Adjuvilo is a

constructed language A constructed language (sometimes called a conlang) is a language whose phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, instead of having developed naturally, are consciously devised for some purpose, which may include being devised for a work of fiction. ...

created in 1910 by Claudius Colas under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

of "Profesoro V. Esperema". Although it was a full language, it may not have been created to be spoken. Many believe that as an

Esperantist An Esperantist ( eo, esperantisto) is a person who speaks, reads or writes Esperanto. According to the Declaration of Boulogne, a document agreed upon at the first World Esperanto Congress in 1905, an Esperantist is someone who speaks Esperanto ...

, Colas created Adjuvilo to help create dissent in the then-growing

Ido Ido () is a constructed language derived from Reformed Esperanto, and similarly designed with the goal of being a universal second language for people of diverse backgrounds. To function as an effective ''international auxiliary language'', I ...

movement. Colas himself called his language ''simplified

'' and proposed several reforms to Ido. Colas created a nearly complete grammar, but did not create a new vocabulary. Adjuvilo uses mainly the vocabulary of Ido with modifications according to the grammatical changes of Ido. Colas in some cases reestablishes the Esperanto forms of words and even constructed some new words like ''sulo'' for "sun" (Ido/Esperanto: ''suno'') and ''dago'' for "day" (Ido: ''dio'', Esperanto: ''tago'').

Phonology and orthography

Like Ido, Adjuvilo has five vowel

phoneme In phonology and linguistics, a phoneme () is a unit of sound that can distinguish one word from another in a particular language. For example, in most dialects of English, with the notable exception of the West Midlands and the north-west o ...

s. The vowels and are interchangeable depending on speaker preference, as are and . The combinations /au/ and /eu/ become

diphthong A diphthong ( ; , ), also known as a gliding vowel, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of the speech o ...

s in word roots but not when adding affixes. Adjuvilo also uses the same orthography as Ido: the 26 letters as the

English alphabet The alphabet for Modern English is a Latin-script alphabet consisting of 26 letters, each having an upper- and lower-case form. The word ''alphabet'' is a compound of the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, '' alpha'' and '' beta''. ...

and

ISO Basic Latin alphabet The ISO basic Latin alphabet is an international standard (beginning with ISO/IEC 646) for a Latin-script alphabet that consists of two sets (uppercase and lowercase) of 26 letters, codified in various national and international standards and u ...

with three digraphs and no ligatures or

diacritics A diacritic (also diacritical mark, diacritical point, diacritical sign, or accent) is a glyph added to a letter or to a basic glyph. The term derives from the Ancient Greek (, "distinguishing"), from (, "to distinguish"). The word ''diacritic ...

. The only modification is that the stress is always on the penultimate syllable like in

Esperanto Esperanto ( or ) is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw-based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communi ...

, whereas in Ido in the

infinitive Infinitive (abbreviated ) is a linguistics term for certain verb forms existing in many languages, most often used as non-finite verbs. As with many linguistic concepts, there is not a single definition applicable to all languages. The word is deri ...

of the

verbs A verb () is a word (part of speech) that in syntax generally conveys an action (''bring'', ''read'', ''walk'', ''run'', ''learn''), an occurrence (''happen'', ''become''), or a state of being (''be'', ''exist'', ''stand''). In the usual descrip ...

the last syllable is stressed. The digraphs are:

Grammar

* The

definite article An article is any member of a class of dedicated words that are used with noun phrases to mark the identifiability of the referents of the noun phrases. The category of articles constitutes a part of speech. In English, both "the" and "a(n)" ar ...

for all genders is in the

singular Singular may refer to: * Singular, the grammatical number that denotes a unit quantity, as opposed to the plural and other forms * Singular homology * SINGULAR, an open source Computer Algebra System (CAS) * Singular or sounder, a group of boar, ...

''la'' and in the

plural The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...

''las'' but the form ''la'' can be valid for the plural. You may elide the final ''a'' of the article, replacing it with an apostrophe, as equally before a consonant as before a vowel. Example: ''l'artiklo'', ''l'profesoro''. * All

nouns A noun () is a word that generally functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.Example nouns for: * Living creatures (including people, alive, d ...

end in the

in ''-o'' and in the

in ''-s''. Example: ''la lando'' (the land) and ''las landos'' (the lands). Like Ido and Esperanto, Adjuvilo has no

indefinite article An article is any member of a class of dedicated words that are used with noun phrases to mark the identifiability of the referents of the noun phrases. The category of articles constitutes a part of speech. In English, both "the" and "a(n)" ar ...

