Xliponian

The Xliponian Language

by

Institut Lingistic Bovlai

Bovlai Institute of Linguistics

Foxlo sin serm est foxlo sin hor

A Brief Introduction

Xliponian (the letter x is pronounced [ʃ]) is an Indo-European language spoken almost exclusively in the Kingdom of Xliponia. It is derived from the vulgar Latin of the Roman imperial conquerors who occupied the region in the early centuries of the Common Era. The main feature that distinguishes Xliponian from other Romance languages is the soundshift suffered very early by some consonantal sounds. The labials, velars and dentals of the original (vulgar) Latin were transformed as follows:

[b] > [p] > [f] > [v] > [b] [g] > [k] > [x] > [g] [d] > [t] > [ts] > [z] > [d]

(The [x] sound – as in German Bach – is currently written as h; the [ts] sound is written ç)

This Lautverschiebung affected word-initial consonants, but not all, and some medial and (to a lesser extent) final consonants were also shifted.

The alphabet – with pronunciations – is as follows:

a b c ([k]) ç ([ts]) d e f g h ([h] or [x] according to position and dialect) i j ([ʒ]*) k* l m n o p q ([tʃ]) r s t u v w* x ([ʃ]) y* z

(*) in foreign or dialectal words

The [ʃ] sound – written x – derives mainly from the Latin word-initial clusters [kl], [fl], [pl], which became [ʃl]. Xliponian q comes to a large extent from Latin x.

Another characteristic aspect of Xliponian phonology is diphthongisation. The main vowel of the original Latin word becomes affected by that of the ending, generating evolutions like L panem > Xl fain, and likewise cantus > haunt, salix > sailq. Latin ae and oe became ai and oi respectively.

The stress pattern is generally as follows: words ending in vowels are stressed on the penultimate, and words ending in consonants on the ultimate.

As an example, the numerals from 1 to 10 are as follows in Modern Xliponian:

on – tou – çers – hautor – henc – seq – seft – ohto – nou – teih

100-Word Swadesh List

I	you	we	this	that	who?	what?	no(t)	all	a lot
eco	çu	nos	ete	ate	hi?	hu?	non	çot	mux
one	two	big	long	small	human	man	woman	fish	bird
on	tou	maun	lonc	eqic	om	om	vemma	fiq	aib
dog	louse	tree	seed	leaf	root	(tree-)bark	skin	meat	blood
hain	fetixlo	arpor	semm	voil	raqi	horçeq	huiç	haur	sainc
bone	(body-)fat	egg	head	horn	tail	feather	hair	ear	eye
oq	atef	oub	hauf	hourn	hauta	fena	hirn	auri	ouhul
nose	mouth	tooth	tongue	(finger-)nail	leg	knee	hand	stomach	neck
naus	puca	teint	lincua	unca	hurs	ceun	main	bentr	houl
breast	heart	liver	to drink	to eat	to bite	to see	to hear	to know	to sleep
feq	hor	iecro	piper	mauncar	moirer	biter	auter	qier	tormer
to die	to kill	to swim	to fly	to go	to come	to lie (down)	to sit	to stand	to give
morer	oqider	naçar	bolar	eçir	bener	humper	asiter	star	tonar
to say	sun	moon	star	water	rain	stone	sand	earth	cloud
tiqer	soil	luna	qela	acua	xluib	saq	aren	teir	nupe
smoke	fire	ash	to burn	road	mountain	red	green	yellow	white
vum	inci	hin	arter	bia	monn	ruper	biret	valb	alp
black	night	hot	cold	full	new	good	round	dry	name
nicer	noq	halit	virc	xleun	noub	poun	roçunn	siq	noim

