Re : Community & fluency (was: just blank)

Irina Rempt-Drijfhout wrote:
>
> On Fri, 8 Oct 1999, C. Tsuchiya wrote:
>
> > Mathias wrote:
> > >
> > > speaking a language identifies with an community.
> > > making a language is tantamount to denying the community.
>
> I disagree with *that* out of context (can't find the rest of what
> Mathias wrote); it's not as if *anything* one does on one's own is
> -erm- mental you-know-what.
>
> > This really struck a chord with me. I've always been quite an introvert,
> > even a misanthrope. I have often consciously rejected community,
> > although it hadn't occurred to me that my conlanging activity might be
> > an expression of that desire. I am not suggesting that this is the next
> > conlanger's purpose, but it resonates with me.
>
> It also resonates with me, but on a dissonance: I *know* I'm
> extraverted, and far from misanthropic, and I don't want motives like
> that pressed on me. My conlanging is an expression - one of the
> various expressions - of creating an *invented* community, not to
> replace the one I lead my daily life in, but to supplement and enrich
> it. There would be no Valdyan language without any Valdyans to speak
> it, fictitious as they are.
>
I won't argue with anything you've said here. I was speaking only from
my very individual reaction to Mathias' statement. I should emphasize
that it's hardly the sole, or even initial, reason for my conlanging
activities. They are first, and foremost, a creative action, just like
my painting or other creative writing. As I've mentioned in the past, my
original conlang roots grew out of my role-playing game activities --
definitely a group endeavor. I never interpreted Mathias' statements as
being true for all, or even most, conlangers. It just struck me how true
it was for *me*.

> > On the other hand, I also agree with others who have cited the sheer
> > effort that it would take a non-conlanger to appreciate a conlang. It's
> > not quite parallel to having an aesthetic sense about natural languages.
> > I, for one, enjoy working on my languages but I'm not fluent in speaking
> > any of them. I can't just rattle off even the simplest phrases.
> > Therefore I have nothing to offer the non-linguistic person for purposes
> > of accessible aesthetic appreciation.
>
> Then write things! Nobody needs to know that you need, say, two hours
> to write something that can be read in two minutes.
Indeed! Nik just suggested the same thing, and I'm pondering what to
take to the office.

<snip>

>
> > "Being bright does not grant an immunity to doing idiotic
> > things; more like, it just enlarges the possible scope."
> >      -- Lois McMaster Bujold
>
> Hey, I like your .sig! Can I steal it to add to my future random .sig
> archive?
Please do. My husband located the quote. Don't know if it's from one of
Bujold's novels, or from some other context.

Laurie
milo@winternet.com
http://www.winternet.com/~milo
--
"Being bright does not grant an immunity to doing idiotic
things; more like, it just enlarges the possible scope."
     -- Lois McMaster Bujold