A Grammar of Vabungula. Part 4.1: More About Roots.

This list attempts to cover all the primary roots in Vabungula, while secondary roots (i.e., roots that arise as a combination of primary roots) are kept to a bare minimum. Virtually any word can theoretically become its own root, engendering a series of related words having it as its primary component. It is therefore not always an easy task to determine what should be classified as a Vabungula root. I have made a rather subjective choice of listing only those secondary roots that seem to have taken on a distinctive identity independent from their parent components. In these cases where a secondary root is listed, the primary root components are given in parentheses.

Note that some roots have multiple and distinct meanings. Roots may appear in full or abbreviated form. Abbreviated forms are listed with the full form given in parentheses.

All possible combinations of consonant + vowel are listed, those not representing a root being marked as (NOT USED).

Roots beginning with a vowel are listed first, followed by those beginning with a consonant.

ag = (agu) aga = away, remove aga = old agu = speak ak = sudden action al = see ala = general, unspecific alû = (alûn) alûn= measure (al + ûn) am = name an = (ano) ano = passive, yield, allow ar = (are); (arm) are = red arm = hand, arm au = return back ego = wonder, ponder questioningly eku = attribute (e + ku) en = (ena) ena = want, desire ep = rubbery, elastic es = (kes) esa = leave, depart êm = royal êm = (êms) êms = stripe ic = also; new, child if = combine, mix im = happen is = (islû) islû= breathe oj = (oja) oja = join, together oja = great, glorious oko = only ol = around, round on = whole; one or = thickness uc = sharp pointed growth or object udzz= means, way ul = cold um = before, previous uni = plan (um + ni) up = north uzz = explode ûlg = concept; resolute, determined ûn = piece ba = throw barg= care, caution ca = iron ca = hide da = cause da = fall da = concerning, about dwa = earth fa = do, make fag = machine fja = cover fra = (fram); (fran) fram= grass, hair fran= must, necessary, important fwa = stop ga = male; (gal) gab = seek gac = path, road gal = abnormal, strange, crazy gal = exist garp= unimportant gas = real gla = greet ha = light; dark; (halja) haj = chop or cut grass or weeds halja= death ja = big ka = you; (kak); (kam); (kac) kac = hot, warm kae = color kaf = servant kak = hard, solid kam = thing kar = true kar = eat kar = different kar = satisfy kat = guard, protect, keep kja = sharp kra = yes, affirmative kwa = show, reveal la = towards; at; (lam); (lar) lam = place lar = time ma = (mal); (mas); (maz) mag = happen mal = past tense mas = go maz = foot, leg mna = all na = bad; down nag = bump pa = side; (pak) pak = end pra = (prak) prak= exact ra = (rap) rap = water, liquid sa = have saf = keep saj = across ta = behind, back; (tar) tal = tie tar = gratitude va = on vaj = alongside vak = surface wa = (NOT USED) za = (zal) zal = change into ssa = mutual ssag= spear zza = (zzap) zzap= lose (opposite of find) zzau= back and forth be = awe bez = magic ce = (cep) cel = visit cel = approximate cep = fruit de = he/she/it dem = separate der = answer fe = (fre); (fel); (fep) fel = poison fep = simple fre = through ge = sound; (gel); (gez) gel = yet, continue gez = move gre = seem he = yellow je = (NOT USED) ke = like, as; (adj. suffix); (kes) kes = substance le = intensive; with me = (meg; men; mer) meg = erode men = anger mer = wipe ne = compare; (nel); (nea) nea = hill, mountain neg = curious nel = shape pe = part of body re = green, plant rec = green, plant rev = root se = (sek); (sen) sek = wood, tree sen = sex ske = self sle = fat, obese te = fertile; (tev) tev = justice ve = (ver) ver = harvest vre = steal, plunder, violate we = (NOT USED) ze = (zer) zer = same sse = (sse) sses= wheat zze = (NOT USED) bi = image, picture bwi = (buim) ci = between, inter- di = flower; (dir); (dik) dir = ruler, leader dik = official fi = not fig = metal fri = abdomen, hip, stomach gi = finger; even hi = spicy, hot ji = (NOT USED) ki = (kir) kir = after li = oil mi = sun; white; life mic = pain, hurt ni = mind, think, head pi = thin ri = beauty si = small sri = superior ti = morality, ethics vi = in order to wi = (NOT USED) zi = similar zzi = because ssi = like, love ssit= treble sound bê = (NOT USED) bêl = two bêk = comb bên = room (e.g. in house) cê = (NOT USED) dê = (dêf) dêf = push fê = (NOT USED) fêl = obey gê = (NOT USED) gêm = string, filament gêm = tired hê = (NOT USED) jê = exist kê = (NOT USED) kêp = (krêp) klê = ask krê = (krêm); (krêp) krêm= grow krêm= permitted krêm= descend, sink krêp= strike, hit lê = (lêk); (lêm) lêk = cut, bite lêm = build, construct mê = (NOT USED) mêf = slow mêk = order, arrangement mên = touch, feel mês = loose; cook mêt = sit, lie nê = (nêm) nêm = weak nêz = shame pê = (pên); (plê) pên = mouth pên = sad plê = be present rê = (rêm), (rênk) rêm = strong rênk= heavy sê = (sêm) sêm = judge srê = sweep tê = that; (tên) tên = direction vê = (vêm) vêm = fluff, foam wê = (NOT USED) zê = (NOT USED) ssê = (NOT USED) zzê = (NOT USED) bo = clean co = namely, that is do = good; up; (don) don = two dor = peace dro = (dron) dron= ten fo = rectum go = right (opp. of left); (gol); (gor); (gro) gol = serious gor = dangerous gro = out ho = moon; (hon) hon = eight hodzz=box, cube jo = long (cf. nof) ko = fly (travel through air); fly (small flying insect); (= kam); (kon) kodzz=square kon = four kor = ball kwon= five lo = first, begin, origin; (lom); (lor) lom = south lor = open mo = (mol; mom) mok = container mol = opposite mom = center, middle no = toe; (nos); (nom); (non); (nor) nof = length (cf. jo) nok = knob nom = humble non = nine nor = inferior nos = animal not = kind, variety po = female ro = music so = I, self sod = soft (opp. of loud) son = six slo = room, space; (slon) slon= seven to = (ton); (tom) todzz=triangle tom = humor ton = three tor = slope vo = front wo = (NOT USED) zo = number sso = nose, smell sso = like, pleasing sso = (ssot) ssot= meet zzo = (NOT USED) bu = if, might, conditional buim= chance (bu + im) blu = leaf cu = subjunctive du = (duf); (dum); (dun) duf = island dum = embarrassed dun = clever dzzu= take, receive; put, place fu = air; sudden fwi = not gu = (agu) glu = tell; prove gnu = until hu = celestial ju = according to ku = mark lu = health mu = (muc); (muh); (mug); (mul) muc = cause; result mug = word, language muh = blue; sky mul = become; future tense mur = jewel, money nu = vain pu = (pum); (pun) pum = smooth pun = condition, state plu = oblique, slanted, diagonal ru = emotion su = (sum); of, pertaining to; from sku = rest, relax tu = this; (tul) tul = sympathy vu = aware, alert wu = (NOT USED) zu = dizzy, giddy, drunk ssu = (ssuv) ssuv= step, stage zzu = deep; reptile; shake, tremble bû = (NOT USED) cû = (NOT USED) dû = (dûl) dûl = normal dûm = pride dzzû= give fû = (fûm); (fûn) fûm = dry fûn = now; sudden gû = (glû) gûv = disgust, nausea glû = fear hû = (hûm) hûm = bass sound, rumble jû = (NOT USED) kû = (kûl); (kûs); (krû) kûl = military kûl = bundle, group kûs = shut, close krû = flat, low lû = (lûg); (lûm) lûg = catch lûm = win, conquer lûn = (alûn) mû = (mûd); (mûl) mûd = soul, spirit mûl = belief system, -ism nû = (nûs) nûg = rough, scratch nûs = imaginary, not real pû = (NOT USED) rû = (NOT USED) sû = left (opp. of right) tû = (NOT USED) vû = (vûs) vûs = cloth, textile wû = (NOT USED) zû = thorn, stinger; buzz zûm = hole ssû = (NOT USED) zzû = (NOT USED) by = (NOT USED) cy = (NOT USED) dy = (NOT USED) fy = (NOT USED) gy = (NOT USED) hy = (NOT USED) jy = (NOT USED) ky = (NOT USED) ly = (NOT USED) lyf = silver my = (NOT USED) ny = (nym); (nys) nym = presume, think nys = shallow py = (NOT USED) ry = (NOT USED) sy = (syf) syf = light (weight) ty = (tym) tym = guess vy = (vym) vym = tobacco wy = (NOT USED) zy = (NOT USED) ssy = (NOT USED) zzy = (NOT USED)

Some roots are "overloaded", i.e., they have more than one meaning. Some examples:

1. kar has four distinct meanings: different, eat, truth, and satisfy. Examples:

