XAV

Desan, the Decimal Conlang.

Desan is a synthetic constructed language where ideas are expressed exclusively through base-10 strings of numbers (0-9). Instead of following a typical word-based linguistic structure, information in Desan is presented in entire sentences at once. Desan is designed around a “structure-then-content” principle, where the value of a previous digit decides the particular meaning of the current digit, the current digit further defines the following one, and so on and so forth.

While most languages operate “bottom-up” by using individually meaningful words or particles to create an overarching phrase that falls into loose grammatical systems, Desan follows a “top-down” structure by establishing complete, rigid skeletons of sentences that are then elaborated upon to a smaller degree of granularity. In effect, Desan is essentially an ‘idea encoding system that approximates language’ as opposed to a proper conventional language (which has a much less rigid structure and syntax than Desan does).

Desan is read and written from left to right, uses implicit neutrality and singularity, and is by default in the present tense.

Phonology

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Desan is designed to operate around any decimal numbering system that can express empty values (even if only implicitly, such as with roman numerals). There is no formalized pronunciation of any given number or phrase in Desan, and there is no formalized way to write a sentence in Desan so long as it is presented within some form of base-10 numbering system or an encoding system thereof. Desan can be written using Roman or Arabic numerals or unique pictograms, or spoken using English or Polish or Japanese pronunciations.

Grammar

Desan uses a “sentence-then-word” approach when constructing phrases. It is entirely impossible to express only a single word in Desan; at the very least, a short series of numbers are required before that word to specify that the entire phrase consists only of a single word, which is then specified afterwards. A complete, meaningful string of numbers in Desan is called a phrase.

In Desan, each digit in a phrase is representative of something. The initial series of digits in a phrase define the meanings of the digits to come. The first 2 digits of any complete Desan phrase universally represent the same 2 pieces of information. Following the first 2 digits, however, the particular meaning of a given value of any subsequent digit is not universally defined.

It is extremely important to note that in all cases where multiple digits are used to define a single portion of a phrase, the first digit always establishes the foremost information while all subsequent digits elaborate on it. In a phrase containing the numbers ‘223’, the first ‘2’ outlines the concept that the subsequent ‘2’ and ‘3’ add further detail to.

Syntax

The first digit in a Desan phrase is always the tone indicator. This digit expresses a person’s general feelings towards the sentiment expressed in the phrase to follow. Multiple tone indicators can be used to express more complex sentiments by putting a decimal point after the penultimate tone indicator. For example, the ‘2’ at the start of ‘20’ establishes a positive tone for the greeting ‘0’ that follows it. By adding a decimal point, one can express ‘1.20’ - a positively curious greeting. An endless amount of tone indicators can be placed before a decimal point of near-endless tonal granularity (e.g. ‘740.50’, wherein the ‘740.5’ are all tone indicators).

The meanings of each value for a tone indicator digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Apathetic tone
1 Curious tone
2 Positive tone
3 Desiderative (desiring) tone
4 Sarcastic tone
5 Neutral tone
6 Factual tone
7 Speculative tone
8 Negative tone
9 Commanding / emphatic tone

Some tone indicators take on double duty as useful grammatical features. For example, ‘3’ expresses that the subsequent phrase is something that is desired and not necessarily an actual observed event. Conversely, ‘6’ expresses that the following phrase (if it is a statement involving a verb) is something that has indeed taken place and was observed to be factually true.

The second digit in a Desan phrase always defines the phrase type. This digit defines what all the digits following it are structured to mean. As such, any digits following this second digit in a Desan phrase are not bound to universal meanings. Instead, subsequent digits fall into particular grammatical categories of digit. The structure of categories of digits that follow this digit are what this digit defines in particular.

