6. Pantluci
6.1 Overview
Pantluci (English [pæn"t(S)ôu:.ki]; Pantluci ["p˘an.tì
<
U.ci]) is an exper-
imental constructed language designed to explore the boundaries of
what a human-usable language can be. It uses a heavily esoteric
grammar inspired by breadth-rst-search, unlike most if not all
preexisting languages. To oset this unfamiliarity, Pantluci uses
a streamlined grammar that aims to minimize the cognitive load for
both speakers and listeners.
The language rst began in late June 2021 after various sketches
of potential breadth-rst languages inspired by xkcd 2407. Origi-
nally, it used a modied consonant inventory from unrelated lan-
guage sketches from December 2020, a vowel inventory copied from
Lojban, a tone system copied from Láadan, and a grammar system
heavily inspired by toki pona. However, by early 2022, most of these
inuences were largely obscured by revisions to the language in an
attempt to minimize the chances of sound changes, and attempts
were made to reduce the wide variety of grammatical particles.
The language was developed beginning in late June 2021 after
various sketches of potential breadth-rst languages inspired by
xkcd 2407. Originally, it used a modied consonant inventory from
unrelated language sketches from December 2020, a vowel inventory
copied from Lojban, a tone system copied from Láadan, and a
grammar system heavily inspired by toki pona. However, by early
2022, most of these inuences were largely obscured by revisions
to the language in an attempt to minimize the chances of sound
changes. The wide variety of grammatical particles were reduced as
much as possible.
By mid-June 2022, the sole particle used in the language became
extremely repetitive, which became a larger and larger problem,
forcing a redo of the morphology and phonology to allow for redupli-
cation and a greater focus on aesthetics. By July 2022, the language
had expanded into a research project exploring esoteric languages
in general, with the language being used as an example. Phonology
was scrapped again and rebuilt once again with a focus on serving
the same purpose as the grammar.
By January 2023, its minimal inventory had made reduplication
obnoxiously repetitive, so it was changed to a rst-vowel umlaut sys-
tem that mirrored the recently implemented compounding system.
By May 2023, the scientic nature of the exploration was abandoned
in favor of a more artistic approach in order to better appeal to
the author’s strengths and target audience. Over the course of
its development it went through the names Hýyban ([ç´@.`@.b
`
¨an]),
23
24 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
Hoóban ([çˇoi
“
.b
`
¨an]), Hoóba ([çˇoi
“
.b
`
¨a]), Tsohci ([ts
<
o:.c
h
i), and now
Pantluci (["p˘an.
>
tslU.ci]).
Pantluci is intended to explore and challenge many linguistic
theories and assumptions that claim the existence of some form
of fundamental or underlying genetic language or grammar beyond
pragmatic optimization. Ascribing what I believe to be the result of
historical context to biological traits. It acts as a language outside
of the typical linguistic standards, and violates most restrictive
proposed systems, so if it can be learned to uency, then those
theories are likely inaccurate. While Pantluci is a project with
countless hours of work behind it, it is an art piece designed to ask
questions, not an experiment with continued independent repro-
duction designed to answer them. Additionally, it exists to explore
the practicality of its weirdness, so there will never be an ocially
supported prescribed standard for Pantluci. I hope speakers will
be encouraged to speak how they feel best suits the language and
try new things, while understanding that others are less likely to
understand them the more they deviate from each other.
This description of the language will not fully explain or docu-
ment every aspect of the language. However, it should serve as a
sucient baseline to demonstrate the viability of the language and
potentially generate interest.
Finally, this document serves not only to describe the language
itself, but also the process and reasoning used to create it. No art
piece can stand truly devoid of context, so this required context may
as well be an opportunity used to inform and inspire others.
6.2 Phonology
6.2.1 Inventory
The smallest documented consonant inventory in any natural lan-
guage is found in the Proto-Lakes Plain language, which has a
mere ve consonants.
1
If reconstructed languages are ignored, the
smallest inventories are in Iau, Kirikiri, Obokuitai, and Rotokas,
1
Clouse, Duane A. “Towards a Reconstruction and Reclassication of
the Lakes Plain Languages of Irian Jaya.” Papers in Papuan Linguistics,
no. 2 (1996): 133-236.
6.2. PHONOLOGY 25
with six consonants each.
2, 3, 4, 5
This shows that, although unusual,
Pantluci’s consonant inventory is not unreasonably small. A three-
vowel system is common enough and should not require justication.
The combination of a small consonant and vowel inventory may
seem mutually exclusive, but Pirahã shares this characteristic with
eight consonants and three vowels.
6
This phonology is reasonable to exist but nearly impossible to
evolve, as any mergers that would create a phoneme inventory this
small would likely create an unreasonable number of homophones.
In other words, this phonology is functional but exceedingly unlikely
to ever exist naturally, exactly the purpose of the language.
