Communicationssprache

Communicationssprache is one of the earliest international auxiliary languages.

Communicationssprache
communicationssprache
Created byJoseph Schipfer
Setting and usageInternational auxiliary language
UsersNone
Purpose
SourcesMost of the vocabulary and grammar from French, with some influences from Latin, English and German
Language codes
ISO 639-3None (mis)
GlottologNone

Overview

It was created by Joseph Schipfer and first published in Wiesbaden.

This project is of historical interest for two reasons—first, it being based on French, but the inclusion of ä, ö, ü reflects the common view of the time that French is "a world language to some extent". A mere forty years later, in 1879, Volapük took English for basis. Second, Schipfer's project reflects a new conscience of greater possibilities of the international communication which appeared by the invention of the railway and steam ship. He even recommended that his project be used on these "new means of voyage".[1]

Grammar

Communicationssprache is based on (or a simplification of) French (See French orthography), making heavy (even exclusive) use of respelled French vocabulary, which Schipfer considered to be nearly universal among the educated classes of the world of his time. Silent letters were removed, one sound for one letter, circumflexes and diaereses were removed, graves to distinguish homographs were removed, the letter w was added (as in English), vowels e instead of é, ä instead of French è, ö instead of French eu and œ(u), u instead of French ou, ü instead of French u, oa instead of French oi, the inclusion of macrons for long vowels, and one sound per letter. Although the final orthography can be read and spelled easily due to this one-sound-per-letter principle, the actual conversion of French words is inconsistent, being based sometimes on pronunciation and sometimes on orthography, for example word-final silent ⟨c⟩ is deleted, as in Estoma "stomach" from estomac, but silent ⟨h⟩ is kept, as in Homa "man" from homme.

Some of its characteristics are:

  • No articles.
  • Invariable adjectives.
  • Comparatives in -ior and -iost.
  • Adverbs formed by adding -ly to adjectives.
  • Possessive pronouns in -a.
  • Infinitives in -er.
  • Nouns were declined.
  • Capitalization of nouns, as in German.

The declension of nouns works as follows, using Masona "house" as an example:

Nominative Masonaa house
Masonashouses
Genitive Masoneof a house
Masonesof houses
Dative Masonito a house
Masonisto houses
Accusative Masonoa house
Masonoshouses
Accusative o Masonaoh house
o Masonosoh houses
Ablative Masonuin a house
Masonusin houses

Examples

Our Father prayer

Pater Noster:

No Pera, wia ete Cielu
ta Noma sanctiferii;
ta Royoma Ais arrivii;
ta volonta färerii
com Cielu änsi Terru.
Donne Ais noa Päno quotidien;
pardonne Ais noa offansos,
com pardonnas Aos offanding;
non permette que succombias tantationi;
mä delivre Aos malu.

Numbers from one to ten
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
una dua tria quatra quina sesta setta otta nona dia

A Response to a Dear Friend

Communicationssprache: Cher Amia! Ei demanda mil Par donos, que no repondia ta obligeant Lettro dan tamsu a devea. Non puveia excuser tis Foto, si non puveia Eo assurer, que etia plusior moasos malad. Voala veritabel Coso ma silanse, Eo assurang, que sava etimer dan tu sa Etandu Priso tas Amitie et Bonte, wie Continuationo Eo most humbly pria. Rien subata avec plu Ardoru que occasiono, pur puver Ei donner Provos reel tis Paroles, Ei montrer par Effetos avec was respectfu, et Amitia eta, e restua Ei adonne. M. 28 Janvier 1839, ma most cher Amie, ta most devue Amia.[2]

German: Theurer Freund! Ich bitte tausendmal um Nachsicht, daß ich Ihr sehr verbindliches Schreiben nicht zu gehöriger Zeit beantwortet habe. Diesen Fehler könnte ich nicht entschuldigen, wenn ich Ihnen nicht versichern könnte, daß ich mehrere Monate krank gewesen bin. Das ist die einzige Ursache meines langen Stillschweigens, wobei ich Sie zugleich versichere, daß ich den Werth Ihrer Freundschaft und Güte, um deren Fortsetzung ich unterthänig bitte, in ihrem ganzen Umfange zu schätzen weis. Ich wünsche nichts sehnlicher, als eine Gelegenheit zu haben, um Ihnen thätige Beweise dieser Aeußerung geben zu können, um Ihnen thätig zu zeigen, mit welcher hochachtungsvollen Freundschaft ich Ihnen ergeben bin und bleiben werde. M. d. 28. Jan. 1839, meines werthesten Freundes ergebenster Diener und Freund.[2]

English: Dear friend! I am asking a thousand times for understanding that I haven't responded to your very binding letter in proper time. I could not excuse this mistake if I could not assure you that I have been ill for several months. That is the sole cause for my long silence, and I wish to assure you at the same time that I appreciate the worth of your friendship and goodness, the continuation of which I subserviently ask for, in its entirety. I wish for nothing more dearly than to have an opportunity to be able to give you active proof of this statement, in order to actively show you with what respectful friendship I am, and shall remain, devoted to you. Monday, 28 January 1839, most devoted servant and friend of my most valued friend

Bibliography
  • Joseph Schipfer, Prospectus oder ein Paar Worte über die, in der Idee zur Verhütung als scheintodt begraben zu werden, angekündigte allgemeine Communicationssprache, Wiesbaden 1836 (Google)
  • Joseph Schipfer, Versuch einer Grammatik für eine allgemeine Communications- oder Weltsprache, Wiesbaden 1839 (LMU)

References
  1. Histoire de la langue universelle, 1903. Louis Couturat and Leopold Leau
  2. Joseph Schipfer, Versuch einer Grammatik für eine Allgemeine Communications- oder Weltsprache, Wiesbaden 1839
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