Introduction to the LPQR language
LPQR (Lingua Planificata Quasi-Russica) — an artificial language inspired by Russian, but with a much simpler and more transparent grammar system.
Why did I create LPQR?
The idea to develop such a language arose when reading the science fiction novel by Izyaslav Katsman "Horseradish from the Mountain". By the way, those who know Russian should read the novel. I recommend it. http://flibusta.is/sequence/51536
On a certain planet, there is an installation that resurrects some of the people who died on Earth. Most of these resurrected are concentrated on the continent of Irs, where a very unique state has been created - the Ikarian Commune.
The main character of the novel encounters documents written in the official language of this state several times. This is a language with an alphabet based on Latin, but containing many Russian or Russian-like words. I thought about what this language might be like. I imagined that it is an artificial planned language, of course, based on Russian, but differing from it not only in Latin script. In order to be easier for people of different nationalities to learn, its grammar should be simpler than the grammar of real Russian, which in my opinion is overloaded with unnecessary grammatical forms and synonyms. This language should include international vocabulary (words that are similar in different languages). And of course, as a planned language, it is built more logically than natural.
Here is a brief summary of the grammar of this language:
LPQR Alphabet
A Latin-based alphabet with diacritics 🔤
2. Morphology
There are no case endings for nouns, adjectives, or numerals.
The agreement between adjectives and numerals and nouns is not required.
Plural nouns end in -i or -ǐ
The endings of adjectives and numerals do not change depending on gender and number.
Verbs do not change according to person, gender, or number (unlike Russian ).
Pronouns have oblique case forms: mjenje, tjebje, njejo, njevo, nas, vas, nih
Possessive pronouns are replaced by the constructions <-u->+<oblique pronoun>
Demonstrative pronouns perform a role similar to definite articles in some languages.
2. Verbs
There are four grammatical forms of the verb: the infinitive, the present tense form (presens only for imperfective verbs), and two past tense forms: preterit and participial. The imperative coincides with the infinitive, and the future tense is formed by combining the word "budjet" with the infinitive of the verb.
Depending on the ending of the infinitive, verbs are divided into ti-verbs and tj-verbs. Verbs with the postfix -sja after the verb ending are also distinguished. These are reflexive and pseudo-reflexive verbs (e.g., celovatjsja, dvigatjsja).
Verbs are also divided into regular and irregular verbs, transitive and intransitive, and imperfective and perfective verbs. Only imperfective verbs (impervektivǐ) have a present tense form. Among them, a group of quasi-perfective verbs (quasi-perfektivǐ) stands out, which have a present tense form but, when used in the past or future tense, indicate the presence of a result (organizovatj, kaznitj).
Transitive verbs can be used with a direct object, while intransitive verbs are used without an object or with an indirect object.
Regular verbs end in the infinitive -tj, in the present tense -t, in the preterite -l, and in the partial -n
The passive voice uses the partial of perfective verbs (dom postrojen) and imperfective reflexive verbs with the postfix -sja (dom stroitsja).
Verbs of sensory perception are divided into active and passive:
Vision: smotrjetj / vidjetj
Hearing: slušatj / slǐšatj
Smell: njuhatj / obonjatj
Touch: šjupatj / osjazatj
Taste: degustirovatj / vkusatj
3. Prepositions, Conjunctions, Particles
Prepositions are strictly defined by meaning.
v, na - denotes being in a specific place, movement in a specific direction, directional change.
s - joint action, instrument.
dlja - beneficiary, addressee, goal.
po - movement through space, thematic connection, classification.
The constructions <preposition>+<noun> often correspond in meaning to the cases of real Russian when used without prepositions. The construction with the preposition «u» most often corresponds to the genitive case, with the preposition «dlja» to the dative case, and with the preposition s to the instrumental case.
In the LPQR language there are coordinating conjunctions i, a, no.
The conjunction «jesli» denotes conditional relationships.
Cause-and-effect relationships are expressed using the conjunctions «potomučto», «takak», «poetomu», as well as the prepositions «izza», «blagodarja»
To express the target relationship, the conjunction «čtobǐ» is used, as well as the prepositions “za” and “dlja”
Foreign speech is conveyed using the conjunction «„čto“.
The conjunctions “kotorǐj” and “čjej” allow the use of attributive clauses.
Negation in LPQR is accomplished using the particles "njet" and "nje," as well as negative pronouns and pronominal adverbs formed with the particle "ni." Both single and double negation are permitted.
4. Word order in a sentence. Hyphenated groups
A direct object is used without a preposition, while an indirect object is used with a preposition. The word order SPO (subject-predicate-object) is strictly observed for direct objects; deviations from this order are possible for indirect objects.
Hyphen phrases—groups of words connected by a hyphen play a significant role in LPQR. Syntactically, a hyphen phrase is considered as a single member of a sentence.
Hyphenated phrases in the LPQR language can correspond in meaning to participles, adverbial participles, participial phrases, adverbial participles, attributive phrases, prepositional-case phrases, or subordinate clauses of the Russian language. In some cases, the semantic meaning of a hyphenated phrase is not limited to the combination of meanings of the words that comprise it.