Table 6.1: Consonants
Labial Coronal Dorsal
Nasal m xny
Stop p
>
ts xty, d xly k xcy
Table 6.2: Vowels
Front Back
Close i u
Open a
The consonant table may seem bizarre, and is potentially mis-
leading. For example /
>
ts/ is labeled as a stop, but depicted as an
2
Bateman, Janet. 1990. Iau segmental and tone phonology. NUSA:
Linguistic Studies of Indonesian and Other Languages in Indonesia 32.
29–42.
3
Foley, William A. (2018). “The languages of Northwest New Guinea”.
In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea
Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin:
De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 433–568.
4
Jenison, Scott; Jenison, Priscilla (1991). “Obokuitai phonology”.
Workpapers in Indonesian languages and cultures. 9: 69–90
5
Firchow, Irwin, and Jacqueline Firchow. “An Abbreviated Phoneme
Inventory.”Anthropological Linguistics 11, no. 9 (1969): 271–276
6
Everett, Daniel L. “Pirahã.” Handbook of Amazonian Languages 1,
(1986): 200-325.
26 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
aricate that sometimes acts as a fricative. A better way to look
at this is a decision tree of features. Each non-terminal node of the
tree is labeled with a feature, everything on the right branch of that
node has that feature, everything on the left lacks it. For example
/
>
ts/ is dened as -nasal +coronal +strident.
nasal
coronal
contiuant
dorsal
/p/ /k/
high
/a/
front
/u/ /i/
strident
/d/ /ts/
/m/
6.2.2 Allophony
Phonemes are not exact signle sounds. They are each a range of
possible sounds and situations that those possibilities are allowed in.
Languages with fewer phonemes tend to have more allophones per
phoneme potentially for information density or redundancy reasons.
Consonants
/
>
ts/
When in front of a non-continuant realization of a consonant, weaken
to [s]
/
>
ts
>
tsa/ Ñ ["s
>
tsa]
When in front of a palatalized consonant, palatalize it.
/
>
ts
>
tsia
>
tski/ Ñ ["StS
<
ja.Sci]
/k/
When in front of /i/, palatalize it.
/ki/ Ñ ["ci]
6.2. PHONOLOGY 27
/m/
When between two vowels, weaken to [
˜
B].
/ana/ Ñ ["ha.
˜
B@]
When word initial, strengthen to [
m
b].
/ma/ Ñ ["
m
ba]
When in front of or behind another consonant, assimilate its place of
articulation. (If possible). If consonants on either side have dierent
places of articulation, prioritize the latter one.
/am
>
tsa/ Ñ ["h˘an.
>
ts@]
/d/
When between two vowels, weaken to [R].
/ada/ Ñ ["ha.R@]
When following a consonant in the same syllable, weaken to [l],
unless it precedes a syllabic /d/. In which case, the /dd/ cluster
combines to [r
"
].
/pda mdd/ Ñ ["pla
m
br
"
]
When a nucleus, weaken to [l
"
] unless it follows [l
"
], in which case it
weakens to [r
"
]. If [l
"
] would be word initial, insert [h] before it.
/
>
tsi d md d/ Ñ ["
>
tsi hl
"
m
bl
"
r
"
]
Vowels
Monophthongs in closed syllables shorten.
/an/ Ñ ["h˘am]
/a.i/ combines into [ai
“
].
/ai/ Ñ ["hai
“
]
/a.u/ combines into [au
“
].
28 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
/au/ Ñ ["hau
“
]
/u.i/ combines into [oi
“
].
/ui/ Ñ ["çoi
“
]
Other vowel sequences not resolved by vowels weakening into glides
are broken up by inserting an epenthetic consonant between each
vowel pair. If the second vowel in the pair is /a/ insert [h]. If it is
/i/, or /u/ insert [ç]. Treat the start of a word as though it were a
vowel for the sake of this rule.
/a/, /i/, /u/ Ñ ["ha], ["çi], ["çu]
/a/
When unstressed in an open syllable, weaken to [@], unless it is part
of a diphthong.
/a
>
tsa/ Ñ ["ha.
>
ts@]
/i/
When unstressed, weaken to [I], unless it follows /k/, [j], or [û
Ţ
].
/a
>
tsui
>
tsi/ Ñ ["ha.
>
tsû
Ţ
i.
>
tsI]
When followed by a vowel and preceded by a vowel, /m/, or /ts
<
/
weaken to [j]. The case where it is surrounded by vowels takes
priority, and supersedes the forming of diphthongs.
/niiiniaia/ Ñ ["
ñ
éi.ji.ñj@.j@]
/u/
When unstressed, weaken to [U], unless it follows [w].
/atuuu/ Ñ ["ha.tU.wu]
When followed by a vowel and preceded by a vowel, /m/ or /d/,
weaken to [w]. The case where it is surrounded by vowels takes
priority, and supersedes the forming of diphthongs.
/duuuduaua/ Ñ ["du.wu.dwa.wa]
When followed by a vowel and preceded by /p/, /
>
ts/, or /k/ weaken
to [û
Ţ
] (whistled). The previous rule takes priority.
