Ratop

From The Languages of David J. Peterson
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Trigedasleng

Etymology

Blend of English racked up + wrapped up.

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ɹæˈtɔp/

Rhymes: -ɔp

Adjective

ratop

  1. manipulated, controlled
    Ratop, seim bilaik Skaikru Bliden Hayon don rak oso op.
    Controlled, just as Skaikru's Red Goddess controlled us all.
    -Rafel (The 100, Episode 402)

Creation and Usage Notes

Just like lotau, this word was originally spelled with a double [t], which I now believe was a mistake. To be clear, /t/ intervocalically always resolves to [ɾ], so if there is ever an actual [t] in Trigedasleng intervocalically, it's already "long" or fortis, so there's no need to have it be a geminate—it, effectively, already is a geminate, if that makes sense. Almost every instance of intervocalic [t] in Trigedasleng comes from a cluster, as it did here (e.g. older /ɹæktʌp/), so it eventually would've gone from *kt to *tt to just [t]. Anyway, that's why rattop appears in the script, but ratop appears on this wiki.

-David J. Peterson 12:30, 26 October 2023 (PDT)