azulicat/Tarotic

Created 2022-12-24 18:09 Modified Sat, 24 Dec 2022 18:09:50 +0900

Introduction

Tarotic is a small conlang with around 150 words. The core of Tarotic is a set of 22 essential words, based on the Major Arcana of Tarot. These words are usually used as adjectives, but can sometimes be used as another part of speech. Each of these words represents a concept associated with its corresponding Major Arcana, and their spellings are derived from various languages, such as Latin, Arabic, Slavic, and Russian.
The language is called Tarotic because it is based on the Tarot Cards.

It is difficult to determine an exact number of words that are needed for a language to be communicable, as it depends on the specific context and goals of the communication. However, research has shown that a vocabulary of around 2,500 words is sufficient for basic communication in English, and a vocabulary of around 6,000 words is sufficient for general proficiency.

Concept

Overall, Tarotic is a unique and creative conlang with a rich system of words and grammar based on the concepts of the Tarot. While it may have a small lexicon, each word is multifunctional and has a strong connection to its corresponding Major Arcana.

Phonetics

Tarotic has five vowels:

Vowel Pronunciation
a /a/
e /e/
i /i/
o /o/
u /u/

Tarotic also has the following consonants:

Consonant Pronunciation
s /s/
w /w/
l,r /l/
f,v /f/
g /g/
h /h/
k,c /k/
j /j/
n /n/
m /m/
b /b/
p /p/
z /z/
x /ks/
sh /ʃ/

Grammar

Word Order

Tarotic is a verb-second language, similar to German and Dutch, which means that the verb is usually placed in the second position in a sentence. In Tarotic, the last-used verb is always placed at the end of the sentence. The word order for noun phrases is also strict, with the modifier (adjective) always coming before the noun it modifies.
The basic sentence structure in Tarotic is as follows:

Speaker-verb-direct object-indirect object-[verb2]…

Nouns

Nouns that do not end with -o for some reason should be capitalized(including pronouns).

Adjectives

Tarotic is also a postpositive adjective language, which means that adjectives are placed after the nouns they modify. To avoid confusion, restrictive adjectives should always be connected to the nouns they modify with a hyphen.
For example: “The strong man” would be translated as “Orano-fora” in Tarotic.

Compound word

While Tarotic is a postpositive language, sometimes there are certain words to which a restrictive adjective is adhered. For instance, samilaro is made up of sa(si as adjective) and milaro(living beings), hence a dead being. When it happens, it has an implication that the word’s state described with the adjective is fixed and would never change. In the case of samilaro, a dead being would never come back alive.

Diaeresis

You may get confused where to put an adjective in this type of word:

  • zemlo de diabo(the place of devil=office)

In short, you put an adjective directly next to the word you want to modify.

  • zelmo-zala de diabo (the new place of devil=new office)
  • zelmo de diabo-iba(the place of angel = spa, brothel, etc)

If you’re uncertain where to put your adjective, you use so-called diaeresis to indicate that the adjective is attached to the whole word. To do this, you may modify the final vowel of the word.

  • zelmo de diabo-fismä(deteriorated workplace)

When a diaeresis is added, the vowel becomes longer one (aa in this case).

Verbs

Verbs in Tarotic are indicated by the ending vowel -e. The second verb in a clause must end with -n. Note that it is based on clause units, not sentences.

  • Ame diabe maken.
  • Ame make.
  • Ame sape vu oram vu make maki mean asta sude (mean).

Capitalization

Any capitalized word is automatically considered as a noun, regardless of its final vowel.

Contexts

Tarotic does not have an objective case for pronouns, so context is used to determine their function in a sentence.

That-clause

That-clause can be described with Vu. For example:

  • The book which is written in Tarotic is hers. / Asefiro vu de Tarotic sude mean sude de Mare.

You can use Vu for any noun, be it a person or an object. However, you must use the word “mean” to close the that-clause to clearly indicate the end of the clause. However, if there is no following sentence, you can omit the mean marker.

  • I need a book that is written in Tarotic. / Ame diabe asefiro vu de Tarotic sude. (literal: I need a book that is of Tarotic)

Word order inversion

Just like Dutch, there occurs word order inversion in that-clause.

