Foreword

Unam uni generi humano linguam!
J. M. Schleyer

      With this sixth edition, revised by me, once again a complete dictionary of the World Language is published.
      Following the latest large edition (the fourth) of his dictionary in the year of 1888, Johann Martin Schleyer, the brilliant creator of Volapük, had attempted himself to revise this work. In 1897, the first booklet of this fifth edition appeared under the title of "Grosses Wörterbuch der Universalsprache Volapük" (Large Dictionary of the Universal Language). However, this work was laid out so voluminously — the first booklet of 224 pages (apart from one) only comprised the words starting with the letter A — that Schleyer himself could foresee very well that he would not be able to complete it in this way, considering his limited financial means. And so this one booklet was in fact the end of it.
      In the following year (1898), Schleyer began with a smaller revision of the dictionary which he wanted to be viewed as the eleventh edition of his "Mittleres Wörterbuch der Universalsprache Volapük" (Medium Dictionary of the Universal Language). However, this work too, although smaller in scope than the fifth edition of the large dictionary mentioned above, contained so many more words than the fourth edition that it could well have been considered a "much enlarged fifth edition" of the large dictionary.
      In regular intervals, although much too slowly due to his limited funds, 66 sheets of this dictionary appeared in the time span of ten years. With the last sheet coming out on October 1st, 1905, page 1056 was reached. This contained the words of the German-Volapük volume up to "Steuermannsmat" (quartermaster's mate). Nothing had yet appeared of the Volapük-German volume. Lack of interest on the part of the world, meagre funds and old age caused Schleyer to discontinue further publishing of this dictionary.
      Some may ask: "What was the reason for this fading interest? And why are works on Volapük now published again considering that there is no longer any interest in this world language?"
      To these two questions I would like to answer this: In fact, due both to his sharp intellect and his large knowledge of languages, Schleyer was the suitable man to create for international communication an artificial language which could be suitable for all peoples of the world. But as no work of man ever appears perfect when it comes into being, it was to be expected that likewise Schleyer's creation would require some improvements before it could rightfully claim this attribute. The first modifications were proposed and approved at the second World Language Congress held from 6 to 9 August, 1887, in Munich. Indeed, these changes were improvements. Unfortunately, this also opened the way for considering yet more changes. From all countries now arrived suggestions for improvement, and every nation desired to see changes in Volapük in correspondence with their own particular linguistic beliefs. Schleyer rejected all of these suggestions and only implemented such modifications and amendmends as he considered necessary and useful. But these changes did not always turn out to be improvements: Volapük now had become considerably more difficult instead of becoming more easy and simple, this being due to many newly formed words often difficult to memorize, heavily abbreviated forms when building composite words, and many a superfluous suffix. In the application of these principles, it sometimes was difficult to see logical consistency. This circumstance caused many to turn away from Volapük.
      This was a situation the loyal adherents and admirers of Volapük, amongst which I count myself, could not be content with. After retiring from military service (I served in the Dutch-East Indies army as a military surgeon) I had some time to spare and took it upon me to thoroughly rework Volapük (both its grammar and vocabulary), to implement the required improvements, and to subsequently attempt to breathe new life into the Volapük movement. In April, 1921, I informed the Cifal, Prof. Dr. Albert Sleumer, appointed by Schleyer himself to be his successor, of my intention outlined above, to which he readily consented as was to be expected.
      The considerations inducing us to try to reawaken Volapük which was, so to speak, wasting away, were as follows:
      1. In its structure, Volapük is so simple and excellent as a whole that any other language construct could not hope to surpass and at best could equal it.
      2. Experience has shown that Volapük is fully suited to international communication. For instance, in a brochure on "Interlingua" (one of the many competitors of Volapük) published in 1927, the following information is given: "In the year of 1889, there were 283 Volapük societies in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. There were over 1600 examined Volapük teachers, 316 Volapük textbooks and 25 magazines written in Volapük."
      3. It is of the utmost importance for introducing a general international medium that only one single proven system be adhered to. In our opinion, no other artificial language can be considered for this purpose than Volapük. After many centuries of futile attempts, Volapük has been the first artificial language to really stand the test of usability for international communication while being neutral with regard to natural languages.
      4. The current lack of interest for Volapük should not prevent us from directing public attention to it, again. Has it not often happened in the history of science that a scientific finding, after many years of being forgotten, had to be rediscovered, as it were, to finally get the recognition deserved?

      I have completed this work in the span of nine years, being fully aware, however, that the dictionary is not complete. The desirable completeness cannot be achieved by one person alone, even if that person were to continue working on the dictionary for yet another ten years, as, for this, a number of co-workers would be required. But as long as the principles on which the grammar and the formation of words necessarily must be based, had not yet been finally established, there could be not talk of co-workers. Only after a complete grammar and a sufficiently suitable dictionary were published, could one expect that others would be able and willing to offer their cooperation. Now, after this dictionary and a complete grammar of the World Language do in fact exist, I venture to urgently solicit the cooperation of all scholars and laymen who may be interested. Any of their suggestions will be carefully considered by the Volapük Academy which is headed by the Cifal.

      In April, 1929, I paid a visit to Prof. Dr. Sleumer at Bad Godesberg on the Rhine to submit my work to him. In September of that same year, the two of us traveled to Wienacht (in Switzerland) to see Herr J. Sprenger who holds the right of literary ownership for the many works of Schleyer, to discuss with him the various questions of importance regarding Volapük.
      During that meeting, we have finally established the grammar such as now laid out in my book: "Gramat Volapüka" [...].

      Although it may seem unnecessary, I would still like to expressly state that the Cifal Prof. Dr. Albert Sleumer and Herr Jakob Sprenger fully acclaimed the publishing of this dictionary. Currently, I am working on a Dutch edition of this work; editions in other languages will also be prepared.

      Finally I want to express the hope that Volapük may find many new friends, and that these in the study of this ingeniuous invention of Schleyer may experience the same enjoyment as I have felt both in reworking the dictionary and in publishing the grammar.

Dr. ARIE DE JONG,
Member of the Volapük Academy