Re: tips for new conlangers

> From: Yoon Ha Lee
>
> On Fri, 29 Jun 2001, Robert Hailman wrote:
>
> > "[Adam K. Shuck]" wrote:
> > > Hey - this is Adam.  I'm not a new conlanger, but I was wondering if
> > > anyone
> > > had any tips to help me start up a new language.  I have some good
> > > ideas, but
> > > I can't seem to begin the outline of the language.  Thanks.
> >
> > Well, it's all up to you, but...
> >
> > Have you checked out Mark Rosenfelder's Language Construction Kit? I
> > don't have the exact link handy, but you can get to it from
> > www.zompist.com. That's a good place to start.
>
> I second that recommendation.  And the outline below is a pretty good
> approximation to how I work it.  :-)  I tend to start with phonology
> because I want to be able to work with *sounds* before I can do anything
> else.  My mind just doesn't handle abstracted patterns very well.
>
> A book I've found very helpful in terms of offering questions for
> contemplating/filling in is Thomas Payne's _Describing Morphosyntax_,
> which was recommended at various points by various other members on the
> list.  It's worth at least looking at if you can track down a copy.
I strongly second Yoon Ha Lee's recommendation here.  Payne's book is, IMHO,
an absolute must for conlangers.  This is about as close to a conlanger's
cookbook as anything I've seen.  Read it, study it, apply it.

Stay curious,
David

David E. Bell
The Gray Wizard
www.graywizard.net

Wisdom begins in wonder.

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