Cat Sign

Cat Sign (also called jaeact faé ufen ta nahxi (Sandic) and jîi lé dél lé nas(Baljek)) is a constructed sign language which was created beginning in 2009 by bornfor. It is recorded using David J. Peterson's SLIPA writing system and drawings.

Background

Cat sign's name comes from a historical incident in which, just after the Audacity of Abial ( a fictional historical event on Wytn, the continent where the signers live), a man killed a large cat which was terrorizing the countryside. His ferocity and bravery became legend, and his people came to be "People of the cat killer", then "the cat killers", then finally just "the cat people".

Thus the language is called Cat Sign (or jaeact faé ufen ta nahxi).

Manual Alphabet

A - /sh[I]/ or /sh!f(pm)[T\!s]/
 - /sh[I]XC!d]/ or /sh!f(pm)[t\!s]XC!d]/
B - /sh[C'!s]/
C - /sh[S]/
D - /sh[O]/
E - /sh!f(pm)[G!s]/
É - /sh!f(pm)[G!s]XC!d/
F - /sh!f(pm)[U!s]/
G - /sh[S!s]/
H - /sh[Y:]/
I - /sh[X]/
Î - /sh[x]XC!d/
J - /sh[5!>>]/
JJ - /sh[5!>>]XC!d/
L - /sh[L]/
M - /sh[W]/
N - /sh[V]/
O - /sh[O.]/
P - /sh[C'!s]/
R - /sh[U^]/
S - /sh[S]/
T - /sh[U]/
U - /sh[S^]/
Ú - /sh[S^]XC!d/
V - /sh!f(pm)[U!s]/
W - /sh[S^^]/
X - /sh[C!Y - /sh[C'![in>]]/
Z - /sh[B![in>]]/
IA - /sh!f(pm)[L![th>]s]/
LË - /sh[Y:]/

Sample words

• KISS - /ul!t(pm!s):||/
  
• WOMAN - /pc!t(pm)[5!s]>H/
  
• WE,US,OURS - /(pc!f(pm)[T\!s]XB) ([T\!s]->(_sh_!f(pm)[B\!s]))/
  
• I,ME,MY - /m!t(in,md,rn,pn)[T!s]/
  
• PLANT(N.) - /n[F!s]!fq:||/
  

Grammar of Cat Sign

Cat Sign tends to follow SVO word order, however this can be changed by omitting the subject in conversations where the topic is understood. (As in /m!f(pm)[5!>]XY!zeq/, "thank you".)

In some cases, the verb can he omitted as well.

Example sentences

• MAN I SAY HE TALK TO-YOU - As a man, I say he talks to you.
  
• WHO HAVE BALL MY - Who has my ball?
  
• HE (HAVE) (IT) - He has your ball
  
• (HE) (HAVE) BALL MY WHY-WHY - Why in the world does (he) have my ball?
  
• I LOOK BEFORE PLANTS PRETTY-PRETTY THERE HERE- I saw pretty plants everywhere. / I was looking at the very pretty plants which were all over the place.