Re: Conlang Idea Donation For Classicists

Hi, all,

Goesk doesn't do what you describe, but does do something tangentally
related.

All Goesk speakers have three names;   the given name, and two more names
derived from the parents' given names.   The patronymic suffix is "-gai" and
the matronymic suffix is "-feu."    So, Steven, child of Helen and Paul,
would be "stievu helenefeu-polgai," or "stievu polgai-helenefeu," the order
of the parent-names being a matter of personal choice which might or might
not vary across contexts.

A child whose parent dies can optionally use the name of a god to ensure
that all Goesk speakers still have three names.   When the name of a parent
is simply not known, the name of a god invariably fills in gap.   So, if our
"stievu" were an orphan, and especially if the parents "stievoes" (of
steven) were unknown, he could be called "stievu valdetru-seetru"
(Steven-mountain-god sea-god), or "stievu seetru-valdetru" as the case may
be.

Jim



----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Heil" <edheil@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 6:53 AM
Subject: Conlang Idea Donation For Classicists


> This is another cool conlang idea that I don't see myself actually
using...
>
> Plato, in the Cratylus, remarks on Homer's habit of reporting two names
for
> things -- the human and the divine name:
>
> "...you may learn of the poets, and in particular
> of Homer, who distinguishes the names given by Gods and men to the same
> things, as in the verse about the river God who fought with Hephaestus,
> 'whom the Gods call Xanthus, and men call Scamander;' or in the lines in
> which he mentions the bird which the Gods call 'Chalcis,' and men
> 'Cymindis;' or the hill which men call 'Batieia,' and the Gods 'Myrinna's
> Tomb.'  Here is an important lesson; for the Gods must of course be right
> in their use of names."
>
> I wonder if anybody has ever made a list of all the "divine names" given
to
> things?
>
> I was thinking a moment ago that this would be a cool basis for a conlang,
but
> now that I look at it I realize that the Gods seem to speak Greek.  Darn.
>
> ah well. :)
>
> Ed