  • The book is written in Tarotic. / Asefiro sude de Tarotic.
  • I need a book that is written in Tarotic. / Ame diabe asefiro vu de Tarotic sude.

Note that this “sude” is the first verb in the clause, so it does not take -n form.

Feelings

In Tarotic, all feelings are described in a very simple way. They can be described with only two elements: “positive/negative” and “firece/temperate”.

  • Positive and fierce: havulo (habi+vulk)
  • Positive and temperate: halico (habi+salic)
  • Negative and firece: mevulo (mesi+vulk)
  • Negative and temperate: melico (mesi+salic)

“temperate” can be interpreted as “moderate”, and “subordinate”. Subordinate emotions are made up of combination of core emotions. There is no fixed definition for them.[要検証]

Part-of-speech Transformation

The part of speech of a word in Tarotic can be modified by adding a certain vowel to the end:

Vowel Part of Speech
-a adjective
-e verb
-o noun
-i adverb
-u others

There are some exceptions to this rule, such as pronouns, which do not change their form.

Pronouns

Tarotic is a synthetic language, meaning that words do not conjugate based on pronouns. Instead, pronouns are used in their stem form and their function is determined by context. Pronouns in Tarotic are:

Person Singular Plural
First Ame Amen
Second Ze Zem
Third(person, genderless) Ore Orem
He Kore Korem
She Mare Marem
Third(object) Se Sem

kor and maka can be used to represent manliness or femininity. Korore=he, Makore=she… Shortening, Kore/Mare.

Arcanics

Tarotic has a small but multifunctional vocabulary, with many of the words derived from various languages and connected to the concepts represented by their corresponding Major Arcana. They are called Arcanics. Here are a few examples:

Word Translation Major Arcana Word Origin
zal easygoing, lucky The Fool a coined word, but with a sound that suggests unpredictability or spontaneity
bax powerful, skilled The Magician a coined word, but with a sound that suggests power or skill
sir glowing, burning The High Priestess a shortened form of “sirius,” the Latin word for “glowing” or “burning,” which could suggest mystery or enigma
maka mother The Empress the Slavic word for “mother,” which could suggest femininity or maternal qualities
kor heart The Emperor a shortened form of “cor,” the Latin word for “heart,” which could suggest authority or rulership
neb cloud, wisdom The Hierophant a shortened form of “nebula,” the Latin word for “cloud,” which could suggest wisdom or enlightenment
habi love, passion The Lovers the Arabic word for “love” or “passion”
koleso wheel The Chariot the Slavic word for “wheel,” which could suggest movement or transportation
for strong, powerful Strength a shortened form of “fortis,” the Latin word for “strong” or “powerful”
sap wise, enlightened The Hermit a shortened form of “sapiens,” the Latin word for “wise” or “enlightened”
galga fate, destiny The Wheel of Fortune stems from galgalim, the wheel-looking angel
mishp justice, judgment Justice the Hebrew word for “justice” or “judgment”
razi reflection, contemplation The Hanged Man the Slavic word for “reflection” or “contemplation”
si death Death the Japanese word for “death”
taon path, balance Temperance a shortened form of “tao,” the Chinese word for “path” or “way,” which could suggest balance or moderation
diab devil, temptation The Devil a shortened form of “diabolus,” the Latin word for “devil” or “temptation”
kula tower, transformation The Tower the Slavic word for “tower” or “citadel”
asta hope, inspiration, aspiration, optimism The Star
mesi moon The Moon the Russian word for “moon”
lar warmth, light The Sun a coined word, but with a sound that suggests warmth or light
sud judgment, decision Judgment the Slavic word for “judgment” or “decision”
mir world, universe The World the Russian word for “world” or “universe”

Root forms of them are without the last vowel. Note that in general, Arcanics cannot be used in the form of bare stem, unless you refer to the concept of each Arcana itself. In this case, the word should be capitalized.

