Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: Difficult language ideas

From:Christopher Bates <chris.maths_student@...>
Date:Wednesday, September 27, 2006, 9:49
> I like that. Reminds me that I need to construct a lot of metaphors > for my conlangs. They are very barren the way I have them now. I have > written a lot of poetry without using a single metaphor. Urianian and > Gaajan poets would probably sneer at me. Got to re-work them a bit. > But non-metaphoric language sure helps legibility...
I don't believe that a language without Metaphor is even possible. The very basis of language is metaphor, because the world is (from our point of view, at least, even if not in absolute terms) infinite in the number of objects that exist and the number of possible kinds of actions that can take place. All languages have metaphorical extentions of terms and constructions from their core meaning on the basis of percieved similarity, otherwise they could not function. If you've written a lot in your conlang, I'd suggest that it's not the fact that metaphors are not present, but rather that you've been using your default metaphors from your own culture and language and not noticed.

Reply

Lars Finsen <lars.finsen@...>