An Experiment in Language Mutation

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Purpose

The purpose of this experiment is to progressively mutate the English language by a series of logical steps to see if a radically different a language can be constructed from the original. My own work will pursue a few lines of mutation, but others are invited to submit their own mutations as well.  In order for the results of the project to remain organized and coherent submissions should observe the submission guidelines outlined below.  The documentation for a given mutation is minimal and only a few dozen model sentences need to be translated for the mutation to be included in the family.

Methods

Mutations can be lexical or grammatical.  Grammatical mutations should consist of small changes so that the before and after sentences can be meaningfully compared.  Lexical mutations will tend to be more drastic in appearance since they will typically affect many words at a time, but even so, they should represent logical evolutionary steps at the level of the individual word. As a general rule mutations should be kept as small as possible so that a sequence of gradual change takes place rather than some huge discontinuity with a notation like "Translate English to Latin".

The root language is English.  Each mutation from the root will be given a name or a number and its place in the family tree identified.

There are a few simple illustrative sentences in English and for any mutation to be completely documented it must include a description of the mutation and a translation of each of the model sentences from the immediate ancestral language.

If you wish to contribute a mutation you may choose any existing mutation  in the family as the root language for your mutation. Please speicify the root language when you submit your mutation.

The Model Sentences

Each mutant language includes a translation of each of these model sentences.  The translation is made directly from the immediate ancestor language, not from the original English.

1. I see the mouse.
2. The cat sees the mouse too.
3. The cat and the mouse see each other.
4. See the cat chase the mouse.
5. The mouse will run away.
6. The mouse ran away.
7. Did you see the mouse run away?
8. The mouse saw the cat and then it ran away.
9. I will give my book to Judy.
10. Judy gave her book to me.
11. We are both giving our books to John.
12. John will read us a story from the big green book.
13. Mice can't read.
14. The mouse will not read us a story.
15. I never saw a cat who could read a book.
16. Dogs like to run and play.
17. You should never wake a sleeping dog.
18. Should we chase the puppy or the kitten?
19. If we chase the puppy he will run away.
20. I would chase the cat if I could.

Language 1 -- Not Named. Descended from English.

This mutation makes two changes to the root language (English):

• Removes the articles "a" and "the" except where specific emphasis is desired.
• Removes all noun and verb inflections (except plurals) and replaces them with auxiliary words where necessary.

1. I see the mouse. -> I see mouse.
2. The cat sees the mouse too. -> Cat see mouse also.
3. The cat and the mouse see each other. -> Cat and mouse see each other.
4. See the cat chase the mouse. -> See cat chase mouse.
5. The mouse will run away. -> Mouse will run away.
6. The mouse ran away. -> Mouse did run away.
7. Did you see the mouse run away? -> You did see mouse run away?
8. The mouse saw the cat and then it ran away. -> Mouse did see cat then he did run away.
9. I will give my book to Judy. -> I will give my book to Judy.
10. Judy gave her book to me. -> Judy did give her book to me.
11. We are both giving our books to John. -> We both give our books to John.
12. Mice can't read. -> Mice cannot read.
13. The mouse will not read us a story. -> Mouse will not read us story.
14. I never saw a cat who could read a book. -> I never did see cat who could read book.
15. Dogs like to run and play. -> Dogs like to run and to play.
16. You should never wake a sleeping dog. -> You should never wake sleeping dog.
17. Should we chase the puppy or the kitten? -> Should we chase puppy or kitten?
18. If we chase the puppy he will run away. -> If we chase puppy he will run away.
19. I would chase the cat if I could. -> I would chase cat if I could.

Language 2 -- Not Named. Descended from Language 1

This mutation requires that every verb have an associated pronoun referencing the actor.

1. I see mouse. -> I see mouse.
2. Cat see mouse also. -> Cat she see mouse also.
3. Cat and mouse see each other. -> Cat and mouse they see each other.
4. See cat chase mouse. -> You see cat she chase mouse.
5. Mouse will run away. -> Mouse he will run away.
6. Mouse did run away. -> Mouse he did run away.
7. You did see mouse run away? -> You did see mouse he run away?
8. Mouse did see cat then he did run away. -> Mouse he did see cat then he did run away.
9. I will give my book to Judy. -> I will give my book to Judy.
10. Judy did give her book to me. -> Judy she did give her book to me.
11. We both give our books to John. -> We both give our books to John.
12. Mice cannot read. -> Mice they cannot read.
13. Mouse will not read us story. -> Mouse he will not read us story.
14. I never did see cat who could read book. -> I never did see cat who she could read book.
15. Dogs like to run and to play. -> Dogs they like to run and to play.
16. You should never wake sleeping dog. -> You should never wake a dog while it sleep.
17. Should we chase puppy or kitten? -> Should we chase puppy or kitten?
18. If we chase puppy he will run away. -> If we chase puppy he will run away.
19. I would chase cat if I could.-> I would chase cat if I could.