VOCABULARY
Most LPQR words are borrowed from Russian, although some words are reinterpreted. For example, the verb "nositj" has only one meaning: "to put on something (clothing, shoes, headwear, accessories, jewelry, etc.)." However, internationalisms—words that are pronounced and written similarly in many languages—play a significant role in LPQR. The spelling of most internationalisms in LPQR is based on variants accepted in German. However, the German variants are subject to changes related to the phonological and stylistic features of LPQR. For example, the pronounced "e" at the end of a word changes to "a" and in many words of Greek and Latin origin, word endings are replaced by "-ja." Most names of plants, animals, human organs, diseases, and chemical elements are borrowed from Latin. Words in LPQR (or more precisely, word lemmas) are divided into non-derivative and derivative. The vast majority of non-derivative words are borrowed from real languages, primarily Russian, but also German and other languages. Exceptions include the verbs "nravitj" (to like) and "strjemitj (to pursuit)."
Derivative words are formed from non-derivative words according to the word-formation rules of the LPQR language. Since these rules are similar to the word-formation rules of Russian, LPQR derivative words may resemble Russian words. For example, the adjective "zvjezdnǏj."
Non-derivative nouns generally denote material objects and phenomena perceived by the senses. Abstract concepts should be denoted by derived nouns formed from adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and other parts of speech. However, one significant deviation from this principle is permitted. It involves the use of internationalisms, many of which denote abstract concepts but are non-derivative words within the LPQR language.
Non-derivative qualitative adjectives, as well as qualitative adjectives formed from adverbs of manner, as well as the adverbs themselves, most often denote a property of an object or phenomenon that can be possessed to a greater or lesser degree. Therefore, adjectives also express human emotions, their emotional reaction to certain phenomena. Quantitative, spatial, and temporal relationships, as well as relationships of an object's membership in a set or a part in a whole, are expressed by prepositions, adverbs, adjectives, and numerals, both non-derivative (the majority of such words) and derivatives. Other relationships between objects and phenomena are expressed by verbs. Verbs also denote human actions that can be undertaken at the request or command of others, as well as changes in objects and phenomena that occur over time or instantaneously.
Furthermore, the LPQR vocabulary is divided into core and supplementary vocabulary. Supplementary vocabulary words clarify the meaning of core words. Supplementary vocabulary words can often replace phrases made up of core words (and vice versa).
A phrase made up of core words -> supplementary vocabulary word:
imjetj izgibǏ -> vitjsja
smotrjetj čtobǐ izučitj -> razsmotrivatj.
Nouns denoting material objects and phenomena are generally considered core vocabulary. Supplementary vocabulary is used in scientific and educational texts, official documents, and fiction. Its use in everyday conversation is not recommended.
Structured information about LPQR is posted on the LingoCon website.
Example sentences:
Ja nje znat = «Я не знаю» / «I don’t know»
Mǐ poidti = «Пойдём» / «Let’s go»
Ti učjonǐj homǐ kak Kurčatov, Koroljov, Landau vnjós boljšoj vklad v nauka = «Scientists like Kurchatov, Korolyov, Landau made a great contribution to science.»
Translation example:
|English text:
A Night in the Lonesome October.
I am a watchdog. My name is Snuff. I live with my master Jack outside of London now. I like Soho very much at night with its smelly fogs and dark streets. It is silent then and we go for long walks. Jack is under a curse from long ago and must do much of his work at night to keep worse things from happening. I keep watch while he is about it. If someone comes, I howl.
We are the keepers of several curses and our work is very important. I have to keep watch on the Thing in the Circle, the Thing in the Wardrobe, and the Thing in the Steamer Trunk — not to mention the Things in the Mirror. When they try to get out I raise particular hell with them. They are afraid of me. I do not know what I would do if they all tried to get out at the same time. It is good exercise, though, and I snarl a lot.
Text in LPQR language:
Nočj v oktober-odinok.
Ja - storoževoj ċanis. Imja-u-mjenje - Snuff. Gospodin-u-mjenje - Jack. Mǐ sjejčas žit s njevo blizko ot London. Ja očjenj nravit Soho v nočj, kogda tam tumanǐ-pahnut i tjemnǐj ulicǐ. V eto vrjemja tam tiho i mǐ djelat dolgij progulki. Ot davno vrjednǐj magija djejstvovat na Jack i on vǐnuždjen djelatj častj-boljšeje ot svoj rabota v nočj, čtobǐ plohoj sobǐtii nje bǐl. Kogda Jack rabotat, ja ohranjat njevo. Jesli kto-to idti, ja vǐt
Mǐ - storožǐ ot vrjednǐj magija i rabota-u-nas očjenj važen, Ja dolžen nabljudatj Sušjestvo-v-Krug, Sušjestvo-v-Škaf, Sušjestvo-v-Čjemodan-dlja-jeh, i konječno Sušjestvǐ-v-Zjerkalo. Jesli oni pǐtatsja vǐbratjsja, ja djelat boljšoj užas dlja nih. Oni bojatsja mjenje. Ja nje znat, čto ja budjet djelatj jesli oni vsje popǐtatsja vǐbratjsja v odinakovǐj vrjemja. Hotja eto horošij training i ja mnogo rǐčat.
How to read letters according to IPA signs:
c - like [t͡s]
ċ - like [k]
č - like [tʃ]
ǐ - like [ɨ]
j - after consonants is not pronounced, but softens the consonant sound (like a soft sign in Russian), in other cases like [j]
s - like [s]
š - before “i” or “j” approximately like [ɕː] or [ʃʲ] or [ʃtʃ], in other cases like [ʃ]
v - like [v]
z - like [z]
ž - like [ʒ]
Other letters. approximately like in German
All vowels = long sounds.