>From: Cheng Zhong Su <suchengzhong@...>
>Reply-To: Constructed Languages List <CONLANG@...>
>To: CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU
>Subject: Re: The pitfall of Chinese/Mandarin
>Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2001 10:18:25 +1100
>
> --- Adam Walker wrote:
>If you want to
> > >create a perfectly short language, you should use
> > all places and manners of
> > >articulation for consonants, add some clicks and
> > othe esoteric sounds,
> > >distinguish 5 different levels of frontness for
> > your vowels, rounded and
> > >unrounded. So this gives us about 80 consonants and
> > 30 vowels, allowing for
> > >2400 combinations. Add six tones to this, and you
> > have almost 15,000
> > >possible CV syllables, which is about as short as
> > it gets. You could
> > >express
> > >all basic stuff with one short syllable, and by
> > adding a final consonant
> > >(CVC), you could make another 1.2 million more
> > esoteric words, all just one
> > >syllable. You should be able to think really fast
> > in such a language.... if
> > >you ever manage to learn it!
>Answer: I have said to learn less. That include
>letters. Suppose we need 2400 'phonetic types' , we
>may have 800 consonants 2 vowels and 2 tones and we
>may also have 14 consonants, 14 vowels and 14 tones.
>In the first case we need learn 800+2+2=804 symbols,
>while in the second case we just need 14+14+14=42
>symbols. Of course, all those sound elements need to
>be approved by user.
>I want my languages to be ambiguous
> > and not too easy to
> > >learn. I want them to have a certain feeling, i.e.
> > my elven languages use
> > >mainly fronted and sharp sounds, and long syllables
> > that end in vowels or
> > >semi-vowels, wile dwarven tongues prefer harsher,
> > more uvular and darker
> > >sounds and shorter syllables that often end in
> > stops.
> > >
> > >Maarten
>Answer: you may just thinking yourself and your native
>language, but I think more and more people like a
>clear and easy to learn language, beside it can
>preserve your culture.
>Su Cheng Zhong
>
>
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