Re: Hive English Orthography

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:27:54 -0000, Joseph Bridwell <zhosh@...>
wrote:

>Let's see if this post makes it to the list. A long one from
>yesterday seems never to have appeared.
>
>> Inspired by a couple of the Norwescon panels, I came up with yet
>> another conlang idea.
>
>Ditto.
>
>> syllable structure is strictly (C)V (but maybe word-final (C)VC).
>>
>> Consonants:
>> * Voiced: b, d, g, m, n
>> * Voiceless: p, t, k, q (= [?]), h
>>
>> Probably, p, t, k are aspirated. They are also the consonants that
>> could occur word-final.
>>
>> Vowels:
>> v  [v]   [f]
>> z  [z_m] [s_m]
>> s  [z_a] [s_a]
>> r  [z`]  [s`]
>> i  [j\]  [C]
>> u  [G_w] [x_w]
>> x  [R]   [X]
>> l  [l]   [K]
>
>:: snip ::
>
>> Comments?
>
>Very interesting. What's the syntax of this language?
I haven't decided on a particular type of syntax yet. I'm still trying to
figure out what distinctions are important (maybe hive, anti-hive, neutral,
pro-hive-but-not-"synchronized") and how these affect person and number.
Plus I've been sidetracked by yet another conlang project.

>Inspired by the same panels, I revived and reworked Gremegr - a
>conlang that I'd left untouched for a while. I argued with myself
>again over creating "inhuman" sounds and whether I was limiting
>myself by assuming hive=insect. So, in the end, I chose:
>/p/ [p]
>/t/ [t]
>/k/ [k]
>/b/ [b]
>/d/ [d]
>/g/ [g]
>/m/ [m]
>/n/ [n]
>/gn/ [N]
>/br/ [B\]
>/r/ [r]
>/gr/ [r_G]
>/f/ [p\]
>/s/ [S]
>/x/ [x]
>/v/ [B]
>/z/ [Z]
>/y/ [G]
>/w/ [v\]
>/rw/ [r\]
>/gw/ [M\]
>/l/ [K]
>/7/ [?]
>/i/ [i]
>/e/ [e]
>/a/ [a]
Some nice trills, there.

>Bilabials, used as affixes, refer to group levels; alveolars to
>castes; velars to the hive. Unvoiced plosives refer to activities
>for tending the hive; voiced plosives for changes; nasals for
>protecting the hive; trills for movement; unvoiced fricatives for
>fruiting; voiced fricatives for seedings; approximants for planning.
I don't have any morphemes or assignment schemes like that, although I'm
thinking about using |ms| and |mr| to mark physically feminine and
masculine.

>/l/ refers to "not hive", /7/ is null (no specified reference).
I like your use of [K] for "not hive"! Was that usage influenced by LAadan
|lh|?

>Roots are VCV. Words reflect the agent of the action plus the nature
>of the beneficiary of the action.
>
>Sentences/phrases are strictly:
><action><place><time><beneficiary><object><agent>
>
>Example:
>tamat ga7ig gwasa7 zele7 kini7 7ad.
>
>tamat = for-caste-feeds-caste
>ga7ig (gaggig) = here always
>gwasa7 = for-hive-continuing = brood
>zele7 = for-caste-seed (implies seed appropriate for caste level)
>kini7 = for-hive-tending
>7ad = (marks end of statement)
>
>Nurse-caste feeds here always to-brood caste-seed.
Jeff