KAR ====== different: kar ====== different karala === difference ekaril === variation karela === other karesum == race (of people); (sum = person) famêkar == change; (famêlêt = make, do) fanakare = betray icekarel = novelty; (icera = new) nekarle == distinguish between; (ne = compare) karmas === turn; (masa = go) KAR ====== truth: karalan == true karalal == truth karalon == correct afakar === correct a mistake; (afa = fix, correct) agukar === tell the truth; (agula = speak) karalana = it is true legukar == oath; (le = intense; gu = speak) karanil == logic; (ni = mind, think) nikarani = deduce; (ni = mind, think) KAR ======= eat: dokar ===== delicious; (do = good) dokari ==== sweet; (do = good) karal ===== eat karas ===== food misakaras = breakfast; (mislarêm = morning) dzzukaras = feed; (dzzu- = corruption of dzzû- from dzzûmba = give) ekarflam == dishes (for eating meals); (flamao = plate) enkarke === hungry; (enad = want) sikaras === snack; (sikili = small) KAR = satisfy: dakaron === satisfy; (da = cause; -on = complete) karno ===== satisfactory karnodzzu = accept; (dzzumba = take) karnofa === be pleased karnozeni = approve; (zeni = agree) karona ==== be satisfied with fakarno === approve gnukar ==== to one's heart's content; (gnu = until)

KÛL = war kûlana ===== war kûlsum ===== army; (sum = person) fukûlsum === air force; (fu = air) kûlsusum === soldier dikûlsum === officer (military); (dikar = official) jalakûl ==== sergeant; (jana = big) kûlprak ==== attack; (prak = exact, precise) kûlmas ===== invade; (masa = go) kûla ======= fight kûlaze ===== wrestle kûlido ===== competition; (do = good) kûmofa ===== revolt; (mol = against, opposite) kûposo ===== defend; (p(r)o = for; so = I) dirakûlmûl = fascism; (dira = ruler; mûl = "-ism") okûlake ==== aggressive KÛL = group, bundle: kûl ======== group, pile, bunch, bundle kûlo ======= bundle miukûl ===== snowdrift; (miulorap = snow) misseskûl == loaf of bread; (misseska = bread) sisekûlo === book; (siseka = paper) nivêmkûl === pillow; (ni = head, vêm = fluff) sumkûl ===== crowd; (sum = people) noskûl ===== herd, group of animals;(no(s) ===== animal) sikagêmkûl = brush; (si = small, ka(k) = hard, gê(m) = hair, filament) armokûl ==== fist; (armon = hand) ekûl ======= set (abstract) jamuhakûl == galaxy; (ja = large; muhasil = star) jansafkûl == luggage; (jan = large; saf = keep) karikûl ==== cake; (kari = sweet) karsikûl === ear of grain; (kar = food; si = small)

3) krêm has three distinct meanings: grow, descend, and be permitted. Sharing the abbreviated root krê is krêp meaning strike. Examples:

krêman ===== increase (intr.) fakrêman === increase (tr.) fakrêmale == magnify (alega = see) jarakrêm === (ocean) tide (jaralam = sea, ocean) krêmago ==== bulge (gro = out) mikrêman === grow (misa = live, alive) zokrêmle === multiply (zo = number, le = intensive) krêmê ====== descend, settle rakrême ==== sink (in water) fakrêmê ==== lower down (tr.) krêm ======= may, be permitted krêmfasek == license (falê = to do; sek = paper) arcikrê ==== clap hands (armon = hand, ci = between) fifakrêpak = electric shock (fifa = electricity, -ak = sudden) krêdage ==== crash (da = fall, ge = sound) krêfamu ==== type with a typewriter (famu = write) krêgekamo == bell (ge = sound, kamo = thing) krêkam ===== hammer krêpagêm === whip (gêm = string, rope) krêssola === collide (sso = meet) kûkrêp ===== slap (kû = flat) sokrêpka === target (sokalap = destination, ka = thing)

Notes on the Root "HA"

One of the most curiously contradictory roots in Vabungula is ha. This root has two different and completely opposite meanings: light and dark. The word for light is ha, and as such claims the first right to the root ha. Some examples: hake (bright), hafam (shine), fumuha (lightning), hadûn (beam of light), hakac (fire), haliva (candle), kohasil (firefly), muhasil (star), mihado (sun). The opposite meaning of dark has encroached upon the root ha in a rather roundabout manner. The word for white is misado, being a combination of misa (life) and do (good). Similarly, the word for black is haljana, formed by a combination of halja (dead) and na (bad). By adding the nominal suffix -l to haljana we obtain haljanal which means darkness. (The adjective dark is haljanake). The primary root is thus hal(ja), meaning death, black, or dark, which can then appear in the abbreviated form ha, curiously coinciding with the aforementioned root of opposite meaning. A few examples of words with this abbreviated root are: halarêm = night (lit. black day); hadedi = black-eyed susan (lit. black-yellow-flower); hagekos = crow (lit. black-loud-bird); hagidir = black raspberry; hamasi = ant (lit. black-walk-insect); mihafikae = black-and-white; mihanass = skunk (lit. white-black-stink); mihav = gray (lit. white-black-brown).

Page last modified on March 30, 2002

Vabungula is an artificial language invented by Bill Price in 1965.

Vabungula co nûsk mugola famêlêtke onudzz Bill Price larla alara idekuzorekol.