Language 3 -- Not Named. Descended from Language 2

This mutation requires that the case of an object noun be marked with some phrase that makes it possible to identify its role in the sentence when it is moved to a different location. For example, the marker phrase "is-what" could be used to  mark "mouse" in mutating "I see the mouse" into "The mouse is-what I see." Other marker phrases might include "is-to-whom", "is-for-whom", and so on.

1. I see mouse. -> Mouse is-what I see.
2. Cat she see mouse also. -> Mouse is-what cat she see also.
3. Cat and mouse they see each other. -> Each other is-what cat and mouse they see.
4. You see cat she chase mouse. -> Mouse is-who she chase is-what you see.
5. Mouse he will run away. -> Mouse he will run away.
6. Mouse he did run away. -> Mouse he did run away.
7. You did see mouse he run away? -> Mouse he run away is-what you did see?
8. Mouse he did see cat then he did run away. -> Cat is-what mouse he did see then he did run away.
9. I will give my book to Judy. -> Judy is-to-whom my book is-what I will give.
10. Judy she did give her book to me. -> Me is-to-whom her book is-what Judy she did give.
11. We both give our books to John. -> John is-to-whom our books is-what we both give.
12. Mice they cannot read. -> Mice they cannot read.
13. Mouse he will not read us story. -> Story is-what we is-to-whom mouse it will not read.
14. I never did see cat who she could read book. -> Book is-what cat it could read is-what I never did see.
15. Dogs they like to run and to play. -> Dogs they like to run and to play.
16. You should never wake a dog while it sleep. -> Dog while it sleep is-what you should never wake.
17. Should we chase puppy or kitten? -> Puppy is-what or kitten is-what we should chase?
18. If we chase puppy he will run away. -> If puppy is-what we chase then he will run away.
19. I would chase cat if I could. -> Cat is-what if I could I would chase.

Language 4 -- Not Named. Descended from Language 4.

This mutation moves the tense marker and pronoun, in that order, to a position after the verb. It also combines verbs with certain modifies such as run-away or look-at, and standardizes possesives with "belong".

1. Mouse is-what I see. -> Mouse is-what see I.
2. Mouse is-what cat she see also. -> Mouse is-what cat also see she.
3. Each other is-what cat and mouse they see. -> Each other is-what cat and mouse see they.
4. Mouse is-who she chase is-what you see.-> Mouse is-who chase she is-what see you.
5. Mouse he will run away. -> Mouse run-away will he.
6. Mouse he did run away. -> Mouse run-away did he.
7. Mouse he run away is-what you did see? -> Mouse run-away he is-what see did you?
8. Cat is-what mouse he did see then he did run away. -> Cat is-what mouse see did he then run away did he.
9. Judy is-to-whom my book is-what I will give. -> Judy is-to-whom book belong I is-what give will I.
10. Me is-to-whom her book is-what Judy she did give. -> Me is-to-whom book belong she is-what Judy give did she.
11. John is-to-whom our books is-what we both give. -> John is-to-whom books belong we is-what give we.
12. Mice they cannot read. -> Mice cannot read they.
13. Story is-what we is-to-whom mouse it will not read. -> Story is-what we is-to-whom mouse not read will it.
14. Book is-what cat it could read is-what I never did see. -> Book is-what cat could read it is-what never see did I.
15. Dogs they like to run and to play. -> Dogs like they to run and to play.
16. Dog while it sleep is-what you should never wake. -> Dog while sleep it is-what should never wake you.
17. Puppy is-what or kitten is-what we should chase? -> Puppy is-what or kitten is-what should chase we?
18. If puppy is-what we chase then he will run away. -> If puppy is-what chase we then run-away will he.
19. Cat is-what if I could I would chase. -> Cat is-what if could I would chase I.

Language 5 -- Not Named. Descended from Language 4.

