Volapük
Constructed (auxiliary, schematic)
Volapük is a constructed international auxiliary language created in 1879-1880 by the German Catholic priest Johann Martin Schleyer. It was the first conlang to gain a significant international following — over 200 Volapük societies and ~25 magazines existed at its 1889 peak — but rapid in-fighting over reform, plus the launch of Esperanto (1887) which proved easier and more politically inclusive, caused its near-collapse by the 1890s. Volapük features highly schematic agglutinative morphology, four cases, and umlaut-rich vocabulary derived from English roots distorted by Schleyer's design rules. The Volapük Vifik ('rapid Volapük') reform of Arie de Jong in 1931 produced the modern standard, with ~20-30 active speakers today.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Volapük
Sources
- Schleyer (1880) Volapük: Die Weltsprache
- Sprague (1888) Hand-Book of Volapük
- Glottolog: vola1234
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Constructed (auxiliary, schematic)
| Meaning | Volapük | Pijin | Torres Strait Creole | Bislama | Krio | Tok Pisin | Belize Kriol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | vat /vat/ | wata /wata/ | woda /woda/ | wota /wota/ | wata /ˈwata/ | wara /waɾa/ | waata /wɑːtɑ/ |
| Fire | fil /fil/ | faea /faja/ | paya /paja/ | faea /faea/ | faya /ˈfaja/ | paia /paja/ | faiya /fajə/ |
| Sun | sol /sol/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | son /sɔn/ |
| Moon | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | stel /stel/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | staar /staːr/ |
| Night | neit /neˈit/ | naet /naet/ | nait /nait/ | naet /naet/ | nɛt /nɛt/ | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ |
| Rain | rein /reˈin/ | ren /ren/ | ren /ren/ | ren /rɛn/ | ren /rɛn/ | ren /ren/ | rayn /reːn/ |
| Snow | nif /nif/ | snou /snou/ | — | sno /sno/ | sno /sno/ | ais /ais/ | snoa /snoː/ |
| Wind | vien /viˈen/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | briz /briz/ | win /win/ | breez /briːz/ |
| Earth | tal /tal/ | graon /ɡraon/ | graun /ɡraun/ | graon /ɡraon/ | gron /ɡrɔn/ | graun /ɡraun/ | groun /ɡroun/ |
| Stone | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /stɔn/ | ston /ston/ | stoan /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | bel /bel/ | maonden /maonden/ | maunten /maunten/ | maunten /maunten/ | mawnten /ˈmawnten/ | maunten /maunten/ | mongtin /mɔŋtɪn/ |
| Sea | mel /mel/ | solwata /solwata/ | solwata /solwata/ | solwora /solwora/ | si /si/ | solwara /solwaɾa/ | see /siː/ |
| Mother | mot /mot/ | mami /mami/ | ama /ama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mada /mɑdə/ |
| Father | fat /fat/ | dadi /dadi/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /ˈpapa/ | papa /papa/ | faada /faːdə/ |
| Daughter | daut /daˈut/ | dota /dota/ | gel /ɡel/ | gel /ɡel/ | gyal pikin /ɡjal pikin/ | pikinini meri /pikinini meri/ | daata /dɑːtə/ |
| I | ob /ob/ | mi /mi/ | ai /ai/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | ai /aɪ/ |
| You | ol /ol/ | iu /iu/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ |
| We | obs /obs/ | iumi / mifala /jumi / mifala/ | yumpla / mipla /jumpla / mipla/ | yumi / mifala /jumi / mifala/ | wi /wi/ | yumi / mipela /jumi / mipela/ | wi /wi/ |
| Name | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nɛm/ | nem /nem/ | naym /neːm/ |
