> A. PROFESSION, DEMOGRAPHICS, INCLINATION:
>
> 1. Who are you, and what is the name of your invented language or =
> languages? Pseudonyms allowed. (Are you using one? asked "Sally Caves")
Matt Trinsic. The languages name has changed over time, but is currently
juneryv hug.
>
> *2. Are you new to the Lunatic Survey or have you filled out a version =
> of this survey before?
New.
>
> 3. Do you have a website for you language/world(s)? If so, please list =
> the URL address.
None publicly accessable yet.
>
> 4. What is your email address? name at hostsite dot whatever.
>
trinsic@earthlink.net
> 5. What is your age? (vague answers allowed, but it is an important =
> demographic)
27
>
> 6. What is your gender?=20
Male
>
> 7. What is your nationality? Where do you live now?
Vermont, USA
>
> 8. What is your native language?
English
>
> 9. What natural languages foreign to you have you studied or do you =
> speak?
None yet.
>
> 10. What is your level of education? i.e., your highest degree achieved =
> or sought?
Bachelor of Science
>
> 11. What is your profession? Are you a professional linguist? If so, =
> what also makes you a conlanger?
Software Developer.
>
> 13. If you are a student, what is your major or your area of study?
Not a student.
>
> 14. How long have you been developing your invented language(s)?
Off and on for about twelve years.
>
> 15. At what age did you first start inventing a language? Can you =
> briefly describe your early efforts?=20
About 15. My earliest efforts were geared towards inventing codes and
cyphers. As I continued, they grew increasingly more complex and I
started working on making them a language of their own.
>
> 16. What drew you to start inventing a language and/or constructed =
> world? What was the inspiration?=20
Work on cyphering languages.
>
> 17. Did you start inventing before you had heard of the list or after? =
> Before you had heard of Esperanto or Tolkien? (I name the two most =
> common inspirations)
Long before I heard of the list. After I had read Tolkien, but before I
knew how detailed he had created his languages. After I knew of Esperanto.
>
> 18. Tolkien calls it a "shy art" and a "secret vice"; but that was =
> before the Internet. How secret do you keep it from others outside this =
> list for much the same reasons?
Not a secret.
>
> 19. Yaguello has called it "pathological," influenced, unfortunately, by =
> a lot of psychiatric writings such as _Le Schizo et la langue_. To what =
> extent have you encountered such reactions by outsiders you had taken =
> into your confidence?
None.
>
> *20. Do you consider it nerdy to be doing this? This is a term that gets =
> tossed around a lot. Or actually sophisticated? Do you need to get a =
> life, or is this your life? What is a life?
Not really nerdy or sophisticated any more than any other hobby. I
already have a life, and this is a part of it.
>
> 21. There has been a connection noted between linguistic and musical =
> ability. Are you musically inclined? Do you sing and/or play a musical =
> instrument? Do you compose music?
I can sing (badly). I do not play any musical instruments. I do
occasionally write music lyrics/poems.
>
> 22. There has been a connection noted between linguistic and =
> mathematical ability. Are you mathematically inclined or inclined =
> towards computing in any way?
Yes. (see question 11 above ;)
>
> 23. What other passions do you pursue that give you creative pleasure? =
> (painting, drawing, sculpting, calligraphy, model-building, novel or =
> story-writing, role-playing games, map-making, book-making, poetry, =
> web-designing, star-gazing or other?)
Role playing games, book-reading, camping/hiking, model rocketry, and
history.
>
>
>
> B. FEATURES OF YOUR INVENTION
>
> 1. Pick the best term for the invented language you are currently =
> invested in: auxlang, artlang, engelang, loglang, lostlang, =
> philosophical language, or "other." etc.=20
artlang.
>
> 2. Is your conlang a priori (devised from scratch) or a posteriori =
> (based on an existing natural language or drawing from a language class =
> such as Semitic)?
a priori.
