Re: CHAT: Most boring part of constructing a new language?

On Mon, 16 Aug 1999, FFlores wrote:

> Barry Garcia <Barry_Garcia@...> wrote:
>=20
> > I'm just curious, what do you all feel is the most boring part of
> > conlanging? For me it is giving meanings to all the roots (i find
> > everything else fun). So far I mostly have only worked on the roots for=
 my
> > language (i have up to 300 so far). Anyway, just thought I would ask.=
=20
>=20
> I don't think creating words is boring, but it *is* the part
> of conlanging I enjoy less at first. But I've never begun a
> language saying "well, I need x roots" and then making them.
> I translate, some words I just like to have, etc.
>=20
> In Drasel=E9q I have so far about 900 morphemes, of which maybe
> 800 are roots. At this point I do enjoy making new words, since
> I have a lot of material to work with for derivation, compounding,
> etc., and new words come out more naturally. But getting to this
> point, with my non-systematic approach, took me about two years.
> That's one of the reasons I refrain from starting new languages
> these days... because I know I'll leave them 'unfinished'.
I don't mind making words.  I hate writing the grammar.  Probably because
I really don't know how to construct a formal grammar.

I usually don't sit down and make roots, though.  I try to translate
something and work backwards.  For instance, I come across, say, the word
"impede."  Now, I know that in Latin that apparently comes from "sticking
your foot into" a trap or hole -- something that would impede (doesn't
matter how accurate I am, you see; I just look for a possible etymology to
the juices flowing). What other ideas can I come up with that I can
combine for "impede"?  How about "throwing rope"?  So I'll make up a word
that's derived from the roots for "throw" and "rope."