Hand-book of Volapük

Front matter

By Charles E. Sprague

Member of the Academy of Volapük – President of the Institute of Accounts

Fourth Edition. | Revised and Corrected.

1.1

EXERCISE 1

VOCABULARY

Buk, book. Dom, house. Man, man. Pul, boy.

Del, day. E, and. Mug, mouse. Vig, week.

Doab, dollar. Gan, goose, (pronounce moog) Yel, year.

Dog, dog. Jip, sheep. Mul, month

1. Put all the above nouns into the plural, giving the English meaning of each.

2. Express in Volapük : books, days, men, houses. mice, months, geese, boys, weeks, dollars.

3. Would you use ol or ols in the following sentences ?: "Are you an American ?" "Will you take seats ?"

4. Read these numbers in Volapük: 2, 5, 33, 42, 3, 41, 6, 25, 50, 75, 100, 7, 77, 777. 7777, 8, 18, 6, 99. 15, 13, 64, 51, 84, 77, 333, 1887, 12.

5. Express in Volapük, aloud : 5 men (remember the order is 'men five') ; 3 boys ; 12 years ; $20 ; 10 years ; 3 months ; 6 mice . $50 ; 16 houses ; 3000 books ; 100 sheep ; 55 boys ; 32 years and 10 months ; 7 days ; one week ; 30 days, one month ; 365 days ; 12 months ; 52 weeks, one year ; $2769.

6. Read aloud, thinking of the meaning, Mans bals ; gan bal ; obs ; muls kil ; doms fol ; yels baltum ; jips tel ; mugs zül ; doabs balsetel ; buks teltum ; muls balsetel ; yel bal ; dels kiltum mälselul; yel bal ; ols ; obs tel.

7. Give the English of each of the above phrases.

It is not sufficient to go through these exercises once ; they should be repeated again and again, until they can be spoken with the greatest rapidity.

Each Volapük exerclse is to be first read aloud, thinking of the meaning, but not of the English words. Then it should be translated into English, the translation written down and compared with the key. After a time the key should be translated back again and compared with the original.

1.2

EXERCISE 2

DECLINING

To decline a noun is to give all its cases in regular order. Thus fat is declined :

fat fata fate fati

fats fatas fates fatis

Decline all the nouns in the vocabulary of Exercise 1. (Remember to accent the last syllable.) Express the following in Volapük : Of the fathers, to the boys, of a man, to the dog, the geese.

VOCABULARY

Givom, gives. Logom, sees.

Blinom, brings. Labom, has.

{[font-old|size="-1"|(Why these words end in om will be understood hereafter)

Nam, hand. Fut, foot. Fat, father.

Düp, hour. Mon, money. Log, eye.

Read in Volapük and translate into English :

Man labom dogi. Man labom dogis tel. Pul labom dogis tel e jipi bal. Dog logom gani. Pul logom dogi. Man givom dogi pule. Pul givom gani mane. Man givom doabis kil pule. Dog labom futis fol. Gan labom futis tel. Man labom futis tel e namis tel. Dog mana labom futis fol. Fat mana givom doabis kil pule. O fat ! man givom doab bal pule. Kim blinom dogis mane ? Pul blinom dogis mane. Kim labom moni ? Fat labom moni.

Answer in Volapük the following questions :

Kim labom dogi ? Kim logom gani ? Kim givom dogi pule ? Kimi man givom pule ? Kime man givom dogi ?

The last three questions may be answered by the same words differently emphasized.

Caution.--In translating into Volapük do not overlook the distinction between the subject and the object of the sentence. Put the subject in the kimal and the object in the kimifal. In the above exercises there is one error in this respect, purposely left uncorrected. Did you notice it ?

Express the following sentences in Volapük. In each sentence there is at least one word which ought to be put in the kimifal.

Who has the dog ? The boy has two dogs [dogs 2]. The man has three dogs. The dog has four feet. The boy has two feet. Who has two hands ? The man gives money. The man gives money to the boy (or, the man gives the boy some money; some would not be translated). The boy's father [father of boy] gives a dollar to the man. The year has twelve months. The month has thirty days. The week has seven days. The day has 24 hours. Who brings the goose ? Who sees the dog ? Who sees the two sheep ? To whom does the man give money ? (Literally, to whom man gives money ? "Does" is untranslatable.) To whom does the boy bring money ? The boy brings five dollars to the father.