| Person | men /men/ | man /man/ | — | man /man/ | pɔsin /pɔsin/ | man /man/ | persn /pɛrsn̩/ |
| Head | kap /kap/ | hed /hed/ | ed /ed/ | hed /hed/ | ed /ed/ | het /het/ | hed /hɛd/ |
| Eye | log /loɡ/ | ae /ae/ | ai /aj/ | ae /ae/ | ay /aj/ | ai /aj/ | aiy /aj/ |
| Ear | lil /lil/ | ia /ia/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | ia /ia/ | yes /jes/ | yau /jau/ | ayz /eːz/ |
| Nose | nud /nud/ | nos /nos/ | nus /nus/ | nus /nus/ | nos /nɔs/ | nus /nus/ | nuoz /nuoz/ |
| Mouth | mud /mud/ | maot /maot/ | maut /maut/ | maot /maot/ | mɔt /mɔt/ | maus /maus/ | mowt /mout/ |
| Tooth | ted /ted/ | titi /titi/ | tit /tit/ | tut /tut/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | teet /tiːt/ |
| Tongue | tug /tuɡ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tɔŋ /tɔŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tong /toŋ/ |
| Hand | nam /nam/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | han /han/ | han /an/ |
| Foot | fut /fut/ | leg /leɡ/ | put /put/ | leg /leɡ/ | fut /fut/ | lek /lek/ | fut /fʊt/ |
| Heart | lad /lad/ | hat /hat/ | at /at/ | bel /bel/ | at /at/ | bel /bel/ | haat /aːt/ |
| Bone | bom /bom/ | bon /bon/ | bon /bon/ | bun /bun/ | bon /bɔn/ | bun /bun/ | boan /boan/ |
| Blood | blud /blud/ | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blɔd /blɔd/ | blut /blut/ | blod /blod/ |
| Poop | jiedot /ʃieˈdot/ | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaˈka/ | pekpek /pɛkpɛk/ | — |
| Love | löf /løf/ | lavem /lavem/ | lavem /lavem/ | laekem /laekem/ | lɛk /lɛk/ | laikim /lajkim/ | lov /lɔv/ |
| Tree | bim /bim/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tik /tik/ | diwai /diwaj/ | chree /tʃɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /doɡ/ | dogi /doɡi/ | dog /doɡ/ | dog /doɡ/ | dɔg /dɔɡ/ | dok /dok/ | daag /daːɡ/ |
| Cat | kat /kat/ | puskat /puskat/ | pusiket /pusiket/ | pusi /pusi/ | pus /pus/ | pusi /pusi/ | kyat /kʲat/ |
| Fish | fit /fit/ | fis /fis/ | pis /pis/ | fis /fis/ | fis /fis/ | pis /pis/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | böd /bød/ | bed /bed/ | pizin /pizin/ | pijin /pidʒin/ | bɔd /bɔd/ | pisin /ˈpisin/ | berd /bɛrd/ |
| Butterfly | pab /pab/ | bataflae /bataflae/ | bataplai /bataplai/ | bataflae /bataflae/ | bɔtaflay /bɔtaflaj/ | bataplai /bataplaj/ | botaflai /bɔtaflai/ |
| Egg | nög /nøɡ/ | eg /eɡ/ | eg /eɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | kiau /kiau/ | eg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | ber /ber/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bia /ˈbia/ | bea /bea/ | byaa /bjaː/ |
| Horse | jevod /ʃeˈvod/ | hos /hos/ | os /os/ | hos /hos/ | ɔs /ɔs/ | hos /hos/ | haas /haːs/ |
| House | dom /dom/ | haos /haos/ | haus /haus/ | haos /haos/ | os /os/ | haus /haus/ | hows /aʊs/ |
| Milk | milig /miˈliɡ/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | melek /melek/ | milk /milk/ | susu /susu/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | miel /miˈel/ | hani /hani/ | ani /ani/ | hani /hani/ | ɔni /ˈɔni/ | hani /hani/ | honi /hɔni/ |
| Salt | sal /sal/ | sol /sol/ | solt /solt/ | sol /sol/ | sɔl /sɔl/ | sol /sol/ | saalt /sɑːlt/ |
| Wine | vin /vin/ | waen /waen/ | wain /wain/ | waen /waen/ | wayn /wain/ | wain /wain/ | wain /waɪn/ |
| Rice | risat /riˈsat/ | raes /raes/ | rais /rais/ | raes /raes/ | rɛs /rɛs/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ |
| Chocolate | jokolad /ʃokoˈlad/ | — | — | joklet /dʒoklet/ | — | soklet /soklet/ | — |
| Iron | lel /lel/ | aean /aean/ | aian /aian/ | aean /aean/ | ayɛn /ˈajɛn/ | ain /ain/ | aiyan /ajan/ |
| Wheel | luib /luˈib/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wiil /wiːl/ |
| Silk | sadin /saˈdin/ | silk /silk/ | silk /silk/ | silik /silik/ | silk /silk/ | slika /slika/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /bʊk/ |
| Eat | fidön /fiˈdøn/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kakae /kakae/ | it /it/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | eet /iːt/ |
| Drink | drinön /driˈnøn/ | drinkim /driŋkim/ | dringk /driŋk/ | dring /driŋ/ | drink /driŋk/ | dring /dɾiŋ/ | jrink /dʒɾɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | slipön /sliˈpøn/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | bal /bal/ | wanfala /wanfala/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wanpela /wanpɛla/ | wan /wan/ |
| Two | tel /tel/ | tufala /tufala/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | too /tuː/ |
| Three | kil /kil/ | trifala /trifala/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tripela /tripɛla/ | chree /tʃɹiː/ |
| Four | fol /fol/ | fofala /fofala/ | fo /fo/ | fo /fo/ | fo /fo/ | fopela /fopɛla/ | foa /foa/ |
| Five | lul /lul/ | faefala /faefala/ | faiv /faiv/ | faev /faev/ | fayv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ |
| Hundred | tum /tum/ | handred /handred/ | andred /andred/ | handred /handred/ | ɔndrɛd /ˈɔndrɛd/ | handet /handet/ | honjrid /hɔndʒɾɪd/ |
| Hello | glidis /ɡliˈdis/ | halo /halo/ | wis wei /wis wej/ | halo /halo/ | kushɛ /kuˈʃɛ/ | halo /halo/ | heloh /hɛlo/ |
| Thank you | danö /daˈnø/ | tagio /taɡio/ | eso /eso/ | tangkyu /taŋkju/ | tɛnki /ˈtɛŋki/ | tenkyu /tɛŋkju/ | tanks /taŋks/ |
| Good | gudik /ɡuˈdik/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gutpela /ɡutpɛla/ | gud /ɡʊd/ |
| New | nulik /nuˈlik/ | niu /niu/ | niu /niu/ | niufala /niufala/ | nyu /nju/ | nupela /nupɛla/ | nyoo /njuː/ |
| Red | redik /reˈdik/ | red /red/ | red /red/ | red /red/ | rɛd /rɛd/ | retpela /retpela/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | vietik /vieˈtik/ | waet /waet/ | wait /wait/ | waet /waet/ | wayt /wajt/ | waitpela /waitpela/ | wait /waɪt/ |
| Black | blägik /blɛˈɡik/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blakpela /blakpela/ | blak /blak/ |
| Green | grünik /ɡryˈnik/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grinpela /ɡrinpela/ | green /ɡriːn/ |
| Blue | blövik /bløˈvik/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blupela /blupela/ | bloo /bluː/ |
| Computer | nünöm /nyˈnøm/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | — | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kɔmpyuta /kɔmpjuta/ | komputa /komˈputa/ | kompyoota /kompjuːta/ |
| Tea | tied /tiˈed/ | ti /ti/ | — | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | tee /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kaf /kaf/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kofi /kofi/ | kɔfi /ˈkɔfi/ | kopi /kopi/ | kaafi /kaːfi/ |
| Sugar | jueg /ʃuˈeɡ/ | suga /suɡa/ | — | suga /suɡa/ | shuga /ˈʃuɡa/ | suga /suɡa/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ |
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