The meanings of each value for the phrase type digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Greeting / general tonal expression
1 Simple VSO statement
2 Simple VS statement
3 Simple question
4 Comparison statement
5 Compound statement
6 Complex statement
7 Complex question
8 Single word
9 Fully custom phrase

The structure of each phrase type will be explained for each of the 10 phrase types using the following universal key (each will also have their own keys to explain their color coding):

0. Greeting / general tonal expression:

Phrases of the ‘0’ type are largely self-explanatory. They exist as sole statements of the tone indicators that precede them, and they can also double as greetings or statements of tonal formality. No digits follow the designation of a ‘0’ phrase.

1. Simple VSO statement:

Phrases of the ‘1’ type are the most common statement to make and the base structure that most of the other phrase types are based off of. They contain a Verb (an action), a Subject (that which is acting out the verb), and an Object (that which is being acted upon by the subject in some way). Subjects and Objects are both merely Nouns. The structure of verbs and nouns will be defined in their own sections later.

Simple VSO statements follow this structure:

...# 1 # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...#

Given the following key:

2. Simple VS statement:

Phrases of the ‘2’ type are similar to the ‘1’ type in structure, except that this type lacks an Object (e.g. “the dog runs through the grass” would be a VSO statement and “the dog runs” would be a VS statement).

Simple VS statements follow this structure:

...# 2 # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...#

Given the following key:

3. Simple question

Phrases of the ‘3’ type are also similar to the ‘1’ type in structure. Simple questions follow the same format as simple VSO statements, except that they end with one or more question markers, which are unaccounted for by the rest of the system. If a question is being asked that doesn’t require a verb, a subject, or an object, any respective part can be omitted in the same way it can in a simple VSO statement (by stating the length of that part to be 0).

Additionally, if one wants to express a question in direct response to another person’s statement without having to reference it, one may simply specify the phrase type, omit all digits involving a VSO structure entirely, and specify only the particular question marker(s).

The meanings of each value for a question marker digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Affirmation of phrase
1 Which
2 Where
3 Who
4 When
5 Why
6 What
7 How
8 Negative marker
9 Should

Simple questions follow this structure:

...# 3 # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# #...

Given the following key:

4. Comparison statement

Phrases of the ‘4’ type are essentially structured as simple VSO statements where two Subjects (in place of the Subject and Object) are compared via the verb. Comparisons end with one or multiple comparison markers, which are unaccounted for by the rest of the system.

Just as one can omit the entirety of a VSO statement to respond directly to a previous statement with a simple question, the same technique can be used in this phrase type as well.

The meanings of each value for a comparison marker digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Show of juxtaposition
1 1 winds over 2
2 2 wins over 1
3 1 and 2 are of equal value (positive)
4 1 and 2 are not comparable
5 1 and 2 are of equal value (negative)
6 1 situationally wins over 2
7 2 situationally wins over 1
8 1 and 2 are comparable, but not meaningfully
9 1 and 2 are identical

Comparison statements follow this structure:

...# 4 # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# #...

Given the following key:

5. Compound statement

Phrases of the ‘5’ type are comprised of two complete simple VSO statements linked together with an independent conjunction (conjunction digits 0-4).

The meanings of each value for a conjunction digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Nor
1 Or
2 Yet
3 And
4 But
5 Then
6 Because
7 If
8 Although
9 For the sake of / so that

Compound statements follow this structure:

...# 5 # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# # # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...#

Given the following key:

6. Complex statement

Phrases of the ‘6’ type are, as the name implies, one of the more complex regular phrase structures in Desan. Complex statements and questions follow the structure of a VSO statement or compound statement, then a dependent conjunction (conjunction digits 5-9), then another VSO/compound statement. Before specifying the counts for the first VSO statement, a digit also specifies the number of clauses. Clauses are individual VSO statements in a compound or complex statement.

Complex statements follow this structure:

...# 6 # # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# # # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...#

Given the following key:

Any additional clauses follow the same structure as everything in this overarching phrase structure diagram from the orange digit onwards.

7. Complex question

Phrases of the ‘7’ type are structurally nearly identical to the ‘6’ type except that complex questions also contain one or more question markers at the end of the phrase.

