, French, English, Japanese, and Russian, but also Chinese and [[Wikipedia:Chinook_Jargon|Chinook Jargon]]). Perhaps as much as 1/4 or even 1/3 of the total lexicon is of non-Altaic or non-Tungusic origin. In the 19th and 20th century, it proved much more conservative towards foreign influence than in the past, and has (relatively) few "global" or "international" items of vocabulary taken from English or Russian.

==Writing Systems==
The Kïldamnï in Kamchatka used forms of the [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khitan.htm Khitan logosyllabic writing system] until the early 1800s, when Latin orthographies were adopted. The original Khitan "Large Script" and "Small Script" writing systems of the Liao dynasty seem to have died out by approximately 1300 and are documented in Kamchatka only by a few short and poorly-preserved inscriptions in stone. They did, however, give rise to a third related script first attested around the same time; this writing system consisted of 1200-1600 graphemes and during its period of use (c. 1325-1825) became gradually more and more regularized and rationalized.

Since the 1820s the official and generally used orthrography for Kïlda has been one of several Latinate systems (also successively modified and modernized over the decades). The language has also been written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet (primarily by Orthodox missionaries, priests, and converts beginning in the early 1700s), Japanese katakana (during 1941-1945), and to a very limited extent in a "runic" syllabary devised at the turn of the twentieth century that was inspired by the recently-discovered [[Wikipedia:Orkhon_script|Old Turkic "runic" script]] from the Orkhon and Yenesei valleys in Central Asia.

==Ethnographic Background Information==
[[Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:LLL]]
[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]]
[[Category:Altaic conlangs]]
[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kilda Kelen

2009-06-10T18:16:26Z

Kuroda: Revision/expansion on genetic affiliations/borrowing

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Kilda Kelen'''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||Kamchatka Peninsula, Northeast Siberia
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Possibly the [[League of Lost Languages]]
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||At least 50,000.
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
||''disputed''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Tungusic<br>
  North Tungusic<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
''or''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Mongolic<br>
  Kitan<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
|-
|valign="top"|Basic word order:
|| SOV<br>AdjN<br>GenN<br>RelHead
|-
|valign="top"|Morphological type:
|| Agglutinative
|-
|valign="top"|Morphosyntactic alignment:
|| Accusative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||Kuroda ||1996-
|}

The language of the '''Kïldamnï''' (gentile noun; individually, '''Kïldaï''') is likely a member of the League of Lost Languages that is spoken today on the [[Wikipedia:Kamchatka_Peninsula|Kamchatka Peninsula]] in northeastern Siberia. Foreign scholars universally consider '''Kïlda''' to be an [[Wikipedia:Altaic_languages|Altaic language]] -- the family consisting of the [[Wikipedia:Turkic_languages|Turkic]], [[Wikipedia:Mongolic_languages|Mongolian]], and [[Wikipedia:Tungusic_languages|Tungusic]] language groups, and according to some, [[Wikipedia:Korean_language|Korean]] or [[Wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]]. However, contemporary native Kïldamnï scholarship rejects the "Altaic Hypothesis" and considers these three (or five) groups to be related only through prolonged contact and mixing. In any event, it would be safe to say that the Kïlda language is closely related to both Tungusic and Mongolic languages, whether by descent or affiliation. Today, arguments on the genetic roots of Kïlda fall into one of two camps: Tungusic with heavy adstratum influence from Para-Mongolic or Pre-Classical Mongolian, vs. Para-Mongolic with heavy substratum influence and later borrowing from North Tungusic languages, specifically [[Wikipedia:Evenki_language|Evenki (or "Tungus")]] and [[Wikipedia:Even_language|Even (or "Lamut")]]. The position that Kïlda is a separate branch of Altaic was popular earlier in the 20th century but is now held only by a small, crackpot fringe.

==Phonology==
Kïlda has a regular system of so-called front/back vowel harmony, in which lexical stems determine the vowel quality of their affixes. "Front" vowels are /'''ə i u o'''/ (in standard Latin orthography {'''e i ü ö'''}) while "back" vowels are /'''a ɪ ʊ ɔ'''/ (Latin orthography: {'''a ï u o'''}). The latter series is described, by different researchers, as "tense", "pharyngialized", or "retracted tongue root (RTR, -ATR)". There is also limited "rounding harmony" where the vowels /'''a ə'''/ appear as /'''ɔ o'''/ (respectively) in suffixes when attached to stems containing only /'''ɔ o'''/. Vowel length is additionally distinguished (though not in many orthographies), which also affects vowel quality (e.g., /ə əː/ = [ə ɛ], /ʊ ʊː/ = [ʊ ɯ]) and stress allocation. Two additional phonemes are recognized by the Kïldamnï as diphthongs, in Latin orthography {'''ei''', '''ê'''} (/'''eʲ''', '''ɛj'''/) and {'''ai'''} (/'''aj''', '''æʲ'''/).

Consonantal phonology is fairly unexceptional. The two series of obstruents are distinguished primarily by voicing: /'''b d ʤ g'''/ {'''b d j g'''} are voiced, while /'''p t ʧ k'''/ {'''p t c k'''} are voiceless and strongly aspirated in most positions. While /'''k'''/ has velar and uvular allophones, conditioned by front vs. back vowel harmony (respectively), these are not phonemic and are ignored in native orthographies (though not in most foreign transcriptions). /'''p'''/ is ['''ɸ'''] (orthographically {'''f'''}) before back vowels (and in some cases /'''ɪ'''/), though this is irregular due to many loanwords and ideophones - so some analyses present /'''ɸ'''/ as a separate phoneme.

Like most genetically and areally related languages, there is a phonemic palatal nasal /'''ɲ'''/ {'''ñ'''} or {'''ni-'''}. Unlike other Tungusic languages and neighbors (but like Manchu and Mongolic and Turkic languages), the velar nasal /'''ŋ'''/ {'''ng'''} cannot occur before a vowel. The hissing sibilant /'''s'''/ {'''s'''} is always pronounced "palatalized" (actually, retracted and grooved) before high front vowels (/'''i'''/ and /'''ı'''/) and thus merges with /'''ʃ'''/ {'''sh'''} or {'''š'''}. The phoneme /'''r'''/ {'''r'''} does not occur word-initially in native words or in loanwords from before the mid-19th century: /'''ɔrɔm'''/ "rum" (1820s) but /'''rɔkınrɔl'''/ "rock and roll" (1970s). Foreign descriptions cast /'''l'''/ {'''l'''} as a lateral fricative, voiceless in most but not all positions (['''ɬ'''] and ['''ɮ''']), but native accounts persist in calling it a lateral approximant. Likewise, according to Kilda sources /'''w'''/ {'''w''', '''v'''} is not a labiovelar, but a bilabial approximant or fricative (realized as ['''β̞''', '''β''']), while many foreign scholars describe it as a velar approximant pronounced with lip compression, ['''ɰ''']. The phoneme given here as /'''h'''/ has allophones ranging from voiceless velar and uvular fricatives ['''x, χ'''] to voiceless pharyngeal or epiglottal fricatives ['''ħ, ʜ'''] (identification is disputed) to voiceless and voiced glottal fricatives ['''h, ɦ'''] - depending on vowel harmony, syllable position, and dialect or idolect.

Syllable structure is generally simple and of (C)V(C) form, and the language permits no internal clusters of more than two consonant phonemes. Word-initial or word-final consonant clusters are very rare even in loanwords. (E.g., /'''smiki'''/ "wandering tattler (a bird)", /'''tɔsk'''/ "riverbed sand".) By default, primary stress falls on the first syllable, but is attracted to syllables with long vowels.

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Dental-Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|s}} || || {{IPA|ʃ}} || || || || || || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || ||{{IPA|tʃ}} || {{IPA|dʒ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || {{IPA|l}} || {{IPA|r}} || || || {{IPA|j}}
|}

</div>
<br/>

<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| +FRONT ||colspan=2| -FRONT
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| || +ATR || -ATR || +ATR || -ATR
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| +HIGH || {{IPA|ɪ}} || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|ʊ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| -HIGH || {{IPA|a}} || {{IPA|ə}} || {{IPA|ɔ}} || {{IPA|o}}
|}

</div>

==Morphology and Syntax==
Grammatically, Kïlda is highly agglutinative and almost exclusively suffixing. It has basic SOV word order, accusative syntax, and a wealth of non-finite verb forms, many tense and aspect distinctions, and a fairly elaborate system of local cases. In all these respects it is a quite typical North Tungusic language. Though it has a slightly reduced and simplified inflectional morphology compared to its closest relatives, most morphological and syntactic constructions can be directly matched to corresponding forms in Even and/or Evenki.

Inflectional morphology for verbal elements recognizes categories of finiteness, mood or modality, aspect, tense, evidentiality, person and number (of subject only), and switch-reference (in non-finite verbs only). There is a rich variety of verbal nouns (or "participles") which can serve as finite and non-finite verbs, attributive modifiers, and nominals. In addition there are a number of important periphrastic constructions to express certain TAM combinations (e.g., contact causation, pluperfect and future perfect) and in polite and honorific language.

Finite endings can loosely be defined as those verbal inflections which occur only in the heads of verb phrases serving predicative roles in the sentence, and which do not permit subordination to another verb phrase. However, not all such VP heads take finite endings; participial and converbal forms can and often do occur in that role. In fact, in Kilda finite verbs proper are largely limited to imperatives and a number of modal-epistemic forms. The finite endings are followed by pronominal suffixes (except as noted below).

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Finite Verb Endings'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Future || '''-jai-''' || Near or immediate future tense
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Inferential Future || '''-mna-''' || More distant future tense, with less certainty about the action or state actually happening; also used to state probabilities or likelihoods in general or abstract times, or in customary behavior
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Subjunctive || '''-mca-''' || Consequence of counterfactual conditionals
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Probabilative || '''-na-''' || Possible event or action at a time close to the present
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Distant Probabilative || '''-rka-''' || As above, but for events or actions in the more remote past
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mirative || '''-jug-''' || Actions or states which turn out to be the case, counter to expectation or in a narrative twist; usually with a pluperfect tense-aspect meaning.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Admonitive || '''-jik''' || Warning or reminding about the verbal action: "look out for..., be sure to..., beware of...". Only with second person reference.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperative || '''-kar''' (sg.), '''-karsu''' (pl.), '''-hun''' (polite) || Orders and commands to direct addressees.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prescriptive || '''-tugin''' (sg.), '''-tuktin''' (pl.) || Instructions and remote commands to non-present third persons; in some cases, to direct addressees but concerning actions to take in the future or in a distant location.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Voluntative || '''-su''' (sg.), '''-ya''' (pl. incl.), '''-gat''' (pl. excl.) || Instructions, exhortations, and expressions of volition about the speaker or the speaker's group.
|}
</div>

Nonfinite verb forms function as attributes, subordinated predicates, and finite or independent predicates. Nonfinite verbs never take modal markers, and rarely occur with certain categories of voice. They fall into three general categories: participles, or verbal nouns; inflecting converbs; and non-inflecting converbs.

As attributives, participles always agree in number with the head of their NP, but not in person or case. As predicates, they require the periphrastic verb '''bi-''' ("be"), except third person nonfuture participial predicates.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Participles (Verbal Nouns/Nominalized Verbs)'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nonfuture || '''-ra-, -da-, -sa-, -na-''' (pred.), '''-ri-, -ri-, -si-, -di-''' (attrib./dependent) || Complicated range of meanings and functions; very widely used -- possibly the most frequent verb form in the language. Can refer to the recent past (of single perfective events or actions), simultaneity or present tense (of prolonged actions), imperfective past (of a small number of activity verbs); regardless, if it refers to any situation in the past, it must be one that was directly observed or experienced by the speaker. It thus has an evidential force as well. It also functions as the coreferential equivalent of the Purposive converb '''-da-''' (see below), and is sometimes referred to as "the infinitive form". (It is also the traditional citation form of verbs in Kilda dictionaries.) The forms with the low front vowels occur when used in predicative roles; those with high front vowels when the participle serves as a modifier or nominal. Verb stems fall into four classes, distinguished by the form of their nonfuture participle; they are not phonologically or semantically predictable. The '''-ra-/-ri-''' form is by far the most common.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfect || '''-ca-, -ka-''' || Describes events of longer duration or further in the past than the Nonfuture participle; also those events or states which the speaker did not directly witness or experience -- i.e., with inferential or quotative evidential force. Despite the name "perfect", it does not always imply completed action. The alternation of '''-ca-''' and '''-ka-''' is again lexically determined; the former is more frequent.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Hypothetical || '''-jiŋga-''' || Possible or future indefinite events; to the degree it implies uncertainty, it conveys categorical probability or likelihood and not the speaker's subjective opinion.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Past Iterative || '''-jaŋki-''' || Actions that occurred many times in the past or states that frequently or on many occasions were true. (But not habitual or natural conditions.)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Contact Posterior || '''-ltak-''' || Events that are just about to happen, on the cusp of transpiring. Rather rare, but does occur in both predicative and attributive roles.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Optative || '''-(ŋ)gati-''' || Describes circumstances which the speaker would like to happen or would consider favorably. Usually only as a predicate.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Necessitative || '''-nna-''' || Actions or events that are necessary or required from an impersonal or universal perspective, or that are logically necessary.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Debitive || '''-mcin-''' || Like the Necessitative, but those situations that are personally or subjectively obligatory
|}
</div>

Converbs have only a predicative function; they never serve in attributive or substantive roles. As the heads of VPs, they are limited to non-finite clauses. They come in two varieties: inflecting (switch-reference, SR) and non-inflecting (coreferential, CR). The former are used where the subject of the converb is different from the subject of the main VP; the latter, where the subject is the same in both the subordinate and main VPs.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Converbs'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Conditional || '''-mi''' (CR), '''-raki-, -daki-, -saki-, -naki-''' (SR) || Covers both temporal and causal conditions: "if she Xes, (then she Ys)" and "when she Xes, (then she Ys)".
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperfective || '''-mnak''' (CR), '''-ŋsi-''' (SR) || Past events that were simultaneous with the action or state described by the main verb. "While she was Xing (she was Ying)."
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfective || '''-psa''' (CR), '''-cala-''' (SR) || Events or states that were completed or achieved before the main verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative-Resultative || '''-(ŋ)kan''' (CR only) || Actions or states up until which the main verb continues, or at the point of which the main verb begins.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Negated || '''-r''' (CR only) || Serves as the periphrastic complement of the auxiliary negative verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Purposive || '''-ri, -ri, -si, -di''' (CR), '''-da-''' (SR) || The reason, goal, or purported outcome of the main verb.
|}
</div>

Inflectional morphology for nominals is less complicated, but includes categories of number (singular vs. plural, with a fair number of suppletive forms to indicate plurality; also collectives and an obsolete/nonproductive dual form), possessor, inalienable possession, and case (around ten in number, depending on whether one categorizes certain local case forms as proper cases or as clitics).
<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Noun Case System'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nominative || '''-0''' || Subject; nonreferential/indefinite objects; citation form
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Accusative || '''-wa''' || Specific direct object; distances of travel; durations of time; reference of communication
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Designative || '''-ga''' +[personal possessive suffix] || Direct object with beneficiary function assigned to possessor; can function as subject with some intransitive verbs with benefactive function; designation of direct object in double-accusative verb phrases
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Instrumental || '''-ji'''/'''-ic''' || Tool or means of action, function of use, mode of transport, material or source of creation, source of emotional reaction. ('''-ji''' with stems ending in vowels or nasal consonants; '''-ic''' with stems ending in non-nasal consonants)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Sociative || '''-g(a)li''' || Along with, together with, in the company of, bringing along (usu. with non-animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Comitative || '''-nan''' / '''-ñun''' || Together with, along with (usu. with animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Ablative || '''-dok''' || Motion from source; time after which; general source; object of comparison; source of taking; (raw) material of creation or making; location of action of certain verbs; partitives of numbers
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Allative/Directional || '''-t(a)ki''' || Motion to point/location at which action is completed, but does not begin; motion in direction of which but not up to; in many possession constructions; object of some verbs; addressee of communication; dative of giving; object of active perception verbs; source of emotional reactions when not controlled or intentional
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Essive/Dative || '''-du''' || Location at rest; location of action/event/topic with animate subjects; end point of motion with emphasis on final position (rather than motion); causee of some derived causatives/adversatives; dative of purpose or benefactive; ending usually applied to spatial postpositions; time of completed/general/discrete action; subject and object complements
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prolative || '''-li''' || Motion through, within, or across; route of process or event; punctual future times, time past or through which event will occur; prices or values of exchange; reference of communication verbs
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Illative || '''-la''' || Motion to point with emphasis on course of motion; location within which action takes place (atelic verbs only); time up to which; used to create possession predicates
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative || '''-gla''' || Motion past or along edge of feature; benefactive of destination or work; time up to which; substitution ("in place of...", "instead of...")
|}
</div>

There is a large residual class of word forms including "adverbs" and/or "adverbials", "clitics", "conjunctions", "particles", etc. - and about as many different schemes of classification as there are scholars of the language.

==Lexicon==
See [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]]

==Genetic Affiliations and History==
Despite its close morphosyntactic affinity with the North Tungusic languages, Kïlda shows signs of being more archaic than either Evenki or Even. Most noticeable is its preservation of initial '''*p-''' as '''p-''' or '''f-''', which has gone > '''h-''' > '''0-''' in the other North Tungusic languages. (E.g., PTg '''*pesin''' "handle" > Evenki, Even, Negidal, Oroch '''hesin''', Udihe '''hehi''' vs. Ulcha, Orok, Nanai '''pesi(n)''', Manchu '''fesin''', but Kilda '''pesi(n)'''; or before back vowels, PTg '''*po:si-''' "glowing ember" > Evenki '''ho:sin''', Negidal '''xosinca''' "hot coal" vs. Ulcha and Orok '''posi''', Nanai '''posi(n)''' "spark, burning coal", Manchu '''foson''' "sunlight, sun ray, glow of fire", but Kilda '''fo:sïn''' "ember, glowing coal".) Kilda has many lexemes found only in the Southern (or "Amuric") branch of Tungusic. These two factors give Kilda the superficial appearance of being more closely related to the Southern Tungusic languages than the Northern languages. All Tungusic etymologies of Kïlda lexemes are, moreover, complicated by a sizable number of loanwords from Even or Evenki into Kïlda, in some cases supplanting an earlier or inherited lexeme.

Additionally, there is a large quantity of what are either inherited Para-Mongolic terms or early borrowings from Preclassical or Middle Mongolian, depending on individual scholars' interpretations. These, combined with quantities of "high culture" vocabulary items borrowed from Old Turkic, are nowadays generally accepted as evidence in support of the traditional Kïldamnï belief that they are descendants of the [[Wikipedia:Khitan|Khitans]] who ruled northern China, Manchuria, and parts of modern Mongolia under the [[Wikipedia:Liao_Dynasty|Liao dynasty]] (907-1125 CE). While of restricted use, there even exists a sizable body of [[Indo-Iranian_Loans_in_Kilda|Indian and Iranian loanwords]].

The Kïlda language has furthermore absorbed very large numbers of lexical items from languages indigenous to Kamchatka (Kurile [[Wikipedia:Ainu_Language|Ainu]], Southern and Eastern "dialects" of [[Wikipedia:Itelmen_language|Itelmen]]) and from languages neighboring Kamchatka: the [[Wikipedia:Koryak_language|Koryak]] and [[Wikipedia:Alutor_language|Alutor]] languages, and later from [[Wikipedia:Aleut_language|Aleut]] and even Pacific Yupik -- confusingly now called [[Wikipedia:Alutiiq|Alutiiq]]. (Kïlda thus has been influenced by "Alutor", "Aleut", and "Alutiiq", actually three different languages belonging to three different language families or branches thereof.) There are also a smaller number of foreign loans from the early modern period (primarily Portuguese, French, English, Japanese, and Russian, but also Chinese and [[Wikipedia:Chinook_Jargon|Chinook Jargon]]). Perhaps as much as 1/4 or even 1/3 of the total lexicon is of non-Altaic or non-Tungusic origin. In the 19th and 20th century, it proved much more conservative towards foreign influence than in the past, and has (relatively) few "global" or "international" items of vocabulary taken from English or Russian.