>
> 4. Do you have a script for your conlang? What is it called? Could you =
> provide me at a later date with a sample of it? Is it on Langmaker's =
> "neography" site?
Yes. It shares the name of the language, juneryv hug. I could provide a
hand-written & scanned sample of it. I have yet to computerize it, which
is why I have not submitted it to the neography site yet.
>
> 5. Briefly describe the outlines of your invented language (syntactical =
> structure--VO, OV, etc.; class or type--analytic, synthetic, =
> agglutinating, incorporative, accusative, ergative, active, trigger, =
> other, combinations, etc.), noting what you have done with it that is =
> innovative in your opinion.
Word order free. Some inflecting and agglutinating qualities. The most
unique property is probably the noun-verb duality. Nouns and verbs are
distinguished from each other by the pronounciation of the vowels. There
is one set of vowel pronounciations for nouns, and another for verbs. So
any word in the language can be pronounced as a noun or a verb.
>
> 7. How extensive would you say your invented language is, now? How big =
> the vocabulary? Do you provide a vocabulary list or taxonomy on your =
> website if you have one?
A very small vocabulary at the moment.
>
> 8. How do you build vocabulary? Some people pull words out of the air; =
> others build up a base of root words and affixes. Many do both.
A combination of both.
>
> 3. Does a constructed world accompany your invention(s)? What is it =
> called?=20
Not at the present.
>
> *9. Has your language and conworld ever served in a role-playing game or =
> a world shared by other conlangers?
Previous versions of the language have.
>
> *10. Briefly describe your conculture (is it within the bounds of this =
> world? on another world, etc.?)
None at the present.
>
> *11. Are the beings who speak your invented language human or alien? If =
> alien, what features have you given the language to make it alien or how =
> have you restricted or expanded its phonology? vocabulary?
>
> 12. What do you write in it? Poems? chants? lullabyes? prayers? history? =
> stories? recipes? Are any of these exhibited on your website?
Mostly translation exercises.
>
> 13. Can you speak your conlang? Are you fluent in it? Is this a goal for =
> you? Have you tried to teach it to an intimate? a companion animal? :)
Somewhat, but not at all fluent.
>
> 14. Have you made any soundbytes of your language? Could you provide me =
> at a later date with a sample of them?
Not yet.
>
> *15. If you use Roman script, how recognizably "phonetic" is your =
> writing system? In other words, do you use unconventional letters or =
> letter combinations to represent sounds? Why or why not? I'm thinking, =
> of course, of Etabnannery, for those who remember it.
In addition to its native script, I also use roman script for ease of
use on computers. As the roman script is an artifical overlay on the
language, it is very regular in representing the sounds.
>
> 16. How many of you sing in your language and have invented songs for =
> that purpose?
Not yet.
>
> *17. How many of you, for entertainment or any other reason, resort to =
> gibberish? (This is in response to Adrian Morgan's question in =
> December). Does it give you ideas for conlanging? (Have you ever fooled =
> anyone?) How many of you have sung gibberish?
No.
>
> *18. What on-line games do you play? (or devise?) Translations, =
> Babel-text, Relays, etc.
Working on an updated Babel text.
>
> 19. Which do you prefer doing: devising phonology? script? structure? =
> building vocabulary?
All of them.
>
> 20. Do you start and stop several different conlangs, or do you tend to =
> stick with one and develop it over years?
Theoreticlaly, I've stuck with the same one over the years. Often
though, after working on it for a period of time, I will take a break.
When I return to it, I usually make major changes to correct problems or
things I did not like about the previous version. There is very little
left recognizable from the earliest versions.
>
> 21. What do you think makes a "complete" conlang, if a conlang can =
> attain completion? What are your goals for completion? When do you grow =
> "tired" of your conlang, or don't you?
Never completely complete. But once there is enough vocabulary for
ordinary conversations, I would think it far enough along to be called
complete.
>
> *22. Which came first: the conlang or the conworld?
Conlang.
