The Languages of the Stars:
Constructed Languages in Fact, and Science Fiction
| language | Contributer |
| LEY ARAH | Valeska Scholl |
| TOKANA | Matt Pearson |
| BRITHENIG | Andrew Smith |
| ALPHA SMART | Jack Durst |
| STREICH | Tommaso Donnarumma |
| LOJBAN | Logical Language Group, translation by Don Wiggins |
| CLASSICAL YIKLAMU | Mark P. Line |
| EA-LUNA | Mia Soderquist |
| JAMELD | James Campbell |
| ARKIAN | Jan Havlis |
| DRHAQA | Ajin Kwai |
TRANS-CONLANGEA TRAVEL PHRASE BOOK
Let's say that someone wanted to take a trip through Conlangea, a
world where fictional cultures live side-by-side in fairly peaceful
harmony and communicate with each other through any number of accepted
auxlangs. One might want a guide book on this trip, with useful words
and phrases from the local languages and the interlanguages.
Here are some common phrases the traveler to Conlangea might want to know:
1. Hello
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
3. My name is...
4. What is your name?
5. I am lost.
6. Where am I?
7. Where is...
a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
b. my luggage?
c. the tourist center?
d. the embassy?
8. I'm sorry.
9. Please
10. Thank you!
11. Help!
12. I don't speak [language X] very well.
13. I don't understand.
14. Speak more slowly please.
15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
16. Could you recommend...
a. a good restaurant?
b. something good to eat?
c. a good hotel?
d. a good doctor?
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
18. How much do we owe you...
a. for the meal?
b. for the room?
c. for the things that we broke?
19. How much did you say it cost again?
20. You are joking, aren't you?
21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
22. Our customs are very different from yours.
23. I don't know anything about local politics, I'm afraid.
24. Our guide did not tell us that there was a
(revolution/war/soccer[football] championship) going on in this
country.
25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much,
but now we must be going home because we have many important things to
do there.
-----
LEY ARAH (Valeska Scholl)
[Note: the apostrophes after a letter denotes accent marks for
pronounciation, and quotation marks are used as stylistic apostrophes
which are grammatical as opposed to phonetical]
1. Hello
Hra'va (hello) Ta'v (hi)
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
Lo a'ca'na'? (lit: Your fortune? ..informal)
A'ca'na' vo oso? (lit: Fortune favors you? ...normal)
A'ta so dla'na' a'ca'na''e ona'le a'lurl oso"a'n (lit: Surely you are
Fortune's most favored child ... very formal)
3. My name is...
Eye'l se'' vo (name). [giving commonly used name]
La ca a'ta (name) [giving full given name]
4. What is your name?
Lwe's eye'l se'' vo? (for commonly used name)
Lwe's a'ta lo ca? (for full given name)
5. I am lost.
Osahr sa lwa' a'ta sa. (lit: I don't know where I am)
*or*
Rha'nev sa va (lit: I have lost myself)
6. Where am I?
Lwa' a'ta sa?
8. I'm sorry.
Na'ho (a'ta sa)
9. Please
la's
10. Thank you!
a'sa'! (normal/informal)
a's! (informal/slang)
a'sla'n! (thank you very much! <--normal/informal)
a'n or sla'n (thank you very much! <--informal/slang)
11. Help!
Ter!
12. I don't speak [language X] very well.
Osa'ra'pa' sa (language)di' dhos ma'dh.
13. I don't understand.
Osa sa.
14. Speak more slowly please.
a'ra'pa' a'la'n jer, la's.
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
a'taj' dhos ma'dh pa'le'n. Lwe's a'taj' su?
18. How much do we owe you...
Lwem da'j'u j'e's sta' ke' vo...
a. for the meal?
che pa'le'ndas?
b. for the room?
che r'edojdas?
c. for the things that we broke?
che a'qa'das che' nelo'j' sta'?
19. How much did you say it cost again?
Lwem da'j'u a'ra'lej' so che' cu su, tase't?
20. You are joking, aren't you?
De'la'th so, e?
21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
Na'ho sa, osle'sh sa tli'su vo.
