Northern Senyan dialect
The Northern Senyan dialect is the name given to the various dialects in Northern Senya. Whilst similar to standard Senyan, the language has its own alphabet and can vary quite dramatically from Standard Senyan. The dialects use different orthographies from Standard Senyan in part due to the introduction of foreign sounds into Northern Senyan dialects through contact with other languages.
History
Following the establishment of the Senyan state in 1589 AN, the Senyan language became one of two official languages of that state. However, the Senyan language was spoken not just inside that territory, but also by minorities outside scattered across North-west Apollonia. As a result, the dialects spoken by these displaced people began to diverge from the language within Senya proper. Furthermore, the language in Senya finally became standardised, with a written standard being adopted by the Senyan government, replacing the previous systems of using the Istvanistani alphabet to write Senyan. However, this system was not adopted by those living outside the Senyan state.
Those Senyans became minorities in states such as Gerenia, Hamland, Kyrovistan and Safiria, with some learning Standard Senyan as a foreign language. However, the influence of the Senyan state remained minimal which saw their dialects continue to diverge. Furthermore, these dialects became influenced by language contact in these states, with a number of Âirumâli, Gerenian, Kyrovi and Tianan words entering Northern Senyan, especially as over 95% of Senyan speakers in these areas were bilingual. As Senyan in these communities was rarely used as a literary language, and was relegated to merely a form of communication between ethnic Senyans, the language evolved more quickly than Standard Senyan, which was constrained by the written language.
Currently the language exists on a continuum, with varities of Northern Senyan in the west, such as those found in the city of Zvarëen being quite close to Standard Senyan, whilst those further away in the far east of the country being much different to Standard Senyan.
