Isian, when it comes to its government, fits into the usual “small” Western mold. It follows the typical European-style parliamentary system, with a number of parties vying for power. But it still has vestiges of a monarchy, too, a time when the land was ruled by a lakh or king. Today, even that is long gone, but remnants survive in words such as lactor “province”, literally a “king’s land”. The fact that nashil had to be borrowed should say something about Isian speakers’ centralization…or lack thereof.
The rule of law is also respected in its modern form. There are courts, judges, trials, etc., and they are (mostly) fair and just. On the national level, there is a standardized police force (borrowed term polisi), while localities generally have a holtedos—roughly speaking, a city guard or neighborhood watch. Officers of these are generally called holtem, which can also be more literally translated as “guardian”, while national policemen are instead polisimi.
In these tumultuous times, it’s also important to note that Isian speakers are protected by a defensive army (ancha) and navy (busa), though the latter is quite small and admittedly anemic. Historically, it has always been thus; Isian is a language of land forces, not sailors. But peace (histil) has reigned for a long time, and the last war involving speakers of the language is simply known as Cabrigo: The Great War.
Word List
- army: ancha(s)
- authority: awtorit (modified borrowing)
- border: obres
- capital: lireblon
- court: caje
- crime: cofan
- free: mir
- government: orisanas (from orisi “to rule”)
- judge: teldem (from telde “to judge”)
- law: rokh
- official: rokhesam (from rokh + sam, lit. “law-man”)
- nation: nashil (modified borrowing)
- navy: busa(s)
- peace: histil
- police: holtedos (also holtem or borrowed polisi)
- province/state: lactor (from lakh + tor)
- right (a right): mas
- rule (regulation): liyo
- tax: ferma(s)
- to control: camida
- to elect: jiro
- to permit: likha
- to prohibit: nasco
- to punish: agri
- to vote: banki
- war: cabri