* Adjuvilo does not have grammatical genders. Nouns for females are all derived from the masculine form by using the affix ''-in''. Example: ''filio'' (son) and ''filiino'' (daughter). * The

genitive In grammar, the genitive case (abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can al ...

and the

indirect object In linguistics, an object is any of several types of arguments. In subject-prominent, nominative-accusative languages such as English, a transitive verb typically distinguishes between its subject and any of its objects, which can include but ...

cases are expressed by prepositions. Example: ''Me donin la libro de la patro a mea filio'' (I gave my father's book to my son). * The

adjective In linguistics, an adjective (list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated ) is a word that generally grammatical modifier, modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes its referent. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun. Tra ...

ends on -a, and also receives -s in the plural. It is placed before the noun. Example: ''un bona viro'' (a good man), ''belas juvenilos'' (beautiful girls), ''granda monto'' (a big mountain). :The positive form is indicated by ''tam'' (as). Example: ''Vos estan tam bonas quam nos''. (You are as good as us). :The

comparative In general linguistics, the comparative is a syntactic construction that serves to express a comparison between two (or more) entities or groups of entities in quality or degree - see also comparison (grammar) for an overview of comparison, as wel ...

form is indicated by ''plu'' (more) and ''men'' (less). Example: ''El estan plu bela quam il''. (She is more beautiful than he). ''Tia libro estan men interesanta quam cia''. (That book is less interesting than this ne. :The

superlative Comparison is a feature in the morphology or syntax of some languages whereby adjectives and adverbs are inflected to indicate the relative degree of the property they define exhibited by the word or phrase they modify or describe. In languages t ...

form is indicated by ''la pley'' (most) and ''la min'' (least). Example: ''Adjuvilo estan la pley facila linguo ex omnas linguos.'' (Adjuvilo is the easiest language of all languages). ''Hike estan la min bela urbo de omnas''. (Here is the least beautiful city of all). * The

adverb An adverb is a word or an expression that generally modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, clause, preposition, or sentence. Adverbs typically express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, level of certainty, etc., answering ...

is formed from the adjective form by replacing the ending -a by -e. Adverbs are not changed in the plural. Example: ''Elas kantan bone.'' (They sing well). * The

personal pronouns Personal pronouns are pronouns that are associated primarily with a particular grammatical person – first person (as ''I''), second person (as ''you''), or third person (as ''he'', ''she'', ''it'', ''they''). Personal pronouns may also take dif ...

are :Singular ''me'' (I), ''tu / vu'' (you), ''il'' (he), ''el'' (she), ''it'' (it), ''lo'' (third person gender not defined). ''Vu'' indicates respect. :Plural ''nos'' (we), ''vos'' (you), ''ilos'' (they, masculine), ''elos'' (they, female), ''itos'' (they, neuter), ''los'' (they, unspecified gender) :Additional personal pronouns: ''on'' (one, impersonal form), ''su'' ( reflexive form) * The

possessive A possessive or ktetic form (abbreviated or ; from la, possessivus; grc, κτητικός, translit=ktētikós) is a word or grammatical construction used to indicate a relationship of possession in a broad sense. This can include strict owne ...

pronouns are formed by adding the adjective ending ''-a'' and in the plural the ''-s'' to the personal pronouns: ''mea'' (my), ''tua'' (your), ''ila'' (his), ''nosas'' (our), ''ilosas'' (their, masculine). The reflexive possessive pronoun ''sua'' (his/her/its) in the singular and ''suas'' in the plural is only used for the third person and can be only used when it refers to the subject of the sentence. * The

demonstrative pronoun Demonstratives (abbreviated ) are words, such as ''this'' and ''that'', used to indicate which entities are being referred to and to distinguish those entities from others. They are typically deictic; their meaning depending on a particular frame ...