/tuuutuu/ Ñ ["tu.wu.tû
Ţ
U]
6.3. GRAMMAR 29
6.2.3 Morphology
Syllables in Pantluci’s roots follow the form (
ts)(C)(d)V(m) in other
words an optional
/ts/ + an optional consonant + an optional /d/
+ a vowel + an optional /m/). Null onsets may not follow a closed
syllable. Stress rests on the rst vowel.
Content words in Pantluci undergo ablaut in order to denote
the grammatical structure of the sentence. This process consists of
replacing the rst vowel sequence with /a/ if there are 0 preceding
nodes (see section 6.3.1), /i/ if there is one, then as the number
increases /u/, /ai/, /au/, /aia/, /aua/, etc.
pantluci Ñ pintluci Ñ puntluci Ñ paintluci Ñ ...
Interjections (FIND BETTER TERM !!!!) have any other initial
vowel sequence:
/aa/, /ia/, /ii/, /iu/, /ua/, /ui/, /uu/, etc.
6.3 Grammar
6.3.1 syntax
Pantlucian grammar is syntactically very simple, relying on only a
handful of rules:
• A “node” is an imaginary grammatical word that is inserted
before words represented with ablaut on content words.
• Nodes always require exactly two arguments, and other words
never accept any arguments.
• Content words always ll the oldest unlled argument slot.
• Only meaningful combinations of word types may legally ll
the slots of a node.
• Interjections may be placed anywhere in sentences.
What this means is that in an English sentence like:
”Red dogs and blue cats play”
(formatted to more cleanly mirror Panltuian grammar)
30 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
quick
red dogs
chase
slow
blue cats
The words are read top to bottom left to right, or in other words generally
the path of the sentence goes as deep and left as possible into a branch
before moving to the right to the next branch. whereas the same sentence
in panltuci which has a similar tree:
tilani alanu
naitnu
ataua
talici cala
titla
This is instead read left to right top to bottom: naitnu ataua tilani
alanu titla talici cala. Reading it this way shows that the branching nodes
in this tree are the same as the the grammatical nodes in the sentence.
There are none before ataua, alanu, talici, or cala, one before tilani and
titla, and three before naitu. Notice that each of these groups have the
same initial vowel sequence, as the number of preceding nodes is what
determines that vowel.
6.3.2 Roots
The very rst word (including nodes) of every sentence is a root. Roots
dene the actual claim of the sentence. If the root is a nominal, it is
asserted to exist, be contextually relevant, or answer a question.
(1) A
"ha
1
‘I am.’
tilani
tilapu
cin ana
(2) tilani
"
>
tsa.R@.
˜
BI
NOUN.cat
tilapu
"
>
tsi.R@.pU
VERB.purple
cin
"c˘ım
ADV.can
ana.
"ha.
˜
B@
NEG
‘There are cats that cannot be purple.’
6.3. GRAMMAR 31
If it is a verb, it is asserted to happen, be contextually relevant, or answer
a question.
(3) tatui.
"
>
tsa.
>
tsoi
“
many
‘There’s a lot.’
alain ca
tula
(4) tula
"
>
tsu.R@
VERB.ADV.2
alain
"ha.Rai
“
m
love
ca.
"ka
really
‘You really do love.’
If it is some other type, it is asserted to clarify, correct a previous
sentence, or answer a question.
(5) pani.
"pa.
˜
BI
past
‘It was...’
cinli ana
ca
(6) cinli
"cin.dI
ADV.hypothetical
ana.
"ha.
˜
B@
NEG
ca.
"ka
real
‘Not hypothetically, it’s real!’
6.3.3 Noun Phrases
Noun phrases refer to nameable or identiable concepts. Noun phrases
may consist of a single word if it is a noun, pronoun, or name:
(7) panu.
"pa.
˜
BU
person
‘someone’ / ‘There is some-
one.’
(8) na.
"
m
ba
12
‘us (including you)’ / ‘We
(including you) exist.’
Noun phrases may consist of a smaller noun phrase with a predicate
phrase attached to it to describe or modify the smaller noun phrase in
some way. The noun is typically an experiencer, theme, or patient of the
verb attached to it, but some verbs may diverge from this pattern. These
nouns are referred to as the subject of their predicate:
32 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
cinpa tatui
(9) cinpa
"c˘ım.p@
NP.room
tatui.
"
>
tsa.
>
tsoi
“
many
‘many rooms’ /
‘There’s a lot of rooms.’
cincli
picala ttani
(10) cincli
"ciN.kli
NP.concrete
picala
"pi.k@.R@
VP.break
ttani
"s
>
tsa.
˜
BI
plant
‘concrete broken by plants’
/ ‘Plants break concrete.’
Noun phrases may consist of a smaller noun phrase with a pronoun
attached acting as a determiner, when the pronoun has an noun phrase
attached to it, it acts as a verb:
tnini a
(11) tnini
"sni.
˜
BI
NP.name
a.
