indichi

Indichi is a constructed language created to examine typological variation within the Indic linguistic sphere. It exists primarily in scholarly and conlang circles and has no native speaker community. The name combines elements of Indic heritage with a suffix used in several artificial languages.

Origin and design: Introduced in 2006 by linguist Maya Sen as part of the Indo-chi project, Indichi is intended as a test case for contact-induced change and substrate effects across Indian-language families. It aims to illustrate how shared features can arise under sociolinguistic interaction.

Phonology and script: Indichi features a five-vowel system and a consonant set that includes aspirated and unaspirated stops and retroflex sounds. Stress is variable and typically leans on a syllable nucleus. The primary script is a Devanagari-inspired abugida, with a Latin transliteration common in textbooks.

Grammar: The language is SOV and relies on postpositions rather than prepositions. Noun phrases bear case-like markers, and verbs encode aspect and mood with affixes. Questions use a particle placed at the end of the clause, while negation typically accompanies the verb with a separate negative marker.

Lexicon and usage: The vocabulary draws on Sanskrit, Hindi, and Tamil roots, augmented by loan elements to demonstrate contact phenomena. A modest corpus—dialogs, narratives, and glossed sentences—serves teaching and analysis purposes.

Status and reception: Among conlang and typology communities, Indichi is cited as a structured example of testing theoretical hypotheses. Critics note its artificial nature and lack of real-world sociolinguistic dynamics, but acknowledge its utility for illustrating typological variation.