s are ''cia'' (this) and ''tia'' (that). Like other pronouns they also have plural forms. ''Cias floros estan bela ma tias arboros estan plu grandas'' (These flowers are beautiful but these trees are bigger.) * The

relative pronoun A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause. It serves the purpose of conjoining modifying information about an antecedent referent. An example is the word ''which'' in the sentence "This is the house which Jack built." Here the ...

s are ''qua'', ''quas'' (subject - who/which/that) and ''que'' (complement/accusative). * The interrogative pronouns include ''qua'' (who), ''quo'' (what), ''quale'' (how), ''quare'' (why). * The coordinating conjunctions include ''e'' (and), ''o'' (or); adding a ''d'' before words that begin with a vowel. * Tag questions are formed with the

particle In the Outline of physical science, physical sciences, a particle (or corpuscule in older texts) is a small wikt:local, localized physical body, object which can be described by several physical property, physical or chemical property, chemical ...

''num''. ''Num il parolan Adjuvilo?'' (Does he speak Adjuvilo?). *

Verbs A verb () is a word (part of speech) that in syntax generally conveys an action (''bring'', ''read'', ''walk'', ''run'', ''learn''), an occurrence (''happen'', ''become''), or a state of being (''be'', ''exist'', ''stand''). In the usual descrip ...

are not conjugated according to singular/plural or person. :The

ending is ''-i'' like in

: ''diri'' (to say), ''lerni'' (to learn). :The

present tense The present tense (abbreviated or ) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time. The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present ...

is formed by replacing the infinitive ending by ''-an''. Example: ''Me kantan'' (I sing), ''tu kantan'' (you sing). :The

past tense The past tense is a grammatical tense whose function is to place an action or situation in the past. Examples of verbs in the past tense include the English verbs ''sang'', ''went'' and ''washed''. Most languages have a past tense, with some hav ...

is formed by ''-in''. Example: Me vidin (I saw). :The

future tense In grammar, a future tense (abbreviated ) is a verb form that generally marks the event described by the verb as not having happened yet, but expected to happen in the future. An example of a future tense form is the French ''aimera'', meaning ...

is formed by ''-on''. Example: Me vidon (I will see). :The

conjunctive The subjunctive (also known as conjunctive in some languages) is a grammatical mood, a feature of the utterance that indicates the speaker's attitude towards it. Subjunctive forms of verbs are typically used to express various states of unreality s ...

is formed by adding ''-un''. Example: Me vidun (I would see). :The imperative is formed by adding ''-en''. Example: ''Lekten la libro!'' (Read the book!) :The

active participle In linguistics, a participle () (from Latin ' a "sharing, partaking") is a nonfinite verb, nonfinite verb form that has some of the characteristics and functions of both verbs and adjectives. More narrowly, ''participle'' has been defined as "a wo ...

s are formed with the suffix ''-ant'' for the present tense, ''-int'' for the past tense and ''-ont'' for the future tense. Example: ''vidinta'' (having seen), ''vidanta'' (seeing), ''vidonta'' (about to see). These can be used in the progressive and other compound tenses: ''Me estin vidinta'' (I had seen). ''Me estin vidanta'' (I was seeing). ''Me estin vidonta'' (I was about to see). ''Me estan vidinta'' (I have seen). ''Me estan vidanta'' (I am seeing). ''Me estan vidonta'' (I am about to see). ''Me eston vidinta'' (I shall have seen). ''Me eston vidanta'' (I shall be seeing). ''Me eston vidonta'' (I shall be about to see). ''Me estun vidinta'' (I would have seen). ''Me estun vidanta'' (I would be seeing). ''Me estun vidonta'' (I would be about to see). :The

passive participle In linguistics, a participle () (from Latin ' a "sharing, partaking") is a nonfinite verb form that has some of the characteristics and functions of both verbs and adjectives. More narrowly, ''participle'' has been defined as "a word derived from ...