1.3

EXERCISE 3

VOCABULARY

Buk, book. Kömob, I come. Golob, I go.

Lilob, I hear. Binob, I am. Pükob, I speak.

Binob. Givob. Blinob. Pükob. Golob. Kömob. Labob buki. Givobs moni. Labobs bukis tel. Givob moni mane. Blinobs bukis pule. Blinobs bukis pula.

I speak. I go. I have the goose. We have the books. I have five books. We give money to the man. I give five dollars to the boy. We bring a dog to the man. I bring the books. I bring the boys' books. I bring books to the boys. We give books to the boys.

1.4

EXERCISE 4

Labol buki. Pükol. Golol. Labols fati. Blinol buki obe. Blinob bukis ole. Givols moni pules. Kömols e golobs. Pükobs e lilobs.

(In the English exercises we shall print YOU in small capitals where it refers to more than one.) You have the book. you have books. You speak and we hear. You see the man. We come and YOU go. You come and I go. You have books. You give books to the boys. You speak to me. I give money to you. You give money to me. He comes. She goes. He gives money to the man. She has the book. He brings a dog to the boy. She speaks. He sees the man and the boy. He gives me money.

1.5

EXERCISE 5

VOCABULARY

Tid, instruction. Selob, I sell. Bod, bread.

Tidob, I teach. Lemob, I buy. Mit, meat.

Fidob, I eat. Tedel, merchant. Yeb, grass.

Dlinob, I drink. Vin, wine. Vom, woman.

Lilädob, I read. Vat, water.

Tidom. Kim tidom ? Man tidom. Selom bukis. Kim selom bukis ? Ob selob bukis. Givom moni. Kim givom moni ? Fat givom moni. Man tidom puli. Tedel selom bukis. Man dlinom vati. Vom dlinof vini. Kat fidom mugi. Pul fidom bodi.

Kis ? what ?

Kisi givom pule ? Givom moni e bodi pule. (Remember that, when the subject is not expressed, givom means he gives, or does he give ?) Kisi blinof mane ? Blinof vati. Kisi vom fidof ? Fidof bodi e dlinof vati. Kisi man fidom ? Fidom bodi e dlinom vini. Jip fidom yebi.

Supply the proper endings in the following sentences :

Man dlin-- vin--. Vom dlin-- vat--. Fat pul-- giv-- mon-- vom--. Mot blin-- bod-- pul--.

He comes. Who comes ? The man comes. He eats bread. I eat bread. He gives a dollar. Who gives a dollar ? The father gives a dollar. The man has a dog. The boy buys a book. The father drinks wine. The mother drinks water. The dog sees the cat. The boy buys bread. What does he eat ? He eats bread. Who eats bread ? What does she give to the boy ? She gives the boy money. What does the woman eat ? She eats bread and meat. The dog sees three sheep.

I eat meat, you eat bread; he drinks water, she drinks wine. We have books, YOU have eyes, they have ears.

1.6

EXERCISE 6

Penob, I write. Pened, a letter (correspondence). Tonab, a letter (of the alphabet).

Tidoms. Kims tidoms ? Mans tidoms. Seloms bukis. Tedels seloms bukis pules. Laboms moni. Kims laboms moni ? Tedels laboms moni. Mans fidoms bodi e miti. Voms dlinofs vini e vati. Man penom penedi. Tedels penoms penedis. Puls penoms tonabis. Voms penofs penedis manes.

The dogs see the sheep. The sheep see the dog. The sheep sees the grass. The men write letters. The boys see the letters (a, b, c,). The women drink (not -oms) water. The men drink wine.

1.7

EXERCISE 7

Nim, animal. Dlin, a drink. Fid, food. Dil, part.

Julel, scholar. Nif, snow. Töt, thunder. Sag, say.

Das, that.

(CAUTION.--After the verb to be, use the kimfal, not the kimifal.)

Man binom tedel. Vig binom dels vel (not binos). Del binom dil viga. Düp binom dil dela. Mul binom dil yela. Vat e vin binoms dlins. Nifos. Tötos. Logon nimis. Dlinon vati. Fidon bodi. Lilädon bukis.

