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The many examples from the original grammar book<ref name="intro"/> show that a message, like a meaningful phrase or a sentence, can usually be expressed in Ithkuil with fewer sounds, or lexically distinct speech-elements, than in natural human languages. For example, the two-word Ithkuil sentence "''Tram-mļöi hhâsmařpţuktôx''" can be translated into English as "On the contrary, I think it may turn out that this rugged mountain range trails off at some point".<ref name="intro"/> Quijada sees his strictly regular creation as too complex to have developed naturally, but nonetheless as a language suited to human conversation. No person, including Quijada himself, is known to be able to speak Ithkuil fluently. | The many examples from the original grammar book<ref name="intro"/> show that a message, like a meaningful phrase or a sentence, can usually be expressed in Ithkuil with fewer sounds, or lexically distinct speech-elements, than in natural human languages. For example, the two-word Ithkuil sentence "''Tram-mļöi hhâsmařpţuktôx''" can be translated into English as "On the contrary, I think it may turn out that this rugged mountain range trails off at some point".<ref name="intro"/> Quijada sees his strictly regular creation as too complex to have developed naturally, but nonetheless as a language suited to human conversation. No person, including Quijada himself, is known to be able to speak Ithkuil fluently. | ||
Three versions of the language have been publicized: the initial version in 2004, a simplified version called Ilaksh in 2007, and the version in 2011, with additional updates on the morphophonology and lexicon. As of 2019, a new (yet to be named) language is being developed by Quijada based on Ithkuil. | Three versions of the language have been publicized: the initial version in 2004, a simplified version called Ilaksh in 2007, and the version in 2011, with additional updates on the morphophonology and lexicon. As of 2019, a new (yet to be named) language is being developed by Quijada based on Ithkuil. | ||
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". | 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". | ||
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==History== | ==History== | ||
=== Ilaksh (2007) === | === 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] | 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> 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. | ||
In the "informal" writing system, several parallel sets of lines are shaped to correspond sequentially to the different parallel sets of lexemes and inflections. It is directly pronounceable. The author designed it with reserve for convenient handwriting. The overall design would permit compact, clear, black-and-white rendering. | In the "informal" writing system, several parallel sets of lines are shaped to correspond sequentially to the different parallel sets of lexemes and inflections. It is directly pronounceable. The author designed it with reserve for convenient handwriting. The overall design would permit compact, clear, black-and-white rendering. | ||
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=== A New Ithkuilic Language (2017) === | === A New Ithkuilic Language (2017) === | ||
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. | 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. | ||
== Phonology == | == Phonology == | ||
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The phonological system of the original Ithkuil consisted of 65 consonants; the ones above, in adittion to the lateral aspirated and central ejective palatal affricates ''q̌'' /cʎ̥˔ʰ/, ''çʼ'' /c͡çʼ/ and the velar affricates ''xʼ'' /k͡xʼ/, ''x̧ʼ'' /q͡χʼ/. | The phonological system of the original Ithkuil consisted of 65 consonants; the ones above, in adittion to the lateral aspirated and central ejective palatal affricates ''q̌'' /cʎ̥˔ʰ/, ''çʼ'' /c͡çʼ/ and the velar affricates ''xʼ'' /k͡xʼ/, ''x̧ʼ'' /q͡χʼ/. /m n̪ ŋ l ɫ ɻ/ could be syllabic. ''h'' was [ɸ] when preceded by a vowel and followed by another consonant. [cʎ̥˔ʰ] was in free variation with [cʎ̥˔ʼ], the latter being more common at the beginning of a word (both spelt ''q̌''). All consonants except ''y'' and ''w'' could be geminated; when geminated, ''h'' was a bidental fricative (h̪͆) and ''r'' was an alveolar trill (/r/). | ||
At the left of each cell in the table below is the phoneme, and at the right its transliterated representation. The original 17 vowels are as follows: | At the left of each cell in the table below is the phoneme, and at the right its transliterated representation. The original 17 vowels are as follows: | ||