Volapuk Language

Probably the first moderately popular ConLang, published in 1880 by Father Johann Martin Schleyer in Baden, to international acclaim. (See http://www.invisiblelighthouse.com/langlab/dejong.html for details concerning the most significant revision, in the twenties.) After three world congresses fell into disuse as its proponents argued over extentions and reforms (there are still a few adherents, notably in England). Although the name means "World Language" its roots are obviously Germanic.

The RulesOfVolapuk are somewhat complex.

I heard that the word "Volapük", despite the umlaut, is said to have come from English. How twisted.

First conlang to gain a significant number of speakers. Many other conlangs were created before Volapük (eg Solresol - see http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/145_solresol.shtml ) but not used.

"Vola" from "world", "pük" from "speak". Schleyer had some reason (perhaps just preference?) for deleting unnecessary consonants from the vocabulary.

I didn't know that this was the name of a language. It is the name of an avant-garde band also. http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/realaudio/lefeudu.ram

Almost anything's a band name, though some miss the days of names like the Beau Brummels and Gilbert O'Sullivan.

It's also a hotel in Chile. See: http://www.gochile.cl/Hotel/HotelPlus.asp?HOID=3801

In the EsperantoLanguage they have a saying,"estas volapukajxo", which might be translated, "It's Greek to me".

CategoryNaturalLanguage