Irregularities and exceptions in Interlingua

This page describes the irregularities in the auxiliary language Interlingua.

Required

Pronunciation

• If c is succeeded by e, i or y, it is pronounced as s or ts (instead of k).
• "ch" is pronounced as in "echo" or "chrome".
• "rh" is pronounced as r.
• "sh" is pronounced as in English.
• "th" is pronounced as t.
• "ph" is pronounced as f.
• If i is unstressed before a vowel, it is pronounced like in "onion" or "phobia" (instead of like in "machine").
• If "ti" is unstressed before a vowel and not preceded by s, it is pronounced like "tsy" in "gets you", "sy" in "pass you" or "ty" in "let you" (instead of as "ti").
• If u is unstressed before a vowel, it is pronounced like in "persuade" or "superfluous" (instead of like in "plural").
• If y is unstressed before a vowel, it is pronounced like in "yes" (instead of like in "machine").
• There exist unassimilated guest words which retain their original pronunciation and spelling minus all redundant diacritical signs.

Other

• The sequence "de le" is replaced by "del".
• The sequence "a le" is replaced by "al".
• If noun ends with a consonant, it takes plural in -es (instead of -s).
• If noun ends with c, it takes plural in -hes (instead of -s or -es).
• Not all adverbs are derived from adjectives.
• If adjective ends with -c, adverb derived from it takes -amente (instead of -mente).
• If verb ends with -ir, present particle replaces it with -iente (instead of -inte).
• If verb ends with -er, past particle replaces it with -ite (instead of -ete).
• 10 is "dece" (instead of "unanta" as derived from "un").
• 20 is "vinti" (instead of "duanta" or "danta" as derived from "duo").
• 30 is "trenta" (instead of "tresanta" as derived from "tres").
• 40 is "quaranta" (instead of "quatranta" as derived from "quatro").
• 10¹² is "billion" (instead of "dillion" as derived from "duple").
• 10¹⁵ is "billiardo" (instead of "dilliardo" as derived from "duple").
• 10²⁴ is "quatrillion" (instead of "quadrillion" as derived from "quadruple").
• 10²⁷ is "quatrilliardo" (instead of "quadrilliardo" as derived from "quadruple").
• A power of 1,000 above 1,000 has "de" between it and the counted objects.

Optional

Pronunciation

• if s is between vowels, pronounced like in "these" (instead of like in "stay")
• if x is between vowels, pronounced like in "exact" (instead of like in "fox")

Other

• "es" as present tense of "esser" (instead of "esse")
• "son" as plural present tense of "esser" (instead of "esse")
• "era" as past tense of "esser" (instead of "esseva")
• "sia" as subjunctive of "esser" (instead of "esse")
• "ha" as present tense of "haber" (instead of "habe")
• "va" as present tense of "vader" (instead of "vade")
• "(le) minor" instead of "(le) plus parve"
• "(le) major" instead of "(le) plus magne"
• "(le) melior" instead of "(le) plus bon"
• "(le) pejor" instead of "(le) plus mal"
• "minime" instead of "le plus parve" or "le minor"
• "maxime" instead of "le plus magne" or "le major"
• "optime" instead of "le plus bon" or "le melior"
• "pessime" instead of "le plus mal" or "le pejor"

External links

• http://members.optus.net/~ado_hall/interlingua/gi/home/entry_page.html
• http://www.interlingua.com/en/gramword.htm