The boy is a scholar. Dogs and sheep are animals. The day is a part of the year. Bread is food. Wine is a drink. Water is a drink. I am a merchant. You are a scholar. You are scholars. It thunders. One eats meat. It snows. One says (they say) that you are a scholar.

Supply the proper endings :-- Dog fid-- bod--. Dogs e jips bin-- nim--. Sagon das töt--. Logon das nif--.

1.8

EXERCISE 8

Flen, friend. Tidel, teacher. Jeval, horse.

Lautel, author. Lanel, angel. Viudel, widower.

Nelijel, Englishman. Sanel, physician. Blod, brother.

Vomül, Miss. Matel, husband. Maria, Mary.

Express in Volapük :

Lady-friend. Doctor's wife. Widow. Authoress. Miss Mary is an angel. Doctress. Mare. Sister. Englishwoman. Wife.

1.9

EXERCISE 9

Balun, January. Telul, February.

In the same manner form the names of the months to September (Zülul) inclusive.

Balsul, October. Babul, November. Batul, December. Balüdel, Sunday. Telüdel, Monday, etc.

Exercises or translation :

Balul binom mul balid. Velul binom mul velid. Kilüdel binom del kilid viga. Batul binom mul balsetelid yela. Düp kilid. Düp kimid binom ? Binom düp balsid.

Saturday is the seventh day of the week. November is the eleventh month. It is four o'clock. (It is the fourth hour.)

POSSESSIV PRONOUNS

The possessivs, my, mine, thy, thine, etc., may be rendered in two ways :

1. By the kimafal of the pronoun; fat oba, my father; fat obas, our father.

2. By the termination -ik, forming a possessiv adjectiv ; buk obik, my book; buks omsik, their books; buk at binom olik, this book is yours.

The kimafal is used when otherwise there would be too much repetition of the termination ik.

1.10

EXERCISE 10

Nelijapük, English language. Flentapük, French language.

Nelijel, Englishman. Flentel, Frenchman.

Sikod, therefore.

Tidel obik tidom pulis lul. Kim binom tidel ola ? Tidel obsik labom julelis telsefol. Pük obas binom nelijapük. Fat obik labom sonis kil e jisonis tel; sikod labob blodis tel e jiblodis tel. Binols cils lul. Fat obsik löfom cilis omik. Mot obsik löfof cilis ofa. Fat e mot obsik löfoms cilis omsik.

My teacher reads a book. Your father has four dogs. Who is YOUR teacher ? Our teacher is a Frenchman. Our father and mother love their children. Who is our father ? Our father is the husband of our mother. Your father and my mother are friends. My teacher's language [language of teacher mine] is French [French language]. Your teacher reads my books.

DEMONSTRATIVS

The demonstrativ pronouns, which are used as adjectivs, and also by themselvs, are the following :

at, et, it, ot, ut; som.

Emphatic forms, ät, eit, iet, öt, üt; söm.

At, this; man at, this man; buks at, these books; del ät, this very day.

Et, that; pul et, that boy ; jipuls eit, those very girls.

It, -self, man it, the man himself ; vom it, the woman herself; ob it, I myself; obs iet, we, our own selves.

Ot, same; tidel ot, the same teacher, tid öt, just the same instruction.

Ut, that, before a relativ; man ut, kel vilom binön libik, that man (or the man) who wishes to be free.

Som, such; dog som, such a dog; kats söm, just such cats.

The emphatic forms are rarely used and may be dispenst with altogether.

1.11

EXERCISE 11

Laned, country (not the city). Län, country (a division of land).

Dom, house. Lödöp, dwelling.

Sevob, I know, am acquainted. Ab, but.

with (not, I know a fact). No, not, no.

Zif, town. Men, human being, person.

Lödob, I live, dwell. In, in (followed by the kimfal).

Dom at binom lödöp obsik. Man et labom cilis kil; sevob cilis ab no mani it. Zif at labom domis tum e menis veltum. Mans, voms e cils binoms mens. Sevol tideli e tedeli; ob sevob manis ot. Man ut, kel lödom in dom et, binom lautel, e penom bukis.

