Re: THEORY: questions
| From: | Christophe Grandsire <christophe.grandsire@...> |
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| Date: | Monday, October 22, 2001, 9:28 |
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En réponse à nd003k <nd003k@...>:
> Hi,
> I'm new to the listserve but here goes:
Welcome!
> Though I am presently inventing my own language, I'm also
> doing a linguistics project on constructed language making.
Where are you studying?! That's quite interesting!
> I was wondering if those of you who have made up your own
> language would be willing to answer some questions:
> -how did you go about creating your language?
> for example: the first word I created was ponatova (which
> means language or song of words) and originally I
> concentrated on coming up with words and then later went
> back and started coming up with rules (like putting 'froge'
> before a verb makes it past tense and putting 'thare' before
> a noun makes it possessive)
I usually begin with sounds (how my language will sound like, which sounds are
possible, which combinations of sounds are possible) then with grammar, and
then only I begin thinking of the lexicon. I feel I need the grammar to be
settled down to be able to come up with words. I also love making grammars, but
find making words a burden. That's why my languages usually have very small
lexicons.
> -what components are necessary for the plethora or words and
> rules someone just made up to be considered a language?
>
It depends on the nature of the language. For instance my Notya can be
considered to have just one rule of grammar and four suffixes (going in groups
of two), and still it's able to express anything I can think of. Of course,
with about ten words of vocabulary, it won't express much, but if i could come
up with enough vocabulary I could translate whatever I want in this language.
If you can translate a sentence such as: "if I see the man who walked on my
flowers, I'm gonna make him eat his dirty shoes through his nose!" :)) without
grammatical difficulties (I'm not talking about a lack of vocabulary), I'd say
your language is pretty complete.
Christophe.
http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr
Take your life as a movie: don\'t let anybody else play the leading role.
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