Fess Up Now.

Well,
so many have been telling their conlang story.

I have never developed my own conlang and never plan to do so.
However, I do find the experiences of others interesting, and helpful
in different ways.

My premise, for me, is to promote as much as possible, particular
"constructed" languages, and encourage them to be used in actual life
situations. In my case, there are two that I promote now together.
Occidental and Rap Lin Rie [aka Speedwords.]

My first contact with a constructed language was the same as many
others. I first saw Esperanto. At the same time, on the same day, on
the same shelf, in the same book store in Newbury, England, I also
found a book on Speedwords. Both were in the Teach Yourself...
series. So, I bought them both together. Within a week I decided
against Esperanto and stuck with Speedwords. That was in 1955 or
1956.

After the Teach Yourself Dutton Speedwords book, I wrote to the
Dutton address and ordered the other texts. Several years later I
lost all my Speedwords material. About two years + ago, I finally got
on the internet and decided to do a search for Speedwords. I found
some information, downloaded it, and was back into building my
Speedwords library again.

This led me to the conlang and auxlang list. On those lists I asked
if anyone knew Speedwords, or about it. A couple responded, one being
Ray Brown. He helped me recover much of what I had lost. Another
gentleman was kind enough to help me get hold of the original Teach
Yourself book.

On a lark, I asked someone picked out at random over the internet, in
England, to help me find the Dutton descendants. Within less than a
week I had an address and within a month was corresponding with them.
Now, not only do I have all of what I lost, but much material in
Speedwords I did not even know existed, and also have exclusive
reprint rights to the material now. Need I say how happy I am with
how things have gone for me with Speedwords and Occidental since
finding conlang and auxlang!

Occidental materials came to me in another surprising way. I read
bits and pieces about it on the internet, but nobody seemed to have
any real materials on it. I even asked if anyone had the "postcard"
sized page of its grammar, and got no response. But, today, I have
nearly 2,000 printed pages of Occidental material beginning with the
first actual copy of the 1922 Kosmoglotta magazine, and more on the
way! Between the two languages, and the finding of material I did not
have, and did not even know existed, I am thrilled. And, just think,
it all started with a simple search for Speedwords on the internet,
which led to conlang, auxlang, and now, Ray Brown and others have
helped turn me into a Speedwords/Occidental "monster".

And, my first "official" Speedwords website is nearing it's 4,000th
hit, from 37 countries! 4,000 ain't much, but look at where I
started, and how long it took me once on the internet to even get my
first page up. Plus, the best is yet to come.

Thanks conlang! I am thankful for your part in this exciting
experience in my life.

Al l sue, e Amico,
Bob, x+