Volapük

Volapük is the constructed language created in 1880 by Johann Martin Schleyer. Schleyer was the Catholic priest from Germany. He felt that God had told him in the dream to make an international language. Volapük conventions took place in 1884, 1887, and 1889. The aim was to help people from different cultures speak to each other.

Volapük became less popular after 1887 when Esperanto was published. Part of the reason was because Esperanto was easier to learn. There are only 25-30 Volapük speakers in the world today.

The vocabulary of Volapük was mostly English, with some German and French.

"Vol" and "pük" come from the English words "world" and "speech". The grammar is based on Indo-European languages and is more difficult than Esperanto.

An example of Volapük is the translation of the Lord's prayer:

   O Fat obas, kel binol in süls, paisaludomöz nem ola! 
   Kömomöd monargän ola! 
   Jenomöz vil olik, äs in sül, i su tal! 
   Bodi obsik vädeliki govolös obes adelo! 
   E pardolös obes debis obsik, 
   äs id obs aipardobs debeles obas. 
   E no obis nindukolös in tendadi; 
   sod aidalivolös obis de bas. 
   Jenosöd! 

External links

• Basic course in Volapük, in English
• Basic grammar of Volapük, in Esperanto
• Volapop: A site about popular culture written in Volapük
• Discussion group on the vocabulary and grammar of Volapük
• General Volapük discussion group
• Wikipedia in Volapük

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