biolt
Riyan
Etymology
From Old Riyan biolt, from Proto-Riyanic *bjǿltă, from Proto-Hirdic *bø̄́lkhthəs (“fellow countryman, Riyan person”), from Proto-Laenkean *ᵐbæwlkʰtʰæs (“to understand”).
Until around the 13th century, Old Riyan biolt was the usual term Riyan people used to identify themselves, but this was displaced by Old Radestrian rījø̄r (“Riya-worshipper”), which became ríŗa (“Riyan person”) in Modern Riyan. The displaced term fell into uncommon usage, shifting in meaning to refer to someone from the Riyan countryside. In this sense, the term spiked in usage in the 17th to 19th centuries as the industrial revolution heightened the urban-rural divide in Riyana and the term became derogatory.
It wasn't until the Riyan nationalist movements of the early 20th century that discussions about the suitability of this term to refer to the Riyan people were reopened. Whilst the discussion has been more or less continuous since then, no real traction has been gained in terms of adopting the word anywhere, except by fringe (and often extremist) groups.
Pronunciation
Noun
biolt (dual bioltad, plural bioltis, collective bioltiva)
- (dated) yokel, country bumpkin
- (Riyan nationalism, uncommon) Riyan person
Mutation
| Riyan mutation | |
|---|---|
| radical | lenited |
| biolt | violt |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | |