Doudouling

Idea
The main idea of my artificial language is to simplify Latin words into one-consonant plus one-vowel structure, wherein the one-vowel is permitted to be nasal, namely (C-V-n) structure. That is because we think this structure is the best for singing. Also, it is required to avoid adding too many extra syllables.

It is trade-off between two options

1) dropping the character not fit into the (C-V-n) structure, which will lose too much info, cause conflict and hard to remember; think about {extract} become {eta}.

2) padding vowels, which will cause too many syllables, and too many repetition of the padding vowel; think about {extract} become {ekusuturakutu}

So the way is to choose some "important" character of the dropped ones and merge them into another consonant or the last vowel.

For example, {extract} => {e-k-str-a-k-t} => {ethato} pronounced as [ɛ'd͡zɑtɔ]. Both {k} are dropped; {s} is merged with [t} to become {th} pronounced [d͡z]; {r} is dropped but represented as a final {-o} suffix.

History
The first version was published in 2004, and an updated version is published in 2014.

Version 2004

Version 2014

Version 2015

Version 2017

Consonant-vowel-nasal structure

 * 1) Regard Latin words as several syllables, each with a structure like following: {s} {consonant} {r/l} {i/u} vowel {i/u} {consonant} {consonant}; for convenient, we shorten them as {s} C1 {r/l} S1 V S2 C2 C3
 * 2) {s}: combine with C1 and convert: {sp} => {ph} ; {st} => {th} ; {sc} {sk} => {ch} . Examples: {state} => {thate} ; {spera} => {phera} ; {sport} => {phota} ; {science} => {chienzo}.
 * C1: {q} {k} => {c} ; {ce} => {ze} ; {ci} => {zi} ; {ch} [ʃ] {ch} [tʃ] => {ch} ; [ʒ] [dʒ] {y} => {i-}; {w} => {v} ; {x} => {ch} ; {ph} => {f} ; {th} => {t} ; {ch} => {ch} ; {pt} => {b} . Examples: {photo} => {foto} ; {wagon} => {vagon} ; {cent} => {zente} ; {center} => {zenter} ; {aqua} => {aca} ; {question} => {cethon} ; {tank} => {tanco} ; {xerox} => {cherose} ; {china} => {china} ; {japan} => {gapan} ; {adopt} => {adoba}.
 * 1) {r/l}: delete and move to the end-of-word as compensating {-o} {-u} . Examples: {tract} => {tato} ; {train} => {teno} ; {create} => {ceato} ; {glad} => {gadu} ; {class} => {casu}.
 * S1: delete if not word stem; else separate to two syllables . Examples: {opinion} => {opinon} ; {piano} => {piano}.
 * V: just keep {a} {e} {i} {o} {u} ; {y} => {i} . Examples: {pyramid} => {piramid}
 * S2: combine with V into variations and need compensating {-i} suffix: {ao} {oa} => {au} => {a}..{-i} ; {ae} {ea} => {ai} => {e}..{-i} ; {ee} => {ei} => {i}..{-i} ; {oo} => {ou} => {o}..{-i} ; {oe} {eo} {eu} => {oi} => {u}..{-i} . Examples: {cause} => {casi} ; {daemon=>demoni} ; {coffee} => {cofihi} ; {moustache} => {mothachi} ; {phoenix=>funisi} ; {Europe} => {Uropi}.
 * C2:
 * 1) C2: if {r} / {l}, remove and need a compensating {-a} suffix . Examples: {depart} => {depata} ; {alt} => {ata} ; {culture} => {cutura} ; {curt} => {cuta} ; {court} => {cota}.
 * 2) C2: if {n} / {m}, combine with V into nasal variations: {aN}, {eN}, {iN}, {oN}, {uN} ; wherin {N} is normally {n} but is {m} before {b} {p} {ph} or {m} . Examples: {cant} => {canta} ; {simple} => {simpu} ; {autumn} => {atunni} ; {environment} => {envirommento}.
 * 3) C2: else remove V and need a compensating {-e} suffix . Examples: {fact} => {fate} ; {experiment (xp is treated as k+sp)} => {epherimente} ; {sign} => {sine} ; {dogmatic} => {domatice}.
 * C3: create a separate syllable, which needs a ending-vowel or a padding {-e-} : Examples: {construct} => {conthuto} ; {verb} => {veba} ; {partner} => {patenera}.
 * 1) Choose the ending-vowel based on the order of priority as below
 * 2) compensating {r/l} : {-o} for dropping {r} ; {-u} for dropping {l}
 * 3) compensating diphthong : {-i} for diphthong V + S3
 * 4) compensating C2 : {-a} for dropping {r} ; {-a} for dropping {l} ; {-e} for dropping C2 ;
 * 5) native: native last vowel in the original word
 * 6) complement: natural ending based on the class of word: noun singular => {-o}; noun plural (optionally) => {-i}; verb => {-a}; adjective => {-e} ; adverb => {-i}

For example, the word {tract}, a verb should be appended {-a}, but the removed {-r-} determines the ending-vowel to be {-o}, also the removed {-c} needs a compensating {-e}. The second one has higer priority, so it finally became {tato}.

Omitting last syllable
Because the last syllable sometimes bears little information, they can be omitted. The principle of omitting is: the appearing information is more than the omitted one. At first, we observe the last syllable, and give score for consonant and vowel respectively, using the below table.

If the score of consonant or vowel is 4, so one should not omit. Otherwise, we set the sum of scores of consonant and vowel. If the length after omitting is larger than the sum, one may omit the last syllable. After omitting, the consonant still remain in spelling, but the word stress does not change. That makes that many words have a long form and a short form. The remaining {m}, {n}, {g} might modify the nasal pronunciation of the penultimate syllable.

For example: {important} => {impotanta}; Consonant-Score(t) = 1, Vowel-Score(-a) = 1, Sum = 1 + 1 = 2, Length(impotan) = 3 >= 2, thus: {impotant}.

Another example: {provide} => {povido}; Consonant-Score(d) = 2, Vowel-Score(-o) = 2, Sum = 2 + 2 =4, Length(povi) = 2 < 4, thus: {povido}.

Influence
Languages which have influence on this language include:


 * 1) Latin
 * 2) French
 * 3) English
 * 4) Spanish
 * 5) Portuguese
 * 6) Italian
 * 7) Chinese
 * 8) Japanese

Phonotactics
All consonants except {m} and {n} are silent when it is the last letter in a word. For example, {bon} [bɔn] meaning {good}, {mar} [mɑ] meaning {sea}, {ma} [mɑ] meaning {my} pronounced the same as {mar}.

There are three consonant clusters: {ph}, {th}, and {ch}. They are pronounced as {ph} [w], {th} [d͡z], and {ch} [j]. For example, {phirit} [wi'hi] meaning {spirit}, {thudenti} [d͡zu'dɛn} meaning {student}, {chibo} ['jibɔ] meaning {script}.

The letter {n} may change from alveolar [n] to velar [ŋ] when it is before {g} [g], {c} [k], or {h} [ŋ]. For example, {anno} ['ɑnnɔ] meaning {year}, {angu} ['ɑŋgu] meaning {angle}, {enhanza} [ɛŋ'ŋɑnt͡sɑ] meaning {enhance}.

The letter {i} becomes a semivowel [j] when it is either between two vowels, or first in a word with a following vowel. For example, {pogete} [pɔ'gɛtɛ] meaning {project}; gunzon [gun't͡sɔn] meaning {junction}.

The affricative consonants {th} [d͡z] and {z} [t͡s] are pronounced together as one consonant. For example, {suthanzale} [sud͡zɑn't͡salɛ] meaning {substantial}.

Word stress
Word stress, namely accent, falls at the vowel before the last consonant, no matter that last consonant is silent or not. For example, {super} [su'pɛ] meaning {upper}, {doma} ['dɔmɑ] meaning {sleep}, {impotant} [impɔ'tɑn] meaning {important}.

Syllable structure
The allowed word structure is one or multiple consonant-vowel-nasal syllables with an optional silent ending consonant letter.

It can be express as a regular expression as below:

Mnemonic alphabet table
There is another alphabet layout table as below, which shows better the style of this language and help remembering them.

Grammar
Number is indicated by the article. For example: {la hom} meaning {the man}, {le hom} meaning {the men}. It is optionally allowed to use {-i} suffix to indicate plural, but it is not necessary. For example: {le homi} also meaning {the men}.

Person can be indicated by pronoun suffixes. For example: {visa-mi} meaning {I look}, {fe-lu} meaning {they do}. Another way is to use pronoun standalone. For example: {mi visa} also meaning {I look}, {lu fe} also meaning {they do}.

Tenses and voices can be indicated by modal verbs. For example: {la thudent thudi-va} meaning {the student will study}, {le hom doma-ha} meaning {people slept}, {la pobemu sova-pen} meaning {the problem is solved}. Another way is to use modal verbs standalone. For example: {la thudent va thudi} also meaning {the student will study}.