"ha
1
‘my name’ / ‘I have a name.’
ttini
i ta
(12) ttini
"s
>
tsi.
˜
BI
NP.plant
i
"çi
VP.1
ta
"
>
tsa
3
‘the plant they made mine’
/ ‘They gave me a plant.’
ti a
(13) ti
"
>
tsi
NP.3
a.
"ha
1
‘my one of those’
/ ‘It’s mine.’
ti
i ta
(14) ti
"
>
tsi
NP.3
i
"çi
VP.1
ta.
"
>
tsa
3
‘the one of those they gave me’
/ ‘they make it mine.’
cintu tana
(15) cintu
"ciN.kU
NP.type
tana.
"
>
tsa.
˜
B@
what
‘what kind’ /
‘Which type is it?’
pincu
icu ta
(16) cintu
"ciN.kU
NP.type
tina
"
>
tsi.
˜
B@
VP.what
ta.
"
>
tsa
3
‘the kind they chose’ /
‘They choose which kind.’
Finally, noun phrases may consist of a smaller noun phrase with an
adverbial phrase attached to it to alter the literal meaning of the noun
6.3. GRAMMAR 33
phrase:
caincu ca
can canna
(17) caincu
"kai
“
N.kU
NP.NP.AP.type
ca
"ka
real
can
"k˘am
can
camma.
"kam.m@
future
‘eventually could-be genuine type’ /
‘It could be a real kind one day.’
litci ana
(18) litci
"di.Sci
NP.rock
ana.
"ha.
˜
B@
NEG
‘false-rock’ / ‘It’s not
stone.’
6.3.4 Verb and Predicate Phrases
Verb and predicate phrases both refer to conceptual relationships be-
tween nouns. These relationships may be actions, states of being, events,
or anything else that exists dened by what it aects and how. The
dierence between the two is that verb phrases can be modied by ad-
verbial phrases, and may turn into a predicate phrase by having an object
attached, but a predicate phrases cannot. This means that verbs can only
take one subject and one object and that conjunctions must be used for
multiple.
Verb phrases may consist of a single word if it is a verb, an adverbial
phrase, or a smaller verb phrase with an adverbial phrase attached:
pati ui
(19) pati
"pa.
>
tsI
small
ui.
"wi
lol
‘to be small
(lol)’ / ‘lmao
It’s tiny!’
tici
tin
niclu a
(20) tici
"
>
tsi.ci
VP.speak
tin
"
>
ts˘ım
AP.from
niclu
"
m
bi.klU
NP.mouth
a.
"ha
1
‘said from my mouth’ / ‘It’s spoken by
my mouth.’
Predicate phrases may consist of a verb phrase on its own or a verb phrase
with a noun phrase attached to it to specify one of the roles of noun in
the event in some way. The noun is typically an agent, stimulus, or force
of the verb phrase to which it is attached, but some verbs may diverge
from this pattern. This noun is referred to as the verb’s object:
34 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
picala canau
(21) picala
"pi.k@.R@
damage
canau.
"ka.
˜
Bau
“
1.IMP
‘that you must break’ / ‘Break it!’
inta
tailani a
an a
(22) inta
"çin.
>
ts@
VP.want
tailani
"
>
tsai
“
.R@.
˜
BI
NP.NP.ConP.cat
a
"ha
1
an
"h˘am
and
a.
"ha
1
‘wanted by my cat and me’ / ‘Me and my cat want it.’
6.3.5 Prepositions, and Adverbs
Adverbial phrases are like verb phrases, but they can modify verb phrases.
Most adverbs do not take objects. The adverbs that do are called Prepo-
sitions; they must have an object attached. Prepositional phrases may
consist of a single word if it is a preposition, or a smaller prepositional
phrase with an adverbial phrase attached. Adverbial phrases may consist
of a single word if it is an adverb, a prepositional phrase with a noun
phrase attached (the noun’s role is specied by the denition of the
preposition), or a smaller adverbial phrase with an adverbial phrase
attached:
ni ta
(23) tilua
"
>
tsi.dw@
AP.at
ta.
"
>
tsa
3
‘at it’ / ‘It goes towards
them.’
antina
(24) antina.
"han.
>
tsI.
˜
B@
why?
‘why?’
6.3. GRAMMAR 35
6.3.6 interjections
Interjections provide metalinguistic information about the situation, such
as what is happening to the speaker or listener, what is being talked
about, or the way things are being phrased. Often, interjections are
paired with their opposites by the presence or absence of “na” as the
nal syllable. So, even if you do not know the meanings of “nia” and
“niana”, it is safe to assume that they are antonyms.
(25) ui.
"wi
*amusment
‘lol.’
(26) iana.
"ja.
˜
B@
*confusion
‘I don’t understand.’
Conjunctions
Conjunctions connect multiple nodes into single conceptual groups
like English’s “and” or “or.” Conjunctions in Pantluci must be used in a
very specic structure, where a conjunction joins two phrases of the same
type, and the result is a phrase of that type, or part of it may be used as
the root in order to act as a correction or clarication:
X
conjunction X
conjunction X
cinaii
in talapu
(27) cinaii
"ci.
