Ilya

Introduction

A simple conlang intended to sound Semitic.

phonology

consonants

• Plosives: < p b t d k g > p b t d k g
• Nasals: < m n ɲ > m n ny
• Fricatives: < s ʃ h~x > s sh h
• Approximants: < j w l r > y w l r

vowels

• a - /a~ə/
• e - /e~ɛ/
• i - /i~ɪ/
• o - /o~ɔ/
• u - /u~ʊ/
• ai - /aɪ/

verbs

Ilya relies on verbs and their modifiers to express many subtleties of meaning, the Ilya verb can generally function as a verb, adjective, or preposition, but the rules of use are very simple.

• ishek - to eat, drink, take in, consume

Person is marked on the verb.

• isho - eat-1SG - I eat.
• ish(e) - eat-2SG - You eat. (often only marked in the imperative)
• isha - eat-3SG - He/She/It eats.
• ishuk - eat-1PL - We eat.
• ishu - eat-2PL - You (all) eat.
• ishum - eat-3PL - They eat.

verb modifiers

• ba - negative

ba isho - eat-1SG-NEG - I do not eat.

• ub - future

ishubo - eat-FUT-1SG - I will/shall eat.

• esh - past

ishesho - eat-PST-1SG - I ate.

• em - interrogative

isheme - eat-Q-2SG - Do you eat?

• ak/ag - undo ~

abaguk - sit-undo-1PL - We stand. (We are unseated.)

nouns

Nouns are also very simple. Pronouns and proper nouns behave identically to all other nouns.

noun modifiers

• im - plural

togim - person-PL - people

dictionary

a

• abek - to sit; take a seat

b

• budek - to improve

e

• edan - here; hereabouts

g

• gelek - to see; look

h

• hashek - to go; walk

i

• ilhek - to be; exist

• ilyash - tongue; language

• ishek - to eat; drink; take in; consume

m

• ma - what

ma ishat? - What are you eating?

• mada - which

mada geleshum? - Which (one) did they see?

• man - who

man ilha edan? - Who is here?

n

• neshek - to need; require

p

• panek - to be simple; easy

• parek - to be same; equal

• payek - to be enough; be sufficient

• pila - elephant

s

• sumek - to love; adore

t

• tanyek - to have; possess

• toga - person; individual

w

• walek - to want; desire