Just as with a simple question or a comparison, a complex question can be issued in direct response to a previous complex statement by omitting all Verb, Subject, and Object information. In this phrase type, the number of clauses, their respective conjunctions (which can be changed from their value in the previous statment, but should typically remain at 1 less than the amount of clauses specified), and the question marker(s) are all that need to be expressed.

Complex questions follow this structure:

...# 7 # # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# # # (#) # (#) # (#) # ...# # ...# # ...# #...

Given the following key:

Additional clauses follow the typical structure of the meat of a VSO statement (verb, subject, object, and their respective length signifiers) as well as a conjunction linking it to the previous clause. The question marker(s) only appear after all other clauses have been expressed.

8. Single word

Phrases of the ‘8’ type contain only a single grammatical fragment of the complete phrases detailed prior. These phrases contain a grammar marker which defines the type of grammar fragment of the digits that follow it.

The meanings of each value of a grammar marker digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Tone indicator
1 Noun
2 Verb
3 Conjunction
4 Comparison marker
5 Isolated noun type
6 Question marker
7 Isolated permutation
8 Phrase type
9 Isolated verb type

For more on Types and Permutations, see the Nouns and Verbs sections.

Single words follow this structure:

...# 8 # #...

Given the following key:

9. Fully custom phrase

Phrases of the ‘9’ type contain multiple grammar markers and respective grammatical fragments, allowing one to create a phrase completely free of constraint by the rigid structures of the previous phrase types. Information in fully custom phrases are processed as they are written/read, from left to right.

Fully custom statements follow this structure:

...# 9 # #... # #... # #...

Given the following key:

Vocabulary

Words in Desan (i.e. nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and positions) are not exactly produced so much as approximated. The constituent parts that make up Desan words are intentionally vague and conceptual, and the specific combination and order of these constituents is what differentiates each concept from one another. There is no specific, defined word for anything in Desan. Instead, an idea of a type of thing or action is more often what is being conveyed.

So long as the phrasing is understood by the other party, Desan is being spoken correctly. The particular constructions of certain ideas can vary wildly between speakers. Note that no words in examples used in this documentation should be taken to be the “official” representation of a given concept.

Desan words are split into two categories: nouns and verbs. All other types of word (e.g. adjectives, pre/postpositions, pronouns, etc.), instead of existing on their own, are simply agglutinated (lumped together) into the description of the noun or verb itself. Verbs have to do exclusively with the action of a phrase whereas nouns take on all of the rest of the meaning. In effect, adverbs are lumped into verbs, and adjectives and positions are lumped into their respective nouns. Note that positions can be agglutinated into either the subject or the object interchangeably depending on individual context and preference.

Take, for example, the English Subject-Verb-Object sentence “the dog runs towards the frisbee”. If you want to express the sentiment of “the dog runs towards the frisbee” in Desan, you will have to approximate the idea of “runs” with the Verb, “the dog” and “towards” with the Subject, and “the frisbee” with the Object of your phrase.

All nouns and verbs in Desan are made up of two kinds of constituent parts: types and permutations. These are the basic building blocks for representing concepts in Desan. Typically, they are found in type-permutation pairs, wherein a particular type is elaborated upon and given depth by a permutation, and then that singular cohesive pair is elaborated upon with further type-permutation pairs following it. Not all types or permutations must fit into a pair, however: either types or permutations can be used alone to further elaborate upon an idea.

When defining and expressing a noun or verb in Desan, the following structure is typically followed:

#(#)#...#

The first two digits are dedicated to defining the amount of digits after them to be used in expressing the word. Specifically, the first digit always defines the amount of digits dedicated to the word’s types and the second digit always defines the amount used for its permutations. If the first digit is 0, meaning there are no digits dedicated to defining a word’s type(s), then there is no need for a second digit to allocate its permutations, and therefore it is omitted. Typically, this also means that the word in question is already implied by context and does not need to be expressly restated.