˜
B@.ji
VP.cute
in
"çim
ConP.and
talapu.
"
>
tsa.R@.pU
purple
‘It is sweet an purple.’
ilu tala
(28) ilu
"çi.RU
ConP.or
tala.
"ta.R@
2
‘or it could be you.’
Abstractions
Abstractions convert a node from a functional grammatical struc-
ture into a noun. The semantics of this transformation depends on the
abstraction used. The common factor however is that the semantics of
the node pre-transformation is treated like a root. For example “nani”
turns nodes into quotes, while “lanu” turns nodes into events where the
embedded clause happens.
36 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
abstraction X
lainu
ti
linna a
picala
(pia)
nini
lacta canau
(29) lainu
"dai
“
.BU
NP.Abst.VP.event
picala
"pi.k@.R@
NP.break
pia
"pi.h@
metaphor
ti
"ti
NP.3
nini
"bi.BI
VP.word
linna
"dim.b@
VP.battle
a
"ha
1
lacta
"da.kT@
look
canau.
"ka.Bau
“
2.IMP
‘My ght with it was (metaphorically) broken by the phrase
“look!”’
6.3.7 ?TO DO?
Experimentation and research is ongoing for other special structures for
Pantluci to handle the current holes in the language such as:
indirect questions
numbers
6.4 Compounding
6.4.1 Loaning
(including self loaning) loans can have letters added or removed based on
commonness apaplca => apaca
try to remove syllabic consonants
6.4.2 Joining
Content words can take on a concatenation form by removing the rst
vowel and making the coda syllabic. If there was no coda, insert a
syllabic /d/ as the nucleus instead. These concentrative forms take only
weak stress. The following sections describe the most common types of
compounds.
6.5. SAMPLE 37
Subject Nominalization
The typical subject of a verb can be derived from “ta” followed by the
verb, like English’s “train” becoming “trainee”.
EXAMPLE
Object Nominalization
Similarly, the typical object of a verb can be derived from the verb
followed by “a”, like English’s “paint” becoming “painter”.
EXAMPLE
?Preposition Nominalization?
The typical thing that would ll a certain preposition for a verb can be
derived via the preposition followed by the verb, for example Pantluci’s
“aaaaa” (I cannot think of a similar process in English).
EXAMPLE
Verbalization
“la” + noun
EXAMPLE
Passivization
“la” + verb
EXAMPLE
Endocentric Compounds
noun + verb
EXAMPLE
incorporation
verb + noun
EXAMPLE
6.5 Sample
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of
ignorance in the midst of black seas of innity, and it was not meant that
we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction,
have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of
dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and
of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the
revelation or ee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new
dark age.
TRANSLATION
38 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
6.6 Dictionary
Dictionary forms are shown with 0 preceding nodes.
Vowel Initial
a (["ha]) Pro.
I, me, we, us (exclusive)
§
aaaaaaaa
my, our (exclusive), we own
because of object
§ aaaaaaaa
used to nominalize
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “I”/“a”/“-er”
aa(a...) (["ha.h@(.h@...)]) Interj.
laughter
§
aaaaaaaa
onomatopoeia
aca (["ha.k@]) Adv.
west, westward, western
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “west”
tok: “”
jbo: “vu’a”
acuii (["ha.kU.ji]) Verb
subject glows, emits light
§ aaaaaaaa
back-formation: “ta lcuii” - “ta”
ala (["ha.R@]) Pro.
everything
§ aaaaaaaa
all, every, each
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “all”
tok: “”
jbo: “ro”
alanu (["ha.Ra.
˜
BU]) Verb
subject is blue
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “blue”
tok: “”
jbo: “blanu”
alain (["ha.Rai
“
m]) Verb
subject is loved by, wished the
best by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “adore”
tok: “
”
jbo: “prami”
alau (["ha.Rau
“
]) Verb
subject is yellow
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “yellow”
tok: “”
jbo: “pelxu”
alin (["ha.R˘Im]) Verb
subject is white, pale-colored,
light
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “white”
tok: “”
jbo: “blabi”
alu (["ha.RU]) Conj.
one or the other, or both
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “or”
tok: “”
jbo: “ja”
6.6. DICTIONARY 39
aluta (["ha.RU.
>
ts@]) Verb
subject is erotic, sexual, loved,
desired by object
§ aaaaaaaa
grc: “ἔρως”
ell: “έρωτας”
an (["h˘am]) Conj.
and, both things
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “and”
tok: “”
jbo: “e”
ana (["ha.
˜
B@]) Adv.
negates, subject is false, fake, not
true
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “na’e”
tok: “”
jbo: “nah”
anpa (["h˘am.p@]) Adv.
below, lower, going down
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “anpa”
anta (["h˘an.