==Writing Systems==
The Kïldamnï in Kamchatka used forms of the [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khitan.htm Khitan logosyllabic writing system] until the early 1800s, when Latin orthographies were adopted. The original Khitan "Large Script" and "Small Script" writing systems of the Liao dynasty seem to have died out by approximately 1300 and are documented in Kamchatka only by a few short and poorly-preserved inscriptions in stone. They did, however, give rise to a third related script first attested around the same time; this writing system consisted of 1200-1600 graphemes and during its period of use (c. 1325-1825) became gradually more and more regularized and rationalized.

Since the 1820s the official and generally used orthrography for Kïlda has been one of several Latinate systems (also successively modified and modernized over the decades). The language has also been written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet (primarily by Orthodox missionaries, priests, and converts beginning in the early 1700s), Japanese katakana (during 1941-1945), and to a very limited extent in a "runic" syllabary devised at the turn of the twentieth century that was inspired by the recently-discovered [[Wikipedia:Orkhon_script|Old Turkic "runic" script]] from the Orkhon and Yenesei valleys in Central Asia.

==Ethnographic Background Information==
[[Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:LLL]]
[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]]
[[Category:Altaic conlangs]]
[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kilda Kelen

2009-05-22T20:18:26Z

Kuroda: Alternate genealogical classification

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Kilda Kelen'''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||Kamchatka Peninsula, Northeast Siberia
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Possibly the [[League of Lost Languages]]
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||At least 50,000.
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
||''disputed''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Tungusic<br>
  North Tungusic<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
''or''<br>
Altaic<br>
 Mongolic<br>
  Kitan<br>
   '''Kïlda'''<br>
|-
|valign="top"|Basic word order:
|| SOV<br>AdjN<br>GenN<br>RelHead
|-
|valign="top"|Morphological type:
|| Agglutinative
|-
|valign="top"|Morphosyntactic alignment:
|| Accusative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||Kuroda ||1996-
|}

The language of the '''Kïldamnï''' (gentile noun; individually, '''Kïldaï''') is likely a member of the League of Lost Languages that is spoken today on the [[Wikipedia:Kamchatka_Peninsula|Kamchatka Peninsula]] in northeastern Siberia. Foreign scholars universally consider '''Kïlda''' to be an [[Wikipedia:Altaic_languages|Altaic language]] -- the family consisting of the [[Wikipedia:Turkic_languages|Turkic]], [[Wikipedia:Mongolic_languages|Mongolian]], and [[Wikipedia:Tungusic_languages|Tungusic]] language groups, and according to some, [[Wikipedia:Korean_language|Korean]] or [[Wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]]. However, contemporary native Kïldamnï scholarship rejects the "Altaic Hypothesis" and considers these three (or five) groups to be related only through prolonged contact and mixing.

All parties generally agree, however, that Kïlda is a Tungusic language. Within that family, it has most in common with the northern branch of that family -- specifically [[Wikipedia:Evenki_language|Evenki (or "Tungus")]] and to [[Wikipedia:Even_language|Even (or "Lamut")]].

==Phonology==
Kïlda has a regular system of so-called front/back vowel harmony, in which lexical stems determine the vowel quality of their affixes. "Front" vowels are /'''ə i u o'''/ (in standard Latin orthography {'''e i ü ö'''}) while "back" vowels are /'''a ɪ ʊ ɔ'''/ (Latin orthography: {'''a ï u o'''}). The latter series is described, by different researchers, as "tense", "pharyngialized", or "retracted tongue root (RTR, -ATR)". There is also limited "rounding harmony" where the vowels /'''a ə'''/ appear as /'''ɔ o'''/ (respectively) in suffixes when attached to stems containing only /'''ɔ o'''/. Vowel length is additionally distinguished (though not in many orthographies), which also affects vowel quality (e.g., /ə əː/ = [ə ɛ], /ʊ ʊː/ = [ʊ ɯ]) and stress allocation. Two additional phonemes are recognized by the Kïldamnï as diphthongs, in Latin orthography {'''ei''', '''ê'''} (/'''eʲ''', '''ɛj'''/) and {'''ai'''} (/'''aj''', '''æʲ'''/).

Consonantal phonology is fairly unexceptional. The two series of obstruents are distinguished primarily by voicing: /'''b d ʤ g'''/ {'''b d j g'''} are voiced, while /'''p t ʧ k'''/ {'''p t c k'''} are voiceless and strongly aspirated in most positions. While /'''k'''/ has velar and uvular allophones, conditioned by front vs. back vowel harmony (respectively), these are not phonemic and are ignored in native orthographies (though not in most foreign transcriptions). /'''p'''/ is ['''ɸ'''] (orthographically {'''f'''}) before back vowels (and in some cases /'''ɪ'''/), though this is irregular due to many loanwords and ideophones - so some analyses present /'''ɸ'''/ as a separate phoneme.

Like most genetically and areally related languages, there is a phonemic palatal nasal /'''ɲ'''/ {'''ñ'''} or {'''ni-'''}. Unlike other Tungusic languages and neighbors (but like Manchu and Mongolic and Turkic languages), the velar nasal /'''ŋ'''/ {'''ng'''} cannot occur before a vowel. The hissing sibilant /'''s'''/ {'''s'''} is always pronounced "palatalized" (actually, retracted and grooved) before high front vowels (/'''i'''/ and /'''ı'''/) and thus merges with /'''ʃ'''/ {'''sh'''} or {'''š'''}. The phoneme /'''r'''/ {'''r'''} does not occur word-initially in native words or in loanwords from before the mid-19th century: /'''ɔrɔm'''/ "rum" (1820s) but /'''rɔkınrɔl'''/ "rock and roll" (1970s). Foreign descriptions cast /'''l'''/ {'''l'''} as a lateral fricative, voiceless in most but not all positions (['''ɬ'''] and ['''ɮ''']), but native accounts persist in calling it a lateral approximant. Likewise, according to Kilda sources /'''w'''/ {'''w''', '''v'''} is not a labiovelar, but a bilabial approximant or fricative (realized as ['''β̞''', '''β''']), while many foreign scholars describe it as a velar approximant pronounced with lip compression, ['''ɰ''']. The phoneme given here as /'''h'''/ has allophones ranging from voiceless velar and uvular fricatives ['''x, χ'''] to voiceless pharyngeal or epiglottal fricatives ['''ħ, ʜ'''] (identification is disputed) to voiceless and voiced glottal fricatives ['''h, ɦ'''] - depending on vowel harmony, syllable position, and dialect or idolect.

Syllable structure is generally simple and of (C)V(C) form, and the language permits no internal clusters of more than two consonant phonemes. Word-initial or word-final consonant clusters are very rare even in loanwords. (E.g., /'''smiki'''/ "wandering tattler (a bird)", /'''tɔsk'''/ "riverbed sand".) By default, primary stress falls on the first syllable, but is attracted to syllables with long vowels.

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Dental-Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|s}} || || {{IPA|ʃ}} || || || || || || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || ||{{IPA|tʃ}} || {{IPA|dʒ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || {{IPA|l}} || {{IPA|r}} || || || {{IPA|j}}
|}

</div>
<br/>

<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| +FRONT ||colspan=2| -FRONT
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| || +ATR || -ATR || +ATR || -ATR
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| +HIGH || {{IPA|ɪ}} || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|ʊ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| -HIGH || {{IPA|a}} || {{IPA|ə}} || {{IPA|ɔ}} || {{IPA|o}}
|}

</div>

==Morphology and Syntax==
Grammatically, Kïlda is highly agglutinative and almost exclusively suffixing. It has basic SOV word order, accusative syntax, and a wealth of non-finite verb forms, many tense and aspect distinctions, and a fairly elaborate system of local cases. In all these respects it is a quite typical North Tungusic language. Though it has a slightly reduced and simplified inflectional morphology compared to its closest relatives, most morphological and syntactic constructions can be directly matched to corresponding forms in Even and/or Evenki.

Inflectional morphology for verbal elements recognizes categories of finiteness, mood or modality, aspect, tense, evidentiality, person and number (of subject only), and switch-reference (in non-finite verbs only). There is a rich variety of verbal nouns (or "participles") which can serve as finite and non-finite verbs, attributive modifiers, and nominals. In addition there are a number of important periphrastic constructions to express certain TAM combinations (e.g., contact causation, pluperfect and future perfect) and in polite and honorific language.

Finite endings can loosely be defined as those verbal inflections which occur only in the heads of verb phrases serving predicative roles in the sentence, and which do not permit subordination to another verb phrase. However, not all such VP heads take finite endings; participial and converbal forms can and often do occur in that role. In fact, in Kilda finite verbs proper are largely limited to imperatives and a number of modal-epistemic forms. The finite endings are followed by pronominal suffixes (except as noted below).

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Finite Verb Endings'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Future || '''-jai-''' || Near or immediate future tense
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Inferential Future || '''-mna-''' || More distant future tense, with less certainty about the action or state actually happening; also used to state probabilities or likelihoods in general or abstract times, or in customary behavior
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Subjunctive || '''-mca-''' || Consequence of counterfactual conditionals
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Probabilative || '''-na-''' || Possible event or action at a time close to the present
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Distant Probabilative || '''-rka-''' || As above, but for events or actions in the more remote past
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mirative || '''-jug-''' || Actions or states which turn out to be the case, counter to expectation or in a narrative twist; usually with a pluperfect tense-aspect meaning.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Admonitive || '''-jik''' || Warning or reminding about the verbal action: "look out for..., be sure to..., beware of...". Only with second person reference.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperative || '''-kar''' (sg.), '''-karsu''' (pl.), '''-hun''' (polite) || Orders and commands to direct addressees.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prescriptive || '''-tugin''' (sg.), '''-tuktin''' (pl.) || Instructions and remote commands to non-present third persons; in some cases, to direct addressees but concerning actions to take in the future or in a distant location.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Voluntative || '''-su''' (sg.), '''-ya''' (pl. incl.), '''-gat''' (pl. excl.) || Instructions, exhortations, and expressions of volition about the speaker or the speaker's group.
|}
</div>

Nonfinite verb forms function as attributes, subordinated predicates, and finite or independent predicates. Nonfinite verbs never take modal markers, and rarely occur with certain categories of voice. They fall into three general categories: participles, or verbal nouns; inflecting converbs; and non-inflecting converbs.