All the digits following the two used to define a word’s length make up the meat of the word itself. It is extremely important to note that the amounts defined for a word’s types and permutations do not need to be equal. When a word has more of one category of descriptor (either types or permutations), the remaining amount that can’t be allocated to type-permutation pairs are placed at the start of a word’s definition and therefore define overarching qualities (be they types or permutations) of the word as a whole. Otherwise, definitions are typically arranged via a type, then its corresponding permutation, then the next pair of type and permutation elaborating upon the last pair, and so on and so forth.

For example, a word specified to contain 3 types (T) and 5 permutations (P) would follow the structure ‘PPTPTPTP’.

As a result of this system, descriptions and expressions can only get so granular. There is a maximum limit of 9 types and 9 permutations (totaling 9 type-permutation pairs) possible to define any given concept. This means that expressing specific, particular aspects of things can be especially difficult and one must generally aim instead to get used to approximating descriptions and ideas that would normally be succinctly captured by proper words.

In most phrases, multiple words are being defined to be used within a given phrase’s structure. Here, the pairs of digits used to define how long each word (verb, subject or object) will be are all specified before the particular types and permutations of the first word. The primary exception to this are fully custom phrases, which define words’ lengths and then immediately define the word itself before the next grammatical fragment is specified.

Nouns

Nouns and verbs have different sets of types between them. However, the set of permutations are universal and apply to both nouns and verbs. Noun types are oriented in particular around defining states, ideas, and things.

The meanings of each value for a noun type digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Meta-state
1 Relation
2 Counter
3 Direction
4 Definitiveness
5 Situation
6 Scale
7 Action
8 Alignment
9 State

Furthermore, the meanings of each value for a permutation digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 Observative perspective
1 Disparate/incomplete/dead composition
2 Positive/outer modality
3 Comprehensible/concise nature
4 Subjective perspective
5 Neutral/unknown modality
6 United/complete/alive composition
7 Incomprehensible/spanning nature
8 Negative/inner modality
9 Objective perspective

As can be seen, the types and permutations themselves are intentionally vague and multifaceted in order to enable a more flexible variety of potential uses. For instance, the ‘1’ permutation - “disparate/incomplete/dead composition” - can be used to imply disjointedness, disconnection, incompleteness, inaction, imperfection, or literal lack of life with regards to a particular aspect of an idea.

When paired together, a total of 100 unique type-permutation pairs can be expressed and used to elaborate upon other pairs or individual types or permutations, totaling 120 conceptual ‘building blocks’ to use to craft more particular or nuanced words. Being as conceptually flexible as these pairs are, a specific given type-permutation pair can even still come to hold different meanings and subtleties based on its position in defining a word.

Verbs

Verbs, naturally being a lot more limited than nouns, have a more particular focus with regards to their types. Verb types are oriented in particular around defining actions.

The meanings of each value for a verb type digit are as follows:

# Meaning
0 To allow
1 To connect
2 To begin
3 To synthesize
4 To wield
5 To observe
6 To be
7 To become
8 To end
9 To do

These types, in conjunction with permutations, are capable of approximating a wide variety of actions. It is important to note that often, due to their limited nature as standalone words, verbs depend heavily on the content of the subject and/or object of a phrase to find a much more particular meaning. Often, individual words will appear highly conceptual and dubious in nature unless observed in conjunction with the other words used in its phrase, which paints a much more cohesive picture in full.

Examples

With this, all of the ins and outs of Desan have been mechanically laid bare. Even so, Desan is not an easy language to comprehend. Many of the ways Desan is structured run counter to how people normally perceive and interact with ideas and language as a whole. It is therefore often a significant exercise in developing different and unique ways of thought in order to speak and consider things in Desan, especially for those unfamiliar with its intricacies. As such, what follows will be an entourage of in-depth examples to help you familiarize yourself with some of the ways Desan’s systems can be used and twisted to your communicative advantage.