22. Our customs are very different from yours.
Tla' ga'li'na' a'ta dhos te'ne' kas vo''.
23. I don't know anything about local politics, I'm afraid.
Osahr sa sia'q che'z seca'la' pona'lem, na'ho.
24. Our guide did not tell us that there was a
(revolution/war/soccer[football] championship) going on in this country.
Tla' hi'the'n osa'ra'lej' vre' che' a'ta (ma'lne/lan/a'shi'n loi'nga'l)
cor ta' hwa ke'nte'.
25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much, but
now we must be going home because we have many important things to do
there.
A'sa' che vo'' ta'csh. Sta' ua'j' tla' sa'me' dhos da'j'u, so' wa se'n
sta' urru ta' tha'dur, a'de' yura' da'j'a' a'qa' joks che' sa'sh sta' sa'
re'lu.
----------
TOKANA (Matt Pearson)
For anyone travelling to the country of the Tokana, a few of
Mia's phrases translated (the ones I can do off the top of my
head):
1. Hello
Nala!
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
Ni hulia? (Are you well?)
Ni eta elia? (Do you go gracefully?)
3. My name is...
Me taksa ia...
4. What is your name?
Ke miomi'n he taksa?
6. Where am I?
Melh ni ami?
7. Where is...
Melh ni...
a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
Melh ni te nankotu?
8. I'm sorry.
Slune lhisame! (Please forgive me!)
9. Please
Slune...
10. Thank you!
Niokteh telanku! (May your [sg.] kindness return to you)
Niokteh telankyini! (May your [pl.] kindness return to you)
11. Help!
Mela!
12. I don't speak [language X] very well.
Ma tuiaku ietiehu ulumotihi sule X.
(e.g. Ma tuiaku ietiehu ulumotihi sule Tokana.)
13. I don't understand.
Imai muthoti.
14. Speak more slowly please.
Slune anuysehta itsa.
15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
Ani sokoinmi nieh otupa lhianmokim punimo atumo!"
16. Could you recommend...
Ni tule koipa...
b. something good to eat?
Ni tule koipa mah ian iasi?
d. a good doctor?
Ni tule koipa mioh nioktieliaka ie tieheh?
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
Te sati paienun. Mah'n ahi?
25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much, but
now we must be going home because we have many important things to do
there.
Niokteh telankyini ku southime! Ikime teusu henke taha, le
kas nioktulhka moke, talhkoh lhonam ialam ante suklut aulini ikimna.
-----
BRITHENIG (Andrew Smith)
In your tour you are approaching the border of a new country. The sign
says: BENWENID A GHEMR and in smaller letters underneath: Welcome to
Cambria. As Kemr is a member of the Economic Community customs is easily
dealt with, but the guidebook is a different matter altogether:
1. Hello
Helo
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
Co es'gw
3. My name is...
Mew no^n es ...
4. What is your name?
Ke gos es-sa wstr no^n?
5. I am lost.
Eo su berdded
6. Where am I?
K'log su-eo?
7. Where is...
a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
K'log es-sa ill ystafl baen?
b. my luggage?
K'log es-sa mew fuly?
c. the tourist center?
K'log es-sa ill sedd turist?
d. the embassy?
K'log es-sa lla ambasciad?
8. I'm sorry.
Fal meg.
9. Please
Se ddeg a'w
10. Thank you!
Greid!
11. Help!
Aydath!
12. I don't speak Brithenig very well.
Eo mharol rhen Brithenig fenisaf.
13. I don't understand.
Eo nhompruin rhen.
14. Speak more slowly please.
Parolath bly lentfent, se ddeg a'w.
15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
Sa er buinsad mew briwad wenir ci per ill gweil!
(The noun 'priwad' can be masculine or feminine in Brithenig according to
which spouse is being referred to, so there is no difference here)
16. Could you recommend...
a. a good restaurant?
Arybarew'gw yn rhestawrant bon?
b. something good to eat?
Arybarew'gw alch gos fon fannuger?
c. a good hotel?
Arybarew'gw yn hotel bon?
d. a good doctor?
Arybarew'gw yn meddig bon?