>
>
>
> C. PHILOSOPHY AND AESTHETIC:
>
> 1. What aesthetic features do you value in inventing language? Be =
> specific as to phonology, structure, script, etc.
None in particular, other than being interesting.
>
> 2. What commonly applied aesthetics have you ever tried to avoid in your =
> invention? This has been an oft debated question, especially when it =
> comes to Tolkien.=20
None in particular.
>
> 3. Is difficulty or obscurity a goal in inventing a language?
No.
>
> 4. Is efficiency a goal in inventing a language? This question needn't =
> cancel out the previous one.
No.
>
> 5. How natural do you wish to make it, or is that a concern? Or rather, =
> how unnatural do you wish to make it?
As natural as possible while still being fun.
>
> 6. Can conlanging be sexy? sensual? obsessing? how does it heal or harm =
> you?
No.
>
> *7. How many of you have developed a rich vocabulary of obscenities?=20
Some, but not extensively yet.
>
> 8. Can it be mystical? To what extent does conlanging fulfill a =
> spiritual purpose for you? Or a magical one? Did it ever start out that =
> way?=20
No.
>
> 9. How many of you have developed a rich vocabulary of magical, =
> religious, or incantatory terms?
Some, but not extensively yet.
>
> *10. How many of you have striven to invent words that express novel =
> ideas, or are not expressed in any natural language that you know?=20
Yes. That is one of the best parts of working with the language.
>
> 11. Name a few of the words in your language(s) that you are most =
> pleased with and are the most original to you.
pyb. Meaning wind-blown leaves, dust, or other debris.
>
> 12. How do you sense that a word is "right" for its meaning? How much do =
> you labor at fitting a sound to its sense? Or don't you care?
Just if it feels right.
>
> *13. Do you ever rely on a software program to build vocabulary? Do =
> those who don't think that's cheating? :)
No, I prefer to handcraft them.
>
> *14. Is conlang a hobby, a craft, or an art in your mind? This has been =
> hotly debated, so the question is not as weird as it seems. Can =
> conlanging be considered an art? Why or why not?
Any or all of them. As far as that particular person wants to take it.
>
> *15. If it is, who do you think are its consumers?=20
Does it need any to be art?
>
> *16. This question is directed as well at any auxlangers on the list. Is =
> it an art, a political tool, both? And who do you think could be its =
> consumers?
Not an auxlanger.
>
> *17. There has been some exciting talk recently (and over the years) =
> about what a conlang is or is not. If you could pick a metaphor or write =
> a descriptive phrase defining "conlang," what would that be?
>
> *18. Why or why not would you eschew the metaphors "miniature" or =
> "model"?=20
>
> *19. Is a conlang more like a glimpse of something lifesize? (Irina's =
> suggestion in 2001)
>
> *20. There has been some invigorating discussion lately about what a =
> conlang can do that most natural languages don't (such as produce OSV =
> structure, or eradicate verbs) What experiments have you made with your =
> artlang(s) along these lines? =20
Strict word building from a set of basic roots. Extremely agglutative
languages. Extremely inflected languages. Languages with grammatical
structure based on vowels.
>
> *21 What do you think distinguishes a conlang from a natural language, =
> if you think so at all? What would it take for a linguist to be fooled =
> into thinking a conlang was a natural language?
>
> *22. How much do you study other languages in order to discover what is =
> natural in language? Or to discover how you can stretch the boundaries =
> of language to make it do things that are unnatural?
>
> *23. Can such a language function?
>
> *24. There has been quite a bit of fascinating debate about the =
> relevance of conlanging to linguistic study. We all know that =
> linguistics can aid conlangers, but in what ways can conlangers aid =
> linguists? Or does it matter?
>
>
>
> D. THE LISTSERV
>
> 1. How did you first hear of this list?
I dont recall.
>
> 2. How long have you been on this listserv or on other related =
> listservs? Continuously? Infrequently? Off and on? More off than on and =
> vice versa?