>
ts@]) Verb
subject is wanted, desired by
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “want”
tok: “”
jbo: “pacna”
antina (["han.
>
tsI.
˜
B@]) Adv.
why, because of what
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “why”
tok: “”
jbo: “mu’i ma”
ata (["ha.
>
ts@]) Adv.
east, eastward, eastern
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “east”
tok: “”
jbo: “du’a”
ataua (["ha.
>
ts@.w@]) Verb
subject is chased, persued, run
after by object
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “ ”
atia (["ha.tS
<
j@]) Prep.
subject is like, similar, akin to
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “akin”
tok: “”
jbo: “si’a”
atu (["ha.
>
tsU]) Prep.
subject is because of object,
object therefore subject
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “so”
tok: “”
jbo: “ki’u”
atcai (["ha.skai
“
]) verb
subject is ‘corrected’ unprompted
by object
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “xekce”
ia (["ja]) Interj.
comprehension,
acknowledgement, agreement
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “ia”/“ie”
40 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
ian (["j˘am]) Interj.
marks names
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
iana (["ja.
˜
B@]) Interj.
incomprehension, disagreement
§ aaaaaaaa
ia + -na
ianna (["j˘am.m@]) Interj.
explicitly marks a phrase as
description rather than a name
§ aaaaaaaa
ian + -na
ui (["wi]) Interj.
amusement, joking, happiness,
humor
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “ui”
uina (["wi.
˜
B@]) Interj.
serious, unfunny
§ aaaaaaaa
ui + -na
C
ca (["ka]) Adv.
subject is genuie, real, actual,
bona-de, happening
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “yeah”
tok: “”
jbo: “go’i”
cacu (["ka.kU]) Adv.
above, upper, going up
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “ga’u”
cala (["ka.R@]) Verb
subject is red, crimson
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “gules”
tok: “”
jbo: “xunre”
calai (["ka.Rai
“
]) Verb
subject is grey, desaturated
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “grey”
tok: “”
jbo: “grusi”
calitulu (["ka.RI.
>
tsU.RU]) Verb
subject separates, detaches, un-
dergoes mitosis
§ aaaaaaaa
jpn: “解離する”
can (["k˘am]) Adv.
subject is able, possible, capable
of, can object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “can”
tok: “”
jbo: “ka’e”
cana (["ka.
˜
B@]) Verb
subject goes, is moved by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “went”
tok: “”
jbo: “ka’a”
6.6. DICTIONARY 41
canaia (["ka.
˜
Bai
“
.h@]) Verb
subject is gotten, taken, had by
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “get”
tok: “”
jbo: “lebna”
canaii (["ka.
˜
Ba.ji]) Verb
subject is cute, pure, kind, sweet,
lovable
§ aaaaaaaa
jpn: “可愛い”
canau (["ka.
˜
Bau
“
]) Pro.
you, y’all (command)
§ aaaaaaaa
your, you own because of object
(command)
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “can you”
tok: “”
jbo: “ko”
cancli (["k˘aN.kli]) Noun
concrete, something utilitarian,
functional
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “concrete”
canla (["k˘an.d@]) Verb
subject is good, healthy, great
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “well”
tok: “”
jbo: “kanro”
canli (["k˘an.dI]) Adv
hypothetical, would be
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “would”
tok: “”
jbo: “da’i”
canpa (["k˘am.p@]) Noun
room, space seperated from other
spaces
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “kumfa”
canna (["kam.m@]) Adv.
future, will, to-be
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “gonna”
tok: “”
jbo: “ba”
cantu (["k˘an.tU]) Noun
type, avor, sort, gender, species,
genre
§ aaaaaaaa
ine-pro: “*ǵénh
1
os”
tok: “”
caplai (["ka.plai
“
]) Verb
subject is queer, lgbtq+,
polyamorous
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “queer”
tok: “”
jbo: “sorpa’i”
42 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
caplata (["ka.pl@.
>
ts@]) Pro.
topical but nonpresent parties,
akin to “corporate” or “chat”
§ aaaaaaaa
belonging to a topical but non-
present party
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “corporate”
clanai (["kla.
˜
Bai
“
]) Noun
slime, ooze, mud, viscus uid
§ aaaaaaaa
ell: “γλίνη”
L
la (["da]) Verb
subject is equal, equivalent to,
one of, the same as object
§ aaaaaaaa
used to passivize
§ aaaaaaaa
used to verbalize
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “be”
tok: “”
jbo: “du”
la l (["da hl
"
]) Noun
something, stu (separate
thing/stu from ta ll)
§ aaaaaaaa
la + ta
lali (["da.RI]) Noun
an act of labor, work, a job
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “labor”
tok: “”
jbo: “jibri”
lan (["d˘am]) Prep.
subject is there, true in, on, at, if,
while, when object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “on”
tok: “”
jbo: “ca”
lana (["da.