As attributives, participles always agree in number with the head of their NP, but not in person or case. As predicates, they require the periphrastic verb '''bi-''' ("be"), except third person nonfuture participial predicates.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Participles (Verbal Nouns/Nominalized Verbs)'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nonfuture || '''-ra-, -da-, -sa-, -na-''' (pred.), '''-ri-, -ri-, -si-, -di-''' (attrib./dependent) || Complicated range of meanings and functions; very widely used -- possibly the most frequent verb form in the language. Can refer to the recent past (of single perfective events or actions), simultaneity or present tense (of prolonged actions), imperfective past (of a small number of activity verbs); regardless, if it refers to any situation in the past, it must be one that was directly observed or experienced by the speaker. It thus has an evidential force as well. It also functions as the coreferential equivalent of the Purposive converb '''-da-''' (see below), and is sometimes referred to as "the infinitive form". (It is also the traditional citation form of verbs in Kilda dictionaries.) The forms with the low front vowels occur when used in predicative roles; those with high front vowels when the participle serves as a modifier or nominal. Verb stems fall into four classes, distinguished by the form of their nonfuture participle; they are not phonologically or semantically predictable. The '''-ra-/-ri-''' form is by far the most common.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfect || '''-ca-, -ka-''' || Describes events of longer duration or further in the past than the Nonfuture participle; also those events or states which the speaker did not directly witness or experience -- i.e., with inferential or quotative evidential force. Despite the name "perfect", it does not always imply completed action. The alternation of '''-ca-''' and '''-ka-''' is again lexically determined; the former is more frequent.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Hypothetical || '''-jiŋga-''' || Possible or future indefinite events; to the degree it implies uncertainty, it conveys categorical probability or likelihood and not the speaker's subjective opinion.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Past Iterative || '''-jaŋki-''' || Actions that occurred many times in the past or states that frequently or on many occasions were true. (But not habitual or natural conditions.)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Contact Posterior || '''-ltak-''' || Events that are just about to happen, on the cusp of transpiring. Rather rare, but does occur in both predicative and attributive roles.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Optative || '''-(ŋ)gati-''' || Describes circumstances which the speaker would like to happen or would consider favorably. Usually only as a predicate.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Necessitative || '''-nna-''' || Actions or events that are necessary or required from an impersonal or universal perspective, or that are logically necessary.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Debitive || '''-mcin-''' || Like the Necessitative, but those situations that are personally or subjectively obligatory
|}
</div>

Converbs have only a predicative function; they never serve in attributive or substantive roles. As the heads of VPs, they are limited to non-finite clauses. They come in two varieties: inflecting (switch-reference, SR) and non-inflecting (coreferential, CR). The former are used where the subject of the converb is different from the subject of the main VP; the latter, where the subject is the same in both the subordinate and main VPs.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Converbs'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Conditional || '''-mi''' (CR), '''-raki-, -daki-, -saki-, -naki-''' (SR) || Covers both temporal and causal conditions: "if she Xes, (then she Ys)" and "when she Xes, (then she Ys)".
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperfective || '''-mnak''' (CR), '''-ŋsi-''' (SR) || Past events that were simultaneous with the action or state described by the main verb. "While she was Xing (she was Ying)."
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfective || '''-psa''' (CR), '''-cala-''' (SR) || Events or states that were completed or achieved before the main verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative-Resultative || '''-(ŋ)kan''' (CR only) || Actions or states up until which the main verb continues, or at the point of which the main verb begins.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Negated || '''-r''' (CR only) || Serves as the periphrastic complement of the auxiliary negative verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Purposive || '''-ri, -ri, -si, -di''' (CR), '''-da-''' (SR) || The reason, goal, or purported outcome of the main verb.
|}
</div>

Inflectional morphology for nominals is less complicated, but includes categories of number (singular vs. plural, with a fair number of suppletive forms to indicate plurality; also collectives and an obsolete/nonproductive dual form), possessor, inalienable possession, and case (around ten in number, depending on whether one categorizes certain local case forms as proper cases or as clitics).
<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Noun Case System'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nominative || '''-0''' || Subject; nonreferential/indefinite objects; citation form
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Accusative || '''-wa''' || Specific direct object; distances of travel; durations of time; reference of communication
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Designative || '''-ga''' +[personal possessive suffix] || Direct object with beneficiary function assigned to possessor; can function as subject with some intransitive verbs with benefactive function; designation of direct object in double-accusative verb phrases
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Instrumental || '''-ji'''/'''-ic''' || Tool or means of action, function of use, mode of transport, material or source of creation, source of emotional reaction. ('''-ji''' with stems ending in vowels or nasal consonants; '''-ic''' with stems ending in non-nasal consonants)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Sociative || '''-g(a)li''' || Along with, together with, in the company of, bringing along (usu. with non-animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Comitative || '''-nan''' / '''-ñun''' || Together with, along with (usu. with animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Ablative || '''-dok''' || Motion from source; time after which; general source; object of comparison; source of taking; (raw) material of creation or making; location of action of certain verbs; partitives of numbers
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Allative/Directional || '''-t(a)ki''' || Motion to point/location at which action is completed, but does not begin; motion in direction of which but not up to; in many possession constructions; object of some verbs; addressee of communication; dative of giving; object of active perception verbs; source of emotional reactions when not controlled or intentional
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Essive/Dative || '''-du''' || Location at rest; location of action/event/topic with animate subjects; end point of motion with emphasis on final position (rather than motion); causee of some derived causatives/adversatives; dative of purpose or benefactive; ending usually applied to spatial postpositions; time of completed/general/discrete action; subject and object complements
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prolative || '''-li''' || Motion through, within, or across; route of process or event; punctual future times, time past or through which event will occur; prices or values of exchange; reference of communication verbs
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Illative || '''-la''' || Motion to point with emphasis on course of motion; location within which action takes place (atelic verbs only); time up to which; used to create possession predicates
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative || '''-gla''' || Motion past or along edge of feature; benefactive of destination or work; time up to which; substitution ("in place of...", "instead of...")
|}
</div>

There is a large residual class of word forms including "adverbs" and/or "adverbials", "clitics", "conjunctions", "particles", etc. - and about as many different schemes of classification as there are scholars of the language.

==Lexicon==
See [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]]

==Genetic Affiliations and History==
Despite its close morphosyntactic affinity with the North Tungusic languages, Kïlda shows signs of being more archaic than either Evenki or Even. Most noticeable is its preservation of initial '''*p-''' as '''p-''' or '''f-''', which has gone > '''h-''' > '''0-''' in the other North Tungusic languages. (E.g., PTg '''*pesin''' "handle" > Evenki, Even, Negidal, Oroch '''hesin''', Udihe '''hehi''' vs. Ulcha, Orok, Nanai '''pesi(n)''', Manchu '''fesin''', but Kilda '''pesi(n)'''; or before back vowels, PTg '''*po:si-''' "glowing ember" > Evenki '''ho:sin''', Negidal '''xosinca''' "hot coal" vs. Ulcha and Orok '''posi''', Nanai '''posi(n)''' "spark, burning coal", Manchu '''foson''' "sunlight, sun ray, glow of fire", but Kilda '''fo:sïn''' "ember, glowing coal".) Kilda has many lexemes found only in the Southern (or "Amuric") branch of Tungusic. These two factors give Kilda the superficial appearance of being more closely related to the Southern Tungusic languages than the Northern languages. Tungusic etymologies are, moreover, complicated by a sizable number of loanwords from Even or Evenki into Kïlda, in some cases supplanting the inherited lexeme.

Additionally, the large quantity of extra-Tungusic Altaic cognates or early borrowings (depending upon interpretation), from Preclassical or Middle Mongolian and from Old Turkic, is generally now accepted as evidence in support of the traditional Kïldamnï belief that they are descendants of the [[Wikipedia:Khitan|Khitans]] who ruled northern China, Manchuria, and parts of modern Mongolia under the [[Wikipedia:Liao_Dynasty|Liao dynasty]] (907-1125 CE). While of restricted use, there even exists a sizable body of [[Indo-Iranian_Loans_in_Kilda|Indian and Iranian loanwords]].

The Kïlda language has furthermore absorbed very large numbers of lexical items from languages indigenous to Kamchatka (Kurile [[Wikipedia:Ainu_Language|Ainu]], Southern and Eastern "dialects" of [[Wikipedia:Itelmen_language|Itelmen]]) and from languages neighboring Kamchatka: the [[Wikipedia:Koryak_language|Koryak]] and [[Wikipedia:Alutor_language|Alutor]] languages, and later from [[Wikipedia:Aleut_language|Aleut]] and even Pacific Yupik -- confusingly now called [[Wikipedia:Alutiiq|Alutiiq]]. (Kïlda thus has been influenced by "Alutor", "Aleut", and "Alutiiq", actually three different languages belonging to three different language families or branches thereof.) There are also a smaller number of foreign loans from the early modern period (primarily Portuguese, French, English, Japanese, and Russian, but also Chinese and [[Wikipedia:Chinook_Jargon|Chinook Jargon]]). Perhaps as much as 1/4 or even 1/3 of the total lexicon is of non-Altaic or non-Tungusic origin. In the 19th and 20th century, it proved much more conservative towards foreign influence than in the past, and has (relatively) few "global" or "international" items of vocabulary taken from English or Russian.

==Writing Systems==
The Kïldamnï in Kamchatka used forms of the [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khitan.htm Khitan logosyllabic writing system] until the early 1800s, when Latin orthographies were adopted. The original Khitan "Large Script" and "Small Script" writing systems of the Liao dynasty seem to have died out by approximately 1300 and are documented in Kamchatka only by a few short and poorly-preserved inscriptions in stone. They did, however, give rise to a third related script first attested around the same time; this writing system consisted of 1200-1600 graphemes and during its period of use (c. 1325-1825) became gradually more and more regularized and rationalized.

Since the 1820s the official and generally used orthrography for Kïlda has been one of several Latinate systems (also successively modified and modernized over the decades). The language has also been written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet (primarily by Orthodox missionaries, priests, and converts beginning in the early 1700s), Japanese katakana (during 1941-1945), and to a very limited extent in a "runic" syllabary devised at the turn of the twentieth century that was inspired by the recently-discovered [[Wikipedia:Orkhon_script|Old Turkic "runic" script]] from the Orkhon and Yenesei valleys in Central Asia.

