Re: ConConlanging

In a message dated 2/13/99 11:12:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, Pablo Flores
writes:

> [snip] Mem is incredibly difficult to learn and adults learning
>  > the language will never be capable of understanding sentences at
>  > conversational speed]
>  How's that? Could we have an example? Exactly who/what are the Mem?
>  Also, will this language be used by all people from birth?
>  Answer, now! ;-)
Well I assume that spoken Mem would be impossible to understand by an adult
learner, but people never cease to amaze me.    The Mem language puts almost
all distinctions in Nominative, dative, aspect, time, mood, and sometimes the
exact meaning of the mainverb of each sentence on a monosyllabic particle at
the front of each sentence.  The information comes so rapidly that an
unexperienced listener [or one with not-so-great hearing] may only pick up a
general gyst of what the sentence means or less.  In fact, the language is not
used in its standard form when talking to the partially deaf or the elderly,
instead, the particle is spread out with schwas between each consonant.  This
is known as "mem glambI" or"memu gulamubI" ["Old man's Mem"].  I hope this
answered your question. I also wonder if anyone could tell me if this sounds
in their opinion not be incompletely comprehensible to adult learners.
pacs precs
Joe Mondello