The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-29
VALAPUK.
A New Language of Love, Commerce an&
Literature.

New Language of Love, Commerce and
Literature.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Up to the present time it has been thought
that there could be but one universal language.
that of the eyes, sometimes called by poets the
Language of love" But while science has been
doing so much for rapid transit, the cure OF
corns, rifle shooting. and otherwise making life
worth living, it has not been entirely unmindful
of the spoken language of love. DIR. Schleyer4
of Baden, has invented universal language, to-
which that of the eyes is not starter, and by
which lover from K4mchatka can converse
with Mexican sweetheart if one of HIS
eyes were Knocked out, and the other were
of glass. DR.. Schleyer, who processes to re-
store the speech of mankind to its pre-
Babel condition, has named his invention
"Vaapuk,' which every one, of course. knows
to mean the language of the world, or universal
language. The inventor is master of fifty liv-
ing and dead languages, all Of which he made
use OF forming Valapuk, but based his SYSTEM
principally on Latin, English and German.
Taking English basis of comparison he has
condensed his language down one to thirty five.
Valapuk containing only 2 600 words. sufficient,
however, so Mr.. Hoppe the professor of the
language in this city, assured Chronicle re-
porter to give Coroner ODonnell free express
sion of his views on Chinatown
Valapuk has already made some some progress
In the world, being now taught in several uni
versties IN Europe, and to- latest advices, Mr..
Hoppe said, being taught privately by fifty seven
prOleSSorSs n lrdglHeiL OF a Iaulllaf DeclenSl0m
will give some idea of how words have BEEN
telescoped in Valapuk and single words made to
do service for several:
Thou lowest -Lofol
He loves. Lofom
1t Tor they loves Iofos
shall love: -Lofobod
Thou shalt love Lofolod
ne snail love- ------.---.---------- Lofomoo
Case. gender and tense in Valapuk ALWAYS de-
pend upon affixes and in no instance upon con-
text, thus simplifying. its grammar, and doing
away with those nightmares of school days,
exceptions to the rule"
The vowels "a, 70" and 'i' are largely made
use of as affixes to determine case, man, nom.
NATIVE men," genitive ''mena," dative ''mene,s
accusative ''meni." All rules are absolute and
without exception, and as they are few Vaapuk
may be learned in whatever time the student
wishes to allow himself to memorize z, 900 words
after learning the rules AS the latter can be-
mastered in a week it will be that if the
world should agree to study Valapuk for
one month it would emerge from the task hav-
ing universal language. The literature Of aN
countries and all ages would be translated intt
Valapuk, and as all writing would hereafter be-
done i'll that astonishing tongue there would be-
no advantage whatever in being a Vassar girl.
for no longer could the Vassar girl put on airs
over her less fortunate sister because she read
Zolas latest "before it was translated"
These are some of the fancful and more re-
mote advantages OF Wofiu speaking NaapuE
only Some of the practical advantages Mr.,
Hoppe mentioned were the economy of having
a common language for commercial correspond
ence and telegraphing. A business house in
this city doing business in China, France Germ
any and Italy need have but one correspondent,
instead of one for each country, if each of ita
branches were similarly supplied with masteE
of Vaapuk. That the language is practical foR
purposes of written expression is demonstrate6
by the instances of two journals printed in VAL
apuk, one of which is edited by the inventor OF
this language, DIR. Schleyer, in Baden.