Some Points of Grammar

Plurals of Nouns and Adjectives

sg.	-a1	-e	-i	-o	-u	-C2
pl.	-e	-i	-i	-o	-i	-Ci

¹ mainly for feminine nouns and adjectives
² C = consonant

Personal Pronouns

	Nom.	Acc.	Dat.	Gen.
1s	eco	me	mi	mei (fem. mea)
2s	çu	çe	çi	çei (fem. çea)
3s masc.	to	te	ten	tei (fem. tea)
3s fem.	la	le	len	lei (fem. lea)
3refl.	om	se	si	sei (fem. sea)
1p	nos	nos	nos	nosser
2p	bos	bos	bos	bosser
3p	li	tem	tem	tenen

Verbal Paradigms

(Alternative verbal forms in parentheses)

Eser "to be" - also auxiliary verb for imperfect (with a + infinitive of main verb) and for passive voice (with participle of main verb)

Person	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Future	Conditional/ Subjunctive	Infinitive Participle Gerund Imperative
1s	sui	vui	erm	gabo eser	sei	eser
2s	es	vus	ers	gabes eser	sei	esut
3s	est	vut	ert	gabet eser	sei	esenn
1p	sum	vum	eram	gabem eser	sin	ei (pl. eit)
2p	eis	vuis	erat	gabeis eser	sin
3p	sunn	vunn	erann	gabenn eser	sin

Gaber "to have" - also auxiliary verb for future (with infinitive of main verb)

Person	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Future	Conditional/ Subjunctive	Infinitive Participle Gerund Imperative
1s	gabo	gabui	erm a gaber	gabo gaber	gabei	gaber
2s	gabes	gabis	ers a gaber	gabes gaber	gabei	gabut
3s	gabet	gabit	ert a gaber	gabet gaber	gabei	gabenn
1p	gabem	gabuim (gaberam)	eram a gaber	gabem gaber	gabin	gabi (pl. gabit)
2p	gabeis	gabuis (gaberas)	eirm a gaber	gabeis gaber	gabin
3p	gabenn	gabuinn (gaberann)	erann a gaber	gabenn gaber	gabin

Mauncar "to eat" - paradigm for verbs in -ar

Person	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Future	Conditional/ Subjunctive	Infinitive Participle Gerund Imperative
1s	maunco	mauncui	erm a mauncar	gabo mauncar	mauncai	mauncar
2s	mauncas	mauncis	ers a mauncar	gabes mauncar	mauncai	mauncut
3s	mauncat	mauncit	ert a mauncar	gabet mauncar	mauncai	mauncann
1p	mauncam	mauncim (mauncaram)	eram a mauncar	gabem mauncar	mauncin	maunci (pl. mauncit)
2p	mauncais	mauncuis (mauncaras)	eirm a mauncar	gabeis mauncar	mauncin
3p	mauncann	mauncinn (mauncarann)	erann a mauncar	gabenn mauncar	mauncin

Piper "to drink" - paradigm for verbs in -er and ir

Person	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Future	Conditional/ Subjunctive	Infinitive Participle Gerund Imperative
1s	pipo	pipui	erm a piper	gabo piper	pipei	piper
2s	pipes	pipis	ers a piper	gabes piper	pipei	piput
3s	pipet	pipit	ert a piper	gabet piper	pipei	pipenn
1p	pipem	pipim (piperam)	eram a piper	gabem piper	pipin	pipi (pl. pipit)
2p	pipeis	pipuis (piperas)	eirm a piper	gabeis piper	pipin
3p	pipenn	pipinn (piperann)	erann a piper	gabenn piper	pipin

Some Useful Expressions and Words

(to be expanded)

See Xliponian for Travellers

a = of (genitive / possessive relation); a res a = because of; ac = and; aciç = thus; ad = to (destination); alihit = something; atte = thence; au = or; auçem = then; cunne = therewith; de = by (passive voice); eh = behold, lo!; eq = out of; ete = this; eti = these; fer = for (as in exchanging ... for ...); fro = for (before noun); ha = that; hihumme = any; hirha = about; hom = as (in the manner of); hui = whose; ihirc = therefore; ilo = that one; in = in; inte = therein; item = (the) same; non = not; omoto = nonetheless; ot = for, in order to, so that (before verb); set = but; si = if; sihuç = in any way; sin = without; sufra = on top of, about

