Re: Heyas all!

On Mon, 29 Mar 1999 20:42:09 -0600 Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
writes:
>Nik Taylor wrote:
>
>> Trace Erin Kern wrote:
>> > Good point. Biology more than culture shapes what sounds a
>language
>> > possesses.
>
>Well, it has a *lot* to do with what happens, but as I just discussed
>in
>my post about teleology in conlanging, it takes very little effort to
>find examples
>of a soundchange in one language occurring when precisely the same
>kind of
>environment in another language exhibits *no* tendencies to that same
>change at all.   What I think happens, is that statistically
>speaking,
>certain phenomena (like consonant clusters) trigger the *possibility*
>of
>sound change, but in themselves do not accomplish the change (like
>inserting
>an epenthetic vowel to break those clusters):  it's a necessary
>but not sufficient qualification.
Well, what I was referring to was the initial language, or a Conlang for
a fictional species. Their biology more than their society would
determine what sounds they could pronounce.
For instance, a species that was just explained on ConCulture:
These alians, who's name I forgot, are a humanoid pseudo-avian species.
(Their ancestors were capable of flight.) Their language is a tonal
language, as their sense of hearing can detect much more subtle
variations in tone and pitch. The fact that their language is tonal based
has more to do with their bilogy, the greater hearing range, then
culture.

Just as a canine species that is true to it's Terran counterpart (if any
exists) biologically would not likely be able to pronounce many Terran
languages.

Understand what I mean?

>> > I understood half of what you just said. <sheepish grin>
>>
>> My apologies, I realize I probably used more technical language
>than
>> necessary.
>
>Can one be a linguist and not?  It's the curse our profession has
>been given.  ;-)
Well, I think what had me the most confused were the technical
descriptions of phonetic sounds.
IE: Just what the heck is a uvular <sp?> stop? Or an africate?

It's those such terms that stopped me short.

I have been reading through the files in the 'Language Construction Kit'
and have been learning *some* of the *rules* for linguistics,
unfortunately this has done little to help me with my current writing
projects.
My sole problem is that thus far I have found no inspiration to begin
from to start building my own words/names/language/etc. And I do not know
if this is something anyone can help with.
\I will be studying several of the conlangs in the Index of Model
Languages, in the hopes that somewhere I might find the inspiration I
need.
I am also going to aqquire any of the 'Language Construction Programs'
available to me, as these also might help me gain inspiration. I have
found LangMaker, SIL's Shoebox, and another named Perseus. Does anyone
know of any other's out there?
Beyond all that, if anyone *does* have any suggestions for my inspiration
problem, please let me know...

Trace Erin Kern: Shapeshifting Kitsune  -  TraceFox@juno.com
~Hah'Rooqh Tah'Khrine, Eayl Noh'Tahl~
~May you go in peace, all your journey~

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