Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-28
VOlapuk.
ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF THE "NEw WORLD
n LANGUAGE"

VOlapuk.
ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF THE "NEw WORLD
From the milford Times.
This cabalistic word Is not q part of an Indian
medicine mans Incarnation, as we might on first
hearing 1t suppose, but the name Of new Ian
guage-and, as the word really signifies, world
language. No nation ever spoke voapGk, no one
ever made love or Fourth-of-July grafton in Vol
apdk; 1t is creation, homunculus, a scientin-
cally constructed business language. Whether It
will live and make for itself place among natural
born competitors remains TO be seen.
About ten years ago Johann Martin Schleyer,
then priest OF the Catholic Church, now retired
and living at Constance, Germany, published
scheme OF a universal language especially adapted
for commerce and international communication.
which was briefly as follows:
First, the word-forms should be derived from the
simplest and most expressive roots Of the different
living languages.
second, In structure it should be perfectly regu.
lar-the adjective, adverb, and verb should be
regularly formed from the substantive and 1nva-
riably OF the same termination. There should be
should be no artificial gender. In word, 1t should
be perfect language, selecting the best from each
existing and rejecting the useless, irregu
In accordance with this plan schleyer and those
associated with him have constructed volapuk
In order to givea better idea OF this s'wOrd Ian
guage" we Will take the word mat" meaning ma
ture, and trace it through some OF its grammatical
forms. First, its declensiOn-nAt nata nate natl
meaning nature, of nature, to nature, nature (ac.
cusative). To form the adjective 'fk" is added,
and we have ''natik" (naturaD. To form the ad.
verb 80" Is added to the adjective form-"natikOn
(naturally). Every VOlapuk noun, whose meaning
permits, is susceptible Of these changes. Compare
son OF ad1ectives is effected by adding the ending
lative-J0nk j0nikum, J0nlkun fair, fairer fairest
The numerals run easily on the tOnge-bai tel xiii
FOL, lul NAL vel, j0l, zul, balls Q0) kills co., &C.
The personal prOn0uns keep the same vowel
throughout, as follows: Oh a., oil (thou). ON [he),
OF tshe), os Qt on zone, they, people, men, &c) To
form the pOssessive pronouns the adjective ending
Is afiixed as "obik, meaning my.
The contugation Of the verb is marvel Of SIM
plicity. The verb form Is composed OF three parts
First, the r0ot second the personal ending; third
the tense pVenx. Taking the old familiar verb
'l0ve," we proceed as follows:
l6fob Hove
l6fol You love
l0fOm He loves,
Plural-l0fobs We love.
To cOnjugate the different lenses:
Alofob loved,
elOfOl Thou hast loved,
1lOfOm He had loved,
olofom She will love,
ulofoS 1t will have loved, &c.
The passive voice is formed by the further pre.
liking OF the consonant 'p," as po6fof {she win be
1--WE shall have been highly honored;" in v0lap0k
one would say simply "PulestimobSI"
so simple is this wonderful language In struct.
ure, and so familiar are Its roots that 1t Is very
easily and quickly acquired. ALREADY IL has gained
wide favor upon the continent, and Is rapidly
proving It's practical usefulness In many busi-
ness houses In Paris q piacard bearing the word
played while its professors and teachers are mum
erOuS and enthusiastic