Re: Re :

Patrick Dunn wrote:
>
> On Fri, 8 Oct 1999, C. Tsuchiya wrote:
> >
> > On the other hand, I also agree with others who have cited the sheer
> > effort that it would take a non-conlanger to appreciate a conlang. It's
> > not quite parallel to having an aesthetic sense about natural languages.
> > I, for one, enjoy working on my languages but I'm not fluent in speaking
> > any of them. I can't just rattle off even the simplest phrases.
> > Therefore I have nothing to offer the non-linguistic person for purposes
> > of accessible aesthetic appreciation. But with natlangs, one can readily
> > find sources of the speech, or the script, and so have a chance at that
> > non-informed but aesthetic appreciation. That's one reason I've begun to
> > more seriously add cultural elements around my conlang and include them
> > on the web page. Since that text is still in English, a non-linguist can
> > take it in without too much effort.
>
> I don't know.  I'm in an office with a large number of linguists (we all
> teach English and share an office) and from time to time I'll write
> something in Hatasoe on the board.  Lately, I just invented a script, and
> there's been some real appreciation -- even advice! -- among both the
> linguists and non-linguists in the office.  It really impressed them when
> someone wrote "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" on the
> board, and under it, in both Latin letters and Hatasoe script, I wrote
> "puapea nepete ranehua si tetea sheoe."  No, none of them can read it, but
> they seem to be able to appreciate it (which isn't to say that they don't
> think I'm weird -- the linguists keep trying to convert me!).
That's exactly what I'm suggesting. You are fluent enough with your
conlang that you can directly share, on the spot, some samples with your
co-workers, and they can experience those samples immediately. I'm not
fluent in mine, and so the only things I have to offer for sharing are
my web pages. Probably only another conlanger, or at least linguist, is
going to take the time to read enough there to acquire any gist of the
language.

Laurie
milo@winternet.com
http://www.winternet.com/~milo
--
"Being bright does not grant an immunity to doing idiotic
things; more like, it just enlarges the possible scope."
     -- Lois McMaster Bujold