-->

Introduction to Zaitan:
Lesson 1

By Pipno

Zaitan /’zɛtən/ is an artistic romlang made by me, Pipno.

It has quite a complex phonology, so I am not going to explain it too deeply, just some basics you need to know:

Consonants:

CH, GH, X and Z have unpredictable sounds most of the time.
B, D, G, V, Z and J can be silent sometimes.

Vowels:

Vowels suffer harmony and reduction, sometimes causing minimal pairs.
Final vowels are usually silent.
There are some vowel digraphs.

You will receive an IPA transcription, so that you don’t need to worry about how to gather letters in order to make sounds.

So your first lesson will be about daily interjections and how they change across the different Zaitan communities around the world.

In Europe, hello is Slute /’zlyt/ (Spelled Slt on the internet)
In Africa, hello is Slamo /’zlam/ (Spelled Slm on the internet)
In Asia, hello is Niehou /’nju/ (Spelled Nh or Niu on the internet)
In America, hello is Prang /’pɾã/ (Spelled Prn on the internet)

On the internet, laughing is gra gra gra! /ʀa ʀa ʀa/

When someone asks your name, you will hear

Quale tuo nome? /,kwal ,tu ’nom/

Sou you can answer them Mio nome è /,mi ’nom ,ɛ/, then say your name.

If you want to ask something, for example a cup of water, you ask

Un coupo di agua, phor /ũ ’kup dj ’agwa ,foɾ/

Phor is the word for please.
Probs /pɾos/ is a more formal way to say please

After they give you your refreshing cup of water, you should say

Grato /ʀat/, which means thanks

When you are asked your age, you will hear

Quale tua ætad? /’kwal ,tw e'ta/

Then you will need to know some numbers in order to answer the question.

1 = Uno /’un/
2 = Dous /’dus/
3 = Tries /tris/
4 = Quarto /kwart/
5 = Cinco /ʃĩk/
6 = Siex /sis/
7 = Sebte /set/
8 = Ogto /ot/
9 = Nouve /nuv/
10 = Diez /di/
11 = Onge /õʒ/
12 = Douge /duʒ/
13 = Triege /triʒ/
14 = Quage /kwaʒ/
15 = Cinge /ʃĩʒ/
16 = Sige /siʒ/
17 = Dieste /dist/
18 = Diogto /djot/
19 = Nouge /nuʒ/
20 = Vingta /vĩt/
30 = Tringta /trĩt/
40 = Cangta /kãt/
50 = Cingta /ʃĩt/
60 = Singta /sĩt/
70 = Stengta /stẽt/
80 = Ongta /õt/
90 = Nongta /nõt/
100 = Cento /ʃẽt/

So if you are 79 years old you say Stengta id nouve /'stẽt i 'nuv/

Sums are made my inserting id /i/ between the numbers. Example:

2179 = Dous mille id cento id stengta id nouve /,duz ’mil i ’ʃẽt i ’stẽt i ’nuv/

General bye is Ciao /’ʃaw/
Bye forever is Dió /'djo/

Now let's practice the words and sentences you learnt today in this lesson.

Hello (Asia)

Answer: niehou
Not correct. Please try again.

123

Answer: cento id vingta id tries
Not correct. Please try again.

Hello (Africa)

Answer: slamo
Not correct. Please try again.

Please

Answer: grato
Not correct. Please try again.

Thanks (informal)

Answer: phor
Not correct. Please try again.

Hello (America)

Answer: prang
Not correct. Please try again.

Thanks (formal)

Answer: probs
Not correct. Please try again.