˜
B@]) Verb
subject is known, understood by
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “know”
tok: “”
jbo: “du’o”
lanpa (["d˘am.p@]) Noun
recessed genitalia, vagina,
prostate
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
lanna (["d˘am.m@]) Verb
subject is fought, battled with by
object
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “damba”
lanu (["da.
˜
BU]) Abstraction
event, happening, occurrence
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “lo nu”
6.6. DICTIONARY 43
latci (["da.Sci) Noun
stone, rock
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “rokci”
N
na (["
m
ba]) Pro.
we, us (inclusive)
§ aaaaaaaa
our (inclusive), we own because
of object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “we”
tok: “”
jbo: “mi’o”
nacli (["
m
ba.klI) Noun
girl, woman, lady, ma’am
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “girl”
tok: “”
jbo: “nixli”
nacli llain (["
m
ba.klI hl
"
dai
“
m)
Noun
girlfreind, wife
§ aaaaaaaa
nacli + alain
naclu (["
m
ba.klU) Noun
mouth, intake, entrance
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “moklu”
nala (["
m
ba.R@]) Adv.
north, northward, northern
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “north”
tok: “”
jbo: “be’a”
nalinta (["
m
ba.R˘In.
>
ts@]) Verb
subject is magenta, metaphori-
cally non-spectral
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “magenta”
tok: “”
jbo: “nukni”
naluna (["
m
ba.RU.
˜
B@]) Verb
subject is brown, earthy-colored
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “brown”
tok: “”
jbo: “bunre”
nan (["
m
b˘am]) Adv.
current, now, present
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “now”
tok: “”
jbo: “ca”
nani (["
m
ba.
˜
BI]) Abstraction
some quoted text
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
nania (["
m
ba.ñj@) Noun
boy, man, guy, sir
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “boy”
tok: “”
jbo: “nanla”
44 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
nania llain (["
m
ba.ñj@ hl
"
dai
“
m)
Noun
boyfreind, husband
§ aaaaaaaa
nania + alain
nanii (["
m
ba.ñji) Noun
ear, frame, border
§ aaaaaaaa
jpn: “耳”
nanitu (["
m
ba.
˜
BI.
>
tsU) Noun
bone, shell
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “bone”
tok: “”
jbo: “bongu”
nanti (["
m
b˘an.
>
tsI]) Noun
enby, genderqueer, nonbinary
person
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “enby”
tok: “”
jbo: “vepre”
nanti llain
(
["
m
b˘an.
>
tsI hl
"
dai
“
m
)
Noun
nonbinary romantic partner,
spouse
§ aaaaaaaa
nanti + alain
naplu (["
m
ba.plU]) Verb
subject is orange, copper-color
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “copper”
tok: “”
jbo: “narju”
natlu (["
m
ba.
>
tslU]) Verb
subject is needed, required by
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “need”
tok: “”
jbo: “nitcu”
natnu (["
m
ba.snU]) Verb
subject is slow, sluggish
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “masno”
nia (["
N
éja]) Interj.
emphasis, focus, conrmation
§ aaaaaaaa
jpn: “にゃあ”
P
pacala (["pa.k@.R@]) Verb
broken, damaged, destroyed
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
paliia (["pa.RI.ja]) Verb
subject fond for, liked by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “-philia”
pancu (["paN.kU]) Verb
subject is pink
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “pink”
tok: “”
jbo: “penku”
6.6. DICTIONARY 45
pani (["pa.
˜
BI]) Adv.
past, was, back-then
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “then”
tok: “”
jbo: “pu”
panila (["pa.
˜
BI.R@]) Verb
subject is black, dark
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “sable”
tok: “”
jbo: “xekri”
panti (["p˘an.
>
tsI]) Verb
subject is owned, had, posessed
by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “have”
tok: “”
jbo: “ponse”
pantluci (["p˘an.
>
tslU.ci]) Noun
the language described by this
book and related oshoots
§ aaaaaaaa
a priori pangram
panu (["pa.
˜
BU]) Noun
person, someone, sapient
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “people”
tok: “”
jbo: “prenu”
pati (["pa.
>
tsI]) Verb
subject is small, little, petty
§ aaaaaaaa
fra: “petit”
patni (["pa.snI]) Verb
subject is thoughtful, thinks of,
about object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “think”
tok: “”
jbo: “pensi”
pantii (["p˘an.
>
tSji]) Noun
protruding genitalia, clitoris, pe-
nis
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “pinji”
pia (["pi.h@]) Interj.
metaphorically
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “pe’a”
pla (["pla]) Prep.
subject uses, is done using, is
helped by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “for”
tok: “”
jbo: “pi’o”
plalia (["pla.RI.h@]) Verb
subject is lime, light green
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “lime”
tok: “”
jbo: “pelri’o”
platii (["pla.
