Re: Conlanging and Natlangs

On Sun, 16 Jul 2000, Jim Grossmann wrote:

>   [These are impressive examples of language planning,
>   but all of the planned languages in question are based on languages
>   whose creation and development were not planned.]
[snip]

>   [Well, inasmuch as pidgins and invented sign languages have happened
>   often, I suppose you are right up to a point.    But most natlangs are
>   not inventions.   Inventing a lingua franca can be like taloring;   a
>   language can be made from whole cloth.  But most of the
>   language-planning successes you've described are more like hair
>   styling;   the stylists shape the hair, but did not invent hair.
>   Ben Yehuda altered Hebrew, but did not invent Hebrew.]
Brithenig is based entirely on languages which spontaneously evolved, but
I don't think anyone would argue that it is not a conlang, if a conlang of
a specialized sort.

    ___
   )_|_)   Eli Naeher - enaeher@emma.troy.ny.us
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 )___|___)   "A whaleship was my Yale College and my Harvard."
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