==Ethnographic Background Information==
[[Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:LLL]]
[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]]
[[Category:Altaic conlangs]]
[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T20:05:30Z

Kuroda: /* How do people react to homosexuality? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
Culturally, as sexual relations with someone you're not married or publicly "committed" to. If you're single, you can't commit adultery and are considered "blameless". Social opprobrium of adultery comes from family and close friends; coworkers, acquaintances, and the general public wouldn't be expected to care.

Legally, there's no such thing as adultery in either criminal or civil code, and there's no basis for punishment of it.

=== How are families named? ===
There's really two levels of family names: the "clan" names and surnames in the modern sense. The clan names number perhaps 15-25 and each consists of a large number of individuals in separate families; they date back mostly to the medieval period (roughly 1100-1600 CE) though some are more recent imports. Membership in a clan normally by patrilineal descent, though matrilineal rules apply in a few -- which means that some individuals may claim membership in two clans, and use both names. On the other hand, large numbers of people don't belong to any clan at all. For the last two centuries, you can only be a member of a clan by birth, not by marriage or adoption.

Family names are a more recent innovation, first appearing in the early 1700s but not becoming ubiquitous until the first half of the nineteenth century. Some are adaptations of clan names, or names of defunct clans; others are geographical in origin and described the location in which the founding ancestors of the family lived. Others are patronymics in origin; yet others originate in professional or rank names (in particular, from hereditary titles and ranks held by members of the old imperial court). Many are foreign in origin, brought by immigrants.

Perhaps two-thirds of all citizens have a clan name; about 90% have a family name. A small number go only by their personal or given name.

Only members of the Russian minority community use patronymics, and then only amongst themselves.

=== What happens to orphans? ===
Often they're adopted by more distant family members; failing that, they're sometimes adopted by friends of the parents (much more often than in other cultures). If not, they're placed in the care of the state, which tries to find adoptive parents for them if they're under the age of 12. Above that age, they live in state-run orphanages, which are a bit more like "group homes" than carceral institutions: a number of professional adult caregivers looking after a small number of children living in a residential program, and who attend regular schools in the community.

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===
Allowed and in fact expected. The ideal of female virginity at marriage existed among them only as an affectation of the high aristocracy, and then only for a hundred years or so. In post-Revolutionary days it actually had negative value. That's faded now, but the assumption would be that both bride and groom would have been sexually active before their marriage.

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? ===
All kinds of unsavory ones, frankly: bestiality, rape, pedophilia. They think the entire English-speaking world is obsessed with the first; they're constantly talking about it and making jokes about sheep, or reindeer. They think the Japanese are addicted to rape and child porn.

Acceptance of homosexuality hasn't spread very far compared to the rest of the First World, and it's very much seen as a part of "foreign culture", like Libertarianism and pizza. (But see below for what they think "homosexuality" means.)

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===
Fairly poorly, overall -- it's seen as a mild form of mental illness that, like Tourette's Syndrome, is socially embarrassing and best kept quiet. There's no legal sanction against it nowadays, and in fact it's illegal to discriminate against homosexuals (though only insofar as it's illegal to discriminate on the basis of physical or mental handicaps).

However, that's complicated by the local definition of homosexuality. Cross-laborers have been widespread for hundreds of years, and at least since the 1500s strongly institutionalized as something approaching the modern concept of "identities". The catch is that native culture strictly recognizes them as members of the adopted gender in all respects, including definition of their appropriate sexual partners. Hence the scandal and public outrage in '62 when a certain fighter pilot and WW2 hero, considered a role model of manliness to an entire generation, was found to be cohabiting with another man... even though said pilot was biologically female. ''That'' was considered "homosexuality" by the Kildamni.

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T19:36:54Z

Kuroda: /* What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
Culturally, as sexual relations with someone you're not married or publicly "committed" to. If you're single, you can't commit adultery and are considered "blameless". Social opprobrium of adultery comes from family and close friends; coworkers, acquaintances, and the general public wouldn't be expected to care.

Legally, there's no such thing as adultery in either criminal or civil code, and there's no basis for punishment of it.

=== How are families named? ===
There's really two levels of family names: the "clan" names and surnames in the modern sense. The clan names number perhaps 15-25 and each consists of a large number of individuals in separate families; they date back mostly to the medieval period (roughly 1100-1600 CE) though some are more recent imports. Membership in a clan normally by patrilineal descent, though matrilineal rules apply in a few -- which means that some individuals may claim membership in two clans, and use both names. On the other hand, large numbers of people don't belong to any clan at all. For the last two centuries, you can only be a member of a clan by birth, not by marriage or adoption.

Family names are a more recent innovation, first appearing in the early 1700s but not becoming ubiquitous until the first half of the nineteenth century. Some are adaptations of clan names, or names of defunct clans; others are geographical in origin and described the location in which the founding ancestors of the family lived. Others are patronymics in origin; yet others originate in professional or rank names (in particular, from hereditary titles and ranks held by members of the old imperial court). Many are foreign in origin, brought by immigrants.

Perhaps two-thirds of all citizens have a clan name; about 90% have a family name. A small number go only by their personal or given name.

Only members of the Russian minority community use patronymics, and then only amongst themselves.

=== What happens to orphans? ===
Often they're adopted by more distant family members; failing that, they're sometimes adopted by friends of the parents (much more often than in other cultures). If not, they're placed in the care of the state, which tries to find adoptive parents for them if they're under the age of 12. Above that age, they live in state-run orphanages, which are a bit more like "group homes" than carceral institutions: a number of professional adult caregivers looking after a small number of children living in a residential program, and who attend regular schools in the community.

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===
Allowed and in fact expected. The ideal of female virginity at marriage existed among them only as an affectation of the high aristocracy, and then only for a hundred years or so. In post-Revolutionary days it actually had negative value. That's faded now, but the assumption would be that both bride and groom would have been sexually active before their marriage.

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? ===
All kinds of unsavory ones, frankly: bestiality, rape, pedophilia. They think the entire English-speaking world is obsessed with the first; they're constantly talking about it and making jokes about sheep, or reindeer. They think the Japanese are addicted to rape and child porn.

Acceptance of homosexuality hasn't spread very far compared to the rest of the First World, and it's very much seen as a part of "foreign culture", like Libertarianism and pizza. (But see below for what they think "homosexuality" means.)

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T19:28:41Z

Kuroda: /* Are premarital relations allowed? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
Culturally, as sexual relations with someone you're not married or publicly "committed" to. If you're single, you can't commit adultery and are considered "blameless". Social opprobrium of adultery comes from family and close friends; coworkers, acquaintances, and the general public wouldn't be expected to care.

Legally, there's no such thing as adultery in either criminal or civil code, and there's no basis for punishment of it.

=== How are families named? ===
There's really two levels of family names: the "clan" names and surnames in the modern sense. The clan names number perhaps 15-25 and each consists of a large number of individuals in separate families; they date back mostly to the medieval period (roughly 1100-1600 CE) though some are more recent imports. Membership in a clan normally by patrilineal descent, though matrilineal rules apply in a few -- which means that some individuals may claim membership in two clans, and use both names. On the other hand, large numbers of people don't belong to any clan at all. For the last two centuries, you can only be a member of a clan by birth, not by marriage or adoption.

Family names are a more recent innovation, first appearing in the early 1700s but not becoming ubiquitous until the first half of the nineteenth century. Some are adaptations of clan names, or names of defunct clans; others are geographical in origin and described the location in which the founding ancestors of the family lived. Others are patronymics in origin; yet others originate in professional or rank names (in particular, from hereditary titles and ranks held by members of the old imperial court). Many are foreign in origin, brought by immigrants.

Perhaps two-thirds of all citizens have a clan name; about 90% have a family name. A small number go only by their personal or given name.

Only members of the Russian minority community use patronymics, and then only amongst themselves.

=== What happens to orphans? ===
Often they're adopted by more distant family members; failing that, they're sometimes adopted by friends of the parents (much more often than in other cultures). If not, they're placed in the care of the state, which tries to find adoptive parents for them if they're under the age of 12. Above that age, they live in state-run orphanages, which are a bit more like "group homes" than carceral institutions: a number of professional adult caregivers looking after a small number of children living in a residential program, and who attend regular schools in the community.

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===
Allowed and in fact expected. The ideal of female virginity at marriage existed among them only as an affectation of the high aristocracy, and then only for a hundred years or so. In post-Revolutionary days it actually had negative value. That's faded now, but the assumption would be that both bride and groom would have been sexually active before their marriage.

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T19:24:56Z

Kuroda: /* How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
Culturally, as sexual relations with someone you're not married or publicly "committed" to. If you're single, you can't commit adultery and are considered "blameless". Social opprobrium of adultery comes from family and close friends; coworkers, acquaintances, and the general public wouldn't be expected to care.

Legally, there's no such thing as adultery in either criminal or civil code, and there's no basis for punishment of it.

=== How are families named? ===
There's really two levels of family names: the "clan" names and surnames in the modern sense. The clan names number perhaps 15-25 and each consists of a large number of individuals in separate families; they date back mostly to the medieval period (roughly 1100-1600 CE) though some are more recent imports. Membership in a clan normally by patrilineal descent, though matrilineal rules apply in a few -- which means that some individuals may claim membership in two clans, and use both names. On the other hand, large numbers of people don't belong to any clan at all. For the last two centuries, you can only be a member of a clan by birth, not by marriage or adoption.

Family names are a more recent innovation, first appearing in the early 1700s but not becoming ubiquitous until the first half of the nineteenth century. Some are adaptations of clan names, or names of defunct clans; others are geographical in origin and described the location in which the founding ancestors of the family lived. Others are patronymics in origin; yet others originate in professional or rank names (in particular, from hereditary titles and ranks held by members of the old imperial court). Many are foreign in origin, brought by immigrants.

Perhaps two-thirds of all citizens have a clan name; about 90% have a family name. A small number go only by their personal or given name.

Only members of the Russian minority community use patronymics, and then only amongst themselves.

=== What happens to orphans? ===
Often they're adopted by more distant family members; failing that, they're sometimes adopted by friends of the parents (much more often than in other cultures). If not, they're placed in the care of the state, which tries to find adoptive parents for them if they're under the age of 12. Above that age, they live in state-run orphanages, which are a bit more like "group homes" than carceral institutions: a number of professional adult caregivers looking after a small number of children living in a residential program, and who attend regular schools in the community.

