Ithkuil: Difference between revisions

In 2004<ref name=kozl/>—and again in 2009<ref name=gertelmann>[http://library.conlang.org/articles/ithkuil_Komputerra_17.pdf Ithkuil and its philosophical design] (Russian) by Mikhail Gertelman, Kompyuterra (17(781)2009 p 12)</ref> with Ilaksh—Ithkuil was featured in the Russian-language popular science and IT magazine ''Computerra''. In 2008, [[w:David J. Peterson|David Peterson]] awarded it the [[Smiley Award]].<ref>[http://dedalvs.com/smileys/2008.html The 2008 Smiley Award Winner: Ithkuil]</ref> In 2013, Bartłomiej Kamiński codified the language to be able to quickly parse complicated sentences.<ref>[https://ebvalaim.pl/en/2016/01/14/making-fun-with-ithkuil-easier Making fun with Ithkuil easier]</ref> Since July 2015, Quijada has published several Ithkuil music voiced by Peterson under the album ''Kaduatán'', which translates to "Wayfarers".

[[File:Ithkuil pull uiqisx.png|frame|

An example of vertical [[w:boustrophedon|boustrophedon]]ic Ithkuil text (2004).

For his influences, Quijada cites the obscure "morpho-phonology of [[w:Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]] verb complexes, the [[w:Grammatical mood|moods]] of verbs of certain [[w:Indigenous languages of the Americas|American Indian languages]], the [[w:Grammatical aspect|aspectual]] system of [[w:Niger–Kordofanian languages|Niger–Kordofanian languages]], the [[w:Ergative case|nominal]] [[w:Noun case|case systems]] of [[w:Basque language|Basque]] and [[w:Northeast Caucasian languages|Dagestanian languages]], the [[w:enclitic|enclitic]] system of the [[w:Wakashan languages|Wakashan languages]], the positional orientation systems of [[w:Tzeltal language|Tzeltal]] and [[w:Guugu Yimithirr language|Guugu Yimithirr]], the [[w:Semitic root|Semitic triliteral root]] morphology, and the hearsay and possessive categories of [[w:Suzette Elgin|Suzette Elgin]]'s [[Láadan]] language". The writing system's logical design borrows principles from [[w:Ge'ez script|Ethiopic]] and [[w:Brahmi script|Brahmi]] scripts, but employs a unique morpho-phonemic principle.<ref name="intro" /> The script used throughout the Ithkuil grammar bears superficial resemblance to [[w:Hebrew script|Hebrew]] square script and the various [[w:Klingon script|Klingon]] fonts, and Ilaksh has also used a "cartouche script" and a cursive format. Because Ithkuil is designed for users to be precise in their speech, it is quite difficult to express humorous concepts in Ithkuil.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/bob-mankoff/a-l|title=Ça üšlá|work=The New Yorker|access-date=2018-08-10|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Ilaksh (2007) ===

The initial publication of Ithkuil in 2004 had an extensive phonology of 65 consonants and 17 vowels. Since the mention of Ithkuil in the Russian magazine ''Computerra'',<ref name="kozl" /> several speakers of Russian contacted Quijada and expressed enthusiasm to learn Ithkuil for its application to [[w:psychonetics|psychonetics]], with several complaining about its difficulty in pronunciation. Quijada remade Ithkuil's morphophonology with 30 consonants and 10 vowels (and the addition of [[w:Tone (linguistics)|tones]]) and published the revision on 10 June 2007 as Ilaksh.<ref name="intro" /> The language featured other amendments to grammar, including some additional Levels and a change of Cases. It was redesigned to be easier to speak and included an additional writing system.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110605210044/http://ithkuil.net/ilaksh/images/script_diagram.gif Ilaksh script diagram (indicates what the various parts of an Ilaksh logogram indicate) (no longer available on site, link shows archive.org's cache)]</ref><ref>[http://ithkuil.net/11_script.htm#Sec11o6 Ilaksh formal / ornamental script example, an updated version of the older script diagram]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522161309/http://www.ithkuil.net:80/ilaksh/Chapter_11.htm|title=A Grammar of the Ithkuil Language - Chapter 11: The Script|date=2009-05-22|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref> The initial sequential "informal" system suitable for handwriting or compact typesetting, and a "formal" [[w:logographic|logographic]] system with artistic possibilities resembling [[w:Maya script|Maya script]]s.

