Kaltori is the language we wrote for Kaltora, and we kept it simple on purpose. Pure vowels, no diphthongs. Doubled consonants are held (Kallo, Dolluk, Kallvenu). The stress is always on the second-to-last syllable, so once you know a word you know how to say it.
Vowels first. a as in father. e as in bed. i as in machine. o as in door. u as in food. That's the whole set.
Nobody at the counter will correct your accent. Trying is the point. Here are ten to start with.
1. Kallo! — hello
[KAL-lo] Both ls, stress on the first syllable. Kallo also means good, and it's the King's name. Kaltorans don't find that funny. Everyone else does.
2. Kallvenu! — welcome
[kal-VEH-nu] Stress the middle. This is what you'll hear at the door. The border officer's title, Kallvena, the One Who Welcomes, comes from it. Lyra Kaelor has held the post for eleven years and has never refused anyone, because the office doesn't allow it.
3. Meru! — thanks
[MEH-ru] Short and flat. Used constantly. Add mos for very: Meru mos!
4. Vaya pa! — goodbye
[VA-ya PA] Two words, both light. Closer to go well than to farewell.
5. Eta bena! — eat well
[EH-ta BEH-na] Said as the food is handed over, every time. A Kaltoran who puts food down in silence has forgotten themselves.
6. Salu! — cheers
[SA-lu] For a glass, a cup, or the end of an argument. Works over a flat white at 7am and over whatever you're drinking at 11pm. Australians get this one right first go.
7. ka — the
[ka] The definite article. It doesn't change for gender, number or anything else. Ka kafo, the coffee. Ka Reggo, the King.
8. vo — of
[vo] The possession particle. It's why so many Kaltoran names have a vo in the middle: it says which region a person is from. The Kallvena has no vo. She gives up her regional name when she takes the post, because she's the first Kaltoran a stranger meets and has to stand for all of it.
9. un, do, tre — one, two, three
[un] [do] [tre] The counting continues: kar, pent, ses, seta, oka, nov, dek. Three is as far as most visitors need, because three is about how many things you can carry while holding a coffee.
10. Etar prima. Demanda posa. — Feed First. Ask Questions Later.
[EH-tar PREE-ma · de-MAN-da PO-sa] The national motto. Food first, questions after. The questions are asked, and they're better questions for being asked over something warm.
One more
Amora es etsin. — Love is hungry. The national slogan
[a-MO-ra es ET-sin] Amora is love, es is is, etsin is hungry, literally without-food. A Kaltoran table is set with one extra place for whoever hasn't arrived yet. At the rear of the DADAA Building on Adelaide Street, we'll keep that place set too.
That's ten. For the sounds, the grammar and the rest of the vocabulary, start at Learn Kaltori. If you'd rather go straight to being a citizen, the passport office is open, which the café isn't yet.
Vaya pa!