This mutation is a complete relexification.  The new words are not arbitrarily picked out of thin air. Instead, each word is derived by a few simple modifications from the English word, or some synonym or near synonym of the original word or phrase. The derivations for some of the words used in the sample sentences follow:

• cat -> feline -> feli -> peli -> pelu
• mouse -> rodent -> roden -> loten -> lotenu
• see -> look at -> lukat -> rugat -> regado (Also see -> regard -> regad -> regado)
• did -> di -> ti
• is-what -> iswa -> sua
• she -> sha

The other words are derived in a similar fashion and plurals are formed by adding -en.

1. Mouse is-what see I. -> Lotenu sua regado se.
2. Mouse is-what cat also see she. -> Lotenu sua pelu nadish regado sha.
3. Each other is-what cat and mouse see they. -> Uvelo sua pelu isi lotenu regado kwa.
4. Mouse is who chase she is-what see you. -> Lotenu suna belso sha sua regado ena.
5. Mouse run-away will he. -> Lotenu fielo dan oma.
6. Mouse run-away did he. -> Lotenu fielo ti oma.
7. Mouse run-away he is-what see did you? -> Lotenu fielo oma sua regado ti ena?
8. Cat is-what mouse see did he then run away did he. -> Pelu sua lotenu regado ti oma sekwenta fielo ti oma.
9. Judy is-to-whom book belong I is-what give will I. -> Judy suma hodisu pira se sua tonado dan se.
10. Me is-to-whom book belong she is-what Judy give did she. -> Se suma hodisu pira sha sua Judy tonado ti sha.
11. John is-to-whom books belong we is-what give we. -> John suma hodisu pira vesa sua tonado vesa.
12. Mice cannot read they. -> Lotenuen inapla lokuaro dema.
13. Story is-what we is-to-whom mouse not read will it. -> Pabalu sua vesa suma lotenu ne lokuaro dan eta.
14. Book is-what cat could read it is-what never see did I. -> Hodisu sua pelu apla lokuaro eta sua nedem regado ti se.
15. Dogs like they to run and to play. -> Kansuen esero dema velo isi kamano.
16. Dog while sleep it is-what should never wake you. -> Kansu adura senuso eta sua pesta nedem eruso ena.
17. Puppy is-what or kitten is-what should chase we? -> Kansuita sua ansi peluita sua pesta belso vesa.
18. If puppy is-what chase we then run-away will he. -> Huon kansuita sua belso vesa danin fielo dan oma.
19. Cat is-what if could I (then) chase would I. -> Pelu sua huon apla danin belso weta oma.

6. Mutanu Sepa. (Mutation Six) Descended from Language 5.

The only mutation here is that the auxiliary words that follow nouns and the tense modifiers and pronouns that follow verbs are turned into suffixes and attached to the words they modify. The resulting compound may be slightly altered or smoothed out to make it easier to pronounce.

1. Lotenu sua regado se. -> Lotenis regadose. (I see the mouse.)
2. Lotenu sua pelu nadish regado sha. -> Lotenis pelu nadish regadosha. (The cat sees the mouse too.)
3. Uvelo sua pelu isi lotenu regado kwa.-> Uvelosa pelu isi lotenu regadokwa. (The cat and the mouse see each other.)
4. Lotenu suna belso sha sua regado ena. -> Lotenuna belsha sua regadona. (See the cat chase the mouse.)
5. Lotenu fielo dan oma. -> Lotenu fielodoma. (The mouse will run away.)
6. Lotenu fielo ti oma. -> Lotenu fielotioma. (The mouse ran away.)
7. Lotenu fielo oma sua regado ti ena? -> Lotenu fieloma sua regadotina? (Did you see the mouse run away?)
8. Pelu sua lotenu regado ti oma sekwenta fielo ti oma.
9. Judy suma hodisu pira se sua tonado dan se.
10. Se suma hodisu pira sha sua Judy tonado ti sha.
11. John suma hodisu pira vesa sua tonado vesa.
12. Lotenuen inapla lokuaro dema.
13. Pabalu sua vesa suma lotenu ne lokuaro dan eta.
14. Hodisu sua pelu apla lokuaro eta sua nedem regado ti se.
15. Kansuen esero dema velo isi kamano.
16. Kansu adura senuso eta sua pesta nedem eruso ena.
17. Kansuita sua ansi peluita sua pesta belso vesa.
18. Huon kansuita sua belso vesa danin fielo dan oma.
19. Pelu sua huon apla danin belso weta oma.

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