This country is mine. I live in that house. The men who live in that town know us. We live in the same town. These animals are horses.

THE RELATIV

The relativ pronoun is kel, who, which, what. It has the force or a conjunction and a pronoun. It is used independently or as an adjectiv.

THE INTERROGATIV

The interrogativ pronoun is kim ? kif ? kis ? when used independently, and kiom ? kiof ? kios ? when used as an adjectiv.

THE ADJECTIV IN -IK

All other adjectivs are formed from nouns by adding the ending -ik. Gud, goodness; gudik, good. Löf, love; löfik, dear; löflik, lovely. Yel, year; yelik, pertaining to the year; yelsik, yearly. Any word with the end-syllable -ik is surely an adjectiv.

1.12

EXERCISE 12

Sevob, I know. Läd, lady, Madam. Din, thing.

Lautob, I compose [a book].

Sevob mani, kel penom bukis at. Man, keli sevob, penom bukis at. Kirn penom bukis . Lautel. Kis binom lautel ? Lautel binom man ut, kel lautom bukis. Kif binof läd et, kel labof dogi ? Läd et binof jisanel B---; matel ofa binom sanel obsik.

I see the man who gives money to the boys. Who knows the author of this book ? The doctor's wife knows the man who is the author of the book. What is a merchant ? A merchant is a man who buys and sells things. Who is that woman ? That woman is a teacher, who teaches boys and girls.

1.13

EXERCISE 13

Gudik, good. Badik, bad. Spelob, I hope.

Gud, goodness. Bad, badness. Das, that.

Lonedik, long. Blefik, short. Lad, heart.

Manik, male, masculin. Jilik, female, feminin. Ladlik, hearty, cordial.

Gletik, great, large. Smalik, small, little. Subsat, noun.

Mödik, many, much. Neudik, neuter. Saunik, well, healthy.

Nemödik, a few. Neit, night. Valik, all.

Te, only. Löfik, dear, [beloved]. Delidik, dear, [costly].

Nedelidik, cheap. Ed, used before a vowel, means and.

Man at binom gudik. Mans gudik laboms flenis mödik.---O söl löfik! penob ole penedi blefik e spelob das binol saunik. Binob flen volapüka e sagon das volapük labom flenis mödik in lan olsik. --Men ut, kel labom ladi badik, labom neflenis mödik. --Subsats in nelijapük binoms manik, jilik e neudik; in volapük ed in flentapük binoms manik e jilik. ---In batul labobs delis blefik e neitis lonedik.

My dear friend ; [use kimafal to avoid repetition of -ik] Your letter is short and cordial. I have a few friends who write to me long letters.

CAUTION.---Adjectiv after noun. But with two adjectivs, you may put one before and one after, to avoid ik in Succession.. Give to the first the same termination as the noun. Ex.: "Of many men," ,,manas mödik;" of many good men," ,,mödikas manas gudik."

All good men have good hearts, and love good things. God is the father of all men [human beings]. All men who love God are good. God is the author of all good things. I am your cordial friend, who hopes that you are well. The letters which you write to us are short. Who is the lady to whom you write long letters? That lady is the wife of Doctor B---; she, herself, is not [no binof] a physician.

1.14

EXERCISE 14

Hereafter, many of the words used in the exercises will have to be looked for in the vocabulary at the end of the book.

Si, yes. No, no or not; when it means not, it is placed next before the verb which is denied.

Lesi, yes indeed. Leno, not at all, by no means.

God no löfom menis badik. Mens badik no löfoms Godi.---Subsats in volapük no binoms neudik; laboms genis te tel, no kil. Dins nelifik binoms gena manik. ---Tedels, kels sevoms volapüki spodoms ko vol lölik. Kims sevoms volapüki ? Valiks mens estudik in vol lölik.

I do not see my three books. Which book [book which] is good ? This book is not bad. I have not many good books. How many genders are there in Volapük ? ["Genders how many are in Volapük ?" Omit "there" in "there is," "there are."] There are two genders [two genders are] in Volapük and in French ; there are three genders in English and in German. One (not bal, 1) studies Volapük in all countries of the whole world.

