Re: Help! Phonology From Hell!

Christian Thalmann <cinga@...> writes:

> I have this idea for a freaklang phonology orbiting my brain, and I feel
> I should discuss it before it drives me insane.  ;-)
>
> First of all, a freaklang is supposed to be alien and unconventional, so
> I decided to use as many non-standard articulation points as possible.
> I settled on uvular, palatal, retroflex, interdental, and bilabial.
> Yeah, bilabial is conventional, but it's so basic that I couldn't find a
> reason for a language not to use it (unless it's spoken by aliens with
> no lips, but let's not go there).
I have read that there are even *natlangs* without bilabial consonants!
BTW: A language without labial or labialized consonants, and with only
unrounded vowels would be ideal for ventriloquism, and
lip-reading-proof.

>       Besides, this language is intended
> for the Snake clan on Pii, so they're not that alien.
Who are the Snake clan, and where's Pii?  Is this their everyday
language, or is it some kind of special ritual language or whatever?

> [interesting freaklang phonology snipped]
>
> Any comments?  Does my rambling make any sense?
Yeah!  Funky stuff indeed!  Especially cool is the front/back harmony
extending not only to vowels, but also to consonants.  A neat idea is
the intersection of the two vowel sets in /@/.  There are natlang
precedents for intersecting vowel sets: Tungusic and Chukotko-Kamchatkan
have high/low harmony with the `high' set /i e u/ and the `low' set /e a
o/ (apparently, /e/ from the low set and some non-low central vowel from
the high set have fallen together at some point in the languages'
history).

>       Has somebody actually
> read the whole post up to here?
Yes, Christophe is not the only one.

>       Does anybody know a good nerve clinic
> for me?  ;-)
Rest assured that you don't need one.  You are not insane, just very
creative!

Jörg.

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