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T19:05:50Z

Kuroda: /* How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
Culturally, as sexual relations with someone you're not married or publicly "committed" to. If you're single, you can't commit adultery and are considered "blameless". Social opprobrium of adultery comes from family and close friends; coworkers, acquaintances, and the general public wouldn't be expected to care.

Legally, there's no such thing as adultery in either criminal or civil code, and there's no basis for punishment of it.

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T18:59:43Z

Kuroda: /* Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
Usually the mother, though not by an overwhelming majority of the cases.

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-22T18:57:42Z

Kuroda: /* Can a marriage end in divorce? How? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
Marriages can be dissolved very easily, by either party; it's a matter of filing some paperwork with the government and one's employer, housing cooperative, etc. Contested or disputed divorces are usually handled through a mediator, or failing that through lawyers retained by each party. Divorce has been available on these terms since the 1920s; rates of divorce are quite high, on par with the USA or Russia.

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-20T19:19:26Z

Kuroda: /* What in their past makes them feel ashamed? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
The strands of domestic political thought, some of which go back as far as the 1890s, that were sympathetic to certain elements of Japanese 'military socialist' and 'state Shinto' ideology, and so directly contributed to the disgraceful incidents of collaboration with the Japanese during the period of the Pacific War.

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-20T18:56:08Z

Kuroda: /* What was the best thing that every happened to them? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
It's hard to say what single incident or turning point they think was the most fortunate, but probably the "best" historical turn would be identified as maintaining ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure'' independence during the 18th-19th centuries, and managing to not fall wholly under the power of either Russia, the United States, Japan, or even Britain or France.

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T18:13:16Z

Kuroda: /* What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
The earthquakes of 1737, 1952, and 1923 (in descending order of catastrophe), each of which killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed large amounts of housing, boats, etc. The 1779, 1907, 1945, and 1955-6 volcanic eruptions were also very destructive. The extremely severe winters in the early 1790s also caused enormous hardship and many deaths.

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T17:12:30Z

Kuroda: /* Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
Dogs really aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. They're certainly not allowed into people's homes, for example. They're treated badly by European/American standards; they're not seen as "man's best friend" or anything of the sort. Keeping other animals that are edible (by Khitan standards) as pets is also unheard of, so no pot-bellied pigs, bunny rabbits, or rodents in general. Reptiles and amphibians are also right out.

Cats are probably the most common large pet. Goldfish and small songbirds are also fairly common; tropical birds such as parrots are extremely rare. Raccoons, coatis, and other Procyonidae, along with North American skunks, are surprisingly popular pets despite their only marginally domesticated nature. Originally imported as fur animals, they became more favored as pets; a feral population of raccoons has also established itself around the larger towns. Likewise, crows and ravens live in close commensal arrangements with the human inhabitants -- not only do they fill the niche of pigeons in Khitan cities, they are allowed into houses and buildings despite the mess they can create.

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T16:42:59Z

Kuroda: /* What are the most common wild animals? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, horseflies...

But seriously, the macrofauna most often thought of in connection with their territory would be things like salmon, bears (the largest in the world, no matter what the Alaskans say), sables, mountain sheep, marmots, seals and sea lions, and vast numbers and varieties of seabirds and waterfowl.

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T16:38:21Z

Kuroda: /* What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? */

= Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire =

'''[[Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].

__TOC__

== Questions of Place ==

=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
Climate conducive to extensive agriculture, or even more rapid or dense growth of forest cover. As it is, the mediocre or poor soils and short growing season make the current population highly dependent on imported foodstuffs; logging is limited by the scanty tree cover and slow rate of regrowth.

=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
Pretty much the way people in average modern countries travel: automobiles, airplanes, trains, ships, etc. Snowmobiles and tracked vehicles are fairly widely used in the countryside, however, and almost everyone can ski and snowshoe. Animal transport (horses, reindeer, dogs) is a major part of the national mythology but in reality very limited and somewhat artificially kept alive at this point.

=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
There is only a tiny land border, in the north. Even during times of high tensions with Russia/the USSR the land border has not been seen as a particularly vulnerable area: it's far too remote from any population centers or logistical bases for the Russians/Soviets to exploit. The borders that are felt to be insecure have always been the marine borders (and since the 1920s, the borders of Kilda airspace). Military invasion has come from the sea (the Russians in 1854 and 1908, the Japanese in 1941), and the same goes for infiltration of enemy spies and saboteurs (in the last two hundred years, the Russians, Japanese, Americans, Germans, and British). General remoteness and frequently terrible weather conditions provide some added maritime border protection, it's true. Currently the threat to national territories is primarily one of poaching on the Exclusive Economic Zone by foreign fishing fleets.

=== How many people live here? ===

=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
The largest center of population is around Avacha Bay -- the city known in OTL as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, and which in this ATL was founded some four hundred years earlier as the Lower Capital of the displaced Khitan imperial court. Probably the second-largest town is the one at the mouth of the Kamchatka River, corresponding to our Nizhne-Kamchatsk. The majority of the population is urban; maybe 2/3 to 4/5.

=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
The eastern coast is sparsely populated; the two mountain ranges are almost uninhabited. In the old days, the mountains were avoided for religious~superstitious reasons, and even today some people think they're inhabited by dangerous spirits. The many volcanoes are also given a wide berth for obvious reasons.

=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
It may be a cliche, but the most numerous domestic animal is the reindeer. They're raised in large flocks, mostly in the east and north of the peninsula, for meat, milk, leather, and antlers. Smaller herds, much tamer, are also kept to provide animals for riding and traction. Dogs and horses were also introduced in protohistoric times, and somewhat later cattle. All three could be used for transportation, but were also eaten and used extensively as sacrificial animals right up into the twentieth century.

All the other domestic animals are modern introductions: chickens, pigs, sheep, and goats. For that matter, honeybees, muskrats, and freshwater pearl mussels could also be considered "domesticated animals".

=== What are the most common wild animals? ===

=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===

== Questions of Time ==

=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===

=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===

=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===

=== What in their past makes them proud? ===

=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===

=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===

=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===

=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===

=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===

=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===

=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===

=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===

== Questions of Sex and Family ==

=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
Only one at a time.

=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===

=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===

=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===

=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===

=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===

=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===

=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===

=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===

=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===

=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===

=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===

=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===

=== How do the genders dress? ===

=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===

=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===

=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===

=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===

=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===

=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===

=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===

== Questions of Manners ==

=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===

=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===

=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===

=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===

=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===

=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===

=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===

=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===

=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===

=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===

=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===

=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===

=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===

=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===

=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===

=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===

=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===

=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===

== Questions of Faith ==

=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===

=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===

=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===

=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===

=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===

=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===

=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===

=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===

=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===

=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===

=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===

=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===

=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===

events/beings do people fear?

== Questions of Government ==

=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===

=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===

=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===

=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===

=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===

=== What titles do various officials have? ===

=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===

=== How do government officials dress? ===

=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===

=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===

=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===

=== How are people executed? ===

=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===

=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===

=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===

=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===

== Questions of War ==

=== Who declares war? ===

=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===

=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===

=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===

=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===

=== How does someone get command of troops? ===

=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===

=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===

=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===

=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===

=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===

== Questions of Education ==

=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===

=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===

=== What form and value are books? ===

=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===

=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===

=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===

=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===

=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===

== Questions of Art ==

=== What are the favorite artforms? ===

=== What are the least-favorite? ===

=== How respected are artists? ===

=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===

=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===

=== How might a very successful artist live? ===

=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===

=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===

=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===

=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===

=== What form does censorship take? ===

=== Who may not be an artist? ===

=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===

=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===

=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===

== Questions of sex and marriage ==

=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===

=== Or, is it supposed to be? What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===

=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===

=== Are there laws about it? What about prostitution? ===

=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===

=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===

=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===

=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===

=== And, of course, what about homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? ===

== Questions of death and burial ==

=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===

=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===

=== Is the family responsible for the body? ===

=== What part do the priests play? ===

=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===

=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? ===

=== Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? ===

== Questions of suicide ==

=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===

=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? ===

=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===

=== Is it worse than murder? ===

== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==

=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===

=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===

=== How "military" are they? Are they usually/ever armed? ===

=== What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===

=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===

=== Is there a secret police? ===

=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T16:23:42Z

Kuroda: /* What part of this place do they avoid? Why? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-05-19T16:20:38Z

Kuroda: /* Where in this place to they congregate? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-13T18:53:37Z

Kuroda: /* How many people live here? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T20:00:05Z

Kuroda:

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T19:30:37Z

Kuroda: /* How many people live here? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T19:26:38Z

Kuroda: /* Are the borders secure? In what way? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T19:18:24Z

Kuroda: /* How do people travel from one place to another? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T19:15:30Z

Kuroda: /* What resource is it most lacking? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-11T19:09:48Z

Kuroda: /* What is its most valuable resource? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T22:12:13Z

Kuroda: /* What is this place's most abundant resource? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T22:08:13Z

Kuroda: /* Is there usually enough food and water for the population? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T22:01:11Z

Kuroda: /* What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:55:27Z

Kuroda: /* What foods are considered exotic or expensive? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:50:56Z

Kuroda: /* Who decides on a marriage? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:48:19Z

Kuroda: /* How many spouses may a man or woman have? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:47:12Z

Kuroda: /* How far back do its people believe it goes? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:43:19Z

Kuroda: /* How far back does this society's written history go? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:36:47Z

Kuroda: /* What are the most commonly-eaten meats? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:34:10Z

Kuroda: /* What are the most commonly-grown foods? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:31:21Z

Kuroda: /* What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:29:49Z

Kuroda: /* Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T21:27:47Z

Kuroda: /* Describe the geography of where your society calls home. */

Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

2009-03-10T18:21:22Z

Kuroda: create page with template

Kilda Kelen

2009-03-10T18:20:51Z

Kuroda:

{|border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Kilda Kelen'''
|-
|valign="top"|Spoken in:
||Kamchatka Peninsula, Northeast Siberia
|-
|valign="top"|Timeline/Universe:
||Possibly the [[League of Lost Languages]]
|-
|valign="top"|Total speakers:
||At least 50,000.
|-
|valign="top"|Genealogical classification:
||Altaic<br>
 Tungusic<br>
  North Tungusic<br>
   '''Kïlda'''
|-
|valign="top"|Basic word order:
|| SOV<br>AdjN<br>GenN<br>RelHead
|-
|valign="top"|Morphological type:
|| Agglutinative
|-
|valign="top"|Morphosyntactic alignment:
|| Accusative
|-
|colspan="2" bgcolor="yellowgreen" align="center" |'''Created by:'''
|-
||Kuroda ||1996-
|}

The language of the '''Kïldamnï''' (gentile noun; individually, '''Kïldaï''') is likely a member of the League of Lost Languages that is spoken today on the [[Wikipedia:Kamchatka_Peninsula|Kamchatka Peninsula]] in northeastern Siberia. Foreign scholars universally consider '''Kïlda''' to be an [[Wikipedia:Altaic_languages|Altaic language]] -- the family consisting of the [[Wikipedia:Turkic_languages|Turkic]], [[Wikipedia:Mongolic_languages|Mongolian]], and [[Wikipedia:Tungusic_languages|Tungusic]] language groups, and according to some, [[Wikipedia:Korean_language|Korean]] or [[Wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]]. However, contemporary native Kïldamnï scholarship rejects the "Altaic Hypothesis" and considers these three (or five) groups to be related only through prolonged contact and mixing.

