Re: Conlanging techniques

In a message dated 4/3/01 4:04:23 PM, bjornkri@HI.IS writes:

<< Now to my question, I was wondering if you had any conlanging techniques to

share. Like, do you use computers much and what software do you use? Do you

follow the now-surely-famous The Language Construction Kit guidelines? Or

what? I personally have found it very difficult making up a whole phonetic

system with restrictions and the lot before starting with the actual

lexicon, and likewise I find it difficult forming a grammar after making up

a lexicon, but then it's not easier at all doing it the other way around :P


So if you've found a good way of organizing things and such, please share :)
>>
    All my projects usually start with some sort of orthography (which is, to
me, by FAR the most interesting part).  After I come up with some sort of
writing system, I attach sounds to the characters.  Then I usually come up
with one word (usually a verb that's very simple, like "eat"), and I play
with it: Moods, conjugations, aspects, tenses, et cetera.  After that, I come
up with a noun, and play with it as well.  Then I come up with pronouns and
write a sentence.  After that, I come up with some grammar to work with these
things.  Then I get to classes of nouns and verbs and so forth, and come up
with a thing that looks like the "Overall Guide to" whatever language in a
language dictionary.  Then comes the fun of creating words.  Unlike what
appears to be most people on this list, I love creating words, and usually
create a lot.  For instance, my first language (on the computer; my Mac--the
most superior machine out there, no matter what those eunuchs say!) has over
100 pages of words--my dictionary.
    But anyway, that's more of an overview of how I do it, rather than
advice--sorry.  I suggest working on certain aspects--say, listing all the
verb conjugations--and doing it bit by bit.  As you go along, you're bound to
find things you want to change, embellish, raze, und so weiter.  [Digression:
Ever notice the equivalent to "et cetera" in Esperanto, when abrievated, is a
list from back to front of the most widely used voiceless stops: ktp?  That
is, unless you count the glottal stop...]  But, that's my plan for most
things: start in one place, disregarding any other ideas you might have, and
that start is bound to take you places you might not have expected.  So,
that's my say.

-Jenesis

Reply