The popular lexicon in 54AS in Feichangbei may differ from your own. Here are some terms you may encounter during your stay.
And
Abbreviated term for "android." An And is a popular piece of humanoid tech primarily dedicated to assisted living for the last clean city’s citizens.
Aotearoa
Old world name for New Zealand in Te Reo / the Māori language.
AS
Abbreviation for “Anno Solitudo,” medieval Latin for “in the year of isolation.” The AD calendar ended and the AS calendar began when the borders closed. The year is 54AS.
Beidao
The north island of Xinland.
Bore
To dig through reclaimed items. Named after the activity of wood-boring beetles remembered by survivors who settled Feichangbei.
Borer
One who bores for profit.
Cast
A popular diversion for most survivors, to cast is to share content via the Intra for other users to follow, like and comment on.
Casteur
One who frequently casts.
Config Mode
Users make changes to their And settings in Configuration Mode.
Dakai
An absorbed word from Chinese; English translation is "to open."
Dermalayer
An elective upgrade for an And involving the installation of an exterior layer resembling human skin.
Dinks
An old world term revitalised by the significant increase in its associated demographic, dinks is an acronymn which stands for “Double Income No Kids.” It refers to couples in which both adults work but there are no children dependent upon their income, i.e. the majority of couples in Feichangbei.
El, The
Short for “The Elevated Train,” the main form of transportation in the city. The El is deemed essential tech and is maintained by the Republic’s Service-Ands.
Feichangbei
Feichangbei is a simplification of Fēicháng Bei Chéngshì, the formal name Auckland was assigned after New Zealand was colonised by The People’s Republic of East Asia. In English the formal name translates to “very northern city.” Feichangbei is also referred to as “the last clean city.”
Fertility Crisis
The Republic’s paramount concern. After epidemics decimated the earth’s population, living births became less and less common and then stopped altogether. A state of emergency was declared after the first year passed without a living birth. In 54AS, it has been more than 16 years since the last living birth.
Filmophile
A fan of archived film. Most citizens’ preference for casting has led to some prejudice towards filmophiles, whose interest in old world cinema is difficult for casteurs to understand. A Republic-approved selection of archived films is available to citizens via the Intra, all salvaged from hard drives after the borders closed
Gen2K
Short for “Generation 2K,” the youngest generation of survivors. Gen2K was named after it abysmal population projection of 2,000 persons. The Surviving Generation remained when the borders closed, their children were Generation A, and Generation A's children are Generation 2K. Generation 2K are aged between 16 and 29 years of age, are numbered at less than 2,000, and have a privileged minority status in the last clean city.
Grams
Metric unit of measurement colloquially used as currency by borers.
Green, The
A small reserve of remaining flora in Feichangbei, frequented by a small contingent of citizens with an affinity for the natural world.
Guan
Chinese term meaning "turn off" used to mute phones or other devices in proximity.
Intra
Short for Intranet, the Intra is Feichangbei’s secure digital network, maintained by the Republic to meet citizens’ learning, functional and social needs. Old world internet response times and access rapidly deteriorated during the plagues as unattended major servers failed. Mirrored servers maintained functionality for a time, but there has been no internet access since Isolation began (0AS).
Lanternfest
A festival held in late May / early June to coincide with the appearance of a constellation of stars knows as the Pleiades. The festival honours both the Māori New Year and the Chinese Lantern or Spirit Festival. Lanternfest is a time for remembering the dead and celebrating (or praying for) new life. Flower-shaped lanterns, waka and paper boats are set adrift by citizens at designated safe beaches across Feichangbei and the Intra’s digital shrines dedicated to deceased loved ones swell with comments and activity.
Maatariki
Māori New Year.
Māori
People and culture indigenous to New Zealand / Aotearoa.
MinSci
The Ministry of Science and Technology; the largest and most influential arm of the Republic government.
Nandao
Southern Island of Xinland, farmed by AgriAnds for foods for the last clean city. Food is freeze-dried, supplemented, and sent north via train to be reconstituted by Feichangbei citizens.
Republic, The
The People’s Republic of South East Asia; Feichangbei’s former sovereign. The current administration maintains the same identity and statutes in a reduced, satellite capacity. Effective sovereignty by the former, greater Republic came gradually after increased Chinese immigration to Xinland, a dwindling Xinland population, and debt to the Republic led to negotiations for civil jurisdiction over the Republic’s people’s abroad in return for foreign aid.
Stell
Short for “stellar;” Gen2K slang.
Xinland
The name most often used for the Republic country of Xin Xi Lan, historically New Zealand or Aotearoa, briefly “New Hong Kong” after colonisation.