Off and on since May 2003.
>
> *3. What is the appeal of being on a listserv and contributing to it? Do =
> you think you contribute moderately or excessively, or not enough? Do =
> you tend to lurk ?
This is a great place to get ideas and learn about linguistics. I tend
to lurk.
>
> *4. For those of you who remember its inception, how has it changed over =
> the past decade?
>
> *5. How helpful has the list been in developing your language? In =
> learning linguistic information?
Very good for learning linguistics. That, in turn, has greatly helped me
in defining and developing my language.
>
> 6. What books have you consulted? On your own, or because you heard of =
> them on the list?
None yet.
>
> *7. Do you peruse the websites of other conlangers?=20
Langmaker often, and occasionally personal sites.
>
> *8. Do you sense that people on this list are interested in your conlang =
> and give you feedback on it?=20
Mostly I tend to lurk.
>
> 9. Have you ever set out to learn at least a little bit of someone's =
> conlang, if only a word or two, or a phrase?
Some.
>
> *10. Do you peruse Jeffrey Henning's Langmaker.com site?
Yes.
>
> *11. What on-line techniques do you use to showcase your conlang, such =
> as Audacity or other sound programs, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, =
> Fontography, and so forth? Did you hear of them on the list?
I use usemod wiki locally to store the vocabulary and other information.
>
> 12. Have you ever tried to introduce a friend to the list?=20
No.
>
> 13. Do you know of anyone who does this kind of thing but who has never =
> heard of the list?
No.
>
> *14. What other lists do you frequent related to conlanging?
None.
>
> *15. What do you think will be the future of the list? I see it giving =
> birth to alternate lists like Conworld, Lostlanguages, Romlang, etc. =
> What improves the present list and its helpfulness or entertainment =
> value?=20
>
> *16. What Internet technology would you most like to see developed that =
> would aid you in showcasing your language(s)?
>
> *17. What lists like conlang exist in other cultures and languages that =
> you know of?
>
> *18. There has been some terrific talk about CONLANG as a community. And =
> yet so many of us seem to want the world to know of it and respect it. =
> Is the CONLANG community enough?
>
> *19. In my 2000 on-line article =
> (
http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0003/languages.php) I suggested =
> that the Internet "may provide a site that, with the impetus of =
> competition and showmanship, encourages inutile and obsessive activity"; =
> I was quoting Jeff Salamon's article "Revenge of the Fanboys." Village =
> Voice 13 Sep., 1994. He wrote that over ten years ago. Do outsiders =
> still entertain such notions, do you think, about listservs like this =
> one? Do you? To what extent has the list increased obsessive development =
> in you? Would you be inventing as furiously as you are without the list =
> or knowledge of other inventors?
>
> 20. If asked whether it is not better to turn your linguistic talents to =
> the learning and speaking of natural languages (a common response I've =
> met with and aimed at criticizing introversion or solipsism), how would =
> you answer?
>
> *21. In Elizabethan times there were the inkhorn neologisms. There were =
> ciphers and pasigraphies. Today there is conlanging. Do you think the =
> contemporary world is more open to language innovation or more closed?
>
> *22. What would Tolkien have done with such a community? He writes in "A =
> Secret Vice" that language inventors "hardly ever show their works to =
> one another, so none of them know who are the geniuses at the game, or =
> who are the splendid 'primitives'." He suggests that perhaps in a later =
> time language invention will become respectable, and such things can be =
> exhibited. Have we reached that time?
>
> *23. Is there a danger that over-exposure can make conlanging "banal"? =
> To what extent is it exciting because it is a) considered disreputable, =
> "corny" or "mad," or b) largely unknown to the world? Does it have a =
> fizzle-out date? In other words, is it just a fad, or is it a natural =
> human inclination that will stand the test of time?
>
> Finally, may I have your permission to use any of this material of yours =
> for my academic work on conlanging? First name? last name? pseudonym? =
> anonymous?