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
Sa er yn temp di'll gweith bel. Ke gos er-sa?
18. How much do we owe you...
a. for the meal?
Cant defen-nu per ill temp di'll gweith?
b. for the room?
Cant defen-nu per ill ystafl?
c. for the things that we broke?
Cant defen-nu per llo chos ke nu rumpefan?
19. How much did you say it cost again?
Cant dige'gu sa gost ancor?
20. You are joking, aren't you?
Mellta'gw, si?
21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
Fal meg, eo mhuinsaf rhen affrontar gw.
22. Our customs are very different from yours.
Nustr ddefad sun ddifferentisaf di wstr hyn.
23. I don't know anything about local politics, I'm afraid.
Eo sab rhen alch am ill politig llog, eo dif.
24. Our guide did not tell us that there was a
(revolution/war/soccer[football] championship) going on in this country.
Nustr gwidadur nu haddigef ke sa er yn (cluinediwn/wer/gwiadig Rugby) awen
in ill paes ci.
Ill gwiadig Rugby literally means 'Rugby tour'. Rugby is generically
similar to American Football but is played with less protective padding.
Rugby-playing nations regullarly tour each other to play national and
regional teams. The Chemran do not consider Rugby to be a religion, quite
the reverse.
25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much, but
now we must be going home because we have many important things to do
there.
Greididd per gwstr benwenid. Nu hinweidafan nustr gwisit mulltisaf, mai
hur nu ddefen wenir a lla gas perch nu hafan mullt di llo chos far ffager
lla^.
-----
ALPHA SMART (Jack Durst)
Ok, on the isles where Alpha Smart is spoken, they would come out this way:
1. Hello
Ahpla!
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
Klanyataz Kom Ya. (I greet you) It's not polite to ask someone you don't
know's health
3. My name is...
(name) Ya. (or more formally) Litraezhan (name) Yo.
4. What is your name?
Zomai aron Te Kom? (who are you) (more formally) Boti litraezhon Te Kom?
5. I am lost.
Kanaetar xil aiyo. (Lit. I do not know this place.) or Zhanav xil Ya.
6. Where am I?
Zomai vo Ya. (more formally) Boti vo ik Ya?
7. Where is...
Zomai/Boti vo...
(Or, if you're looking for something specific)
Zomai/Boti kopakih triva Ya vo...
a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
Zomai ze kopakih zirizha Yo Ya vo x talehtx? (also asks if you can use it)
b. my luggage?
Zomai kopakih triva Ya vo Yo vilzax?
c. the tourist center?
Zomai kopakih triva Ya vo zarno? (actually a hotel, there are few tourist
centers.)
d. the embassy?
Zomai kopakih triva Ya vo lanryo~na Yoz?
8. I'm sorry.
Zolae,...
9. Please
Kaln...
10. Thank you!
Merz. (More formally) Zavron meraz Kom Ya.
11. Help!
Inoloukae Ya Kom. (more urgently) Inkla!
12. I don't speak [language X] very well.
Lourz teh'zah (name of language) kya Ya.
13. I don't understand.
Zomai ahnez ze Sae? (what does that mean)
14. Speak more slowly please.
Kaln voya tezoufae Yo Kom.
15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
Kiniozah xil ze litna yoz Yaz zesae ih (amo/zha) tlazh Yo ka!
16. Could you recommend...
See #7 above, but substitute ihnril~triva for triva.
a. a good restaurant?
Boti kopakih ihnril~triva Ya vo ik vilta/koivah'z kivek?
b. something good to eat?
Zomai kopakih ihnril~triva Ya vo ik rihpka?
c. a good hotel?
Boti kopakih ihnril~triva Ya vo ik zarno?
d. a good doctor?
Zomai kopakih ihnril~triva Ya vo ik metko naluk?
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
Tra naluk. Zomai are Ze Bya?
18. How much do we owe you...
Zomai zahnler Kya kohna Zetra?
a. for the meal?
Zomai zahnler Kya ih rihpka kohna?
b. for the room?
Zomai zahnler Kya ih zamna kohna Zetra?
c. for the things that we broke?