Accusative (subject) pronouns can be put in front the verb or after it. Dative pronouns can also be treated the same. For example: {se dita-mi} meaning {I say it}, {te se don-ha-mi} meaning {I have given it to you}.

Person, tenses and voices can be indicated by chained suffixes, and also with accusative pronouns. For example: {te visa-va-mi} meaning {I will see you}, {don-pen-ha-go la liber} meaning {He has been given the book}.

Dictionary
Doudouling to English Dictionary

English to Doudouling Dictionary

Swadesh List
The Doudouling column may contain both short form and long form of the same word.

Reflective introduction of Doudouling
Intoduzono

La pinzipu: a compeso le Latin veba ada la C-V silabu

La magor idea de ma atifizala lingo the a simpifu le Latin veba ada la thuturo de un-consonanto con un-vovelo, in ce la vovelo pemita-pen a the un nasale vovelo. La razon the ba ce pensa-nu ce ze thuturo the la pim bon po canta. Re, the-go recira-pen a pevento de ade muta de le adizonale silabu.

Mase de le Latin veba pu regada-pen co la thuturo con baso: {s} {consonanto} {r/l} {i/u} vovelo {i/u} {consonanto} {consonanto}.

Se chibo-nu po simpu co baso: s C1 (r/l) S1 V S2 C2 C3.

La tageta the a simpifu ze phezi de thuturo ada la un co baso: C V (V pemita-pen a un nasale vovelo).

Pata {s}

A la pimo, la {s}, la pim populare combinazon the {sp-}, {st-}, {sc-}, li conveta-nu ada un singu consonanto, rephetivementi, {ph}, {th}, {ch}, lo ponunzazono dona-pen co [w], [d͡z], [z] (o usa [tʃ] (ch) atenativamenti) in la sim odera. Esampu: state => thate; spera=>phera; sport => phota; science => chienzo.

Pata {consonanto 1}

Ada, la {C1}, se simpifu-nu ada un legale consonanto co baso:

b p m f v

d t n s z

g c h r l

Le ponunzazono asine-pen co, z : [t͡s] (de Gemana), c : [k] asolutementi, h : [ŋ] (ng) (o usa [ʃ] atenativementi), r : [h] (de Fanzeso, pevento-nu la [r] ba the-go dificuta a ponunzo). Le deteli pu considera-pen in pusu impovomento, bo la magor tageta the a se simpifu ada un singu e simpu consonanto. Un ezebone the ce la {pt} ce conveta-pen a {b}. Regu: ph => f; w => v; th => t; c ([s]) => z; q,k => c; x => ch; ch ([ʃ]/[tʃ]) => ch; j,y => g (via gi-); pt => b. Esampu: photo => foto; wagon => vagon; cent => zente; center => zenter; aqua => aca; question => cethon; tank => tanco; xerox => cherose; china => china; japan => gapan; adopt => adoba.

Pata {r/l}

Ada, la {r/l}, va-lu deleta-pen. Bo, va-go resuta a un gando vaniti de infomazona e ceato le confuzon. Ada apende-va-nu un vovelo compensate a la fin de la veba. Po {r}, {-o}; po {l}, {-u}: Esampu: tract => tato; train => teno; creat => ceato; glad => gadu; class => casu.

Pata {semivovelo 1}

La {S1}, la semivovelo in fonto de la vovelo ha mini de usago, e pu deleta-pen, ezebe la caso can apare-lu in la rado de veba, co {piano} e {violet}. Deseva-nu separata la veba ada le du C-V silabu, e un adizonale silabu ceato-pen.

Pata {vovelo}

La {V} the simpu relativementi. Guthi conveta {y} => {i}.

Pata {semivovelo 2}

La {S2}, la semivovelo in dosa de la vovelo. Po zi, {V+S2} pu regada-pen co un ditonge. Simpifu-nu to le ditonge ada zince legale combinazoni: {au}, {ai}, {ei}, {ou}, {oi}. E pusu, the-lu repesento-pen pe {a}, {e}, {i}, {o}, {u) con un compensate {-i}. ao/oa => au => a ..-i; ae/ea => ai => e ..-i; ee => ei => i ..-i; oo => ou => o ..-i; oe/eo/eu => oi => u ..-i. Esampu: cause => casi; daemon=>demoni; coffee => cofihi; moustache => mothachi; phoenix=>funisi; Europe => Uropi.