Detailed meanings of Arcanics

Word Detailed Meaning
zal new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, having beginner’s luck, improvisation, believing in the universe
bax power, skill, transformation, creativity, manipulation, resourcefulness
sir mystery, enigma, intuition, secrets, hidden knowledge, the unconscious
maka femininity, maternal qualities, fertility, nurturing, caring, comfort
kor authority, rulership, leadership, stability, structure
neb wisdom, enlightenment, understanding, guidance, teaching, tolerance
habi love, passion, desire, connection, commitment
koleso movement, transportation, progress, change, momentum
for strength, power, courage, determination, endurance
sap wisdom, enlightenment, understanding, insight, introspection
galga fate, destiny, the path that one is on, the circumstances that shape one’s life
mishp justice, fairness, balance, truth, honor
razi reflection, contemplation, introspection, self-examination, surrender
si death, rebirth, transformation, change, letting go
taon balance, harmony, moderation, self-control, alignment with one’s inner path
diab temptation, desire, materialism, ego, attachment
kula upheaval, transformation, change, destruction, chaos
asta hope, inspiration, aspiration, optimism, spirituality
mesi illusion, deception, fear, the unknown, the subconscious
lar warmth, light, happiness, joy, success, vitality
sud decisive, final, conclusive, judgmental, condemning, condemning, judgment, decision, resolution, finality, accountability
mir [adj]complete, whole, unified, accomplished, global, cosmic[noun]unity, completion, wholeness, the universe, the interconnectedness of all things
Adjective meanings
  • The Fool: [adj] carefree, optimistic, open-minded, spontaneous, reckless, unaware
  • The Magician: [adj] skilled, powerful, resourceful, manipulative, charismatic, visionary
  • The High Priestess: [adj] mysterious, enigmatic, intuitive, secretive, all-knowing, hidden
  • The Empress: [adj] maternal, nurturing, feminine, abundant, fertile, loving
  • The Emperor: [adj] authoritarian, commanding, powerful, decisive, strict, ruling
  • The Hierophant: [adj] wise, enlightened, spiritual, religious, guiding, teaching
  • The Lovers: [adj] passionate, loving, romantic, devoted, attracted, sensual
  • The Chariot: [adj] fast, powerful, determined, moving, driving, commanding
  • Strength: [adj] strong, powerful, brave, determined, resilient, capable
  • The Hermit: [adj] wise, enlightened, solitary, introspective, spiritual, reflective
  • The Wheel of Fortune: [adj] unpredictable, changing, cyclical, fated, destined, fateful
  • Justice: [adj] fair, impartial, just, righteous, moral, lawful
  • The Hanged Man: [adj] suspended, sacrificed, waiting, suspended, contemplative, resigned
  • Death: [adj] inevitable, final, transformative, ending, changing, destructive
  • Temperance: [adj] balanced, moderate, harmonious, self-controlled, disciplined, modest
  • The Devil: [adj] tempting, seductive, manipulative, selfish, controlling, corrupting
  • The Tower: [adj] destructive, transformative, sudden, shocking, revealing, devastating
  • The Star: [adj] hopeful, inspiring, shining, guiding, aspirational, visionary
  • The Moon: [adj] mysterious, subconscious, irrational, deceptive, illusionary, primal
  • The Sun: [adj] joyful, warm, bright, optimistic, successful, thriving
  • Judgment: [adj] decisive, final, conclusive, judgmental, condemning, condemning
  • The World: [adj] complete, whole, unified, accomplished, global, cosmic

Minor Arcanics

Tarotic Suit Origin
zelm Pentacle “zemla” (derived from the Slavic word “zemlja,” which means “earth” or “soil,” and could suggest stability or abundance)
vulk Wand (derived from the Slavic word “vulkan,” which means “volcano,” and could suggest fire or energy)
zefir Sword (derived from the Greek word “zephyros,” which means “west wind,” and could suggest direction or progression)
salic Cup derived from Croatian

[Wand]
The wand represents a staff or club and is associated with the element of fire. It represents passion, will, imagination, intuition, and ego. It also represents the heat, momentum, and ascendancy of a flame.

[Pentacle]
The pentacle represents a gold coin or talisman and signifies the “earth” element. The pentacle is often depicted as a gold coin with a pentagram within it. It represents assets, work, income, talent, status, and personal connections.

[Sword]
Sword represents a sword and signifies the element of “wind”. It represents objectivity, logic, thought, language, and intelligence," and is interpreted with these qualities in readings.

[Cup]
The cup represents the chalice and signifies the element of “water”. It represents the water nature of affection, emotion, sensitivity, passivity, love, fantasy, dreams, imagination, faith, and the unconscious.

