Zoophona: Zoo Noises as a Language
Every secret society needs a language, and the zoo community is no exception. For too long now have our conversations of smooching dogs and hugging horses gone scrutinised by anthrophile eyes. That is until now.
Introducing Zoophona, a minimalist language of just 87 words, designed to facilitate communication between zoos as simply and neutrally as possible. The language has no set of specific sounds, no word inflection, and no recursion. Instead, words and phrases must be combined together to express more complex meanings.
Sounds and Spelling
The language is based on a system of rhythm between vowels and consonants rather than using any specific collection of sounds, allowing it to be spoken using any desired animal noises.
For example, the word for ‘animal’, ‘person’, or ‘living being’ is ‘cvvc’, where ‘c’ is any consonant and ‘v’ is any vowel. This means that the words ‘woof’, ‘meow’, and ‘zoop’ all mean the same thing. The word for say, talk, or language is ‘cvcv’, and so the name of the language ‘Zoophona’ literally means ‘animal language’ and could also be written as ‘woof wawa, ‘meow mumu’, or any combination of those consonants and vowels. In this article dog noises will be used for example sentences.
When spoken, two consecutive consonants or vowels are pronounced as either a cluster of two seperate sounds or a single sound held for twice the length. This means the name of the language is actually pronounced as ‘Zoop-hona’ rather than ‘Zoofona’.
Words are always written with lower case letters, with the exception of loan words which have the first letter capitalised. Full stops end declarative sentences, exclamation marks end interjections or commands, question marks end questions, and commas are used to link phrases.
Vocabulary
Any word may be used as an adjective, adverb, (together called modifiers) noun, or verb depending on their position in the sentence. Words have many related meanings, leading to a degree of intentional ambiguity
For example, the word ‘cvvc’ can mean person, animal, living being, to live, living, or alive. Words also have no default plurality or tense, which can instead be specified using other words. The full vocabulary list is as follows:
| Word | Example | Definition |
| v | a | subject marker |
| cv | wa | object marker |
| vc | uf | context marker |
| vv | oo | compound modifier marker |
| vcv | ufa | 1st person pronoun |
| vvc | oof | 2nd person pronoun |
| cvv | woo | 3rd person pronoun |
| cvcv | wawa | say, talk, speak about, communication |
| cvvc | woof | animal, living being, entity, live, alive |
| vccv | awwa | emphasis marker |
| vcvc | ufuf | command marker |
| vvv | ooo | to, toward, for, move, go, go to, travel |
| vvcv | oowa | in, at, be, exist, true, real |
| vvvc | ooof | this, that, these, those |
| vcvv | awoo | not, no, don't, none, nothing |
| vcvcv | ufufa | some, multiple, many, much, quantity, number |
| vcvvc | ufoof | all, every, entire, each, any, complete |
| vvccv | oorfa | time, event, period |
| vvcvc | oofuf | place, earth, land, soil, world |
| cvvv | rooo | good, positive |
| cvvcv | woofa | bad, negative, evil |
| cvvvc | wooof | come, become, cause, arise |
| cvcvv | rawoo | what, which |
| cvcvcv | wawawa | want, desire, intention |
| cvcvvc | wufoof | know, understand, information, knowledge |
| cvvccv | woorfa | see, look, appear, seem, visual |
| cvvcvc | woofuf | hear, listen, pay attention, obey |
| vccvv | arfoo | think, mind, ponder, reason, contemplate |
