Latinou

Latinou is a constructed language developed in the 2010s as an experimental international auxiliary language. It blends Latin-derived vocabulary with a regular, simplified grammar and a phonology designed to be approachable for speakers of Western European languages. The name combines Latin heritage with the suffix -ou, a designation used within the project to mark a language.

Origins and community: Latinou emerged in online hobbyist circles during the 2010s as a collaborative language project. A core grammar and lexicon were published by volunteers and are maintained in open resources. The language has no official academy and remains a niche project with occasional conferences and online courses.

Phonology and script: Latinou uses a largely phonemic Latin-based alphabet with five vowels and a set of consonants common to Western languages. Stress is typically penultimate, and diacritics are optional in ordinary writing. The orthography favors regular spelling that mirrors pronunciation.

Grammar: The language follows a subject–verb–object order. Nouns show minimal inflection, with plural marked by a suffix and adjectives generally agreeing in number. Verbs are regular and use a small set of tense suffixes. Determiners and pronouns provide clear reference, while new terms are formed with a productive set of prefixes and suffixes drawn from Latin roots.

Status and resources: Latinou remains a niche language with no formal adoption by any government or organization. Its community maintains online grammars, dictionaries, and learning materials, and occasional user groups share updates on pronunciation, teaching methods, and cultural projects related to the language.