Ro
Encyclopedia
Ro is an a priori
constructed language
created by Rev. Edward Powell Foster beginning in 1904. In Ro, words are constructed using a category system
. For example, all words starting with "bofo-" signify colors; the word for red is "bofoc", and yellow is "bofof". Foster did not simply try to design a better language in general, but to optimize his language for one design criterion: recognizability of unknown words. Foster wrote about Ro:
After working on the language for about two years, Foster published the first booklet about Ro in 1906. The publication of Ro periodicals was supported by several American sponsors, especially from the Marietta, Ohio
area, including Melvil Dewey
, inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification
(another attempt to categorize human knowledge), Vice President Charles G. Dawes
, George White
, who mentioned Ro in the Congressional Record
, and Alice Vanderbilt Morris
of IALA
. Several more books about Ro by Foster and his wife appeared over the years, as late as 1932.
A common criticism of Ro is that it can be difficult to hear the difference between two words; usually one consonant makes the word different in meaning, but still similar enough that the intended meaning often cannot be guessed from context. This characteristic is common among philosophical languages, which are characterized by vocabulary developed taxonomically, independently of natural languages. A posteriori languages, such as Esperanto
and Interlingua
, are more popular than the a priori type, perhaps partly because their familiar vocabulary makes them easy to learn and recognize. Conversely, a priori languages are seen as being more neutral.
Solresol
was an earlier classificatory language that by using a smaller symbol set achieved easier discernition. There have been a few more recent attempts to design a language along similar lines, such as Ygyde, but most subsequent constructed language makers have avoided this taxonomic or hierarchic design for the reasons mentioned above.
A priori (languages)
An a priori language is any constructed language whose vocabulary is not based on existing languages, unlike a posteriori constructed languages. Examples of a priori languages include Ro, Solresol, Mirad, Klingon, and Na'vi...
constructed language
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...
created by Rev. Edward Powell Foster beginning in 1904. In Ro, words are constructed using a category system
A priori (languages)
An a priori language is any constructed language whose vocabulary is not based on existing languages, unlike a posteriori constructed languages. Examples of a priori languages include Ro, Solresol, Mirad, Klingon, and Na'vi...
. For example, all words starting with "bofo-" signify colors; the word for red is "bofoc", and yellow is "bofof". Foster did not simply try to design a better language in general, but to optimize his language for one design criterion: recognizability of unknown words. Foster wrote about Ro:
- Ro did not begin with attempting to rival or supplant any other language whatever, either natural or artificial, nor was it suggested by any of them.
- Unexpectedly came the thought: "How strange it is that there is nothing in the appearance of a written or printed word that gives the slightest hint of its meaning. Why should a word not be a picture? A new word, never seen before would then, like a painting seen for the first time, convey at least some of the meaning to the eye."
After working on the language for about two years, Foster published the first booklet about Ro in 1906. The publication of Ro periodicals was supported by several American sponsors, especially from the Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
area, including Melvil Dewey
Melvil Dewey
Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey was an American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, and a founder of the Lake Placid Club....
, inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification, is a proprietary system of library classification developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876.It has been greatly modified and expanded through 23 major revisions, the most recent in 2011...
(another attempt to categorize human knowledge), Vice President Charles G. Dawes
Charles G. Dawes
Charles Gates Dawes was an American banker and politician who was the 30th Vice President of the United States . For his work on the Dawes Plan for World War I reparations he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served in the First World War, was U.S...
, George White
George White (Ohio politician)
George White was the 52nd Governor of Ohio.Born in Elmira, New York, White attended Princeton College. After mining in the Klondike, White settled in Marietta, Ohio to drill for oil....
, who mentioned Ro in the Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
, and Alice Vanderbilt Morris
Alice Vanderbilt Morris
Alice Vanderbilt Morris , born Alice Vanderbilt Shepard, was a member of the American Vanderbilt family. She co-founded the International Auxiliary Language Association .-Biography:...
of IALA
IALA
IALA can stand for:*International Association for Learning Alternatives*International Association of Lighthouse Authorities *International Auxiliary Language Association...
. Several more books about Ro by Foster and his wife appeared over the years, as late as 1932.
A common criticism of Ro is that it can be difficult to hear the difference between two words; usually one consonant makes the word different in meaning, but still similar enough that the intended meaning often cannot be guessed from context. This characteristic is common among philosophical languages, which are characterized by vocabulary developed taxonomically, independently of natural languages. A posteriori languages, such as Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
and Interlingua
Interlingua
Interlingua is an international auxiliary language , developed between 1937 and 1951 by the International Auxiliary Language Association...
, are more popular than the a priori type, perhaps partly because their familiar vocabulary makes them easy to learn and recognize. Conversely, a priori languages are seen as being more neutral.
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...
was an earlier classificatory language that by using a smaller symbol set achieved easier discernition. There have been a few more recent attempts to design a language along similar lines, such as Ygyde, but most subsequent constructed language makers have avoided this taxonomic or hierarchic design for the reasons mentioned above.
External links
- Article on Ro by Rick Harrison at Langmaker.com
- Discussion and criticism of Ro by Andrew Nowicki
- Ro forum on Yahoo Groups
- Ro publications dictionaries etc.
- Dictionary of Ro on sorabji.com
- Dictionary of Ro, the World Language on Google Book Search