Re: This is not a conlang.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sally Caves" <scaves@...>


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Adrian Morgan (aka Flesh-eating Dragon)" <dragon@...>
>
>
>> This is not a conlang; it is utter nonsensical gibberish:
>>
>> http://web.netyp.com/member/dragon/say/gibberish1.mp3
>
> I listened to it with interest.  What is really cool is the electronic
> buzz
> behind it, as though it were an android talking.
Okay, Adrian, I've given this a closer analysis, having listened to this
about thirty times.

>> Secondly, am I completely correct in my belief that the sample I have
>> given really *is* indistinguishable from real speech, or would an
>> appropriate statistical analysis of the phonetics probably reveal some
>> hidden unnatural features?
>
> It probably would.
I'm qualifying that.

> But I'd have to analyze it again.
Here's what I've come up with.  You have four sentences, all of which seem
to have subordination signaled by your vocal intonations.  (Please forgive
my inaccurate spelling and hearing--the ellipses are where I just wasn't
fast enough writing at your speed of diction):

1) Mirakun essem... krokuan...echoda,   bekoian... am chupea.  Two clauses.
You start high as though making a statement, and then drop to mid level at
echoda, and complete the sentence with falling intonation at chupea.

2) Ne firkun,  ishuan a pragna ata echuala, herkol, .... achenena.  Again
two clauses.  Ne firkun sounds like an adverbial because you pause after it,
and then echuala ends this clause, and herkol again sounds like an adverbial
or conjunction with a pause after it and you end with falling inflection on
achenena (pen-penultimate stress).

3) Hunse ulpits .... chuapan, ishi para a colchu (that may be mangled).
Another pause after chuapan, making what sounds like a first clause, and
falling inflection upon colchu in the second clause.

4) Enkumpan, e krenenos, e krokua.  This is your conclusion to your "point."
It makes three final remarks, and enkrumpan sounds like "finally," or "in
conclusion."

So you add what I have left out: to sound like a real language, you have to
have a sense of subordination, of qualification, of rising and falling
diction (this sounds like some kind of European language in its intonations
and emphases), and a sense of the difference between a question and a
statement, or a qualification and a clarification.  You also skillfully
employ a consistent phonology with a definite penultimate or pen-penultimate
stress which suggests endings to your words, and some repeated words and
syllables.  I especially noted krokuan and krokua, and chupea, echuala,
chuapan.

So, in rethinking your question, I think it would be very hard for even the
toughest linguist, to say that this was nonsense.  If it is not a
recognizable language, one might assume that it is invented.  Let me ask you
this, though:  did you write it down and practice it first?  Something like
this is harder to produce spontaneously.  But I have often made written
exercise like this for myself!

Well, I'm up to my fourth post, and the day's still young.

Back to work...

Sally