Re: What is it we are saying in our languages?

----- Original Message -----
From: "David J. Peterson" <dedalvs@...>


> I actually do quite a bit of writing in conlangs, but I don't post
> about it to the list, because: (1) it seems like the list is geared more
> towards the language aspect of conlanging; and (2) related to
> the former, language-related conlang traffic generates more of
> a response.
That's sort of why I wanted to break the karma.  Maybe sharing what we've
written in our conlangs is something that needn't reside only on our
websites.  Or sharing how we feel about writing in our conlangs.  But over
the years I've seen a relative decline of that kind of thing on the list
itself.  That is not to say that I believe no one constructs a lang to write
in it.

> Actually, the very first thing I ever did way back in 2000 when
> the idea of creating a language came to me was write a book.
> A little 32 page illustrated story book.  I'm far more impressed
> by my little illustrations than the language, at this point, but
> that I saw as my first task after creating the language--in fact,
> it was part of the reason that I created the language in the first
> place.  I was inspired by Spencer's The Faerie Queene, and wanted
> to write a story like The Faerie Queene, but didn't want to write
> it in English (and, after reading it, it looks like Spencer didn't
> want to, either--or, at least, not in the English he spoke day to
> day).  I wanted the script to look different to fit with the art I
> imagined, and it all to fit with the story (a little allegory).  As a
> result, I invented the language (whose merits, or lack there of,
> you can read about on my site--definitely nothing to write home
> about), and then did the book.  And now it's done and sitting
> on my shelf, and if the language were better, I'd be quite happy
> with it.  As it stands now, I like to look at it every so often.
An inspiring story!  It's something I'd love to see.  Do you have a sample
of it on your site? I've seen your Sathir Main with its aphorisms
(izanyoza?) and drawings. They are utterly hilarious!  The draconic king who
goes around reassuring the sun that people want it to come up.  Who levels
the flowers so they're all the same height.  I think John quoted from the
one I like the best too: "Not every rock contains a gem."

These remind me a little of the Welsh maxims.  My favorite from Taliesin,
and one I've used for my signature for years is "What draws a gem out of a
hard stone?"  (Py dydwc glein o errdygnawt vein?--Book of Taliesin).  A huge
inspiration for me and the Gospel of Bastet, and other sayings in Teonaht.
But what I like about yours are the uproarious stories behind these
aphorisms!

> With every single language I've ever created (accept for ones
> that I imagine might actually be used for practical purposes), I've
> had a writing project (or two) that went along with it.  I don't
> create a language without coming up with a writing project.
> Some of them are small, and can actually be viewed on my site
> (e.g., the aphorisms section for Sathir); most are not.
Okay, I spoke too soon.  Yes, I've seen those.

> So just because it doesn't come up on conlang doesn't mean that
> conlangers aren't doing it--it just means they're not talking about
> it...on conlang.  ;)
I know!  It was no accusation.  In fact my remark was intended, as I sad in
a post I posted too soon, was to elicit information about this kind of
thing.  Your first invented language was only six years ago?  You make me
feel ancient! ;)

My writing projects:  I started inventing Teonaht too soon for me to be
writing anything of profundity in it except prayers and invocations of
various gods to protect me, and later, when I hit puberty, love-poems that
were dreck.  As the language developed, though, along with the culture, it
became important to write magical texts and short poems in it; now I long to
have the time to write historical, political, and philosophical texts, so
that it be as Mulcaster said, defending his sixteenth-century English
against the French, "a tongue of matter."

And I wanted to know how many of you out there felt the same way.

Sally

Yryi les teuim vo kalalya imralidz janeom.
"As for the gods, they speak no human language."
http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves/contents.html

Reply