Re: New Language!

----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Bates <
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 11:40 PM
Subject: New Language!


> I've started the first language in a long time that I'm happy with. :) I
> start quite a lot but most of them strike me as unsatisfactory pretty
> quickly,
 I know the feeling.

> and I generally become bored or depressed trying to fix them,
> but my latest is the first I've been remotely happy with in years. I've
> nicked a few bits from basque (mainly some ideas from the basque verbal
> system), from Hungarian, and a few things from other places...
>  The reason I was asking about split ergative systems before is because
> my new language has got one, and its slightly messy, and probably breaks
> the universal about animacy and split ergative systems.
 I don't see a problem.
 (even the universe breaks universal laws - look at singularities).

> Its split as
> follows:
 [sorry for my snipping things that I'm still learning, and thus wouldn't be
able to productively help with]

>  Phonology wise it isn't amazingly interesting, apart from the fact it
> has no bilabials or labiodentals whatsoever (no p, b, m, f, v, w...) but
 " y goodness - no eanut utter?"  :)
 (sorry).

> it does have a set of dental fricatives (which I decided not to spell
> using the handy unused letters f & v because that would be too easy).
>  If anyone's interested I'll post some examples when I've made some good
> ones... or maybe a babel text. :)
 um, if I might be so bold as to suggest a few things to start with...
1) "You ain't nothing but a hound dog" (Elvis)
2) "Live long and prosper" (Spock)
3) "We must either find a way, or make one." (Hannibal)
4) "I am not a crook" (Nixon, I think)
5) "Read my lips" (Bush)

 how're those? *curious*

>