A priori (languages) facts for kids

An A priori language is a constructed language that made up new words, and did not use words from other languages. Think of it as building a language from scratch, without borrowing any sounds or words from languages that already exist, like English or Spanish.

What is a Constructed Language?

A constructed language (often called a "conlang") is a language that someone created on purpose, instead of developing naturally over time like most languages. People create conlangs for many reasons, such as for books or movies (like Elvish in The Lord of the Rings), for international communication (like Esperanto), or just for fun.

A Priori vs. A Posteriori Languages

There are two main types of constructed languages:

• A priori languages are built from the ground up. This means their sounds, words, and grammar are all invented. They don't try to sound like any existing language. The goal is often to make them very logical, clear, or even philosophical.
• A posteriori languages are based on existing natural languages. They borrow words, grammar rules, or sounds from languages like Latin, English, or French. Esperanto is a good example of an a posteriori language because it uses words and grammar from many European languages.

Why Create an A Priori Language?

People create a priori languages for several interesting reasons:

To Be More Logical

Many creators of a priori languages want to make them very logical and precise. They might design the words so that their meaning is clear just by looking at their parts. For example, a word for "dog" might be built from parts that mean "animal" and "pet" and "bark." This can make the language very clear and reduce misunderstandings.

To Be Universal

Some people hope that an a priori language could be a truly universal language. Since it doesn't come from any one culture or country, it might be seen as more neutral. This could make it easier for people from different backgrounds to learn and use it without feeling like they are favoring one culture over another.

To Explore New Ideas

Creating an a priori language is also a way to explore new ideas about how language works. By building a language from scratch, creators can experiment with different ways of organizing thoughts, expressing ideas, and even thinking. It's like building a new kind of tool for the mind.

Examples of A Priori Languages

While not as common as a posteriori languages, some interesting a priori languages have been created:

Solresol

Solresol is a language invented in the 19th century by François Sudre. It's unique because its words are made up of only seven syllables, which are the names of the musical notes: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si. This means you can speak Solresol, sing it, play it on an instrument, or even write it using musical notes! It was designed to be easy to learn and use across different cultures.

Ro

Ro was created by Edward Powell Foster in the early 20th century. Its words are organized like a tree, where the first letter or sound tells you the general category of a word. For example, all words starting with "bofo" might relate to "color," and then "bofoc" might mean "red," "bofof" might mean "blue," and so on. This system was meant to make the language very logical and easy to understand, even if you didn't know the exact word.

Ithkuil

Ithkuil is a modern a priori language known for being incredibly complex and precise. It was designed by John Quijada to express very detailed and specific meanings with just a few words. It has a huge number of sounds and grammatical rules, making it very challenging to learn but also very powerful for expressing complex ideas.

Characteristics of A Priori Languages

A priori languages often share some common features:

Unique Vocabulary

The most obvious characteristic is that their words are completely new. They don't sound like words from English, French, or any other natural language. This gives them a very distinct and often unfamiliar sound.

Invented Grammar Rules

Just like the words, the grammar rules (how sentences are put together) are also invented. These rules might be very different from what you're used to. They could be designed to be extremely regular, with no exceptions, or to express very specific types of information that natural languages don't easily convey.

Focus on Logic and Structure

Many a priori languages prioritize logic and structure. Their creators often try to make them as clear, unambiguous, and efficient as possible. This can sometimes make them difficult to learn for humans, as our natural languages are often full of irregularities and exceptions.

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas a priori para niños