Names of the Letters of the Alphabet

A [a:] B [be:] C [ke:] Ç [tse:] D [de:] E [e:] F [ɛf] G [ge:] H [ha:]

I [i:] J [ʒi:] K [ka:] L [ɛl] M [ɛm] N [ɛn] O [o:] P [pe:] Q [tʃe:]

R [ɛr] S [ɛs] T [te:] U [u:] V [ve:] W [vetu'flɛtʃ] X [ʃi:] Y [i'krajx] Z [ze:]

Archaic Spelling

Xliponian spelling was regularised in the mid-19th century. Before that, two main alternative spelling modes were in effect beside the present one. They may still be seen in ancient texts and inscriptions.

They are the Latinate and the Venedate spelling, based respectively on those used by several other Romance languages, and on Wenedyk. The main differences from the present mode are as follows [noted as Present < Latinate; Venedate]:

• c < k; k
• v < v; w
• i < j [initial; both modes]
• f < ph [initial; both modes]
• i < y [before another vowel]; i
• x < sc; sz
• ç < th; c
• q < ch; cz
• h < h; ch [when sounded as German ich-Laut or ach-Laut]

Sometimes a circumflex or a tilde was written over a, e, i, o for au, eu, iu, ou;
Sometimes an acute or a macron was written above a vowel preceding a doubled consonant (which was then spelled single).

The Babel Text in Xliponian

1	In	çer	ert	on	serm	ac	on	mot	lincui.
	In	earth	was [3rd sg.]	one	language	and	one	way	[of] tongues.

2	Vut	ha	salirinn	de	orient	ac	inbeninn
	[It] was	that	they went out	from	east	and	they found

	hamp	in	çer	Xinar	ac	apiçarinn	inte.
	field / plain	in	land	Shinar	and	they dwelt	therein.

3	Ac	tiqit	om	ad	om,	benit,	vahem	laçri
	And	said [3rd sg.]	man	to	man,	come [2nd pl.]	let us make	bricks

	ac	hocuim	tem	in	inci	ac	gabuinn	laçri	hom	saqi
	and	let us bake	them	in	fire	and	they had	bricks	as	stones

	ac	peçuim	hom	himenn.
	and	slime	for	mortar.

4	Ac	tiqirann,	benit,	vahem	nos	hibiçait	ac	çur
	And	they said,	come [2nd pl.],	let us make	us	city	and	tower

	hui	hulmin	fertincit	ad	hail	ac	heliprem	noim	nosser
	whose	top	may reach	to	heaven	and	let us celebrate	name	our

	ot	non	sin	tibituti	in	çeri	çoti.
	so that	not	we be	scattered	in	lands	all.

5	Auçem	teqinnit	Tomen	ot	biter	hibiçait	ac	çur
	Then	came down [3rd sg.]	the Lord	so that	see	city	and	tower

	ha	aiçficarann	vili	Adam.
	that	built [3rd pl.]	sons	[of] Adam.

6	Ac	tiqit,	eh	foxlo	est	on	ac	serm	tenen	est	on,
	And	said [3rd sg.],	behold	people	is	one	and	language	their	is	one,

	ac	ete	hoifrinn	vaher,	ac	non	gabenn tesistir	a	çot	ha	hocitann	vaher.
	and	this	they have begun	do,	and	not	they will give up	from	all	that	they think	do.

7	Eh	benit	teqinnem	ac	hofunnem	ipi	serm	tenen
	Behold	come [2nd pl.]	let us go down	and	let us confound	there	language	their

	ot	non	gabet autir	om	lincu	a	om.
	so that	not	shall hear [3rd sg.]	man	tongue	of	man.

