nounul

Nounul is a constructed language created for linguistic demonstration and world-building. The name signals a focus on nominal structure, combining the idea of "noun" with the suffix -ul. In the fictional setting, nounul is spoken by a coastal community in the Rákan archipelago and is described as having about 20,000 speakers in imagined populations. The language is designed to illustrate how noun-centric features interact with syntax and morphology.

Phonology and script: Nounul has a compact phonemic inventory: five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and a set of consonants such as p, t, k, m, n, s, l, r, w, y. Stress is usually on the penultimate syllable. The standard writing system is an alphabet of 26 letters; a historical syllabary is referenced in older texts. Tone is not phonemic in the main dialect.

Grammar: Nounul generally follows a subject–object–verb order. Nouns bear postpositional case markers and support determiners and numerals in noun phrases. Adjectives precede nouns; noun incorporation is limited. Verbs show little agreement with subject or object; aspect and mood are expressed with auxiliary particles and enclitics attached to the verb. Plurality is marked on nouns, with optional agreement on numerals.

Usage and references: As a constructed language, nounul appears in linguistic exercises, world-building projects, and speculative fiction. It serves as a case study for nominal-centric syntax and affixal morphology. Introductory grammars and dictionaries accompany learning materials for writers and linguists exploring conlangs.