Interrogatives

Tarotic also has a set of interrogative words. These words are pronounced with a sound similar to “F,” rather than the spelling “V.”

Word Meaning
Voru Who
Vu What
Volesu Where
Vudu When
Votu Why
Vebu How

Origin

“Who”: “Voru” (using the pronoun for “he/she” to ask about a person)
“What”: “Vu” (using the pronoun for “it” to ask about a thing or concept)
“Where”: “Volesu” (using the word for “wheel” to suggest movement or location)
“When”: “Vudu” (using the word for “fate” or “destiny” to suggest time or timing)
“Why”: “Votu” (using the word for “need” or “want” to suggest motivation or purpose)
“How”: “Vebu” (using the word for “cloud” to suggest ways or methods)

Imperative

You can make verbs imperative by simply changing its last vowel to -ore. For example:
Astore(aste+-ore): Look!

-iba form

Adding -iba to a word negates its meaning. Surprisingly, you can use this to any part of speech! Although it is usually used to verbs and adjectives. Note that -iba does not make Arcanics reversed, but just simply negates its meaning.

  • zelmo-iba: no place, nowhere
  • aste-iba: unsee, cannot see
  • fora-iba: weak

Number System

Tarotic has a base-22 number system, using the 22 essential words as roots for numbers up to 22.
It can count up to 21, with each number represented by adding “os” to the root form of the corresponding essential word. For example, 0 is “zalos” and 1 is “baxos”.
To represent numbers larger than 22, they are simply combined, such as 23 being represented as “baxos-arcosa” (1+22).

Colors

Color Word
Yellow Wakana
Black Kulana
Red Korana
White Zalana
Blue Astana
Green Makana

Time

Word Meaning
mir past (fixed time). Has a positive connotation
sap past (but still nagging the speaker). Has a negative connotation
galg now, present (moving)
kul the far future. Completely unseen, has a negative connotation
mes the near future. Vaguely unseen, has a negative connotation
ast the future that is somewhat predictable or optimistic. Has a positive connotation

Past tense

You can create a past tense simply by adding “en Mir/Sap”, mostly shortened as enmir/ensap.

  • Ame make korano enmir/ I ate an apple (at some point in the past)

Perfect tense

Ame pune korano miremaken / I’ve eten an apple

Undefined words and Apar form

As Tarotic’s vocabulary is small, sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where you have no word to describe what you want to say in the language. In that case, you can use the Apar-[Any Arcanic] form.
“Apar” is a marker word that can only be used in this format. It is derived from अपरिभाषित(aparibhaashit), meaning “undefined”.
By using Apar-[Any Arcanic] form, you can theoretically represent anything in the world, albeit in an ambiguous manner.

  • Apar-zala: something that is related to the concepts of The Fool.

Alternatively, you can just use foreign words if you feel confident that it can convey what you mean. However, you have to follow Tarotic phonetic rules in their spellings.

  • Ame pune Hayashi Rais miremaken enmir. / I ate hayashi rice.

Vocabulary

See: [[All Taropic Words]]

Common words

Tarotic English Derived from
make to eat from maka; in addition to maka somewhat related to food, maka also reminds you of Eve(who ate an apple in Heaven)
zefire to say “sir,” the Latin word for “glowing” or “burning”
sape to think, to feel “sap,” the Latin word for “wise”
habe to love “habi,” the Arabic word for “love” or “passion”
kolese to go “koleso,” the Slavic word for “wheel”
forne to be strong “for,” the Latin word for “strong” or “powerful”
mine to know
kulane to change “kula,” the Slavic word for “tower” or “citadel”
aste to see, to read
mesie to hear “mesi,” the Russian word for “moon”
miske to give “mishp,” the Hebrew word for “justice” or “judgment”
lare to take “lar,” which could suggest acquisition or possession
diabe to need, want Temperance taon reversed
pune to have derived from Indonesian punya
zale to do “zal,” which could suggest action or activity
sude to be “sud,” the Slavic word for “judgment” or “decision”
baxe to make, to create “bax,” which could suggest creativity or invention
miname to learn(fruitfully know)
hazelme to play, to enjoy The lovers and Pentacle
kolame to write To write: “kolama” (derived from “koleso,” the Slavic word for “wheel,” which could suggest movement or progression, and “maka,” the Slavic word for “mother,” which could suggest creation or nurturing)
siro something derived from sir(The High Priestess). Add a nuance of mystery, enigma, or secrecy.
orano-sira someone
asefiro book asta+zefir
aise to start Si reversed
mire to finish, to end
sie to die
rima [adj]incomplete Mir reversed

