Senatola

Senatola is a constructed language: as logical as possible, easy to learn, and soft and melodic in sound. Its name literally means “clear language”.

mi rave Senatola, ke sena tole. – I learn Senatola because the language is clear.

The essentials

• 20 letters, each one exactly one sound. You say it the way you read it.
• Every syllable is consonant + vowel: na-ma, do-va, se-na-to-la. Never two consonants in a row.
• The stress always falls on the second-to-last syllable: na-ma-li-ma.
• The ending shows the part of speech: -a noun, -e verb, -i adjective, -o adverb, -u quantity word.
• No exceptions. No gender, no cases, no conjugation, no irregular verbs.
• Word order: subject – verb – object – rest, as in mi name nama (I eat food).
• Words are building kits: nama (food) + green = namalima (cucumber), namara (eater), namota (cutlery).

A first impression

Click a Senatola word to hear it (if your browser has a reading voice).

Guiding ideas

• No exceptions. Every rule always applies.
• One spelling, one pronunciation. Every word can be pronounced correctly the first time you read it.
• Soft sound. Only syllables of consonant + vowel.
• Invented, but meaningful. Related ideas share a root.
• Frequent means short. Function words have one syllable, frequent content words two.
• Grammar only where needed. Rules exist only where they prevent misunderstandings.
• One idea, one word. “Light” is one word in English but two in Senatola: brightness and low weight.
• Paraphrase instead of a new rule. Simple, longer sentences rather than complicated rules.

On this website