Re: Slang, idioms etc. in conlangs

Telek has four idioms so far. One of them I discoverd on accident while
translating the T-shirt slogan, another one was suggested by Yoon Ha Lee,
and another was invented because I felt bad about not being able to sign my
emails with Telek farewell.

As you can see below, three of the four have something to do with Botany.
This is because the culture is hunter-gatherer, with a strong respect
toward vegetation. I don't think you can invent idioms without a con-culture.

1)
tellasajmo
tella-sajmo
tongue-grow
lit. 'grow a tongue' = "speak up"

2)
Yoon Ha's brain-child:

lotella sodonnesal
lo-tella so-donnes-al
2sP-tongue AsP-wilt-CAUSE
lit. 'Make your tongue wilt!" = "shut up!"

Often shortened to:  sodonnesal

3)
sajekaxiwwa
sajek-ax-iwwa
NAME-GOAL-meet
lit. 'to meet up with Sajek' = "to die"

4)
Xassil laxuubkekam.
xassi-l l-ax-uubkek-am
leaf-NOM 2sA-BEN-endure-OPT
lit. 'May the leaves endure for you." = "goodbye, farewell"

At 3/26/01 01:30 PM +0100, you wrote:
>Has anyone out there made up much slang/idiomatic phrases for their
>conlangs? Cos I'm a bit of a newbie and would like some tips on slang,
>idioms etc. I have a pretty complex inflecting language, and I want a less
>formal version for use in the race's normal life. Any tips?
>
>'hutchies'
>
>
>
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Marcus Smith

"Sit down before fact as a little child,
be prepared to give up every preconceived notion,
follow humbly wherever and to whatsoever abysses Nature leads,
or you shall learn nothing."
                -- Thomas Huxley

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