AUI (language)

Encyclopedia : A : AU : AUI : AUI (language)

The correct title of this } is }}}. The initial letter is capitalized due to [Naming conventions #Lower case first lettertechnical restrictions].

aUI is a constructed language credited to John W. Weilgart.

aUI has 42 phonemes (including nasalized variations on the vowels for numbers), each with an associated meaning:

a (pronounced like a in about): 'space'
e (pronounced like e in bend): 'movement'
i (pronounced like i in win): 'light'
u (pronounced like u in bush): 'human'
o (pronounced like o in port): 'life'
y (pronounced like ü in German fünf): 'negative'
q (pronounced like eu in French jeune): 'condition'
A (pronounced like a in water): 'time'
E (pronounced like ai in hair): 'matter'
I (pronounced like ee in sleep): 'sound'
U (pronounced like oo in soon): 'mind'
O (pronounced like o in go): 'feeling'

a*: 1 (asterisk indicates that the sound is short, nasal and stands for a numeral)
e*: 2
i*: 3
u*: 4
o*: 5
A*: 6
E*: 7
I*: 8
U*: 9
O*: 10
y*: 0

b: 'together'
c (pronounced like sh in short): 'being'
d: 'through'
f: 'this'
g: 'inside'
h: 'question'
j (pronounced like s in television): 'equal'
k: 'above'
l: 'round'
m: 'quality'
n: 'quantity'
p: 'before'
r: 'positive'
s: 'thing'
t: 'toward'
v: 'active'
w: 'power'
x (pronounced like ch in Bach): 'relation'
z: 'part'

The language was designed so that ideally, the meaning of each phoneme would tie into its properties. The phoneme /b/, for instance, meaning "together", is pronounced with the lips pressed together. The short i, which means "light", takes the brightest, highest-frequency sound, while the long I, which means "sound", takes longer to say, because sound travels more slowly than light.

Each phoneme also has a character that represents its meaning. The symbol for a, meaning "space", for instance, is a circle to enclose an open space. The symbol for e, meaning "movement", follows the movement of a spiral nebula. The u, meaning "human", is a caret shape, suggesting two legs. The o, meaning "life", is represented by the shape of a leaf, plants and photosynthesis forming the basis of all life. The v, meaning "active", is represented by a lightning bolt, the most active thing in nature. The character for g, meaning "inside", is a dot inside a circle. The character for t, meaning "toward", is a split arrow shape pointing towards the right.

aUI attempts oligosynthesis and is said to have been transmitted to John W. Weilgart by a being from another world.

External links and references

Alan Libert, A Priori Artificial Languages. Lincom Europa, Munich, 2000. ISBN 3-89586-667-9
http://home.pacifier.com/~patten/

Probably not what you were expecting:

[The "Language of Space"], concerning the bizzare claims of one John W. Weilgart to have learned a language from a little green spaceman.

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.