1.15

EXERCISE 15

Fidobs kilna in del, telsebalna in vig. Buk at tidom volapüki obe balidna. Man et, kel binom deutel, pükom nelijapüki badiko, ab sevom volapüki gudiko. Dels goloms vifix, e no labobs timi mödik.

The dog eats fast. You write well [goodly]. We speak Volapük badly. I write three letters twice in a week. We buy books cheaply ["cheaply" after "buy"]. we buy cheap boks. The merchant buys cheap and sells dear.

1.16

EXERCISE 16

Ka, than. äs, as. Suno, soon.

Binob bäledikum ka om. Buk at binom gudikum ka et. Dom obsik no binom so gletik äs olsik : binom smalikum. Penol gudikumo ka ob. Binob flen ola divodikün. Spelob das binol in saun gudik, o flen divikük ! Volapük binom pük nefikulikün in vol lölik.

I am more healthy than you. I have larger hands than you. The dog has larget than the cat. What book is the best in the whole world ? I have not so many books as you, but I read more [books]. What is the easiest languain the whole world ? I do not know a language which is easier than Volapük.

1.17

EXERCISE 17

Put the following words into all the tenses, giving the meaning or each :

Kömob. Golol. Getom. Nägof. Lömibos. Sagon. Labobs. Binols. Sumoms.

O flen divikün ! egetob penedi ola blefik e pidob das ebinol malädik. Spelob das uvedol suno saunikum e das ovisitol obis omulo.

Dear friend : the long letter, which you wrote to me, has pleased me (kimefal) very much. I hope that I shall soon have got better, and that I shall see you again next year.

1.18

EXERCISE 18

Fa, by.

Nelijapük papükom in Nelij, Pebaltats, Kanadän, Talop e läns votik. Volapük potidom in juls valik. Volapük pädatuvom fa söl Schleyer. Fluks poseloms delido ayelo; päseloms nedelido äyelo. Dom gletik pabumom in süt telsekilid.

Many children are educated in the schools or America; many have been educated and many will be educated. Books are sold by the merchant, whose store is in 42nd street. These books are not mine; they are sold. [Is this patüp ?] What language is spoken in America ?

1.19

EXERCISE 19

Löfob fidön fluki. No vilob liladön bukis mödik, sod gudikis. Eseilön binos ofen gudikum ka epükön. Men nonik kanom nolön valikosi. Kim okanom numön stelis sila u tofis mela ? Binob in jul al studön, no al pledön. Olemob bukis al lenadön volapüki. Sötol studön volapüki al kanön pükön ko nets valik.

I like to read good books. I wish to see the stars. To read is better than to play. We ought to buy a house if we can buy it cheap. This man can read six languages and speak three; he likes to study and he has time to study. It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved.

1.20

EXERCISE 20

O söl pelestimöl ! Elilädöl vobuki ola nitedik, e no kanöl kapälön dilis anik, penob ole penedi at al säkön va vilol seplanön obe setis suköl.

Honored Sir : Having received your letter and not having and time to write to you this week, I hope that you will excuse the unavoidable (not-to-be-avoided) delay.

1.21

EXERCISE 21

Give four dollars to this poor boy. Please excuse the liberty which I take. Please visit us in our new house. Please answer this letter soon. Kill that snake! Remain in the house. Please mail me three copies of your new book. Accept my cordial salutations. Let each boy take his book and read.

Givolöd bodi mane pöfik. Kömolsös al visitön obis in dom obas nulik. Sekusadolös obe no egepükön penede olik sunumo. Gololöz se dom! Potolös obe samadis fol vödasbuka nelijik. Pul alik sumomöd peni okik e penomöd. Blibolös in gad.

1.22

EXERCISE 22

Älöfoböv mani at, if äbinom-la gudikum. If ägolobs-la vädelo al spatön, äbinosöv saunlik. If ägolols-la adelo al spatön, blinolsos buki nulik, keli äbonedob, de bukatedam. Binosöv gälod gletik obe, getön penedi lonedik de ol. If no äbinos-la so vamik, älöfoböv visitön flenis obsik in zif.

If I should see the teacher to-day I would give him the book which he wishes to see. This book would be useful to you if you should wish to study the French language. If you had seen this man in the garden he would have spoken to you. If you should travel in Europe you would hear many languages.