8	Aciç	tibitit	tem	Tomen	eq	loh	ilo	ad	çeri	çoti
	Thus	scattered [3rd sg.]	them	the Lord	out of	place	that	in	lands	all

	ac	hesarann	aiçficar	hibiçait.
	and	they ceased	build	city.

9	Ac	ihirc	noim	tenen	est	bohut	Babel	a res a	ipi
	And	therefore	name	their	is	called	Babel	because	there

	honvusit	Tomen	serm	a	çer	çot	ac	atte
	confused	the Lord	language	of	earth	all	and	thence

	Tomen	sfirsit	tem	sufra	vaih	a	çer	çot.
	the Lord	scattered	them	upon	face	of	earth	all.

[Modern Xliponian Version]

Tintin Titles as Pointers to Xliponian Pronunciation

Interest for Tintin in Xliponia was fuelled by the Syldavian adventure (a roman à clef of sorts), and translations into the Xliponian language started in 1940, always published by Bernard & Croll. The main characters are called Tintin, Milu, Capitan Hadoc, Profesor Trifon Geliçorf, Carol ac Karol.

The titles of the Xliponian books (Abençuri a Tintin [aben'tsurjə tin'tin] - a “of” normally pronounced as schwa) are pronounced as follows:

Title	IPA	Remark
Tintin in Çer SNOR	T. [in tsɛr snɔr]	1
Tintin in Kongo	T. [iŋ 'koŋgo]	2
Tintin in America	T. [in ame'rika]
Çigari a Faraon	[tsi'garjə fara'on]	3
Lotus Hairul	[lo'tus haj'rul]	4
Auri Vracut	['awri vra'kut]
Insul Nicer	[in'sul ni'ker]	5
Çeptro a Ottokar	['tsɛptrwə ot:o'kar]	6
Hancri a Unci Aurosi	['haŋkrjə 'uŋki aw'rosi]	7
Qela Misteriosa	['tʃɛla misteri'osa]	8
Sehret a Onhourn	[se'xretə on'howrn]	9
Çesaur a Rackham Ruper	[tse'sawrə rak'ham ru'per]
Seft Pulli a Cristal	[sɛft 'pul:jə kris'tal]
Çempl a Soil	['tsɛmplə sojl]	4
Tintin in Çer a Auro Nicer	T. [in 'tsɛrə 'awro ni'ker]
Sohp Luna	[soxp 'luna]	9
Ammularann sufra Luna	[am:ula'ran: 'sufra 'luna]
Hauz Geliçorf	[hawz geli'tsɔrf]	10
Coc in Stoc	[kɔk in stɔk]
Tintin in Tibet	T. [in ti'bet]
Ornammi a Castafiore	[or'nam:jə kastafi'ore]
Bol 714 ad Sednîr	[bɔl sɛftɔnhaw'tor ad sed'ni:r]	11
Tintin ac Picaros	T. [ak 'pikaros]	12
Tintin ac Alf-Art	T. [ak alf'art]

Remarks:
1 e, o in monosyllables are normally [ɛ], [ɔ]
2 nk, ng are sounded with [ŋ] even across word boundaries
3 Stressed o before a single consonant is sounded [o]
4 The diphthongs are: ai [aj], ei [ej], oi [oj], ui [uj], au [aw], eu [ew], iu [iw], ou [ow]
5 Stressed e before a single consonant is sounded [e]
6 Stressed e before more than one consonant is sounded [ɛ]; doubly-written consonants are pronounced long (even in foreign words)
7 s is always sounded [s]
8 io is no diphthong
9 h sounds as [h] or [x] depending on environment
10 Stressed o before more than one consonant is sounded [ɔ]
11 e (from seft) and o (from on) in the composite seftonhautor "seven-one-four" remain [ɛ] and [ɔ] as in the respective single words; “714” may also be pronounced [sɛft'hɛn: hawtor'tex] (sefthenn hautorteh "seven hundred fourteen")
12 Foreign pronunciation of Picaros

See also

• Xliponian for Travellers
• The name of Xliponia in non-Latin scripts