Re: Some Random Questions

-----Original Message-----
From: Boudewijn Rempt <bsarempt@...>
To: Multiple recipients of list CONLANG <CONLANG@...>
Date: Thursday, April 15, 1999 4:09 AM
Subject: Re: Some Random Questions


>On Sun, 11 Apr 1999, dunn patrick w wrote:
>
>> 1.  You know, I notice that my conlangs tend to peter out quickly -- none
>> of them seem to grab my interest, although I have this idea of a perfect
>> conlang that perfectly expresses my artistic vision. . . okay, I guess
>> that was more of a comment.
>>
>
>In my experience this often depends on the way the conlang started.
>There are conlangs, such as Bruslani and Matraian, that have started
>with a song that consists of likely syllables - these songs I analysed
>and translated, but afterwards, the language wasn't developed further.

My most complete conlang, and the one I am still working on after many
years, started with "relexification."  I concentrated on finding 2000 or so
really good words, but used them with strictly standard English grammar.
Then, when the time came to start exploring grammar I already had a good
working vocabulary to play with.

The grammar has mutated in countless bizare ways over the years, but the
vocabulary has been relatively stable.  (Aside from adding endings to words
when I went into my inflected period, and dropping them again when I started
drifting toward the analytical.) Anyway, that's what worked for me.

--Gary.