In one of its simplest forms Microlang might be used as an interspecies
pidgin facilitating rudimentary communication among beings who lack common
sensory apparatus or appendages. In mode 1 the "phonetic"
set consists of a series of rhythm patterns (analogous to Morse code) that
can be expressed by any voluntary action that is detectable by another
being. In this simple form there is a correspondence between
the rhythm patterns and the semantic component of the vocabulary that should
make it somewhat easier to commit to memory. In fact, this
basic vocabulary can be written out as a table that can be reproduced by
a person who has invested only a
minimum amount of time
learning the rules. In a first contact situation both individuals
might find themselves learning to use the language at the same time.
Mode 2, while still cumbersome, is better adapted to human communication
as it uses actual speech sounds that are widely used by human languages.
It uses very few of them making it unambiguously pronounceable by a person
of almost any linguistic background, but at the same time creating long
tongue twisting words. Mode 2 also has a defined
written form using 12 symbols (one of which is the space between words).
Most of this introduction describes mode 2.
Syntax is rigid in both modes and the mode 1 grammar is defined in terms
of a two word subject-predicate phrase. There are also various
mixed modes available such as using the more complex mode 2 grammar with
mode 1 "phonetics".
There is a matrix of 63 basic words that are expressed in mode 2 as monosyllables.
These are high frequency words and the roots from which other words are
formed.
The matrix is as follows:
| I | U | E | A | O | AI | AU | |
| I* | ZER | UNI | INC | PRT | LSS | QNT | NUM |
| U* | TWO | TRE | CNT | LTR | DSJ | TYP | CMP |
| N | XXX | XXX | CND | PRM | OBL | XST | PSS |
| B | XXX | XXX | VOL | NST | AFF | COS | ACT |
| T | DAN | PAN | SBJ | REC | OBJ | SNT | ANM |
| S | DIN | PIN | SOL | LQD | GSS | ABC | CNC |
| L | DSP | PSP | LIN | SRF | VLM | LOC | DIR |
| K | DTM | PTM | PRC | SIM | SBS | MOM | DUR |
| # | NEG | POS | REV/DIM | INT | AUG | XXX | XXX |
Notes:
* The vowel
"I" (as in "see") the consonant "Y" (as in "you") and the glide "J" (as
in the second component of the dipthong "I") are all written with the same
symbol which is written here as the letter "I".
The symbol "U" is likewise
intended to represent the vowel (as in "you") the consonant (as in "we")
and the glide (as in "wow").
# This symbol is not actually written but represents a space followed by a vowel. It is typically represented in speech as a glottal stop.
Note also: Although the monosyllables shown are closed, closure is possible using a terminal N. This adjectivialiser can only be affixed to the last syllable of the word.
Definitions
Quantity
and Quality
ZER: The
number "zero" or the quantity "none"
UNI: The
number "one" or the indefinite article. A root with the meaning
"whole" or "one"
Two: The
number "two" or the particle "dual".
Tre: The
number "three" or the particle "plural".
Note: These
grammatical numbers are essentially binary representations with the "I"
having the value zero and the "U" having the value one. The
counting numbers are similarly formed using two syllables.
INC: Inclusive,
all
PRT: Part
or some
LSS: Less
or minus
QNT: Quantity
(uncountable)
NUM: Number
(countable)
CNT: And,
plus, with, including
LTR: Or,
equal
DSJ: But,other
TYP: Kind
CMP: Comparison
Note: where two meanings are
given the first is most often found when the word is used in isolation
and the second when used as a root.
Action and
Condition
XXX: Not
yet defined
XXX: Not
yet defined
CND: If,
conditional
PRM: Can,
may, permissive
OBL:
Must, obligatory
XST: Being
PSS: Having
XXX: Not
yet defined
XXX: Not
yet defined
VOL: Want,
intend
NST: Use,
by means of, instrumental marker
AFF: To,
a direct object marker
COS:
make, cause, a causitive marker
ACT: Do,
act, a transitive marker
Note:
These markers are used to indicate the distribution of causation within
a sentence. They are not affixed to the noun as case markers, but
function rather more like prepositions.
People
and Things
DAN: 2nd
person, you
PAN: 1st
person, I, me
SBJ:
Subjective marker
REC: Reciprocal
marker
OBJ: Objective
marker
SNT: 3rd
person(sentient), person, sentience
ANM: 3rd
person (animate), living being, life
DIN: That
PIN: This
SOL: Solid
class marker
LQD: Liquid
class marker
GSS: Gaseous
class marker
ABC: 3rd
person (Abstract/Collective), abstraction, set
CNC: 3rd
person (Concrete), thing
Note: The
abstract and collective classes are distinguished by the use of the plural
marker. The collective always has it, and the abstract never
does.
Note: Sentience
is defined in terms of ability to communicate. The proximal
sentience is the communicator (first person), distal sentience is the listener
(second person). A sentient being not involved
in the conversation may be referred to by the sentient 3rd person SNT and
distinguished from another person by the use of the inanimate demonstratives.
Note: The
marker triple of the animate class gives rise to the following disyllables:
| SUBJECTIVE | RECIPROCAL | OBJECTIVE | |
| SENTIENT | THOUGHT | COMMUNICATION | AWARENESS |
| ANIMATE | EMOTION | SYMPATHY | SENSATION |
Space and
Time
DSP: There
PSP: Here
LIN: (line)
SRF: (surface)
VLM: (volume)
LOC: Be
at
DIR: Go
to
DTM: Then
PTM: Now
PRC: Before(time),
past tense marker
SIM: while,
during, present tense marker
SBS: After(time),
future tense marker
MOM: Occur
at, momentary aspect marker
DUR: Last
until, durative aspect marker
Note: The
marker triples of the spacial class are used to indicate spacial axes in
disyllables as shown:
| LIN | SRF | VLM | |
| LOC | FRONT | UP | RIGHT |
| DIR | BACK | DOWN | LEFT |
Interjectives
NEG: No,
Negative, bad
POS: Yes,
positive, good
REV: Reversive
or diminutive
INT: Interrogative
AUG: Augmentative
XXX: Not
yet defined
XXX: Not
yet defined
Note: The Interjectives
can stand alone as complete utterances and form compound forms with other
roots but they cannot act as roots themselves. They can only
occur as the first syllable of a word.