>
tSji]) Adv.
subject is a soft toy, a plush
representation of subject
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “plushie”
46 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
T
ta (["
>
tsa]) Pro.
they, it, he, she
§ aaaaaaaa
their, its, his, her, they own
because of object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “she”
tok: “”
jbo: “ti”
ta lcuii (["
>
tsa ’l
"
.kU.ji]) Noun
lamp, light xture, torch
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “tergu’i”
ta ll (["
>
tsa dl
"
]) Noun
something, stu (separate
thing/stu from la l)
§ aaaaaaaa
ta + la
ta tllpi tl (["
>
tsa sdl
"
pI
>
tsl
"
]) Noun
autotroph
§ aaaaaaaa
ta + tlapi + ta
taci (["
>
tsa.ci]) Verb
subject is said, claimed by object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “say”
tok: “”
jbo: “cusku”
tacai (["
>
tsa.kai
“
]) Noun
disorder, illness, disability
§ aaaaaaaa
jpn: “障害”
tala (["
>
tsa.R@]) Pro.
you, y’all
§ aaaaaaaa
your, you own because of object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “y’all”
tok: “”
jbo: “do”
talani (["
>
tsa.R@.
˜
BI) Noun
cat, feline, kitten
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “feline”
tok: “”
jbo: “tirxu”
talapu (["
>
tsa.R@.pU]) Verb
subject is purple
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “purple”
tok: “”
jbo: “zirpu”
talici (["
>
tsa.RI.ci) Noun
dog, puppy, hound, canine, wolf,
fox
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “bark”
tok: “”
jbo: “lorxu”
tali (["
>
tsa.RI) Verb
subject is cooked, roasted, fried
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
6.6. DICTIONARY 47
talin (["
>
tsa.R˘Im) Noun
computer, computational device,
calculator
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “Turing”
talu (["
>
tsa.RU]) Noun
juice, liquid, water
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
talua (["
>
tsa.dwa]) Prep.
subject is directed, going to, at
object
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “towards”
tok: “”
jbo: “farna”
tan (["
>
ts˘am]) Prep.
subject is from, of object
§
aaaaaaaa
eng: “of”
tok: “”
jbo: “zei”
tana (["
>
tsa.
˜
B@]) Pro
what thing, nominal question
§ aaaaaaaa
questions “which one, what
thing” about the subject
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “what”
tok: “”
jbo: “ma”
tanali (["
>
tsa.
˜
B@.RI]) Noun
animal, beast, creature
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
tanla (["
>
ts˘an.d@]) Verb
subject is wet, lled, covered with
water
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “water”
tok: “”
jbo: “cilmo”
tani (["
>
tsa.
˜
BI]) Noun
language
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “lang”
tok: “”
jbo: “bau”
tanpi (["
>
ts˘am.pI]) Noun
time
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “time”
tok: “”
jbo: “temci”
tantaculun (["
>
ts˘an.
>
ts@.kU.R˘Um])
Noun
tentacle
§ aaaaaaaa
lat: “tentaculum”
tapa (["
>
tsa.p@]) Noun
sturdy at horizontal surface
§ aaaaaaaa
tok: “”
48 CHAPTER 6. PANTLUCI
tata (["
>
tsa.
>
ts@]) Adv.
some, an amount
§ aaaaaaaa
there are some, a few of the
subject
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “some”
tok: “”
jbo: “su’o”
tatan (["
>
tsa.
>
ts˘am]) Verb
subject is cyan
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “cyan”
tok: “”
jbo: “cicna”
tatapanian (["
>
tsa.
>
ts@.p@.
˜
Jj@m])
Verb
subject is cosplayed, roleplayed
by object
§ aaaaaaaa
cmn: “角色扮演”
tatla (["
>
tsa.
>
tsl@]) Verb
subject is fast, swift, quick
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “sutra”
tatu (["
>
tsa.
>
tsU]) Adv.
south, southward, southern
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “south”
tok: “”
jbo: “ne’u”
tatui (["
>
tsa.
>
tsoi
“
]) Adv.
many
§ aaaaaaaa
there are many, a lot of the
subject
§ aaaaaaaa
tata
jbo: “so’i”
tlana (["sda.
˜
B@]) Verb
subject is green
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “green”
tok: “”
jbo: “crino”
tlapa (["sda.p@]) Verb
subject is asleep, resting, dor-
mant
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “sleep”
tok: “”
jbo: “sipna”
tlapi (["sda.pI]) Verb
subject is fed, nourished by, eats
object
§ aaaaaaaa
grc: “τροφή”
tlalu (["sda.RU]) Noun
blood, vital uid
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “blood”
tok: “”
jbo: “ciblu”
6.6. DICTIONARY 49
tnana (["sna.
˜
B@]) Noun
mountin, hill
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “cmana”
tnani (["sna.
˜
BI]) Noun
word, term, name
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “name”
tok: “”
jbo: “cmene”
tnatu (["sna.
>
tsU]) Noun
subject is made, built, designed
by object
§ aaaaaaaa
jbo: “zbasu”
ttani (["s
>
tsa.
˜
BI]) Noun
wood, lumber, stem, trees, self-
supporting plants
§ aaaaaaaa
eng: “trunk”
tok: “”
jbo: “stani”