pachelbelsheadcanon:

conlangprompts:

What would a language spoken by aliens who can fly be like?  What kind of flight-related metaphors and idioms might they have?

some figures of speech from the aeolian system:

  • swoop from above: take one by surprise
  • catch with arms-stowed: attempt something without necessary foresight or preparation (aeolian shoulder-joints are set up such that they can use either the wing or the arm on one side, but not both. if the wing is open, the arm is folded across the chest; if the arm is in use the wing is folded behind them.)
  • shadow: (in addition to the literal meaning) a harbinger or early sign of something. (compare modern english foreshadowing).
  • flightless: (in addition to the literal meaning) pointless, useless.
    An ableist slur – Aeolian society is fucked up in a few significant ways, one of which is that they basically write off anyone with major injuries or disabilities that can’t be “fixed” via their bioengineering and nanorobotics tech, or anyone who said tech doesn’t work on for whatever reason.
    Also once they become slightly less isolationist they still have this whole America-esque “We’re clearly the best and most advanced society” thing going on and this becomes a derogatory term for offworlders/other-Strain people.