| vccvcv | arfufa | do, make, create, work, activity, action |
| vccvvc | arfoof | have, own, possess, hold |
| vcvccv | ufarfa | feel, experience, emotion |
| vcvcvc | ufufuf | from, because, due to |
| ||
| vvvv | oooo | or, choice, option |
| vvvcv | ooowa | but, however, only, just |
| vvvvc | oooof | and, additional, extra |
| vvcvv | oofoo | using, with, use, utilise |
| vvcvcv | oofufa | same, similar, like |
| vvcvvc | oofoof | other, different, strange, change |
| vvvccv | ooorfa | can, able, possible, ability |
| vvvcvc | ooofuf | house, building, home |
| vcvvv | awooo | big, very, important, expand |
| vcvvcv | ufoofa | small, short, a little |
| vcvvvc | ufooof | before, past, front, precede |
| vcvcvv | ufufoo | after, future, behind, following |
| vcvcvcv | ufufufa | begin, start, origin |
| vcvcvvc | ufufoof | finish, stop, end, conclude |
| vcvvccv | ufoorfa | give, send, emit, release |
| vcvvcvc | ufoofuf | get, take, receive |
| vvccvv | oorfoo | thing, something, object, matter, phenonmenon |
| vvccvcv | oorfufa | water, liquid, wet, fluid |
| vvccvvc | oorfoof | eat, drink, consume, ingest |
| vvcvccv | oofarfa | control, lead, govern |
| vvcvcvc | oofufuf | woman, female |
| cvvvv | roooo | man, male |
| cvvvcv | wooofa | above, top, up, high |
| cvvvvc | woooof | below, bottom, under, beneath, down, decrease |
| cvvcvv | woofoo | write, writing, image, picture, marking, text |
| cvvcvcv | woofufa | fun, play, enjoy, game |
| cvvcvvc | woofoof | way, road, path, method, order |
| cvvvccv | wooorfa | strong, strength, power, energy, active |
| cvvvcvc | wooofuf | new, fresh, young, again |
| cvcvvv | wufooo | near, close, nearby, side, beside, next to |
| cvcvvcv | wufoofa | far, away, remove, distance, absent |
| cvcvvvc | wufooof | one, connect, unite, merge |
| cvcvcvv | wawawoo | two, separate, divide |
| cvcvcvcv | wawawawa | stay, remain, pause, continue, wait, save |
| cvcvcvvc | wawawoof | damage, break, destroy |
| cvcvvccv | wufoorfa | surface, flat, face |
| cvcvvcvc | wufoofuf | round, circle, spherical |
| cvvccvv | woorfoo | sleep, rest |
| cvvccvcv | woorfufa | love, care |
| cvvccvvc | woorfoof | cloth, clothing, fabric |
| cvvcvccv | woofarfa | air, smell, breath, breathe |
| cvvcvcvc | woofufuf | plant, vegetation, fungus |
| vccvvv | arfooo | warm, hot, fire, flame |
| vccvvcv | arfoofa | cool, cold, raw, freeze, frost, ice |
| vccvvvc | arfooof | word, name |
| vccvcvv | arfufoo | inside, centre, internal |
| vccvcvcv | arfufufa | fight, battle, combat, hurt |
| vccvcvvc | arfufoof | die, death, decay |
| vccvvccv | arfoorfa | body, state, shape, form |
| vccvvcvc | arfoofuf | trade, money, sale, exchange, swap |
| vcvccvv | ufarfoo | line, linear, straight |
| vcvccvcv | ufarfawa | stone, hard |
| vcvccvvc | ufarfoof | colour, pigment, hue |
| vcvcvccv | ufufarfa | skin, covering, surrounding, contain |
| vcvcvcvc | ufufufuf | try, attempt, search, hunt, effort |
Basic Sentences
A sentence consists of at least a verb. Any word may be used as verb meaning there is that thing. The word for ‘say’, or ‘talk’, ‘cvcv’ can be used by itself as an interjection to mean ‘hello’.
wawa
cvcv
say
Hello
A verb may be preceded by a subject, the one responsible for doing the action, and followed by an object, the one the action is done to. Subjects and objects are separated by markers called particles, which are ‘v’ and ‘cv’ respectively.
ufa a woorfufa wa woof.
cvc v cvvccvcv vc cvvc.
1st-person-pronoun subject-marker love object-marker animal.
