Tut

Tut is a form of English invented in the 18th century by black slaves in the southern states of America. It was used to help them learn to read and write at a time when literacy was banned among slaves, and also as a secret language. Each letter is replaced by a word beginning with the sound of the letter. Tut, or Tutnese, is also used as a language game. There is a very similar language game, known as Yuckish or Yukkish, which is played in parts of the USA.

Tut alphabet

Notes

• The pronunciations of the letters shown here come from TUT Language by Gloria McIlwain. Other pronunciations are available.
• Double letters can be indicated by adding squa before them, or squat before vowels. E.g zoo = zedsquatoh, and beer = bubsquaterur.
• In some versions of Tut, punctutation marks are also pronounced: a full stop = per, a question mark = que, kway or kay, and a comma = com.

Download an Tut alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text in Tut

Aylullul hushyumumaynun bubeeenungugsush ayrure bubohrurnun fufruree aynundud ekeeyuaylul eenun dudeegugnuneetutyuk aynundud rureegughushtutsush. Tuthusheyuk ayrure enundudohwowedud woweetuthush rureaysushohnun aynundud cucohnunsushcuceeenuncuce aynundud sushhushohyululdud aycuctut tutohwowayrurdudsush ohnune aynunohtuthusherur eenun ay sushpupeerureetut ohfuf bubrurohtuthusherurhushohohdud.

Transliteration

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Videos about Tut

Some information supplied by Mark Connely

Links

Information about Tut
http://www.tutlanguage.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutnese
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/forgotten-language-seeing-revival-thanks-tiktok-rcna1676

Page last modified: 25.02.22

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