consonants
⦁ /k/ (as in "key")
⦁ /g/ (as in "game")
⦁ /t/ (as in "tea")
⦁ /d/ (as in "day")
⦁ /p/ (as in "pie")
⦁ /b/ (as in "boy")
⦁ /s/ (as in "see")
⦁ /z/ (as in "zebra")
⦁ /f/ (as in "fan")
⦁ /v/ (as in "van")
⦁ /h/ (as in "hat")
⦁ /m/ (as in "me")
⦁ /n/ (as in "no")
⦁ /l/ (as in "let")
⦁ /r/ (as in "red")
⦁ /q/ (glottal stop, produced by closing the glottis)
⦁ /x/ (friction made by pharyngeal constriction) vowels
⦁ /ǀ/ (click produced by clicking the tongue against the teeth)
⦁ /ǃ/ (click caused by tongue clicking against the palate)
⦁ /ǂ/ (palatoalveolar click, produced by clicking the tongue against the palate and the back of the alveolar process)
vowels
⦁ /a/ ("dad")
⦁ /i/ ("bee")
⦁ /u/ ("blue")
⦁ /e/ ("bed")
⦁ /o/ ("goat")
⦁ /ɛ/ ("pet")
⦁ /ɔ/ ("caught")
⦁ /ə/ ("about")
grammar
Word order: The basic word order in the language is subject-verb-object (SVO)
The language has no articles (like "a" and "the") or prepositions (like "in" and "on"). Instead, word order and context are used to convey meaning.
The language has a small number of pronouns. The basic pronouns are "kaxi" for "I/me", "guka" for "you (singular)", "xu" for "he/she/it", and "zotu" for "they/them".
Plural forms of pronouns can be formed by adding the suffix "-tu" to the base form. For example, "Kaxitu" means "we/us".
Language does not have a separate future tense. Instead, future events are expressed using context or time stamps. For example, "Kaxi xuqu daxi" means "Tomorrow I will sleep."
The present tense can be indicated by adding the suffix "-i" to the verb. For example, "kuxui" means "he/she/it speaks".
The past tense can be indicated by adding the suffix "-a" to the verb. For example, "gaxa" means "he/she/it saw".
Adjectives can be formed by adding the suffix "-mi" to the noun. For example, "kaximi" means "big dog". The meaning of an adjective may vary depending on the context.
Possessive pronouns are indicated by adding the suffix "-si" to the noun. For example, "kaxisi" means "my dog".
The imperative form is indicated by the use of the bare verb stem. For example, "ga!" means "look!".
Nouns: Nouns in a language can be singular or plural. Plural nouns are formed by adding the suffix "-tu" to the singular. For example, "Zebi" (fish) becomes "Zebitu" (fish).
Nouns have no gender.
The negative is formed by adding the sound "/ǂo/" before the verb. For example, "Loxi zoxi" (it's bright outside) can be contradicted with "ǂoloxi zoxi" (it's dark)
Adjectives: Adjectives in a language usually follow the noun they modify. For example, "Loxi zoxi" (there is light outside) can be modified as "Loxi zoxi guka" (you see light outside).
Pronouns: Pronouns in the language are used to replace nouns. There are a limited number of pronouns in the language, and the plural of pronouns is formed by adding the suffix "-tu" to the singular.
Questions: Questions in this language are formed using rising intonation or by adding the word "ma" at the end of the sentence. For example, "Guka xuqu ma?" (are you sleeping?).
Compound Words: Compound words can be formed by combining two or more words to form a new word. For example, "Gukadaxi" (you run) is formed from "guka" (you) and "daxi" (run).
Possessive forms of nouns are formed by adding the suffix "-xi" to the end of the noun. For example, "Kaxi zebixi" means "my fish".
Chosen words and sentences examples
kaxuǃi (noun): a type of bird with brightly colored feathers
Example sentence: Kaxuǃi xi kuxui. (The kaxuǃi is speaking.)
zotufǂi (verb): a type of dance
Example sentence: Zotufǂi gaxa. (They danced yesterday.)
vaxukǂi (adjective): tired
Example sentence: Kaxi vaxukǂi daxi. (I'm too tired to run.)
hǀoxi (noun): a type of fruit with a sweet flavor
Example sentence: Hǀoxi xi kaximi. (The hǀoxi is a big fruit.)
guxaǂi (verb): to swim
Example sentence: Xu guxaǂi zebitu. (He/she/it is swimming with the fish.)
tǂebi (noun): a small, furry animal
Example sentence: Kaxi tǂebi xi zoxi. (I see the tǂebi in the dark.)
bǀumi (noun): a tool used for digging
Example sentence: Xu kaximi bǀumi. (He/she/it has a big digging tool.)
zoxirǂi (adjective): happy
Example sentence: Kaxitu zoxirǂi daxi. (We are happy today.)
sukaxi (noun): a type of plant with prickly leaves
Example sentence: Sukaxi xi loxi. (The sukaxi is outside in the light.)
gǂaxu (noun): a type of insect that glows in the dark
Example sentence: Gǂaxu xi loxi ǂloxi. (The gǂaxu glows in the dark.)
Basic dictionary of chosen words
- 1: /ǀ/
- 2: /ǀǀ/
- 3: /ǀǀǀ/
- 4: /ǃ/
- 5: /ǃǀ/
- 6: /ǃǀǀ/
- 7: /ǃǀǀǀ/
- 8: /ǃǃ/
- 9: /ǃǃǀ/
- 10: /ǃǃǃ/
- kaxi - I/me
- guka - you (singular)
- xu - he/she/it (neutral form)
- zotu - they/them
- kaxitu - we/us
- kaxisi - my/mine
- gukasi - your/yours
- xusi - his/hers/its
- zotusi - their/theirs
- ma - question marker
- loxi - light/bright
- ǂoloxi - dark/black
- zebi - fish
- daxi - run
- gu - walk
- kuxu - speak
- zaxu - listen
- kaximi - big
- toto - small
- kuku - bird
- ga! - look! (imperative)
- ǂoga! - don't look! (imperative negative)
- !ogu - hello
- tǃa - goodbye
- ǀami - friend
- ǂoǀami - enemy/fool
- guǀaxi - to agree
- kǂemi - to laugh
- zoxirǂi - happy
- zǃoxi - to cry
- ǂaxo - love
- xuǀa - to dance
- ǃobi - food
- ǀutu - water
- guxaǂi - to swim
- zǂamu - to sing
- ǃomaxi - to think
- kǂati - to walk
- ǀaqi - house
- ǃubi - to sleep
- totoǂoǀami - human
- ǂoloxi ǀutu - deep water (lake or sea)
- kaxuǃi - a type of bird with brightly colored feathers
- vaxukǂi - tired
- hǀoxi - a type of fruit with a sweet flavor
- tǂebi - a small, furry animal
- bǀumi - a tool used for digging
- sukaxi - a type of plant with prickly leaves
- gǂaxu - a type of insect that glows in the dark