volapuk
Noun: 1. An artificial language: Volapük is a constructed language, one of the first designed specifically to serve as an auxiliary international language for communication between speakers of different native languages. 2. A historical linguistic project: It refers to a specific, early attempt (created in 1879–1880 by Johann Martin Schleyer) to create a universal language, based primarily on English vocabulary but with significant influences from German, French, and Latin.
- Noun:
- In the late 19th century, Volapük gained a surprising number of adherents worldwide.
- Scholars of constructed languages often study Volapük for its historical significance.
- The grammar of Volapük was considered quite complex for an international auxiliary language.
- "The rise and fall of Volapük": A phrase used to describe the language's initial popularity and subsequent decline, often cited in discussions about the challenges of promoting a planned language.
- The history of Volapük provides a classic case study in the rise and fall of a constructed international language.
- Volapükist (noun): A proponent or speaker of Volapük.
- Early Volapükists were very enthusiastic about their new language.
- Constructed language
- Planned language
- Auxiliary language (specifically, an International Auxiliary Language or IAL)
While "Volapük" primarily denotes the specific language created by Schleyer, it can sometimes be used more generically or historically to refer to the very concept of an artificial international language. Its structure is characterized by a vocabulary heavily modified from its source languages (e.g., "vol" from "world" and "pük" from "speak") and a complex grammatical system.
- one of the first artificial language constructed for use as an auxiliary international language; based largely on English but with some German and French and Latin roots