Asa'pili


Asa'pili is a constructed language created by the pseudonymous author P.M. in his book Bolo'bolo. On the one hand, it is an artistic language, intended to explain his concepts for a sustainable future in an original way. On the other hand, it is a neutral auxiliary language intended for use in the quasi-utopian bolo-based global community which he describes in the book. Asa'pili is not a full language, but a basic vocabulary of about thirty words, which can be used to refer to cultural institutions and concepts.
The complete list of the basic words is as follows:
GlyphPronunciationMeaning
ibu"individual, person"
bolo"community, village, tribe"
sila"hospitality, tolerance, mutual aid"
taku"personal property, secret"
kana"household, hunting party, family, gang"
nima"way of life, tradition, culture"
kodu"agriculture, nature, sustenance"
yalu"food, cuisine"
sibi"craft, art, industry"
pali"energy, fuel"
suvu"water, water supply, well, baths"
gano"house, building, dwelling"
bete"medicine, health"
nugo"death, suicide pill"
pili"communication, education, language, media"
kene"communal work"
tega"district, town"
dala"council, assembly"
dudi"foreigner, observer"
vudo"city, county, trading area, bioregion"
sumi"region, linguistic area, island"
asa"earth, world"
buni"gift, present"
mafa"depot, warehouse"
feno"barter agreement, trade relation"
sadi"market, stock market, fair"
fasi"travel, transport, traffic, nomadism"
yaka"disagreement, war, duel"
munu"reputation" -

All these terms are accompanied by corresponding abstract glyphs, so that the concepts can be represented visually independently of any specific writing system. These words can be combined into modifier-modified compounds, so that asa'pili means "world language", fasi'ibu means "traveler", vudo'dala means "county-level assembly", etc. Doubling a noun changes it into a collective or abstract noun, so that bolo'bolo means "all bolos, the system of bolos".