algajal

Algajal is a constructed language created in 2010 by linguist Kethra Maji and a community of contributors. Intended for speculative fiction and linguistic experimentation, it emphasizes regular morphology and clear syntax to facilitate learning. The name Algajal is the language’s autonym and appears in scholarly descriptions, sometimes glossed as “clear speech.”

Phonology and grammar: Algajal has about 16 consonants and five vowels. Syllables are typically CV or CVC, with primary stress on the penultimate syllable. It is largely agglutinative, marking number, definiteness, and case with suffixes. The basic word order is subject–verb–object, though the verb phrase can be fronted for emphasis. Nouns inflect for number and case; adjectives follow nouns, and verbs carry tense, aspect, and mood through affixes. Inclusive and exclusive forms exist in the first-person plural.

Writing system: The standard orthography uses a Latin-based alphabet with diacritics to denote vowel quality. A supplementary syllabary is described in grammars but is rarely used outside scholarly or fan-driven materials.

Usage and status: Algajal remains a niche language with a small, active community of learners and creators. Resources include a grammar reference, a core dictionary, and several learner guides. It has influenced hobbyist language games and speculative-fiction projects, and discussions of its design appear in conlang circles as an example of regular, learner-friendly morphology.