AUI (language)
Encyclopedia
aUI is a constructed language
credited to John W. Weilgart, created in the beginning of the 1960s. Because of its structure it is classified as a logical language or philosophical language
.
John W. Weilgart, a psychiatrist
from Iowa
of Austria
n origin claims to have learned the language from a being of outer space
. The word "aUI" means (in aUI) "space-mind-sound". Other books by the same author analyzing this language more deeply are "aUI: The Language of Space: For the First Time Represented and Adapted to the Needs of This Planet" (1967) and "Cosmic Elements of Meaning: Symbols of the Spirit's Life: A Cosmology for Mankind's Survival in the Atomic Age of Space" (1975).
The language was designed so that, ideally, the features of each phoneme would represent its meaning. The phoneme ⟨b⟩, for instance, meaning "together", is pronounced with the lips pressed together. The short ⟨i⟩, which means "light", takes the brightest, highest-frequency sound, while the long ⟨I⟩, which means "sound", takes longer to say, because sound travels more slowly than light.
Each phoneme also has a character that represents its meaning. The symbol for ⟨a⟩, meaning "space", for instance, is a circle to enclose an open space. The symbol for ⟨e⟩, meaning "movement", follows the movement of a spiral nebula. The ⟨u⟩, meaning "human", is a caret shape, suggesting two legs. The ⟨o⟩, meaning "life", is represented by the shape of a leaf, plant
s and photosynthesis
forming the basis of all life. The ⟨v⟩, meaning "active", is represented by a lightning bolt, the most active thing in nature. The character for ⟨g⟩, meaning "inside", is a dot inside a circle. The character for ⟨t⟩, meaning "toward", is a split arrow shape pointing towards the right.
aUI attempts oligosynthesis. It expressing its semantic primitives each as a morpheme that is only one phoneme long is not without precedent: cf. Solresol
, where each primitive is a morpheme that is one or two syllables long; and Wilkins' Real Characters
, where morphemes are (usually) only one phoneme long, but operate in semantic classification instead of semantic primitives.
Short nasal vowel
s (marked with an asterisk) are used for numeral
s:
⟨y*⟩ 0, ⟨a*⟩ 1, ⟨e*⟩ 2, ⟨i*⟩ 3, ⟨u*⟩ 4, ⟨o*⟩ 5, ⟨A*⟩ 6, ⟨E*⟩ 7, ⟨I*⟩ 8, ⟨U*⟩ 9, ⟨O*⟩ 10.
Constructed language
A planned or constructed language—known colloquially as a conlang—is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary has been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally...
credited to John W. Weilgart, created in the beginning of the 1960s. Because of its structure it is classified as a logical language or philosophical language
Philosophical language
A philosophical language is any constructed language that is constructed from first principles, like a logical language, but may entail a strong claim of absolute perfection or transcendent or even mystical truth rather than satisfaction of pragmatic goals...
.
History
aUI first appeared in the 1962 publication "aUI: The Language of Space: Pentecostal Logos of Love & Peace" and is described by Weilgart to be a purely logical and rational language.John W. Weilgart, a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n origin claims to have learned the language from a being of outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
. The word "aUI" means (in aUI) "space-mind-sound". Other books by the same author analyzing this language more deeply are "aUI: The Language of Space: For the First Time Represented and Adapted to the Needs of This Planet" (1967) and "Cosmic Elements of Meaning: Symbols of the Spirit's Life: A Cosmology for Mankind's Survival in the Atomic Age of Space" (1975).
Characteristics
aUI has 42 phonemes (including nasalized variations on the vowels for numbers), each with an associated meaning:- a /ǝ/: 'space'
- e /ɛ/: 'movement'
- i /ɪ/: 'light'
- u /ʊ/: 'human'
- o /ɔ/: 'life'
- y /y/: 'negative'
- q /œ/: 'condition'
- A /a/: 'time'
- E /e/: 'matter'
- I /i/: 'sound'
- U /u/: 'mind'
- O /o/: 'feeling'
- b: 'together'
- c /ʃ/: 'being'
- d: 'through'
- f: 'this'
- g: 'inside'
- h: 'question'
- j /ʒ/: 'equal'
- k: 'above'
- l: 'round'
- m: 'quality'
- n: 'quantity'
- p: 'before'
- r: 'positive'
- s: 'thing'
- t: 'toward'
- v: 'active'
- w: 'power'
- x /x/: 'relation'
- z: 'part'
The language was designed so that, ideally, the features of each phoneme would represent its meaning. The phoneme ⟨b⟩, for instance, meaning "together", is pronounced with the lips pressed together. The short ⟨i⟩, which means "light", takes the brightest, highest-frequency sound, while the long ⟨I⟩, which means "sound", takes longer to say, because sound travels more slowly than light.
Each phoneme also has a character that represents its meaning. The symbol for ⟨a⟩, meaning "space", for instance, is a circle to enclose an open space. The symbol for ⟨e⟩, meaning "movement", follows the movement of a spiral nebula. The ⟨u⟩, meaning "human", is a caret shape, suggesting two legs. The ⟨o⟩, meaning "life", is represented by the shape of a leaf, plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s and photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
forming the basis of all life. The ⟨v⟩, meaning "active", is represented by a lightning bolt, the most active thing in nature. The character for ⟨g⟩, meaning "inside", is a dot inside a circle. The character for ⟨t⟩, meaning "toward", is a split arrow shape pointing towards the right.
aUI attempts oligosynthesis. It expressing its semantic primitives each as a morpheme that is only one phoneme long is not without precedent: cf. Solresol
Solresol
Solresol is an artificial language devised by François Sudre, beginning in 1827. He published his major book on it, Langue musicale universelle, in 1866, though he had already been publicizing it for some years...
, where each primitive is a morpheme that is one or two syllables long; and Wilkins' Real Characters
An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language
An Essay towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language is the best-remembered of the numerous works of John Wilkins, in which he expounds a new universal language, meant primarily to facilitate international communication among scholars, but envisioned for use by diplomats, travelers, and...
, where morphemes are (usually) only one phoneme long, but operate in semantic classification instead of semantic primitives.
Short nasal vowel
Nasal vowel
A nasal vowel is a vowel that is produced with a lowering of the velum so that air escapes both through nose as well as the mouth. By contrast, oral vowels are ordinary vowels without this nasalisation...
s (marked with an asterisk) are used for numeral
Number names
In linguistics, number names are specific words in a natural language that represent numbers.In writing, numerals are symbols also representing numbers...
s:
⟨y*⟩ 0, ⟨a*⟩ 1, ⟨e*⟩ 2, ⟨i*⟩ 3, ⟨u*⟩ 4, ⟨o*⟩ 5, ⟨A*⟩ 6, ⟨E*⟩ 7, ⟨I*⟩ 8, ⟨U*⟩ 9, ⟨O*⟩ 10.
External links and references
- Alan Libert, A Priori Artificial Languages. Lincom Europa, Munich, 2000. ISBN 3-89586-667-9
- The "Language of Space"
- The official aUI website