Major suffixes

For verbs

  • -ame: derived from maka(The Empress). Add a nuance of fruitfulness, productivity, or dedication.
  • -ore: derived from kor(The Emperor). Make it imperative

For nouns

  • -azo: derived from razi(The Hanged Man). Makes it diminutive.
  • iro: derived from mir(The World). Makes it collective, for example→asefiro(book) to asefiriro(library)

Prefixes

For nouns

For verbs

  • mire-: derived from mir(The World). Add a nuance of completion, unity, or integration, hence making it a perfect tense.

Tarotic Greetings

Tarotic English Notes
Zalune Hello Using “zal” to suggest greeting and -une to add a greeting-like nuance
Larmake Good morning Using “lar” to suggest the sun and “maken” for “eat,” which is a common way to greet someone in the morning
Larsape Good afternoon Using “lar” to suggest the sun and “sapen” for “think,” which could suggest a more relaxed or introspective greeting
Mesmake Good evening Using “mesi” for “moon” and “maken” for “eat,” which could suggest a greeting as the day comes to a close
Eze Goodbye Using reversed Ze to suggest greeting and -e to add a farewell-like nuance

Greetings in Tarotic are simple and straightforward, with most of them being variations on the word “zal”.

Zal, The Fool 0, often connects to fundamental ideologies.

Note that the time-specific greetings are hardly used in Tarotic, and usually “Zalune” is prefered in most situations.

Idiom, Saying

  • Se sude de Kula.
    • Literal: it’s about the tower
    • Meaning: no one knows what the future holds
  • Agula!
    • Cursing, swearing. Damn! Shit!

Sample Sentences

  • “Look!": “Astore!”
  • “Please give me a small cup”: “Miskore ke Ame salicazo”
  • “I am very happy”: “Ame sape havula”
  • “He is a bit angry”: “Kore sape melica”
  • “I love you”: “Ame habe Ze”

18 Basics (provided by ChatGPT)

  1. “I am hungry.” / Ame diabe maken.
  2. “I want to eat pizza.” / Ame diabe Piza maken.
  3. “I need to go to the store.” / Ame diabe ke kago kolesen.
  4. “I see a cat.” / Ame aste milarazo.
  5. “I love you.” / Ame habe Ze.
  6. “She is beautiful.” / Mare sude asta.
  7. “He is strong.” / Kore sude fora.
  8. “I think the answer is 42.” Ame sape vu zefiro-mira miros-miros suden.
  9. “I am going to the park.” / Ame zale ke zelmo-hazelma kolesen.
  10. “I have a lot of homework.” / Ame pune zalo de kolamo maki.
  11. “I am happy”: “Ame sape havula”
  12. “I am not happy”: “Ame sape havula-iba”
  13. “I want to eat pizza”: “Ame diabe Piza maken”
  14. “The book is interesting”: “Asefiro sude zala”
  15. “Can you give me a book?": Ze zale ke Ame asefiro misken?
  16. “Where is the library?": “Asefiriro sude Volesu?”
  17. I need to finish my homework”: “Ame diabe zalo de kolamo-Ama miren”
  18. I want to go to the park”: “Ame zale ke zelmo-hazelma kolesen.”

Some notable points

  • in that-clause(Vu clause), word order inversion occurs just like in Dutch
  • Sape and sude are like soy and estoy in Spanish. Both of rhemtcan be translated as “Am/Are/Is”, but usage is slightly different
  • Zale(to do) can also be used to show willingness. You might think of “diabe”, but diabe is strongly connected to the idea of extravagance, so it cannot be used in that way
  • Zalo de: thing to do. For example: zalo de kolamo=thing to write=homework