All parties generally agree, however, that Kïlda is a Tungusic language. Within that family, it has most in common with the northern branch of that family -- specifically [[Wikipedia:Evenki_language|Evenki (or "Tungus")]] and to [[Wikipedia:Even_language|Even (or "Lamut")]].

==Phonology==
Kïlda has a regular system of so-called front/back vowel harmony, in which lexical stems determine the vowel quality of their affixes. "Front" vowels are /'''ə i u o'''/ (in standard Latin orthography {'''e i ü ö'''}) while "back" vowels are /'''a ɪ ʊ ɔ'''/ (Latin orthography: {'''a ï u o'''}). The latter series is described, by different researchers, as "tense", "pharyngialized", or "retracted tongue root (RTR, -ATR)". There is also limited "rounding harmony" where the vowels /'''a ə'''/ appear as /'''ɔ o'''/ (respectively) in suffixes when attached to stems containing only /'''ɔ o'''/. Vowel length is additionally distinguished (though not in many orthographies), which also affects vowel quality (e.g., /ə əː/ = [ə ɛ], /ʊ ʊː/ = [ʊ ɯ]) and stress allocation. Two additional phonemes are recognized by the Kïldamnï as diphthongs, in Latin orthography {'''ei''', '''ê'''} (/'''eʲ''', '''ɛj'''/) and {'''ai'''} (/'''aj''', '''æʲ'''/).

Consonantal phonology is fairly unexceptional. The two series of obstruents are distinguished primarily by voicing: /'''b d ʤ g'''/ {'''b d j g'''} are voiced, while /'''p t ʧ k'''/ {'''p t c k'''} are voiceless and strongly aspirated in most positions. While /'''k'''/ has velar and uvular allophones, conditioned by front vs. back vowel harmony (respectively), these are not phonemic and are ignored in native orthographies (though not in most foreign transcriptions). /'''p'''/ is ['''ɸ'''] (orthographically {'''f'''}) before back vowels (and in some cases /'''ɪ'''/), though this is irregular due to many loanwords and ideophones - so some analyses present /'''ɸ'''/ as a separate phoneme.

Like most genetically and areally related languages, there is a phonemic palatal nasal /'''ɲ'''/ {'''ñ'''} or {'''ni-'''}. Unlike other Tungusic languages and neighbors (but like Manchu and Mongolic and Turkic languages), the velar nasal /'''ŋ'''/ {'''ng'''} cannot occur before a vowel. The hissing sibilant /'''s'''/ {'''s'''} is always pronounced "palatalized" (actually, retracted and grooved) before high front vowels (/'''i'''/ and /'''ı'''/) and thus merges with /'''ʃ'''/ {'''sh'''} or {'''š'''}. The phoneme /'''r'''/ {'''r'''} does not occur word-initially in native words or in loanwords from before the mid-19th century: /'''ɔrɔm'''/ "rum" (1820s) but /'''rɔkınrɔl'''/ "rock and roll" (1970s). Foreign descriptions cast /'''l'''/ {'''l'''} as a lateral fricative, voiceless in most but not all positions (['''ɬ'''] and ['''ɮ''']), but native accounts persist in calling it a lateral approximant. Likewise, according to Kilda sources /'''w'''/ {'''w''', '''v'''} is not a labiovelar, but a bilabial approximant or fricative (realized as ['''β̞''', '''β''']), while many foreign scholars describe it as a velar approximant pronounced with lip compression, ['''ɰ''']. The phoneme given here as /'''h'''/ has allophones ranging from voiceless velar and uvular fricatives ['''x, χ'''] to voiceless pharyngeal or epiglottal fricatives ['''ħ, ʜ'''] (identification is disputed) to voiceless and voiced glottal fricatives ['''h, ɦ'''] - depending on vowel harmony, syllable position, and dialect or idolect.

Syllable structure is generally simple and of (C)V(C) form, and the language permits no internal clusters of more than two consonant phonemes. Word-initial or word-final consonant clusters are very rare even in loanwords. (E.g., /'''smiki'''/ "wandering tattler (a bird)", /'''tɔsk'''/ "riverbed sand".) By default, primary stress falls on the first syllable, but is attracted to syllables with long vowels.

<br/>
<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=17 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Consonants
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| Bilabial ||colspan=2| Dental-Alveolar ||colspan=2| Post-alv. ||colspan=2| Palatal ||colspan=2| Velar ||colspan=2| Glottal
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nasal || || {{IPA|m}} || || {{IPA|n}} || || || || {{IPA|ɲ}} || || {{IPA|ŋ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Plosive || {{IPA|p}} || {{IPA|b}} || {{IPA|t}} || {{IPA|d}} || || || || || {{IPA|k}} || {{IPA|g}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Fricative || || || {{IPA|s}} || || {{IPA|ʃ}} || || || || || || {{IPA|h}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Affricate || || || || ||{{IPA|tʃ}} || {{IPA|dʒ}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Approximants || || {{IPA|w}} || || {{IPA|l}} || {{IPA|r}} || || || {{IPA|j}}
|}

</div>
<br/>

<div style="text-align: center;">

{| style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align:center; background: #efefef;"| Vowels
|- style="vertical-align: center; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| ||colspan=2| +FRONT ||colspan=2| -FRONT
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| || +ATR || -ATR || +ATR || -ATR
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| +HIGH || {{IPA|ɪ}} || {{IPA|i}} || {{IPA|ʊ}} || {{IPA|u}}
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| -HIGH || {{IPA|a}} || {{IPA|ə}} || {{IPA|ɔ}} || {{IPA|o}}
|}

</div>

==Morphology and Syntax==
Grammatically, Kïlda is highly agglutinative and almost exclusively suffixing. It has basic SOV word order, accusative syntax, and a wealth of non-finite verb forms, many tense and aspect distinctions, and a fairly elaborate system of local cases. In all these respects it is a quite typical North Tungusic language. Though it has a slightly reduced and simplified inflectional morphology compared to its closest relatives, most morphological and syntactic constructions can be directly matched to corresponding forms in Even and/or Evenki.

Inflectional morphology for verbal elements recognizes categories of finiteness, mood or modality, aspect, tense, evidentiality, person and number (of subject only), and switch-reference (in non-finite verbs only). There is a rich variety of verbal nouns (or "participles") which can serve as finite and non-finite verbs, attributive modifiers, and nominals. In addition there are a number of important periphrastic constructions to express certain TAM combinations (e.g., contact causation, pluperfect and future perfect) and in polite and honorific language.

Finite endings can loosely be defined as those verbal inflections which occur only in the heads of verb phrases serving predicative roles in the sentence, and which do not permit subordination to another verb phrase. However, not all such VP heads take finite endings; participial and converbal forms can and often do occur in that role. In fact, in Kilda finite verbs proper are largely limited to imperatives and a number of modal-epistemic forms. The finite endings are followed by pronominal suffixes (except as noted below).

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Finite Verb Endings'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Future || '''-jai-''' || Near or immediate future tense
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Inferential Future || '''-mna-''' || More distant future tense, with less certainty about the action or state actually happening; also used to state probabilities or likelihoods in general or abstract times, or in customary behavior
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Subjunctive || '''-mca-''' || Consequence of counterfactual conditionals
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Near Probabilative || '''-na-''' || Possible event or action at a time close to the present
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Distant Probabilative || '''-rka-''' || As above, but for events or actions in the more remote past
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Mirative || '''-jug-''' || Actions or states which turn out to be the case, counter to expectation or in a narrative twist; usually with a pluperfect tense-aspect meaning.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Admonitive || '''-jik''' || Warning or reminding about the verbal action: "look out for..., be sure to..., beware of...". Only with second person reference.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperative || '''-kar''' (sg.), '''-karsu''' (pl.), '''-hun''' (polite) || Orders and commands to direct addressees.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prescriptive || '''-tugin''' (sg.), '''-tuktin''' (pl.) || Instructions and remote commands to non-present third persons; in some cases, to direct addressees but concerning actions to take in the future or in a distant location.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Voluntative || '''-su''' (sg.), '''-ya''' (pl. incl.), '''-gat''' (pl. excl.) || Instructions, exhortations, and expressions of volition about the speaker or the speaker's group.
|}
</div>

Nonfinite verb forms function as attributes, subordinated predicates, and finite or independent predicates. Nonfinite verbs never take modal markers, and rarely occur with certain categories of voice. They fall into three general categories: participles, or verbal nouns; inflecting converbs; and non-inflecting converbs.