Zomai zahnler Kya ih frapro Yoz kohna Zetra?
19. How much did you say it cost again?
Boti zesae *kohna*?
21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
Zolae, aivolioruh yavila Kom Ya.
22. Our customs are very different from yours.
Kyez valta Yoz na.
23. I don't know anything about local politics, I'm afraid.
Kanaetar ait ih paelnotna kya.
25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much, but
now we must be going home because we have many important things to do
there.
-----
STREICH (Tommaso Donnarumma)
Now, that's a refreshing idea, finally! Here's my little contribution:
a collection of useful Streich sentences, just in case you'd like to take
a trip to Hailiir. I've also added some etiquette hints that the
occasional traveller could find valuable.
1. Hello
Tylch ewisan thru ui!
Lit. "May wisdom stand close to you". That's very formal. You should
not try to use anything less formal until you're requested (allowed) to.
2. How are you? (or similar greeting question)
Mah un wikum byrsane yln.
Lit. "I wish that you be well". Not very commonly used.
3. My name is...
... zuere mui.
4. What is your name?
Shaan zuere ui?
5. I am lost.
Man spyynsan.
6. Where am I?
Shaane man jun?
7. Where is...
a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
Shaane ji geealiir yydun?
b. my luggage?
Shaane thyrnan mui yydun?
c. the tourist center?
d. the embassy?
Just don't ask: there isn't any.
8. I'm sorry.
Man dijekun.
Actually, the proper way to apologize or sympathize depends on many
things, including the kind of fault or occasion and the kind of
relationship between you and the other people involved, etcetera...
9. Please
There's no word for this. You have to use a proper verb mood instead
(which is the kind of "mild" imperative also used to give advice).
10. Thank you!
Un/uiny bydmen
Un for one person, uiny for more than one. BTW, if you have to give
thanks for something, you're also usually expected to show your gratitude
in some concrete way.
11. Help!
Baad man!
12. I don't speak [Streich] very well.
Muir streich darkun deithym dii.
13. I don't understand.
Man fraadmyn dii.
14. Speak more slowly please.
Iishim aileeash!
15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
Luer mui wichsan muinam wythmene uuhih thru!
Lit. "My wife/husband was wishful that we come hereto".
16. Could you recommend...
a. a good restaurant?
b. something good to eat?
c. a good hotel?
Well, there's nothing like restaurants and hotels. If you really wish
to go to Hailiir, you should first make sure there will be someone willing
to host you, unless you're an able craftsman, a poet, a musician, a priest
or a trader.
And there's nearly no way you can get to choose your meal, unless you
bring some perishable food as a gift for your host, which is not polite,
unless you're coming back from a hunting beating. In this case it is
very polite to offer your prey.
d. a good doctor?
Usually you will find only one, and it's your host's duty to call him
in case of need.
17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
Hin flyste hiie. Shaane et?
18. How much do we owe you...
a. for the meal?
b. for the room?
c. for the things that we broke?
19. How much did you say it cost again?
20. You are joking, aren't you?
Well, you won't pay anything for food and lodgement, but you will find
yourself bound by a "hospitality obligation": you will have in turn to
host and feed the man who's currently hosting you and/or other members
of their family... And you could as well be asked to send your warriors
to their help. And be warned you're not easily going to find an honorable
way to deny either of them. :-)
As to broken things, you can't pay for them with money, but as soon as
possible (and without asking), you should give some valuable gift to the
person who suffered the damage.
21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
It's better you start running very fast. Once you're in a safe place,
you can explain yourself and seek pardon... through messengers. :-)
-----
LOJBAN (Logical Language Group
Right here, online are some tools to use languages constructed for Star
Trek:
This JavaScript version of UTA uses an extended Romulan vocabulary. I coded it using the work of Diane Duane - using her Basic Program for generating Rihansu (Romulan) words, then generated a set of English vocabulary from the WEB translation of Judges 1 and paired them together. The current version of UTA and the download link (below) add this new vocabulary to the published Rihansu from Ms. Duane's books.
This page is hosted by GeoCities! For your own free web page at Geocities, click HERE!