1.23

EXERCISE 23

Kikod ? why ? Kiplad or kiöp ? where ? Kipladi ? where (to what place) ? Kiüp or kitim ? when ? Liko ? how ? These are interrogativs which do not require -li.

Stadön, to be [in a certain state or condition], to do, as in "how do you do ?"

Liko stadol, o söl ! ? Stadob gudiko, danob ole (or danis). Li-ebinol lonedo in zif ? No lonedo, ekömob bletimo de Madrid. Binom-li Madrid zif jönik ? Binom lejönik; ilöfoböv blibön us lonedumo. Kiöp lom olik binom ? Lom obik binom in Boston, ab labob flenis mödik in zif at. Li-estudol flentapüki ? Estudob flentapüki ab no kanob pükön omi gudiko. Li.kapälol valikosi keli lilädol ? Si, o söl ! ti valikosi.

Have you seen my father to-day ? No, sir; is he not in the house ? Have you read the newspapers to-day ? I have not had time to read. How is your father to-day ? Thanks; he is (stadom) much better. His many friends will have much pleasure to know it.

1.24

EXERCISE 24

Lio- ? how- ? to what degree ? as lio-gletik ? how large ? lio-mödik ? how many ? Aispatob vädelo in gad obik. Li-aigebol spatini ?

No; spatins paigeboms te fa mans bäledik; li-tikol das binob bäledik ? No nolob; binob yunik, ab aispatob ko spatin. Li-aifidol miti vädelo ? No aifidob omi mälüdelo. Ven äbinobs in Flent, äidlinobs vini, ab nu ven binobs in Melop aidlinobs vati. Du yels lio-mödik äbinols in Flent ? Du yels kil.

Do you drink wine ? I drink wine, but now I am drinking water. In France they drink [one drinks] wine and not water. In Belgium they speak the French and the Dutch languages. What language do they speak in Australia ? They speak-English [one word] wherever many Englishmen are, one speaks English.

1.25

EXERCISE 25

Dälön, to permit. Mutön, must.

Dalön, to have permission (may). Mütön, compel.

Logobok in lok at. Pladolokös in stul et. Aikel löfomok gudikumo ka nileli okik, no binom krit velatik; ab krits velatik löfoms okis. Aivatükobok vämödelo.

I have struck myself with this walking stick. I permit myself to address this letter to you. You will kill yourself. Please seat yourself and make yourself contented.

(Formerly dalön -dälön, mutön -mütön, had converse meanings.)

1.26

EXERCISE 26

PENED

1887 balul l6id.

O söl lestimlik! Egetob penedi olik de batul kilsebalid äyela e gälobok levemo das binol in saun gudik e das volapük mekom mostepis so gletik lomü ols. Tefü buks, kelis vilol das olemob, ogolob odelo ini glezif, ed osükob omis. Stadobs valiks gudiko e glidobs oli e famüli olik.

Dear Sir: I request that you will mail me your paper during one year, addressing it as is written below. I send [mail] you one dollar in payment, and remain

Your friend.

In volapük pladon ladyeki pos subsat, e kimifali pos velib.

In English one places the adjectiv before the noun. In German the accusativ is placed sometimes before the verb.

1.27

EXERCISE 27

In this reading exercise the left-hand column contains a translation from the German, in which the words are, to a great extent, arranged in the German order, --- too much so, I think. The verb is placed at the end of the sentence or clause without any apparent reason for this position, except that in the German original it is at the end. In the right-hand column the same words are re-arranged with correction of some other Germanisms.

|INVERTED ORDER. | |NATURAL ORDER.

| Glut ledik tegom sili kel jünu yulibik ebinom. Yono flamom filakolüm, tegöpi mena kösumöl, kel omi ed omikis esävom. Noli binoms valüds atoz?* Si, atoz binoms ,,valüds fata ko kels nonik fed tenalik binos al fedön." Ga ekusi ! Lelit, kel domi et ävilom nosön, disislifom äl tali, nen dämön. Näm jekik, vali duzuköl, menaladi fulöl ko tlep e jek, golom büdo menas du voli, tiki polöl da oti ko vif nesuemik. | > | Glut ledik tegom sili kel ebinom jünu yulibik. Filakolüm flamom yono, kösumöl tegöpi mena kel esävom omi ed omikis. No-li ats binoms valüds ? Si, ats binoms ,,valüds fata ko kels nonik fed tenalik binom pöfedöl." Ga, ekusi ! Lelit, kel ävilom nosön domi et, disislifom äl täli nen dämön. Näm jekik, duzuköl vali, fulöl mena- ladi ko tlep e jek, golom büdü mens da vol. polöl tiki da ot ko vif nesuemik.