Note that this section is ongoing and not comprehensive. Even with this help, some concepts may not prove easy to grasp or intuitive without examples that have yet to be provided. If you have any suggestions on what sorts of examples to add in order to bolster this section, please attempt to contact me.

Also note, again, that due to the flexible nature of words in Desan, no transliteration or interpretation of a word or phrase found in this section are the definite, official, or de facto meaning of that word or phrase.

Finally, note that none of these examples will be broken down and will instead stand on their own to be interpreted and grasped by the reader’s own machinations.

Short expressions and phrases

The following are some extremely short, general-use phrases that find common usage and application in Desan. Breaking these examples down may prove useful in illustrating some cursory ways to use Desan’s systems.

2 - “yes”

8 - “no”

20 - “hello”

80 - “goodbye”

1 or 10 - general “filler phrase” akin to “I see”; 10 shows more active interest than 1

135 - “why”, in direct response to a previous statement

Isolated nouns and verbs

For the sake of clarity, the following examples will be divided separately into noun & verb categories. These examples contain only the digits marking type & permutation counts for a given word and the content of the word itself. The content of a word will be bolded.

Nouns:

1138 or 223894 - “me”, as one experiences being oneself

33504326 - “book” or “story”

3513377255 - “vehicle” or “car”

551996844732 - “that fox”, as a creature engendering mischief and wit

342120262 - “my beloved”

21532 - “outside”, as a location and not a direction

66256391893840 - “five pebbles”, specifically of stone

54796817872 - “breathing in and out”

12805 - “certainty”, as an antithesis to uncertainty

66451693507158 - “a burning building”

87093384617854316 - “wetness”, as a measure of being soaked through

Verbs:

1136 - “to create” or “creates”

4492461721 - “sprinting”

33820179 - “fell”, as from grace

3512389074 - “will eat”

4462524221 - “playing”

4471689074 - “will shatter”

21092 - “to enable” or “enables”

Simple statements and questions

The following examples make use of the grammatical systems of simple VS or VSO statements and questions.

621032628688 - “it’s cold”, without regard to a particular thing

1.730 - “it’s cold?”, in response to previous statement

5135445593028677473266913762385111 - “the wind left the land dry”

8130225554638940898513256 - “I know I am nothing without you”

13204422566746727886380 - “does the tide look low?”

7310111163805 - “why am I so uncertain?

Comparisons and compound statements

The following examples make use of the grammatical systems of comparison and compound statements and questions.

642122116937641711 - “it is easier to continue living than to die”

241145551268291743807939174382 - “I like processed food more than health food”, with health food being listed first

142223235611688446824410 - “is it unusual to remember trivial things better than important things?”

95100144343243668242155003120886326813 - “make me a burger, but don’t put lettuce on it”, in the context of talking about food already

45204422665247715008452102222645205333 - “it’s dangerous to be outside at night, yet here we are”

152100116123042100126188345 - “why is it okay for you, but not for me?”

Complex statements and questions

The following examples make use of the grammatical systems of complex statements and questions. These are some of the longest and most difficult to grasp phrase types in Desan.

663100336029243710011230520022132216 - “this would be easier if you started it, then we worked on it together”

5622233022736750726223304992675432 - “the sun rises because the world demands it”

7723311224472973012386101144611303874859505 - “do you run from me because you’re scared?”

Passage of text

The following is a Desan approximation of a passage from Italo Calvino’s The Complete Cosmicomics.

The passage:

“We had her on top of us all the time, that enormous Moon: when she was full – nights as bright as day, but with a butter-coloured light – it looked as if she were going to crush us; when she was new, she rolled around the sky like a black umbrella blown by the wind; and when she was waxing, she came forward with her horns so low she seemed about to stick into the peak of a promontory and get caught there.”

The translation:

211155554434451232516767675075: 711003460785686 – 3510224465288109652824100664823297842310 – 613301154687134; 7133672247059207856816750756785; 8122673342860785685675075326779.