Re: CHAT: Three questions from a lurker

Beorn - wulf wrote:
> How do you decide on your vocabularies/morphemes?
A couple of different ways.  My very first conlang, Tarni'f (i' =
i-acute), was just invented terms, with some (semi-consistent)
derivations, and a complex grammar influenced by Latin and Spanish (the
only two foreign languages I knew).  Anyways, for my present lang,
Watya'iya`isa, basic terminology is just invented.  I have a skeleton of
earlier stages which I sometimes use for interesting derivations (i.e.,
a derivation which was once transparent, but has since changed to become
opaque), and I borrow from Tarni'f for technical terms (much as English
has borrowed from Latin and Greek).  I use derivation for related words,
especially in translations, where I'll have to invent a word that I
don't use in order to make a derivation of *it*.

> And what computer program do you use.
Shoebox.  It's very difficult to get used to, but once you're used to
it, it's wonderful.  Of course, my actual word-creation is done by
pencil.  I use Shoebox to print out word-lists, and then I add to the
printout with pencil when I invent a new word, adding it to the database
when I'm on the computer, and printing out a new list when the
penciled-in words become to large.  Currently I have 11 pages (going on
12).  Most of the grammar (outside of inflections) is in my head, tho,
because it's not yet "solid" enough to devote to paper, especially the
roles of different cases and the like.  The verbal aspects are the worst
at that, I'm still not clear on what the differences between the five
(four aspects plus the null-aspect) are.