1.28

EXERCISE 28

VOTAMS FA LASAM VALEMIK TELID.

In jölul yela 1887 lasam valemik volapükelas äzitom in München, zif Deuta. Lasam at ämekom votamis anik in noms volapüka, e zesüdos sevön votamis at, dat kanon lilädön bukis pepüböl büf tim lasama. Buk obsik pepenom segun noms nulik pestaböls fa lasam.

Ab in penäds vönik onoeton :

1. Das äbinoms foms tel tonaba h, 'c' e h, müedik e düfik ; nu labobs fomi te bal, h.

2. Das äbinom fom plütik, ,,ons," pla ,,ol," kel fom (ons) no sibinom nu.

3. Das nems lönik päpenoms segun ton, fonetigo ; nu paipenoms segun lotogaf länas keles lönoms.

4. Das vökäds ä, ö, ü älaboms fomis patik, nen pünils.

5. Das ji- as bisilab älabom fetanamali (-).

6. Das ,ji-' ämalom sotimo jimateli dunela e no jiduneli it ; e das ,of,' pla ,ji,' ämalom jiduneli. a.s., ji-tidel, vöno, jimatel tidela ; of-tidel, vom kel tidof, jitidel.

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INTRODUCTION

Volapük is designed to serve as a means of communication between persons whose native languages are not the same. Such a medium has long been regarded as desirable. The hope has often been expressed that one of the great national languages may, by common consent, be selected as a "universal language" ; but there is not the slightest probability that this great advantage will be voluntarily given to one nation, or that any one of the great powers can ever impose its language on others.

Volapük is one of numerous attempts at solving the problem of a common language. Without entering into a discussion of their merits, it is sufficient to say that no other attempt has ever passed beyond the experimental stage or been actually used, to any considerable extent, for the communication of thought. Volapük has now become so widely diffused that it can no longer be treated as a mere project, and some acquaintance with its history and the general principles of its construction will be desired by educated persons.

This "world-language" was invented and first published in 1879 by JOHANN MARTIN SCHLEYER, a German, and a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, who had become a very accomplished linguist. The system is entirely his production, and has not been modified in any essential point.

His aim was, first, to produce a language capable of expressing thought with the greatest clearness and accuracy ; second, to make its acquisition as easy as possible to the greatest number of human beings. He resolved to seek these ends by observing the processes of the many languages with which he was acquainted ; following them as models wherever they are clear, accurate and simple, but avoiding their faults, obscurities and difficulties.

The material and the form, or the dictionary and the grammar, call upon different mental faculties. One's stock of words is retained by exercise of the memory. Therefore the radicals or root-words were generally so chosen by him from existing languages, that the greatest number of persons might have the fewest unfamiliar words to memorize. Since English is spoken as a mother-tongue by more millions than any other language he took from it more root-words, with or without modification, than from any other, or about 40 per cent. of the whole. The selection is limited by such considerations as brevity, distinctness and ease of utterance -- difficult and unusual sounds and combinations being excluded.

Thus, in selecting a word for the idea man, the English word is found very suitable, especially as it is substantially the same in all other Teutonic tongues ; and it has been adopted, but sounded as in German. The word house, or haus, for the idea or a dwelling, is found objectionable for several reasons: the h is to be avoided because unpronounceable by some nations,and the s is already appropriated for the plural termination. The Teutonic roots being barred out, recourse is had to the Latin, and dom is selected. We are also familiar with this in English, as in domestic. In hand again we have the same trouble with h and also with the two consonants coming together, the plural hands being unpronounceable by certain peoples. The Latin root man- will not help us here, because man is already appropriated. Therefore, the transposed form nam is adopted, slightly assisting the memory.