Skip to content

The 10 Rules of Panglobish

Panglobish is so simple that its basic grammar can be described in only ten rules, all of which can fit on a sheet of paper. There are no exceptions.

  1. World Words: Panglobish is an evenly global language. International words are borrowed from all parts of the world to Panglobish. They are adapted to the Panglobish pronunciation and orthography. One base word is admitted and additional words are built from it according to rule 10.
  2. Spelling and pronunciation: Spelling is simple and regular. Each word is pronounced exactly as it is written. Almost every letter and letter-combination denotes always the same sound.
  3. Regular Accent: If the word has one or two syllables, the first syllable is accented. If the word has three or more syllables, the second syllable is accented.
  4. Nouns: Nouns have only one form, always the same. Number is indicated by number words and articles. Case is indicated by prepositions.
  5. Numerals: The cardinal numbers are:
    • 0 zero, 1 un, 2 due, 3 tri, 4 for, 5 faive, 6 sixe, 7 seven, 8 eite, 9 nain, 10 ten.
    • Greater than ten: 11 ten un, 12 ten due, 13 ten tri, etc.
    • Tens: 20 due ten, 30 tri ten, 40 for ten, etc.
    • Hundreds: 100 un hunde, 200 due hunde, 300 tri hunde, etc.
    • Thousands: 1000 un tauzen, 2000 due tauzen, 3000 tri tauzen, etc.
    • The cardinal numbers, when placed after a noun, become ordinal numbers.
  6. Adjectives: The adjective is always placed before the noun with the exception of the ordinal numbers.
    • The comparative of equality is as...as (as...as).
    • The comparative of superiority is mor...dan (more...than).
    • The comparative of inferiority is les...dan (less...than).
  7. Pronouns:
    • The personal pronouns are: mi I, tu you (sg.), he he or she, wi we, yu you (pl.), de they.
    • The possessive pronouns are: mi's my, tu's your, he's his or her, wi's our, yu's your, de's their.
    • The interrogative pronouns are: wa what, hu who, hu's whose.
  8. Verbs: The verb does not change in person, number and tense.
    • is indicates an ongoing event.
    • haf indicates a completed event whose results have an effect on the present situation.
    • was indicates a completed event that has no connection to the present situation.
    • wil indicates a future event.
  9. Word order: The word order is subject – verb – object, in declarations and questions alike.
  10. Word building: In Panglobish, words change only when their actual meaning changes. Words don't ever change only to serve in a different grammatical role.