Lexicon storage methodology

Iain E. Davis wrote:
>> Excel opens the file more easily. But when I save an Unicode
>> table as .CSV, and the I open it again, every accent is
>> messed up. What I'm thinking to do is to edit it in
>>
> Now that would be annoying. I've not export to CSV and back again.
>
> I wonder if exporting to XML and back would have the same issues. Although
> that may not be helpful for what you're wanting to do. :)
>
I think so. My second sketch was a hand-written XML file : ). It's very
useful for editing in serious typesetting programs, like Word is trying
to become. I played with it a little, a year ago, and now I just need
the dictionary in an acceptable state to work on this again. XML is very
useful... and very cryptic.
>
>> transcription... easier than adding macros... and writing
>> another function for converting it back to Unicode. But I'm
>> playing with an online editor for the dictionary, then I
>> could forget other programs. But they are useful for mass
>> editing and that sort of thing.
>>
>
> Indeed. And easy filtering, querying, sorting, etc....one of the reasons
> that my PHP-based approach never went very far. I didn't want to give up
> Excel. :)
>
Ah, I need to read some dictionaries that I can't kidnap from my college
library. Then this web editing would be useful. Adding extended
characters are really easy, see that:
http://ausonia.parnassum.org/teste.01.php . Take the code, if you (or
anyone else here ; ) ) like.
>
>>     Thanks! It's not that well constructed, I just know how
>> to use the plaster, ehehehe. The code is chaos, I almost see
>> the primeval deities while editing it.
>>
>
> *grin*. I know the feeling. I was just looking at the PHP I wrote, and found
> it...messy. Very clearly 'just thrown together'. Akin to building a house by
> flinging bricks into a hole.
>
>
>> You mean, even if two Taraitola words go to the same English
>> one, each output is counted as a separated entry? Hmm... you
>> could do first an Taraitola > English table/matrix, and then
>> collapse the entries with the same fields:
>>
>> Taraitola - English
>> blabla1 - blabla2
>> blabla3 - blabla2
>>
>> to
>>
>> English - Taraitola
>> blabla2 - blabla1, blabla3
>>
>
> That, is in fact, what I should do. I've just been too lazy to actually
> automate it. Or manually re-edit after generating. I rarely generate
> anymore, since I tend to just use the spreadsheet.
>
I'm very lazy too. But I think that after suffering a little now, I can
just add tons of words and entries without bothering about
technicalities. I'm afraid it's just a naïve hope, as I'm always
reworking the technicalities. But let's keep this hope for now ; ).
>
>>> I currently don't have such an animal, but maybe I should
>>>
>> put it on my
>>
>>> horizon. :)
>>>
>>>
>> Such an animal?
>>
>
> My apologies. An idiom meaning...I don't have that type of thing. Another
> variant is 'there is no such animal' indicating that whatever is being
> discussed is mythical, non-existent. Like say, a flying pig.
>
I understood, more or less. But I never 'heard' it before. Curious! I
like to translate portuguese idioms to english, normally the result is
really funny. For instance, when you are really, but really wrong, you
are "roundly mistaken", 'redondamente enganado'. Or, when you have to
give up of something, you have to "take of your poney out of the rain",
'tirar seu cavalinho da chuva'.
>
>> Mine are: form, class, derivation, conjugation, aspect (of
>> the verbal root), genre, declension type, portuguese meaning,
>> english meaning, sureness ; ), revision, Pokorny (as it is an
>>
> Useful for someone who doesn't understand portugese, for example (me!) I
> might be able to  get a vague idea, but I'd have to resort to the english to
> be sure.
>
Well, my fellow lusophones are not much interested in conlanguing. For
them it's just a little odder than studying Latin on College, as I do.
And the all ones that happen to be interested in it can read English,
then the portuguese meaning is just for any lost soul (I almost wrote
sow ; ) ) that I didn't count as possible.
>
>> myself, but I am so happy when my verbs look like the vedic
>> ones ; ). Anohow, that will hurt, I can feel already ; )
>>
>
> Nothing like a new idea or change that involves going through your entire
> list making changes or adding new data to every entry. Usually not the more
> enjoyable part of conlanging. :)
>
Surely! If at least all things, once done, were done forever, that would
be tolerable. But having to rework on that things you thought were
already done... not so good, indeed. That reminds me of my orthographic
revision, but I should write a new email for that.

BTW, do you have a grammar of your conlang? I'm curious now : ).
> Iain
>
>
Edgard.

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