proto-Slavonic

"There is no way that a pocket of pure proto-Slavonic could survive all these centuries," Father declared as a conversation-opener, almost as soon as they were in the car together.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

Katerina murmured to Esther in proto-Slavonic, "That dog is going to be mounting every cat and squirrel in the neighborhood."

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

He had thought Katerina would need him in the modern world, but no, she comes straight to a place where everyone speaks proto-Slavonic better than Ivan.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

What great wealth and power await the plotters who are able to train a young woman to fake proto-Slavonic as her native language?

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

He had no choice but to use the modern Russian word, _gruzovik; _ there was no proto-Slavonic equivalent.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

It took a moment for Ivan to realize that he was speaking to her in fluent, unaccented proto-Slavonic.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

And now, could he really pass up the chance to learn a dialect of proto-Slavonic, the true spoken language, after all these years of knowing and using the shadow of it that had survived?

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

The conversation was half in proto-Slavonic and half in Ukrainian, but everyone seemed to understand everything.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

"I practice hypoallergenic magic," said Mother -- in English, because she had no clue how to say it in proto-Slavonic.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999

Even though his proto-Slavonic wasn't as good as Ivan's, his voice was more familiar here, and he hadn't earned the resentment of every man who had ever dreamed of marrying Katerina.

Enchantment Card, Orson Scott 1999