Other Sentences

  • わたしは教師です。 / Ame sude orano-neba.
  • わたしの母は弁護士でした。/ Mako de Ame sude mishpo de orano enmir.
  • わたしは,将来,医者になりたい。/ Ame diabe orano-neba-aisa suden enast.
  • 今日は 2 月29日です。/ laro de galga sude siros/kolesos-arcosa.
  • わたしの夫は30歳です。/ koro-Ama sude foros-arcosa.
  • この橋は古い。/ Mimeso de taono sude siaza engalg.
  • この壁はかつては青かった。/ Mimeso de kula sude Astana enmir.
  • 新しい首相はサルにとっても人間にとっても驚くほど賢い。/ Koro-zala sude neba maki.
  • わたしたちは今日も一日中働いた。/ Amem zale maki en laro-demira.
  • わたしたちの会社は、東京にある。/ Zelmo de diabo sude en Tokyo.
  • わたしたちは、今年、たくさんの本を読んだ。/ Amem pune asefirom-maka mireasten en Mir-lara.
  • わたしたちは、明日、友達と会う予定です。 / Amem kolese koru oram-haba asten enast.
  • “I am going to the store”: “Ame zale ke kago kolesen”
  • “I am reading a book”: “Ame aste asefiro”
  • “I am not hungry”: “Ame diabe maken ibu”
  • “I am writing a letter”: “Ame kolame zefiro de habo”
  • “The cat is sleeping”: “Milarazo raze”
  • “The dog is barking”: “Milarazo zefire”
  • “The flowers are blooming”: “Milaro-makana aise”
  • “I am tired”: “Ame sape mevula”
  • “I am feeling cold”: “Ame sape melica”
  • “I am feeling warm”: “Ame sape havula”
  • “I am watching TV”: “Ame aste TV”
  • “I am listening to music”: “Ame mesie zalasapo”
  • “I am eating dinner”: “Ame make mesmako”
  • “I am speaking Tarotic”: “Ame zefire de Tarotic”
  • “The sun is shining”: “Laro vulke”
  • “The moon is full”: “Meso sude mira”
  • “The weather is cold”: “Asto sude kulana”
  • “The sky is clear”: “Asto sude astana”
  • “I am happy to see you”: “Ame sape haluva Ze asten”
  • “I am sorry”: “Ame sape melica”
  • Kore diabe-iba asefirom vu sude enmir mean asten. (He does not want to read any books that were written in the past.)
  • Kore sape vu orano-kora agulo habe mean agula suden. (He thinks that the man who loves the unfortunate is unlucky.)
  • Ame sape vu asefiro de Tarotic galga suden. (I think that the book that is written in Tarotic is lucky.)
  • Asefirom de Tarotic vu sude enmir mean miske ke oram de baxo havulo. (The books that are written in Tarotic and are finished bring happiness to the person who makes them.)
  • Kore diabe-iba mako-asta laren. (He does not want to take the woman who is beautiful.)
  • Zalore asefiro de Tarotic. (Do a book written in Tarotic.)
  • Koro habe mako. (The man loves the woman.)
  • Asefiro de Tarotic sude asta. (The book written in Tarotic is beautiful.)
  • Ame diabe mako-asta misken. (I want to give the beautiful woman.)
  • Baxore asefiro de Tarotic. (Make a book written in Tarotic.)
  • “Ame habe koro enkul sirut Ame habe-iba Kore engalg.” (I will love the man in the future but I am not in love with him now.)
  • “Koro diabe asefirom vu sude enmir mean asten, sirut Kore taone-iba Se zefiren.” (The man wants to read books that were written in the past but he cannot say them.)
  • “Ame sape vu orano-kora agulo habe mean agula sude.” (I think that the man who loves the unlucky is unlucky.)
  • “Miro habe koro et Kore sude galga.” (God loves the man and he is lucky.)
  • “Ame diabe asefiro vu de Tarotic mean et Se sude sude de Mare.” (I need a book that is written in Tarotic and it is hers.)
  • Mako-asta sape vu asefiro de Tarotic ke koro haluvo miske. (The beautiful woman thinks that the book written in Tarotic makes the man happy.)
  • Ame diabe mako-asta misken. (I want to give the beautiful woman.)
  • Ame diabe mako-asta laren enmir. (I wanted to take the beautiful woman in the past.)
  • Ame diabe asefirom de enmir sudu koro Sem habe. (I want to read the books that were written in the past because the man loves them.)
  • Mimeso vu misken sude mean sude mishpa. (The object that is given is right.)