Pata {consonanto 2}

La {C2} the compesu comparativementi, ba tiso sitazoni nezese considera-pen: A pimo, si {C2} the {r} o {l}, remova-pen-va-go e nezese un compensate {-a}. Esampu. depart => depata; alt => ata; culture => cutura; curt => cuta; court => cota. A seconde, si {C2} the {n} o {m}, resuta-va-go la vovelo ada varazon de nasale: aN, eN, iN, oN, uN. La {N} deseva usa {n} o {m} selon la secenze consonanto, si {b},{p},{ph} o {m}, {N} the {m}; atera, {N} the {n}. Esampu: cant => canta; simple => simpu; autumn => atunni; environment => envirommento. A la tiso, si {C2} the atera, remova-pen-va-go e nezese un compensate {-e}. Esampu: fact => fate; experiment ({xp} regada-pen co {k+sp}) => epherimente; sign => sine; dogmatic => domatice.

Pata {consonanto 3}

A final, po la {C3}, si la {C3} the la utima letere de la Latin veba, se considera-nu un adizonale silabu. Esampu: construct => conthuto; verb => veba. Si atera, un adizonale {-e-} inseta-pen. Esampu: partner => patenera.

La fino e la compensazon

La pinzipu de la regu de la utima vovelo the se fe a divesa. Le regu de apende ha le cato sitazoni co baso. Si un veba satifi du categori, Le regu con pusu ata pezedenzo va adoba-pen. Po esampu, la veba {tract}, a veba deseva apende-pen {-a}, bo la delezon de {-r-} deseva apende {-o}, e la delezon de {-c-} recira a compensata {-e}. La seconde un ha pim ata pezedenzi, da go finalementi deven a {tato}.

Le regu:

1.Compensate

delezon de -r- : -o ; delezon de -l- : -u ;

compezono de ditonge : -i ;

delezon de -r / -l : -a ; delezon de dupu consonanto : -e ;

2.Native

Si la origin veba temina con un vovelo

3.Compementu ( o natural )

nominative (sugete) nomo : -o ; genitive (pedicativo) nomo : -e ; acusative (ogete) nomo : -o (atenativamenti: -a) ; puralu nomo : -i ; nomala veba : -a ; (atenativamenti: veba de pathe tenso : -e) (pefero a usa modal veba sufiche {-ha}) ; (atenativamenti: veba de future tenso : -o) (pefero a usa modal veba sufiche {-va}) ; (atenativamenti: veba de continose tenso : -i) (pefero a usa modal veba sufiche {-thin}) ; (atenativamenti: veba de pasive voco : -e) (pefero a usa modal veba sufiche {-pen}) ; veba : -a ; agetive : -e ; aveba : -i ; peposizono, connezon: -e ;

Omita la final silabu

Ba la final silabu convei mini infomazon in tempi, pu-lu omita-pen. La pinzipu a omita the: la infomazon ce apare the pusu dan la infomazon ce disapare. A pimo, oseva-nu la utima silabu, et don-nu le punti po la consonanto e la vovelo rephetivementi, usa-thin la base tabu.

Consonanto: 0 = nule,h,m,n,ng ; 1 = s,t,r,l ; 2 = p,d,c ; 3 = b,g,f,v,z; 4 = ph,th,ch ;

Vovelo: 0 = Compementu ; 1 = Compensate -a,-e ; 2 = Compensate -o,-u ; 3 = Compensate -i ; 4 = Native ;

Si la punti de la consonanto o de la vovelo the 4, da ne pu-nu omita la fina silabu. Si atera, caculata-nu la sum de le punti de la consonanto e la vovelo. Si la number de silabu ezebe la utima un the pusu dan la sum, pu-nu omita la final silabu. Pothe se omita, la consonato remeni la chiburo encor, bo la azente ne changa-va. La {m}, {n}, {g} ce remeni pu encor changa la nasale ponunzazono de la penutima silabu. Un esampu: {important} => {impotanta}; consonante-punti(t) = 1, vovele-punti(-a) = 1, sum = 1 + 1 = 2, silabu-number(impotan) = 3 >= 2, ada: {impotant}. Un atera esampu: {provide} => {povido}; consonante-punti(d) = 2, vovele-punti(-o) = 2, sum = 2 + 2 =4, silabu-number(povi) = 2 < 4, ada: {povido}.

Selezon de veba

La Latin veba ce usa-nu the le veba ce deriva de le Latin radi e ce apare in Engichu.

Azente

La azente locata in la vovelo in fonto de la utima consonanto.