s are formed with the suffix ''-at'' for the present tense, ''-it'' for the past tense and ''-ot'' for the future tense. Example: ''vidita'' (having been seen), ''vidata'' (being seen), ''vidota'' (about to be seen). These can be used in the passive and other compound tenses: ''Me estin vidita'' (I had been seen). ''Me estin vidata'' (I was being seen). ''Me estin vidota'' (I was about to be seen). ''Me estan vidita'' (I have been seen). ''Me estan vidata'' (I am being seen). ''Me estan vidota'' (I am about to be seen). ''Me eston vidita'' (I shall have been seen). ''Me eston vidata'' (I shall be being seen). ''Me eston vidota'' (I shall be about to be seen). ''Me estun vidita'' (I would have been seen). ''Me estun vidata'' (I would be being seen). ''Me estun vidota'' (I would be about to be seen). * The

cardinal numbers In mathematics, cardinal numbers, or cardinals for short, are a generalization of the natural numbers used to measure the cardinality (size) of sets. The cardinality of a finite set is a natural number: the number of elements in the set. The ...

are: 1 — un, 2 — du, 3 — tri, 4 — quar, 5 — quin, 6 — sis, 7 — sep, 8 — ok, 9 — nov, 10 — dek, 100 — cent, 1000 — mil, 1000000 — milion. The

ordinal numbers In set theory, an ordinal number, or ordinal, is a generalization of ordinal numerals (first, second, th, etc.) aimed to extend enumeration to infinite sets. A finite set can be enumerated by successively labeling each element with the least n ...

are formed with the suffix -esma: ''unesma'', ''duesma'', ''triesma''.

Comparison to Ido

* Adjuvilo completely eliminates a special ending for the

accusative The accusative case (abbreviated ) of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. In the English language, the only words that occur in the accusative case are pronouns: 'me,' 'him,' 'her,' 'us,' and ‘the ...

case, whereas in Ido it was still used in sentences beginning with the

object Object may refer to: General meanings * Object (philosophy), a thing, being, or concept ** Object (abstract), an object which does not exist at any particular time or place ** Physical object, an identifiable collection of matter * Goal, an ai ...

. * Adjuvilo uses the

ending also for

s, the definite article and all

pronouns In linguistics and grammar, a pronoun (list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated ) is a word or a group of words that one may substitute for a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns have traditionally been regarded as one of the part of speech, parts o ...

. * Adjuvilo uses as plural ending ''-s'' and not ''-i'' as Ido. * Adjuvilo replaces the Ido

ending -''ar'' by the

form ''-i''. The infinitive forms of the different tenses in Ido were completely abolished. * Adjuvilo completely abolishes the synthetic

passive voice A passive voice construction is a grammatical voice construction that is found in many languages. In a clause with passive voice, the grammatical subject expresses the ''theme'' or ''patient'' of the main verb – that is, the person or thing t ...

form of the verbs by a compound form of the auxiliary verb "to be" and the corresponding

participle In linguistics, a participle () (from Latin ' a "sharing, partaking") is a nonfinite verb form that has some of the characteristics and functions of both verbs and adjectives. More narrowly, ''participle'' has been defined as "a word derived from ...

. * Adjuvilo changes the Ido system of

affixes In linguistics, an affix is a morpheme that is attached to a word stem to form a new word or word form. Affixes may be derivational, like English ''-ness'' and ''pre-'', or inflectional, like English plural ''-s'' and past tense ''-ed''. They ar ...

by creating new affixes, omitting some and modifying some existing ones. * Adjuvilo changes many

of Ido. * The accent in Adjuvilo is always on the penultimate syllable, as in Esperanto. * Colas also announced changes to the vocabulary without elaborating this completely. Example: ''ucelo → avio'' (bird), ''hano → galo'' (chicken), ''hanino → galino'' (hen), ''dio → dago'' (day), ''deo → dio'' (god), ''kelka → alguna'' (some), ''ceno → sceno'' (scene), ''kam → quam'' (than), ''kin → quin'' (five), ''non → nov'' (nine), ''kande → quande'' (when), ''pro quo → quare'' (why), ''kad → num'' (interrogative particle), ''di → de'' (of), ''suno → sulo'' (sun), ''ol → it / lo''

Sample

A sample of Adjuvilo, the often-translated ''

Pater Noster The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...

:''

Bibliography

Claudius Colas, ''L'Adjuvilo''. Paris, Gamber, 1910. 32+ pp.
* Mario Pei, ''One Language for the World and How To Achieve It''. Devin-Adair, New York, 1958. xvi + 291 pp.

References

External links

(in

) {{Constructed languages Esperantido Ido language International auxiliary languages Constructed languages Constructed languages introduced in the 1910s