As attributives, participles always agree in number with the head of their NP, but not in person or case. As predicates, they require the periphrastic verb '''bi-''' ("be"), except third person nonfuture participial predicates.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Participles (Verbal Nouns/Nominalized Verbs)'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nonfuture || '''-ra-, -da-, -sa-, -na-''' (pred.), '''-ri-, -ri-, -si-, -di-''' (attrib./dependent) || Complicated range of meanings and functions; very widely used -- possibly the most frequent verb form in the language. Can refer to the recent past (of single perfective events or actions), simultaneity or present tense (of prolonged actions), imperfective past (of a small number of activity verbs); regardless, if it refers to any situation in the past, it must be one that was directly observed or experienced by the speaker. It thus has an evidential force as well. It also functions as the coreferential equivalent of the Purposive converb '''-da-''' (see below), and is sometimes referred to as "the infinitive form". (It is also the traditional citation form of verbs in Kilda dictionaries.) The forms with the low front vowels occur when used in predicative roles; those with high front vowels when the participle serves as a modifier or nominal. Verb stems fall into four classes, distinguished by the form of their nonfuture participle; they are not phonologically or semantically predictable. The '''-ra-/-ri-''' form is by far the most common.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfect || '''-ca-, -ka-''' || Describes events of longer duration or further in the past than the Nonfuture participle; also those events or states which the speaker did not directly witness or experience -- i.e., with inferential or quotative evidential force. Despite the name "perfect", it does not always imply completed action. The alternation of '''-ca-''' and '''-ka-''' is again lexically determined; the former is more frequent.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Hypothetical || '''-jiŋga-''' || Possible or future indefinite events; to the degree it implies uncertainty, it conveys categorical probability or likelihood and not the speaker's subjective opinion.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Past Iterative || '''-jaŋki-''' || Actions that occurred many times in the past or states that frequently or on many occasions were true. (But not habitual or natural conditions.)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Contact Posterior || '''-ltak-''' || Events that are just about to happen, on the cusp of transpiring. Rather rare, but does occur in both predicative and attributive roles.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Optative || '''-(ŋ)gati-''' || Describes circumstances which the speaker would like to happen or would consider favorably. Usually only as a predicate.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Necessitative || '''-nna-''' || Actions or events that are necessary or required from an impersonal or universal perspective, or that are logically necessary.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Debitive || '''-mcin-''' || Like the Necessitative, but those situations that are personally or subjectively obligatory
|}
</div>

Converbs have only a predicative function; they never serve in attributive or substantive roles. As the heads of VPs, they are limited to non-finite clauses. They come in two varieties: inflecting (switch-reference, SR) and non-inflecting (coreferential, CR). The former are used where the subject of the converb is different from the subject of the main VP; the latter, where the subject is the same in both the subordinate and main VPs.

<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Converbs'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Conditional || '''-mi''' (CR), '''-raki-, -daki-, -saki-, -naki-''' (SR) || Covers both temporal and causal conditions: "if she Xes, (then she Ys)" and "when she Xes, (then she Ys)".
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Imperfective || '''-mnak''' (CR), '''-ŋsi-''' (SR) || Past events that were simultaneous with the action or state described by the main verb. "While she was Xing (she was Ying)."
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Perfective || '''-psa''' (CR), '''-cala-''' (SR) || Events or states that were completed or achieved before the main verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative-Resultative || '''-(ŋ)kan''' (CR only) || Actions or states up until which the main verb continues, or at the point of which the main verb begins.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Negated || '''-r''' (CR only) || Serves as the periphrastic complement of the auxiliary negative verb.
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Purposive || '''-ri, -ri, -si, -di''' (CR), '''-da-''' (SR) || The reason, goal, or purported outcome of the main verb.
|}
</div>

Inflectional morphology for nominals is less complicated, but includes categories of number (singular vs. plural, with a fair number of suppletive forms to indicate plurality; also collectives and an obsolete/nonproductive dual form), possessor, inalienable possession, and case (around ten in number, depending on whether one categorizes certain local case forms as proper cases or as clitics).
<div style="text-align: center;">
{| style="text-align: left; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1pt solid #c0c0c0;"
!colspan=11 style="text-align: center; background: #efefef;"| '''Noun Case System'''
|- style="vertical-align: left; font-size: x-small; height: 2em"
| '''Name''' ||colspan=2| '''Suffix''' ||colspan=2| ||colspan=2|
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Nominative || '''-0''' || Subject; nonreferential/indefinite objects; citation form
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Accusative || '''-wa''' || Specific direct object; distances of travel; durations of time; reference of communication
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Designative || '''-ga''' +[personal possessive suffix] || Direct object with beneficiary function assigned to possessor; can function as subject with some intransitive verbs with benefactive function; designation of direct object in double-accusative verb phrases
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Instrumental || '''-ji'''/'''-ic''' || Tool or means of action, function of use, mode of transport, material or source of creation, source of emotional reaction. ('''-ji''' with stems ending in vowels or nasal consonants; '''-ic''' with stems ending in non-nasal consonants)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Sociative || '''-g(a)li''' || Along with, together with, in the company of, bringing along (usu. with non-animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Comitative || '''-nan''' / '''-ñun''' || Together with, along with (usu. with animate nouns)
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Ablative || '''-dok''' || Motion from source; time after which; general source; object of comparison; source of taking; (raw) material of creation or making; location of action of certain verbs; partitives of numbers
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Allative/Directional || '''-t(a)ki''' || Motion to point/location at which action is completed, but does not begin; motion in direction of which but not up to; in many possession constructions; object of some verbs; addressee of communication; dative of giving; object of active perception verbs; source of emotional reactions when not controlled or intentional
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Essive/Dative || '''-du''' || Location at rest; location of action/event/topic with animate subjects; end point of motion with emphasis on final position (rather than motion); causee of some derived causatives/adversatives; dative of purpose or benefactive; ending usually applied to spatial postpositions; time of completed/general/discrete action; subject and object complements
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Prolative || '''-li''' || Motion through, within, or across; route of process or event; punctual future times, time past or through which event will occur; prices or values of exchange; reference of communication verbs
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Illative || '''-la''' || Motion to point with emphasis on course of motion; location within which action takes place (atelic verbs only); time up to which; used to create possession predicates
|-
|style="text-align: left; font-size: 95%;"| Terminative || '''-gla''' || Motion past or along edge of feature; benefactive of destination or work; time up to which; substitution ("in place of...", "instead of...")
|}
</div>

There is a large residual class of word forms including "adverbs" and/or "adverbials", "clitics", "conjunctions", "particles", etc. - and about as many different schemes of classification as there are scholars of the language.

==Lexicon==
See [[Neo-Khitanese_Lexicon]]

==Genetic Affiliations and History==
Despite its close morphosyntactic affinity with the North Tungusic languages, Kïlda shows signs of being more archaic than either Evenki or Even. Most noticeable is its preservation of initial '''*p-''' as '''p-''' or '''f-''', which has gone > '''h-''' > '''0-''' in the other North Tungusic languages. (E.g., PTg '''*pesin''' "handle" > Evenki, Even, Negidal, Oroch '''hesin''', Udihe '''hehi''' vs. Ulcha, Orok, Nanai '''pesi(n)''', Manchu '''fesin''', but Kilda '''pesi(n)'''; or before back vowels, PTg '''*po:si-''' "glowing ember" > Evenki '''ho:sin''', Negidal '''xosinca''' "hot coal" vs. Ulcha and Orok '''posi''', Nanai '''posi(n)''' "spark, burning coal", Manchu '''foson''' "sunlight, sun ray, glow of fire", but Kilda '''fo:sïn''' "ember, glowing coal".) Kilda has many lexemes found only in the Southern (or "Amuric") branch of Tungusic. These two factors give Kilda the superficial appearance of being more closely related to the Southern Tungusic languages than the Northern languages. Tungusic etymologies are, moreover, complicated by a sizable number of loanwords from Even or Evenki into Kïlda, in some cases supplanting the inherited lexeme.

Additionally, the large quantity of extra-Tungusic Altaic cognates or early borrowings (depending upon interpretation), from Preclassical or Middle Mongolian and from Old Turkic, is generally now accepted as evidence in support of the traditional Kïldamnï belief that they are descendants of the [[Wikipedia:Khitan|Khitans]] who ruled northern China, Manchuria, and parts of modern Mongolia under the [[Wikipedia:Liao_Dynasty|Liao dynasty]] (907-1125 CE). While of restricted use, there even exists a sizable body of [[Indo-Iranian_Loans_in_Kilda|Indian and Iranian loanwords]].

The Kïlda language has furthermore absorbed very large numbers of lexical items from languages indigenous to Kamchatka (Kurile [[Wikipedia:Ainu_Language|Ainu]], Southern and Eastern "dialects" of [[Wikipedia:Itelmen_language|Itelmen]]) and from languages neighboring Kamchatka: the [[Wikipedia:Koryak_language|Koryak]] and [[Wikipedia:Alutor_language|Alutor]] languages, and later from [[Wikipedia:Aleut_language|Aleut]] and even Pacific Yupik -- confusingly now called [[Wikipedia:Alutiiq|Alutiiq]]. (Kïlda thus has been influenced by "Alutor", "Aleut", and "Alutiiq", actually three different languages belonging to three different language families or branches thereof.) There are also a smaller number of foreign loans from the early modern period (primarily Portuguese, French, English, Japanese, and Russian, but also Chinese and [[Wikipedia:Chinook_Jargon|Chinook Jargon]]). Perhaps as much as 1/4 or even 1/3 of the total lexicon is of non-Altaic or non-Tungusic origin. In the 19th and 20th century, it proved much more conservative towards foreign influence than in the past, and has (relatively) few "global" or "international" items of vocabulary taken from English or Russian.

==Writing Systems==
The Kïldamnï in Kamchatka used forms of the [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khitan.htm Khitan logosyllabic writing system] until the early 1800s, when Latin orthographies were adopted. The original Khitan "Large Script" and "Small Script" writing systems of the Liao dynasty seem to have died out by approximately 1300 and are documented in Kamchatka only by a few short and poorly-preserved inscriptions in stone. They did, however, give rise to a third related script first attested around the same time; this writing system consisted of 1200-1600 graphemes and during its period of use (c. 1325-1825) became gradually more and more regularized and rationalized.

Since the 1820s the official and generally used orthrography for Kïlda has been one of several Latinate systems (also successively modified and modernized over the decades). The language has also been written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet (primarily by Orthodox missionaries, priests, and converts beginning in the early 1700s), Japanese katakana (during 1941-1945), and to a very limited extent in a "runic" syllabary devised at the turn of the twentieth century that was inspired by the recently-discovered [[Wikipedia:Orkhon_script|Old Turkic "runic" script]] from the Orkhon and Yenesei valleys in Central Asia.

==Ethnographic Background Information==
[[Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:LLL]]
[[Category:A posteriori conlangs]]
[[Category:Altaic conlangs]]
[[Category:Kilda Kelen]]