Re: Loxian

Okay, guys, I finally understand.  I've been following this thread somewhat
desultorily, deleting a lot of it for space, but only now have I cottoned on
to the fact that this is Roma Ryan's "invented" language, lyricist to Enya,
her script reproduced on Enya's CD "Amarantine," and her words sung by Enya.
I bought her book (_Water Shows the Hidden Heart_ can I write that without
copyright infringement?) just a few weeks ago and have been perusing it,
hoping against hope that Ryan would exhibit a glossary, much less a system,
for her Loxian.  She has a commonplace script that seems to be drawn from a
number of well-known scripts, outstanding for its ugliness, and she
transcribes and translates them, but the translations seem to be extremely
free interpretations of her words.  For instance, one word repeated four
times has a complex translation in two sentences.  There is a very slight
glossary at the end (love, river, rain, shadow, and other sentimental
concepts) but nothing that explains the structure of her language.  Too
boring to do so, I guess, or no structure at all.  The copyright directions
at the front of the book (published by "Valley-dwellers"-- no place of
publication given) are so effing anal--

"No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, transmitted in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the
publisher.  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by
way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise
circulated without the publisher's prior consent, blah blah blah)"

--that it strikes me that anxieties about "borrowing" are different in the
music world.  But this is a printed book.  Surely "fair usage" applies.  I'm
not to lend the book to anyone?  Does that apply to libraries????   Or
reproduce some of the script for a scholarly presentation on invented
languages without begging on bended knee for permission?  I know from
experience that the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin is similarly anal about
selling microfilms of their medieval manuscripts to libraries for use by
more than one patron. Long story.  Compare the copyright instructions to Le
Guin's _Always Coming Home_:  "No part of this book may be used or
reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission EXCEPT IN THE
CASE OF BRIEF QUOTATIONS EMBODIED IN CRITICAL ARTICLES AND REVIEWS.

Whew!  That gives me some leeway.

Novelists, not musicians, understand the critical and scholarly world and
the advantages of having someone critique, and thus publicize, their work.

The same site in the Wikipedia gives a linguist's criticism of Ryan's
invention:

quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loxian
"After examining Loxian, Terry Dolan, a professor of English at University
College Dublin, has offered his professional opinion regarding the language.
"It's a very eclectic language. It seems to choose elements at random. It
brings in a whole wealth of different language forms such as Anglo-Saxon,
Hindi, Welsh and, I think, Siberian Yupik as well. It is very mixum-gatherum
linguistically - it seems to have no form of grammar or word order which has
very limited comprehensibility. The script resembles several existing
languages. They've drawn on Tolkien, on Runic language and there are
elements of Pitman shorthand as well. A lot of thought has gone into it."

Hey Dolan and Ryan.  Come to CONLANG and see what a "lot of thought" about
language invention has gone into our projects.

Sally

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Peters" <beta_leonis@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 3:11 PM
Subject: Re: Loxian


> >Yeppers, that is basically what they do, since you need the
>>grammer and all to write things, then .. create your own or add
>>on to it and then ..
>>
>>Can they copyright the Name and such, as a trademark or logo?
>>
>
>
> I've been told (I don't know if this is accurate) that Marc Okrand owns
> the copyright to the Klingon language.  The name "Klingon" is of course
> owned by the Star Trek production folks, but the language itself is leased
> to them under license, if I recall correctly.  I might be wrong.
>
> :Chris
>

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