Owing to complaints about the difficult patterns in the language morphology from the community Reddit forum, on 30 October 2017, Quijada published a tentative outline for a new version of the language, which has yet to be named, addressing learners' desires for a more [[w:Agglutination|agglutinative]] [[w:morphophonology]], including a restructured Formative outline, and extended use of Adjuncts for flexible expression of the grammar to further create [[w:phonaesthetics|phonoaesthetics]]. Despite the complexity of the language, intended only as an experiment without concern for the constraints of human learnability, he has published several updates for a new language predicated off of the original grammar. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Ithkuil/comments/4z1h58/a_long_message_from_john_q_about_a_future_reform/|title=r/Ithkuil - A (LONG) MESSAGE FROM JOHN Q ABOUT A FUTURE REFORM OF ITHKUIL|website=reddit|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ithkuil.net/updates.htm|title=Ithkuil Update|website=ithkuil.net|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref>

The newly revised Ithkuil has 45 consonants and 13 vowels. At the left of each cell in the table below is the [[w:phoneme|phoneme]], and at the right its transliterated representation if it is not written the same in IPA as in romanized Ithkuil. The consonants are as follows:<ref name="phonology">[http://www.ithkuil.net/01_phonology.html Ithkuil.net – Chapter 1: Phonology]</ref>

{| class="IPA wikitable" style="text-align:center"

In a future revision of the language, Quijada has noted that ''cʰ'', ''c’'' ''čʰ'', ''č’'', ''kʰ'', ''k’'', ''ļ'', ''pʰ'', ''p’'', ''q'', ''qʰ'', ''q’'', ''ř'', ''tʰ'', ''t’'', and ''xh'' will be eliminated, ''x'' will be pronounced /x/~/χ/, /ɬ/ will only be an allophone of word-initial /l̥/ ([[w:voiceless alveolar lateral approximant|voiceless approximant]]) and be written as ''hl'', ''ň'' will be written as ''n'' before ''k'', ''g'', or ''x'', and ''dh'' will instead be written as ''ḑ'', as in the 2004 version of Ithkuil (this phoneme can optionally be written as ''đ'' or ''ḍ'', but ''ḑ '' is preferred).

The 13 vowels of Ithkuil are as follows:<ref name="phonology" />

{| class="wikitable"

|}

All Ithkuil formatives, whether functioning as nouns or verbs, inflect for various grammatical categories that are quite dissimilar from any of those in natural languages.<ref name="morphology"/> Quantization is more or less covered by the grammatical categories of ''Configuration'', ''Affiliation'', and ''Perspective'', even though these do not technically refer to number per se.<ref name="morphology"/>

|}

There are 96 [[grammatical case]]s in Ithkuil, one special case being the Vocative, used for direct address. Verbal formatives inflect for case under Frame constructions (i.e., [[dependent clause]]s). The grammatical cases of Ithkuil can be divided into several distinct groups:<ref name="case">[http://www.ithkuil.net/04_case.html A Philosophical Design for a Hypothetical Language - Chapter 4: Case morphology]</ref>

|}

Several distinct grammatical categories apply only to verbal formatives. These are listed below:<ref name="verbs1">[http://www.ithkuil.net/05_verbs_1.html A Philosophical Design for a Hypothetical Language - Chapter 5 – Verb morphology]</ref>

Ithkuil nominal formatives also carry a ''function'', but cannot be inflected for them, always remaining in the "stative".<ref name="verbs1"/>

Ithkuil uses a variety of affixes, termed suffixes, to further delineate what is described by the formative.

There are two types of adjuncts in Ithkuil: personal-reference adjuncts and verbal adjuncts.<ref name="morphophonology"/> All adjuncts are highly [[synthetic language|synthetic]].

Verbal adjuncts are adjuncts that work in conjunction with verbal formatives to provide information about the latter's ''Valence'', ''Level'', ''Phase'', ''Sanction'', ''Illocution'', ''Modality'', ''Aspect'', and ''Bias''.<ref name="morphophonology"/> Of these, ''Modality'' and ''Level'' can only be indicated using verbal adjuncts, whereas the others can also be expressed on the verbal formative.<ref name="verbs2">[http://www.ithkuil.net/06_verbs_2.html A Philosophical Design for a Hypothetical Language - Chapter 6 – More verb morphology]</ref>

Ithkuil uses a [[Radix|base 100]] numeral system with roots for the numbers 1 to 10, and a stem-specific derivative suffix used with a number root to add a multiple of 10, providing the numerals up to 99. Ithkuil did not originally use the concept of zero. Numbers greater than 100 are expressed periphrastically in speech, whereas a special numerical script had [[logogram]]s for the numbers 1 to 100 and exponential powers of 100.

On 27 March 2015 Quijada released a [http://www.ithkuil.net/ithkuil_math_and_measurement.pdf mathematical sublanguage] using a [[dozenal]] number system.

[[File:Ithkuil-ex001.jpg|thumb|"Tram-mļöi hhâsmařpţuktôx" written in the Ithkuil script. English translation: "On the contrary, I think it may turn out that this rugged mountain range trails off at some point"]]