I love animals.
There is no word for ‘is’, ‘am’, or ‘are’, instead any word can be used as a verb with a similar meaning of being that thing.
ufa a woof.
cvc v cvvc.
1st-person-pronoun subject-marker animal.
I am an animal.
Modifiers
Nouns and verbs in a sentence can be modified to form compounds by placing another word before them.
wawa woof a woof
cvcv cvvc v cvvc
say animal subject-marker animal
humans (talking animals) are animals
Possessives can be formed by modifying a word with a pronoun. Plurals can be formed by modifying a noun with the word for ‘some’ or ‘many’, ‘vcvcv’.
Ufufa ufa a awoo oorfoof wa ufarf woof.
vcvcv cvc v vvccvvc vc vcvcc cvvc.
some 1st-person-pronoun subject-marker not eat object-marker all animal.
We don’t eat any animals.
Complex Sentences
Verbs can take multiple subjects and objects by placing marker particles between each noun phrase.
woof a wawawa wa oorfoof oorfoo wa oorfufa.
cvvc v cvcvcv cv vvccvvc vvccvv cv vvccvcv.
animal subject-marker want object-marker eat thing object-marker water.
Animals want/need food (eating things) and water.
Objects can also be omitted to form intransitive sentences in which the thing being acted upon is unspecified.
wawa woof a oofoof woof a woorfufa.
cvcv cvvc v vvcvvc cvvc v cvvccvcv.
talking animal subject-marker other animal subject-marker love.
Humans (talking animals) and other animals love.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are verbs that modify other verbs, and usually followed by ‘to’ in English such as in the phrase ‘I want to eat’. Like in English, these are placed before the verb being modified.
woof a wawawa arfufoo wa ufa
cvvc v cvcvcv vccvcvv cv vcv
animal subject-marker want inside object-marker 1st-person-pronoun
Animals want to be inside me
Compound Modifiers
Compound words can be used as modifiers using the particle ‘vv’. This allows a modified word to modify another word, similar to the word ‘of’ in English. Compound modifiers instead come after the word they’re modifying.
awooo rooo woof
vcvvv cvvv cvvc
big good animal
Big, good animal
woof oo awooo rooo
cvvc oo vcvvv cvvv
animal compound-modifier-marker big good
Very good animal
Prepositions
Prepositions express additional details about sentences. They may also be used as verbs with a similar meaning. The prepositions are:
| vvv | ooo | to, toward |
| vvcv | oowa | in, at |
| vcvcvc | ufufuf | from |
| vvcvv | oofoo | using, with |
| vvcvcv | oofufa | like, the same as |
ufa a ooo arfoofuf ooofuf ufufuf ufa ooofuf oofoo ooo oofoo oorfoo.
vcv v vvv vccvvcvc vvvcvc vcvcvc vcv vvvcvc vvcvv vvv vvcvv vvccvv
1st-person-pronoun subject-marker go to trade house from 1st-person-pronoun house using move use thing
I go to the store (trade house) from my house by car (moving tool).
Words for places and times can be combined with ‘vvcv’ to say in/at that place.
woof a oowa wooofa ufa
cvvc v vvcv cvvvcv vcv
animal subject-marker in above 1st-person-pronoun
An animal is above me
Names
Names are written with a capital letter and are adapted to fit Zoophona’s phonetics. This means that each syllable of the word can only be ‘v’, ‘cv’ or ‘vc’. If there are more consonants in a row than can be written with the number of syllables, the next vowel of the word is inserted.
arfooof ufa a Aseter
vccvvvc vcv v Aseter
word 1st-person-pronoun subject-marker Aseter
My name is Aster.
Names can be used as words on their own or as adjectives to describe other words.
Emotion Particles
The particles ‘vccv’ and ‘vcvc’ are used to express emphasis and commands respectively and are placed at the end of the sentence.
rooo ooo woof ufuf!
cvvv vvv cvvc vcvc!
good to animals command-marker
Be good to animals!
Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words used to join two phrases into one sentence. The conjunctions are:
| vcvcvc | ufufuf | because |
| vvvv | oooo | or |
| vvvcv | ooowa | but |
| vvvvc | oooof | and |
Notice that ‘vcvcvc’ can be used as both a preposition meaning ‘from’ or a conjunction meaning ‘because’.
ufa a Amerika woof ufufuf ufa a wooof ufufuf Amerika
1st-person-pronoun subject-marker Amerika talking animal because 1st-person-pronoun subject-marker come from Amerika
I am an American animal (America animal) because I come from America.
Questions
Open ended questions can be formed by replacing the missing information with the word ‘cvcvv’, meaning ‘what’.
rawoo woof a rooo ooo oof?
cvcvv cvvc v cvvv vvv vvc
what animal subject-marker good to you?
Which animals do you like?
Yes or no questions can be formed by adding ‘vvvv cvcvv?’ to the end of the sentence, meaning ‘or what?’
oof a woorfufa wa woof ooo rawoo?
vvc v cvvccvcv cv cvvc vvv cvcvv
2nd-person-pronoun subject-marker love object-marker animal or what?
Do you love an animal?
Context Marker
The particle ‘vc’ is used to establish context. The context of the sentence is placed at the beginning with the context marker following it. This can be used to express tense.
ufufoo uf ufa a arfoof wa woof.
vcvcvv vc v vccvvc cv cvvc.
after context-marker 1st-person-pronoun subject-marker have object-marker animal.
In the future I will have an animal
And you’re done!
You can now speak to other zoos using 87 animal sounds of your choice! I hope this is a fun linguistic exercise for those who choose to try learning Zoophona. The language is heavily based off of another minimal constructed language called Toki Pona, so if you enjoyed this, consider checking it out too!
Zeta Principles
| Bestow upon animals the same kindness one would wish bestowed upon oneself. | ufoorfa wa rooo ooo woof oofufa ooof, oof a wawawa ufoofuf wa rooo oofufa ufuf. | Give goodness to animals like this, you want to receive the same goodness. |
| Consider the well being of an animal companion as important as ones own. | arfoo wa ooof, awooo oo rooo ufarfa oo oof woof oofufa awooo oo oof rooo ufarfa ufuf. | Think this, the importance of the good feeling of your animal is the same as importance of your good feeling. |
| Place the animal’s will and wellbeing ahead of one’s desires for sexual gratification. | wooof wa wawawa wa rooo ufarfa oo oof woof oowa ufooof wawawa oof oo arfoorfa wufooof ufuf. | Make the will and good feeling of your animal come before your desire of sex (body connection). |
| Teach those who seek knowledge about zoophilia and bestiality without promoting it. | ufoorfa wa wufoof oo woof woorfufa ooowa awoo rooo wawa wa woo ufuf. | Give knowledge of animal love but don’t talk good of it. |
| Discourage the practice of bestiality in the presence of fetish seekers. | wawa wa ooof, awoo arfoorfa wufooof wa woof ooo wawa woof oo awoo woof woorfufa ufuf. | Say this, don’t have sex with (body connect) animals to people (talking animals) of not animal love. |
| Censure sexual exploitation of animals for the purpose of financial gain. | wawa woofa wa ooof, arfoorfa wufooof wa woof ooo arfoofuf ufoofuf ufuf. | Talk bad of this, having sex with (body connecting) animals for trade gain. |
| Censure those who practice and promote animal sexual abuse. | wawa woofa wa wawa woof oofufa ooof, arfufa oooof rooo wawa wa woofa ufarfa oo woof arfoorfa wufooof ufuf | Talk bad of people (talking animals) like this, do and talk good of the bad feeling of animal sex (body connection). |
Article written by aster (November 2024)
Find aster at https://x.com/animalboysister and @animalboysister.bsky.social
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