Info about languages (was: Translation Project! (was Re: Let the hammer fall!))

Eruanno said:
> I would like some background on everyone's language,
> like who would have used it?  Where?  and When?
1) Ihro & Ethia are two of six (planned) languages spoken by humans transplanted
to Lhowam by two pretty advanced alien races -- who were later scared off by a
third even more advanced alien race -- leaving the humans to fend for
themselves and me with a convenient way to get a bunch of humans very far away
from Earth while leaving them at a relatively low level of technology (roughly
late-medieval or early-renaissance) and allowing me to make arbitrary genetic
modifications to them. :)

While the languages (Ihro and Epthia (sometimes Ethia -- perhaps even Epþia if you
have Unicode)) are in a constant state of flux, the cultures & backstory (at
least for Ihro/The Ihri/Ihrovians) are pretty stable...

The Ihri/Ihrovians have a long history of trade and commerce with the Epthia who
live just across the sea to the south. In fact, the Ihri have pretty much a
monopoly on sailing right now. There is no strong centralized "government" as
such, most of the power is held at the regional level. And they would certainly
never put up with anyone trying to declare himself king. AIUI, most Ihri would
probably register as Libertarians. (www.libertarian.org) To borrow a term from
(IMS) Orson Scott Card, the Ihri are Necessarians: Should diplomatic relations
fail, the Ihri are pretty good at defending themselves, but they try to avoid
(open) conflicts and battles.
Ihrovian cuisine involves lots of rice and seafood. Most clothes are made from cotton.
Most people are farmers. Most cities are on the coast and grew up around
seaports. Most children get at least some schooling and most people can read
fairly well.

2) I was thinking about doing a alternate-history where the Angles et al. did not
displace the Celtic languages when they moved to Britain but instead absorbed
the indigenous lang. and were later conquered by the Normans; resulting in a
Celtic-Germanic mix with Norman French influence. But I really need to brush up
on historical linguistics, phonology, etc to do it with any realism...

Andy

http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~adc7593/
adchaney@louisiana.edu